Meet Peeta and Percy! Last week, my family and I adopted two kittens from a local cat-rescue organization. One of the things we were thinking about was the impact they could have on our environment. One thing we considered? Sea otters. If you read that and finally decided that I'm crazy, I don't blame you. But really, my kittens could have an impact on the lives of the otters. When cats are outdoors, they don't tend to use a litter box, so they do what they need to do wherever they please. Cats are hosts of toxoplasma gondii, which can cause toxoplasmosis. The cats often pass off the infection in their feces, and the infection can die inside them within a couple of weeks, and the animal would never be infected. On the other hand, when the feces is washed down the storm drains, in will eventually end up in the ocean. When it does, it can infect some of the creatures that otters can then eat, or can get to the otters through direct water contact. Otters are particularly susceptible to toxoplasmosis, and it can easily kill them.
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| Sleeping Beauties |
What can we do? If you dispose of cat litter well, you can prevent toxoplasmosis from spreading, but really the best thing to do is keep your cat indoors (for more info, visit
Sea Otters and Cat Feces - What you can do). Peeta and Percy are indoor cats, so we aren't incredibly worried about toxoplasmosis, but we are still being careful with disposal of cat litter.
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| Percy wants a turn! |
As well as thinking about toxoplasmosis when we got the kittens, we purchased store-brand pet litter, which comes in a reusable container. We bought the largest size, so not when we need more, we'll take the container back to the store, and pay to refill it. There are also a lot of eco-friendly cat toys around, which often like to advertise their eco-friendliness on the packaging.
Obviously, cats aren't the only pets out there, so why not try looking for more eco-friendly ways to take care of your pet, whether dog, fish, bird, or something else. I guarantee there's something out there :)
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| A little too close to the camera! |
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| How Cute <3 |
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| Adorable :) |
