# Can I \*flush\* kitty litter? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 10, 2002, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-flush-kitty-litter/131737 "2002-10-10T22:32:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-flush-kitty-litter/131737/1 "2002-10-10T22:32:16Z")
I am thinking that some of the kitty litter probably wouldn’t completely go through the drain (i.e. may take a flush or two), but other than that, is there anything wrong with flushing kitty litter down the toilet? Am I unaware of some horribly destructive potential that kitty litter carries? 🙂 LilShieste ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-flush-kitty-litter/131737/2 "2002-10-10T22:49:20Z")
It won’t kill you, but I wouldn’t recommend it, anyway. Kitty litter has roughly the consistancy of coarse sand and will just settle at the bottom of your toilet bowl, unmoved by repeated flushings. If you’re willing to waste a few dozen gallons of water you might be able to move it all on down the drain, but it’s a lot of trouble to go to, for more hassle than just using a scoop to remove the “used” portions and deposit it in a plastic shopping bag along with your regular trash. ---
**Author:** ![Motog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@Motog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motog)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-flush-kitty-litter/131737/3 "2002-10-10T22:49:36Z")
No. My wife did this and it certainly did not go through the drain, it’s too heavy (we had the clay-based one). I spent a unpleasant few minutes with rubber gloves fishing it out afterwards. Kitty litter based on sawdust or paper waste might be a different story ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-flush-kitty-litter/131737/4 "2002-10-10T22:57:08Z")
The clay litter isn’t likely to go down the drain, but the clumping litter may - and it is very likely to clog your sewer pipe. Around here, the going rate for someone to come ream out the sewer line is about $100. Given the very slim margin for excess in my monthly household budget, I consider that “horribly destructive potential.” ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-flush-kitty-litter/131737/5 "2002-10-10T23:44:44Z")
DON’T do this! My ex-husband (not the sharpest knife in the drawer) tried it with clay litter once and nothing in the house ever drained right after that. I have heard, however, that there is such a thing as flushable litter. Never tried it, though, so I can’t give you first-hand advice. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-flush-kitty-litter/131737/6 "2002-10-11T00:09:22Z")
What I do is scoop the little gifts out and flush THEM wrapped in a napkin. After all, turds are supposed to go down the drain. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-flush-kitty-litter/131737/7 "2002-10-11T02:40:16Z")
Same here. Flush the cat doots only. I had no trouble with the Hartz (non-clumping) litter, but clumping litter seems to gum-up and stick to the inside of the bowl. I usually did my business first, then added the kitty business before flushing. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-flush-kitty-litter/131737/8 "2002-10-11T03:03:00Z")
Clumping litter warns you never to flush it. Don’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![Qwisp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qwisp/32/397_2.png) [@Qwisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwisp)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-flush-kitty-litter/131737/9 "2002-10-11T04:53:59Z")
I buy special kitty litter that is made to be flushable.It’s more expensive, but I like it.I’ve never had a problem with it going down the drain, and there have been a few times I’ve had to flush a lot of “clumps” ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-flush-kitty-litter/131737/10 "2002-10-11T05:28:24Z")
Did you get the idea that this is NOT a good idea? Good. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-flush-kitty-litter/131737/11 "2002-10-11T05:39:52Z")
Just teach the freakin’ cat to sit on the john _a la_ “Meet the Parents.”