Animal litter

Abstract

An improved odor control animal litter composition comprising a substantially particulate silica gel material with a particle size distribution of about 0.15 to about 4 mm. In additional embodiments, the litter composition also includes at least one of the following components: fixing agent, colorant agent, anti-bacterial agent, fragrance, odor controlling agent, and/or supplemental absorbent materials.

1 . An animal litter comprising: 
 a substantially particulate silica gel material with a particle size distribution between 0.15-2 mm.    
   
   
       2 . The animal litter recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least 90% of said silica gel material has a particle size ranging between 1-2 mm.  
   
   
       3 . The animal litter recited in  claim 1 , wherein said silica gel material has a mean particle size between 1-1.5 mm.  
   
   
       4 . The animal litter recited in  claim 1 , wherein said silica gel material is Type A, B, C, or macroporous silica gel.  
   
   
       5 . The animal litter recited in  claim 1 , wherein said composition includes a fixing agent.  
   
   
       6 . The animal litter recited in  claim 5 , wherein said fixing agent comprises less than 2%, by weight, of said litter composition.  
   
   
       7 . The animal litter recited in  claim 1 , wherein said litter composition includes a colorant agent.  
   
   
       8 . The animal litter recited in  claim 7 , wherein said colorant agent comprises up to 5% of said litter composition.  
   
   
       9 . The animal litter recited in  claim 7 , wherein said colorant agent is disposed on at least 10% of said silica gel material.  
   
   
       10 . The litter composition of  claim 7 , wherein said colorant agent comprises a dye selected from the group consisting of direct dyes, vat dyes, sulfur dyes, acid dyes, mordant acid dyes, phthalocyanine dyes, anthraquinone dyes, polymeric dyes, quinoline dyes, monoazo, disazo and polyazo dyes.  
   
   
       11 . The animal litter recited in  claim 7 , wherein said colorant agent comprises a pigment.  
   
   
       12 . The animal litter recited in  claim 1 , wherein said colorant agent is disposed on said silica gel material in an amount sufficient to substantially resist a color change in the b region of the L.a.b color scale.  
   
   
       13 . The animal litter recited in  claim 1 , wherein said colorant agent is disposed on said silica gel material in an amount sufficient to resist a color change in the b region of the L.a.b color scale less than about 10 units.  
   
   
       14 . The animal litter recited in  claim 1 , wherein said litter composition includes an antibacterial agent.  
   
   
       15 . The animal litter recited in  claim 1 , wherein said litter composition includes at least one fragrance.  
   
   
       16 . The animal litter recited in  claim 15 , wherein said fragrance is substantially encapsulated.  
   
   
       17 . The animal litter recited in  claim 1 , wherein said litter has a hydraulic conductivity less than or equal to 0.25 cm/s as measured by following ASTM method D2434-68 (2000).  
   
   
       18 . The animal litter recited in  claim 1 , wherein said litter has a weight percent dynamic absorption capacity of greater than 100%.  
   
   
       19 . An animal litter comprising: 
 a substantially particulate silica gel material with a particle size distribution between 0.15-2 mm; and    up to 1% of a material selected from the group consisting of a fixing agent, a colorant agent, an anti-bacterial agent, an odor controlling agent, a fragrance and mixtures thereof.    
   
   
       20 . An animal litter consisting essentially of: 
 a substantially particulate silica gel material with a particle size distribution between 0.15-4 mm; and    up to 5% of a material selected from the group consisting of a fixing agent, a colorant agent, an anti-bacterial agent, an odor controlling agent, a fragrance and mixtures thereof.