Cat litter product

Abstract

Litter compositions are provided comprising sodium bentonite and various fillers. These litter compositions have substantially the same clumpability properties as a composition consisting of only the sodium bentonite.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lightweight clumping cat litter comprising sodium bentonite and a non-swelling sorbent material, wherein the non-swelling sorbent material includes a cellulose-containing material, and wherein the sodium bentonite comprises 47% or more of an external surface area of the litter. 
     
     
       2. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 1 , wherein the litter comprises 45-80% by weight of sodium bentonite and 20-55% by weight of the non-swelling sorbent material. 
     
     
       3. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 1 , wherein upon contact with a sufficient amount of liquid, a portion of the litter so-contacted forms an intact, removable clump within thirty seconds of the contact, which clump remains intact for at least one hour after the contact. 
     
     
       4. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 1 , wherein the litter does not include a clumping additive other than sodium bentonite. 
     
     
       5. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 1 , wherein a total particle count of the sodium bentonite is between 43-84% of a total particle count of the litter. 
     
     
       6. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 1 , wherein a particle size range of the non-swelling sorbent material is 5-50 Mesh. 
     
     
       7. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 1 , wherein a particle size range of the sodium bentonite is 12-60 Mesh. 
     
     
       8. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 1 , wherein the non-swelling sorbent material has a bulk density of less than or equal to 46.2 lbs/ft3. 
     
     
       9. A lightweight clumping cat litter comprising sodium bentonite and a non-swelling sorbent material, wherein the sodium bentonite comprises 47% or more of an external surface area of the litter. 
     
     
       10. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 9 , wherein one hour after contact with a sufficient amount of liquid, a readily removable, intact clump remains. 
     
     
       11. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 9 , wherein a total particle count of the sodium bentonite is between 43-84% of a total particle count of the litter. 
     
     
       12. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 9 , wherein the litter includes at least one of a starch, guar, and carboxymethyl cellulose, wherein the non-swelling sorbent material has a bulk density of less than or equal to 46.2 lbs/ft3. 
     
     
       13. A lightweight clumping cat litter comprising 45%-70% by weight of sodium bentonite and a non-swelling sorbent material, wherein the sodium bentonite comprises 47% or more of an external surface area of the litter, and wherein upon contact with a sufficient amount of liquid, a portion of the litter so-contacted forms an intact, removable clump, and wherein a strength of the clump of the litter is substantially the same as a strength of a clump from a other litter consisting only of sodium bentonite. 
     
     
       14. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 13 , wherein the non-swelling sorbent material comprises 30%-55% by weight of the litter. 
     
     
       15. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 13 , wherein the non-swelling sorbent material has a bulk density of less than or equal to 46.2 lbs/ft3. 
     
     
       16. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 13 , wherein the intact, removable clump is formed within thirty seconds of the contact, which clump remains intact for at least one hour after the contact. 
     
     
       17. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 13 , wherein a total particle count of the sodium bentonite is between 43-84% of a total particle count of the litter. 
     
     
       18. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 13 , wherein a particle size range of the non-swelling sorbent material is 5-50 Mesh. 
     
     
       19. The lightweight clumping cat litter of  claim 13 , wherein a particle size range of the sodium bentonite is 12-60 Mesh. 
     
     
       20. A litter comprising a 40% to 86% by weight of sodium bentonite and 14% to 60% by weight of a granular filler material, wherein:
 the granular filler material comprises one or more cellulose containing materials, and   the sodium bentonite comprises between 39% and 69% of an external surface area of the litter.   
     
     
       21. The litter of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more cellulose containing materials are selected from a group consisting essentially of paper granules, wood fiber particles, and barley grains. 
     
     
       22. The litter of  claim 20 , wherein the granular filler material comprises between 31-61% of an external surface area of the litter. 
     
     
       23. The litter of  claim 20 , wherein the granular filler material has a bulk density of less than 49.7 lbs/ft 3 . 
     
     
       24. The litter of  claim 20 , wherein the particles of granular filler material have an average particle size of between 1224 to 1460 μm. 
     
     
       25. The litter of  claim 20 , wherein the particles of the sodium bentonite have an average particle size approximately 927 μm. 
     
     
       26. The litter of  claim 20 , wherein the bulk density of the granular filler material is less than the bulk density of the swelling clay in the mixture. 
     
     
       27. The litter of  claim 20 , wherein the litter comprises a clumping additive,
 wherein, the litter when exposed to a wetting agent forms at least one clump, and   wherein each at least one clump is mechanically separable and removably clumpable from unwetted litter for disposal.   
     
     
       28. The litter of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one clump remains substantially intact after 30 seconds. 
     
     
       29. The litter of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one clump remains intact for at least 1 hour. 
     
     
       30. The litter of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one clump has an average clump strength, 30 seconds after the clump is formed, that is less than or equal to 1.33 by testing 3 clumps using the Standard Drop Method. 
     
     
       31. The litter of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one clump has an average clump strength, 1 hour after the clump is formed, that is less than or equal to 1.33 by testing 3 clumps using the Standard Drop Method. 
     
     
       32. The litter of  claim 20 , wherein the sodium bentonite material has a bulk density of approximately 63.3 lbs/ft 3 . 
     
     
       33. The litter of  claim 20 , wherein the litter has a bulk density of between approximately 41.13 lbs/ft 3  and 58.66 lbs/ft 3 . 
     
     
       34. A litter comprising:
 50% to 70% by weight of sodium bentonite, wherein the sodium bentonite comprises between 48% and 69% of an external surface area of the litter and wherein the sodium bentonite has a bulk density of approximately 63.3 lbs/ft 3  and an average particle size of approximately 927 μm;   30% to 50% by weight of paper granules, wherein the paper granules comprise between 31% and 52% of an external surface area of the litter and wherein the paper granules have a bulk density of approximately 46.5 lbs/ft 3  and an average particle size of approximately 1224 μm;   a bulk density of approximately 55.9 lbs/ft 3  to 58.45 lbs/ft 3 ;   a clumping additive, and   an average clump strength that is less than or equal to 1.7 under the Standard Drop Method Test.   
     
     
       35. A litter comprising:
 approximately 86% by weight of sodium bentonite, wherein the sodium bentonite comprises approximately 50% of an external surface area of the litter and wherein, the sodium bentonite has a bulk density of approximately 63.3 lbs/ft 3  and an average particle size of approximately 927 μm;   approximately 14% by weight of wood fiber particles, wherein the wood fiber particles comprise approximately 50% of an external surface area of the litter and wherein the wood fiber particles have a bulk density of approximately 7.5 lbs/ft 3  and an average particle size of approximately 1460 μm;   a bulk density of approximately 41.13 lbs/ft 3 ;   a clumping additive, and   an average clump strength, 1 hour after a clump is formed, that is less than or equal to 1.3 under the Standard Drop Method Test.   
     
     
       36. A litter comprising:
 40% to 50% by weight of sodium bentonite, wherein the sodium bentonite comprises between 39% and 49% of an external surface area of the litter and wherein the sodium bentonite has a bulk density of approximately 63.3 lbs/ft 3  and an average particle size of approximately 927 μm;   50% to 60% by weight of barley grains, wherein the barley grains comprise between 51% and 61% of an external surface area of the litter and wherein the barley grains have a bulk density of approximately 49.7 lbs/ft 3  and an average particle size of approximately 1321 μm;   a bulk density of approximately 56.91 lbs/ft 3  to 58.66 lbs/ft 3 ;   a clumping additive; and   an average clump strength that is less than or equal to 1.7 under the Standard Drop Method Test.