Green Living – Doing it Kitty Style

You are going green right? You have your own recycling bin, you are using solar lighting, conserving gas, and doing your best to reduce your carbon footprint. Checking the “recyclable” section on all your clothes and furniture doing your best to use and buy only recycled goods. That is great!

But, have you thought about making “Fluffy” more recyclable? No, I do not mean making your pet physically recyclable but I am talking about how THEY live, or more importantly what they live in. That’s right if you have a kitty house or tower have you checked to see what that is made of?

What’s the big deal right? Well it could mean a lot as far as the health for your pet goes. Look for the obvious problem areas first. Is it painted? If so what kind of paint was used? Is the paint chipping or is your pet chewing on it? Whether you have a cat or a dog, you need to check to make sure they are not chewing on their home or eating any of the paint chips that may be flaking off of it. This is obviously bad especially if the paint used was lead based, if not even the chemicals used in the paint could be toxic to your pet.

A lot of outdoor pet houses are made of wood and are treated to help prevent them from rotting and falling apart over time. While this is good for your pet, and your budget (you are not out buying a new pet house every couple of years) it could be bad for the environment. The chemicals used to make the house more permanent could be damaging the environment around it. Especially if your pet has been busy tearing it apart.

The good news is that with the change in mindset there are lot more environmentally friendly pet houses. Or ones that made from recycled parts and have solar LED lights in case Tabby is afraid of the dark these items will last and will not go into a landfill or cause any problems. Keep your eye out and keep your pets and the environment safe and happy.