A High School friend of mine (via Facebook) contacted me yesterday with an interesting question. She has 8 cats (bless her little rescuing heart) and is considering getting a small dog. She has never had a dog and was worried about several things, but especially about the dog eating cat litter. With 9 pans in her house, I could understand the concern. What I learned in answering her question was that kitty litter could actually be toxic to small dogs (I did not know that). Check out this information on eHOW. I always have had a concern about dog’s eating cat poop, but I did not think about them eating the actual litter. It makes sense that clumping litter could really block a small dogs system, and it contains chemicals that could cause all kinds of gastro distress.
In our house, we have 2 uncovered pans in the the laundry room accessible only through a cat door or by a human, and a third side entry pan by my office, which the dogs can not get into. We try for one pan per cat.
Cats and dogs can make the best of house mates. Notice in the photo above, Mr.Nine last night taking over Louise’s bed. You can see 60 pound Lulu in the corner trying to lie on Sofie’s little dog bed because she did not want to tangle with the 10 pound ManCat sleeping in the middle of her’s. Around here cats tend to have the upper paw. BOL BOL (Bark Out Loud)
Post script: My thoughts and prayers are in Boston today. When will senseless killing end.
Just another dogdaz morning at our house ❤ 
DogDaz Zoo 
Genevieve Petrillo
April 16, 2013 at 06:35
That is news to me, but it makes perfect sense. Kitty litter! Good to know.
LikeLike
dogdaz
April 16, 2013 at 06:47
Good thing you don’t have a cat, Cupcake. You won’t be tempted.
LikeLike
easyweimaraner
April 16, 2013 at 08:57
Thanks for the information…. our neighbor uses litter boxes for her chihuahuas, I will tell her about.
LikeLike
dogdaz
April 16, 2013 at 09:21
Oh my – doggie boxes. That is a new one on me. But do they use cat litter in them and hopefully they don’t eat their own stuff. Yuck!!!
LikeLike
easyweimaraner
April 16, 2013 at 10:05
I’m afraid they use the common cat litter (I saw the bag). I hope she will change the litter… or better her habits, I never saw her walking with the dogs ….
LikeLike
themisadventuresofmisaki
April 16, 2013 at 11:19
Never heard that before, but will definitely pass the message on to a friend of mummy’s who has cats and a small dog
LikeLike
dogdaz
April 16, 2013 at 11:48
Thank you. It was new to me too
LikeLike
catchatcaren
April 16, 2013 at 15:10
I learned about this recently myself. It isn’t only SMALL DOGS that can be killed by cat litter it is ALL DOGS. I read that the litter expands in a dog’s stomach and can cause deadly blockages.
We keep half of our condo babygated. Dakota has NO ACCESS to any of the rooms where Cody’s food, toys or litter is.
Also…cat toys can kill a dog and cat food is awful for a dog!
LikeLike
dogdaz
April 16, 2013 at 18:04
Baby Gates are a must! I am having trouble with Sofie eating the long sticks that the cat toys hang on, but are you saying that Cat Nip is bad for dogs or just that they could swallow the little toys?
LikeLike
barkandchatter
April 16, 2013 at 15:29
I’m going to show this post to my husband! We just had a ‘discussion’ yesterday about him leaving the door open to where our litter box is – I don’t think he beleived me that litter can be hazardous to dogs! Maybe he will trust your authority!!! 🙂
LikeLike
dogdaz
April 16, 2013 at 18:03
I will gladly talk to him if you want. LOL
LikeLike
Lynn Delage
April 16, 2013 at 21:24
It is my experience that cats always rule over dogs in the house. It does not necessarily hold for outside. I was interested in this information about cat litter. I will remember in the future if I ever get to have a cat again. I have a dog but my cat died and I have not replaced him.
LikeLike
dogdaz
April 17, 2013 at 07:45
Sorry about the loss of your cat. It has been years since I have only had one species in the house. It must be weird.
LikeLike
Donna
April 16, 2013 at 22:52
We use recycled newspaper litter, but I try not to let my Lab get into as much as HE would like too because of the fear of blockages. (Oh, and cause it’s gross too.) 🙂
LikeLike
dogdaz
April 17, 2013 at 07:44
So right Donna.
LikeLike
Bassa's Blog
April 17, 2013 at 07:33
Great photos. I especially like the one of Lulu and ManCat – lovely! Thanks for the info on cat litter – I never knew that.
LikeLike
dogdaz
April 17, 2013 at 07:41
Learning new stuff every day – thanks
LikeLike
Jodi
April 17, 2013 at 11:09
Great post, I never thought of the clumping factor. I do however think most dogs go for the more solid pieces in the box as opposed to the wet. 😦
LikeLike
dogdaz
April 17, 2013 at 12:47
Yes – but it appears that even the solids have that chemical stuff attached which can be very dangerous. Yuck yuck yuck
LikeLike