When I first got my rabbit, Frodo, his former owner surrendered a large container of perfumed, clumping cat litter laced with tiny blue crystals. She explained that she used this litter instead of standard rabbit bedding because it absorbed odors better and was less expensive. I discovered, after talking to several other rabbit owners, that it’s not unusual to favor cat litter over ordinary bedding materials. I’ve even used some types of cat litter for my own bunnies on occasion. But is it really safe to use cat litter for rabbits? Here are some points to consider.
1. Natural, non-clumping litters are fine. Some cat litters are not just acceptable, but ideal, as rabbit bedding. For example, Yesterday’s News, a product made from recycled newspaper, safely and sustainably aborbs odor and moisture. Non-clumping bedding and litter made made from alfalfa, wheat, oat, and citrus are equally acceptable. Use these “cat litters” whenever possible as alternatives for your bunny pal.
2. Avoid cat litters with fragrance or deodorant crystals at all cost. They are toxic to rabbits. Most bunnies will nibble on their bedding material. This is just fine when the material is safe and natural, but it’s a huge problem if your bunny’s bedding is a perfumed cat litter. Fragrances and deodorizers aren’t just irritating to a bunny’s sensitive respiratory tract; they can be acutely poisonous if eaten.
3. Clumping cat litters can cause fatal blockages. If your bunny eats a clumping cat litter, it can form a large clump in his digestive tract, preventing the passage of gas or feces. If this happens, your rabbit will either experience intense pain for several hours, followed by a difficult, traumatic, life-threatening surgery– or, worse, he’ll die. This does happen to many rabbits who are exposed to clumping litters.
4. Non-clumping clay litters are still a potential danger. Many clay litters are exceptionally dusty. If your bunny likes to dig, he may kick large amounts of fine particulate matter into the air. When this enters his respiratory tract, it can cause intense irritation, leading to coughing, bronchitis, and even pneumonia. Prolonged exposure to dusty clay litters can cause your bunny to experience life-threatening respiratory damage.
5. Pine- and cedar-based litters can damage the liver. The jury’s still out on whether pine and cedar litters are harmful to rabbits. We do know that rabbits exposed to these potentially harmful tree oils often demonstrate elevated liver enzymes, and they may make bunnies more vulnerable to the effects of anesthesia. Although they’re affordable and popular, shy away from cat litters and bedding material made from these trees if any reasonable alternatives are available.
The House Rabbit Society offers further information about appropriate litters and bedding material for rabbits.