Pet Products Go Green: Corncob Cat Litter

As an allergy sufferer, I've never been thrilled with clay cat litter. It served its purpose, however, so it's what I always used--until recently.

Walmart featured Arm & Hammer® Essentials® Natural Clumping Litter on an end cap about six weeks ago. I decided to try it out in one of our three litter boxes. I love it! The natural corn fibers absorb odor so well that within moments of the cats using the litter box, I can't tell. It leaves behind a fresh pine scent. Because it isn't sticky like clay, I don't have to scrape the bottom of the litter box to make sure I've gotten all the waste, which means clean up every night takes less time. In addition, I'm taking less litter out each time, so I'm saving money because I don't use as much litter as I used to. The only challenge is that since it is lightweight it tends to get tossed around a bit more than clay litter. I've taken to putting the cover back on one of the litter boxes to reduce the mess on the basement floor. That's worth it considering the time and money I'm saving.

I also tried out Pro-Pet™ Fresh Results™ Clumping Corncob Cat Litter. This litter has received great reviews, but I preferred the overall consistency of the Arm & Hammer brand.

If you're looking to make the switch to all natural litter, your cats might go through a transition period. When I first brought the new litter home, I switched one of our three litter boxes to the corn fiber litter. That didn't work well because the cats just used the two boxes with the clay litter in them more. So, I ended up adding a bit of clay litter to the one that had corn fiber litter in it, and then sprinkled corn fiber litter on top of the clay litter in the other two boxes. The following week, I switched a second box over to corn fiber litter, adding in a bit of clay litter on top. By the time I was ready to switch over the third litter box, the cats were using the two others that were mostly corn fiber litter as often as they used to. When it came time to switch the third box over, I had no more clay litter left, but the cats didn't seem to mind. They've been using the Arm & Hammer Essentials for over two weeks without a problem.

Product Review: Seventh Generation™ Free & Clear Baby Wipes

I love free samples. Who wants to spend good money trying out a new product and then not like it?

Some time ago, I requested a free sample of Seventh Generation™ Free & Clear Baby Wipes. Both of our daughters have sensitive skin like I do; especially the Lil Princess (8). Even though they are long past the diaper stage, I still keep wipes on hand for sticky messes. The problem, I discovered, is my usual wipes contain phenoxyethanol. According to this article at Truth In Aging, this glycol ether has been shown to have harmful effects on the brain and nervous system. Some animal studies indicate this can happen even in at "moderate concentrations."

So, I decided to try Seventh Generation Free & Clear Baby Wipes. I received two sample packets that included three wipes each. While about an 1/8-inch shorter than my usual wipes, I was immediately taken with how soft this polyester and rayon wipe is. Even though it is soft, it's sturdy too. It lasted the cleaning of both dirty feet when the Lil Diva (10) opted to run around outside without any shoes on the other day. With its plant-derived ingredients, a plant-based cleansing agent, emollient and synthetic vitamin E, I feel better about the wipes I have my children use. Though unscented, the first thing each girl commented on was how much they liked the smell of the wipes.

We'll definitely be making the switch to Seventh Generation Free & Clear Baby Wipes, which are available in many of our local grocery and health food stores.


I requested a free sample of this product directly from the manufacturer. I received no monetary compensation for this review.