[Lyndee]

I am all for getting into 'green'.

SO, who has tips on how our pets can live greener lives, too, or I guess, how we can live greener lives with and for our pets.

We live with both a cat and small house dogs.

Tips? Ideas? Looking forward to hearing from you...

[RFL1986]

I'm not sure but I can imagine there are a few small changes that could probably be made to let your pets live 'green' as well. I have a cat as well so it would be interesting to hear of anything that I could do.

[tater03]

Other than the green type litter that you can get for your cat I am really not to sure on all you can do. I actually learned about the litter on here so I am sure there will be some on here that will have some great suggestions.

[Green-Moo]

Some types of cat litter are better than others. I just scoop earth from the garden & replace it regularly, but I'm lucky that I have allot of land to do that on & I know that not everyone can.

You can make your own dog & cat food if you don't like the methods used to make commercial varieties. It's not something I do as I have enough difficultiy cooking for my family, but I suppose if you did it in bulk it would not be so time consuming.

Rabbits & other small pets can be given shredded household paper as bedding, and that can be composted rather than put in the bin.

I can't think of anything else at the moment.

Green-Moo

[horselover]

I have 2 cats and 2 hamsters.

I'd love to find ways to go green with them.

[Roguegal]

A good way to feed your cats and dogs is to give them your leftovers off the table. If you're worried about them getting the right amount of vitamins, just by some pet vitamins for them and mix into their food. I have admired cats and dogs for years with scraps from the table and they are as healthy as can be.

[horselover]

I've never head of that. My mother in law is adamant against feeding the cats scraps. She says her vet doesn't lie, and doesn't believe anyone but him.

[EviesEarth]

We have a cat and a dog. Use wheat cat litter. Although my cat prefers to go out and find his own spot on our property to relieve himself.

[Timetrvlr]

My cat is strictly an indoor cat. I've found that cats like a bit of fresh greenery in their diet. I used to just go out and grab a handful of grass for her. That works fine in summer, but not in winter.

We were in the pet store and noticed that they carry "cat grass" seeds so we bought some. I filled a plastic tray that is about a foot square and 3" deep with potting soil, spread it evenly, and pressed it down firmly. Then I spread a n even layer of seeds on top and cover lightly with more potting soil which is also pressed down.

The tricky part is watering it, too much water isn't good because there is no drainage in the tray. I use a squeeze-bulb to gently add water without disturbing the seeds. the trick is to keep the surface moist without drowning them. Then I place the tray on top of the fridge to keep it warm. The first sprouts appear after 48 hours.

The young sprouts need a sunny location in the house to thrive. We have a small table set up by a sunny window in the Rec room. We call it our cat's solarium. Cat grass grows to 6" high within a week and lasts for several months if you take care of it.

Our cat grazes several times a day while watching the world go by outside. I'm pretty sure it's good for her and I've planted a few plants that soak up carbon dioxide which she sequesters in her kitty litter? Maybe that's a stretch but it sounds "green" to me.

[Angel]

the cat grass is a great idea. I have three trays I rotate, each growing at a different rate because the grass gets chewed fairly quickly.
I would also be a bit worried about feeding scraps from the table, I'm not sure a cat or dog's digestion is the same as a human's and I am fairly sure their needs are different.
I have also used shredded paper for a litter tray before, despite attempts to be paper-free, I always seem to have mounds of the stuff in the shredder.
Only other thing I can think of right now is to use biodegradable bags or newspaper for doggy pooh when you are out and about.