why is cat litter the stuff you put in the box called cat litter, if a litter of kittens is called the same?

Question

my 11 year old asked this one.

Answer 1

because after they use it and it sticks to their feet and they track it all over the house that is what it ends up being

Answer 2

When Was Cat Litter Invented

Answer 3

It is in reference to cats--litter meaning many-or several. A cat has more than one kitten, therefore it is a litter of kittens. Litter in the cat litter box, means there are many grains of sand, (or whatever they use), therefore, cat litter. For their potty box. I hope this helps explain the answer. Take care. By the way, it is a very good question!

Answer 4

I belive it is called litter do to litter is meaning more than one and well there is 2 meanings one is a litter of kittens and that is more than one and litter is some thing you through away and all so meaning more than one so some one picked it as being litter as in garbage ... and litter as being more than one for kittens and puppys .. it is intresting qustion .... but that is one of many answers i am sure you will get heehee great qustion

Answer 5

litter is also called so because it's something you throw away...so when you clean the "Litter box" you throw away the little clumps. but that is actually a really good question. i never paid any attention to that till now.

Answer 6

That's a good question, i've never thought about it. Not sure of the answer though, sorry.

Answer 7

Why is "abbreviation" such a long word?

Answer 8

cuz cats are litering their sh!t. watch dr phil

Answer 9

that's a clever child

Answer 10

Because its inventor called it so. Ed Lowe called his invention "Kitty Litter". Please read on.
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For today's cat owners, cat litter is as much a necessity as cat food. But before 1950, most cat boxes were filled with sand, dirt, or ashes instead of the more convenient superabsorbent litters to which cat lovers are now accustomed.

Kitty litter got its start when a neighbor frustrated with her cat tracking ashes throughout the house asked a budding entrepreneur named Edward Lowe for some sand. Lowe, whose family owned an industrial absorbents company, convinced her to try clay instead. So Lowe sent the neighbor home with an absorbent clay called Fuller's earth. She loved it and soon would use nothing else in her cat box.

Her enthusiasm spurred Lowe to try to sell the stuff, which he dubbed "Kitty Litter," as a cat box filler. But the local pet store owner was doubtful that anyone would pay money for the product when the alternatives were available for next to nothing. So Lowe began giving it away for free. Soon, he had satisfied customers willing to pay good money for Kitty Litter. By 1990, Edward Lowe Industries was the largest producer of cat box filler in the U.S.

The secret to Lowe's Kitty Litter is granulated Fuller's earth. Fuller's earth is actually a catchall term for a chemically diverse set of absorbent clay minerals capable of absorbing their weight in water. Fuller's earth litters naturally provide some odor control by sequestering urine. But if the soiled litter isn't replaced and urine begins to collect at the bottom of the box, bacteria found in feces will convert the uric acid in cat urine into unpleasant-smelling ammonia. Fuller's earth litters can alleviate some of the ammonia odor by trapping the positively charged ammonium ions that are formed when water in urine protonates the ammonia. To improve odor control, cat litter manufacturers use a number of additives, including baking soda to absorb smells, fragrances to mask unpleasant scents, and antibacterial agents to kill odor-causing bacteria.
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more things to know about kitty litter
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Conventional litter

One of the first commercially available cat litters was Kitty Litter, invented in 1948 and marketed by Ed Lowe. This was the first use of clay as an absorbent; prior to this time sand had been used in litter boxes instead. The new clay litter was more absorbent than sand, and its larger grain made it less likely to be tracked from the litter box. The brand name has become a genericized trademark, used by many to denote any type of cat litter.

Conventional clay litter is indistinguishable from clay-based oil absorbent (used to clean oil spills); as the latter is far cheaper, it is often used as a substitute.

[edit] Clumping litter

Clumping litters were first developed in the UK in the 1950s by the Fuller's Earth Union, later to become a part of Laporte Industries Ltd. The type of clumping litter developed by the FEU was calcium bentonite, a less swelling and less sticky type than American bentonite. Subsequently in America, clumping bentonite was developed in 1984 by biochemist Thomas Nelson. Most are made from granulated bentonite clay which clumps together when wet and form a solid mass separate from the other litter in the box. This solid clumped material can then be disposed of without changing the entire contents of the litter box often. However the entire contents should be changed on a regular basis to prevent buildup of bacteria, every four to six weeks is recommended. At the same time, the litter box itself should be disinfected. Approximately 60% of the cat litter market consists of clumping litter. Clumping litter also usually contains quartz or diatomaceous earth (sometimes called diatomaceous silica, which causes it to be mistakenly confused with silica gel litter).

Some claim that clumping litters can be harmful to pets because if it is ingested or inhaled, it swells and solidifies inside them. This is thought to be particularly dangerous for kittens, who are more likely to ingest cat litter and less likely to recover easily. For the same reason, it is not recommended to flush clumping litters down the toilet.

[edit] Silica gel litter

Silica gel litter, a porous granular form of sodium silicate, has the highest absorbancy of any litter, and has excellent moisture and odor control. Cat lovers' opinions about crystal cat litter are divided.

Some praise its absorbency because 4–5 lbs (2 kg) can absorb liquid and odor for up to 30 days for one healthy normal weight cat. Stir it daily when scooping the solid waste, otherwise urine can pool in the box. When crystal litter is saturated, at the end of 30 days or so, it begins to smell and is visibly saturated. In comparison, over the same time period it may take 20–30 lbs (9–14 kg) or more of clay or clumping litter because you have to replenish the clumped urine that is scooped out.

Others dislike that crystal litter gives them no warning when it is saturated; the next cat to use the litter box will leave a urine puddle at the bottom of the pan. Crystal litter is extremely lightweight, especially when compared to heavier clay and clumping litter.

Silica gel litter comes in two shapes: irregular lumps and small beads. Sizes range from 0.5 mm to 4 mm.

[edit] Biodegradable litter

Biodegradable litter materials are pellets made of recycled paper, wood shavings (primarily pine), wood, corn cobs, dried orange peel, or wheat bran. Some pet owners prefer these litters due to their perceived friendliness to the environment; others are attracted by the flushability of the litter. Asthmatic cats may sometimes benefit from the reduced dust in some forms of biodegradable litter. They tend to be more expensive than traditional clay litters, so cost is not a positive factor in their selection, however some biodegradeable litters such as the sawdust pellet type last much longer than clay litter—one inch of sawdust litter can last over two weeks per cat. Also, most of these forms of litter are recycled from human usage and are thus re-using a waste product as opposed to drawing clay from litter mines.