Hidden Dangers: Can Cat Litter Make You Sick?

Maybe.

Health problems linked to cat litter:

Lung disease
Bentonite toxicosis
Mental illness
Hyperthyroidism

The internet is littered (pardon the pun) with a lot of info about cat litter and health. It’s enough to make anyone confused.

In this article I’ll go through the research linking cat litter with health problems and what to do to keep yourself safe.

I recommend seeking the advice of a vet for any further questions. The advice in this article is not intended as medical advice.

Can Cat Litter Make You Sick?

Maybe.

Cat litter is linked to:

Lung disease
Mental illness
Bentonite toxicosis
Hyperthyroidism
Pulmonary fibrosis

Here’s what the science has to say.

Lung Disease

Linked to bentonite clay cat litter.

Bentonite clay litter contains crystalline silica.

Crystalline silica is a mineral found in natural Earth materials like rock, concrete, and other industrial materials as well as clay cat litter.

It’s cheap and offers great water absorption for cat litter.

The particles can enter the airways without any immediate effect to health. It’s odorless, colorless, and non-irritating.

However it can affect human health from inhalation of silica dust.

Evidence?

In 2022, a 44 year old woman with kidney failure checked into hospital with:

Weight loss
Coughing
Fever
Decreased exercise tolerance.

A biopsy found lesions in the lungs with silicon deposits.

History revealed she owned 9 cats all using bentonite clay litter.

Her lung and kidney function improved in 4 months with prednisone and removal of all bentonite clay cat litter.

A similar case study in 2012 saw a 44 year old woman with 8 cats presented with breathing problems.

The issue also resolved by avoiding bentonite clay cat litter.

Recently, there’s been a rise in silicosis (lung disease) from tradesman using stone products in Australia. Some workers have irreversible lung damage.

Bottom Line:

Both case studies are of people with a lot of cats.

More cats = more litter = more dust.

There’s also evidence from tradesman with heavy exposure to silicon dust from work.

For single cat owners, harm is less likely. I feel it’s best avoided.

Bentonite Toxicosis

Bentonite clay litter can affect cats too if they eat it.

A 1996 study reported a 2 year old cat visiting a clinic with:

Lethargy
Muscle weakness
Dehydration

The cat also had a potassium deficiency (hypokalemia).

Researchers found the cat ingested bentonite clay litter. The cats health improved when taken off clay litter.

However the owner put their cat back on the litter, the cats health declined, and the owner got the cat euthanized.

Bottom Line:

Doesn’t seem like there’s much research on this one.

If your cat tries to eat litter, then I think it’s best to opt for a plant based litter for safety.

A cat looking at cat litter — *Eating clay cat litter can make your cat sick*

Mental Illness

Cat poo can have parasites.

One is a brain parasite called toxoplasma gondii, which affects 40% of cats.

A study of 40,000 Danish blood donors found those exposed to cat feces had a 47% increased risk of schizophrenia (translates to about a 1% higher rate).

The parasite is also transmitted in raw meat.

Globally, the parasite infects about 1 billion people.

A study in Iraq found 27.5% of women visiting a vet clinic infected with the parasite (toxoplasmosis). About 10% of cats had feces infected with the parasite.

A Maryland lab studied this brain parasite, but got shut down.

The lab gave cats infected meat to harvest parasites, then euthanized them. This drew an uproar in animal activists, hence the decision to stop research.

So without more research, it’s unclear what the full effect to health is.

Bottom Line:

Stay clean.

Avoid touching cat poo directly and maintain daily cleaning.

This reduces your risk of infection.