Clumping cat litter

A clumping litter box sorbent which when wetted with urine has sufficient cohesiveness for removal of the lump of wetted litter from a litter box which comprises from about 30% to about 80% of a smectite clay which exhibits osmotic swelling and which has a particle size distribution such that at least 95% of its particles pass through a 2000 micron screen, at least about 80% of its particles are retained on a 297 micron screen, and less than about 10% of its particles pass through a 149 micron screen, from about 5% to about 70% of a particulate cellulosic material having a particle size distribution such that at least about 95% of its particles pass through a 2000 micron screen, at least about 65% of its particles are retained on a 297 micron screen, and less than about 10% of its particles pass through a 149 micron screen, and from about 0% to about 60% of a density control agent having a particle size distribution such that at least about 95% of its particles pass through a 2000 micron screen, at least about 80% of its particles are retained on a 250 micron screen, and less than about 10% of its particles pass through a 149 micron screen, wherein the concentration of the smectite clay, cellulosic material, and density control agent are such that the sorbent has a bulk density in the range from about 0.54 to about 0.96 g/cc and an apparent sorption capacity greater than about 1.0 cc/g, wherein the concentration of the smectite clay is such that upon wetting the sorbent the cohesiveness of the lump of wetted sorbent is sufficient to allow its removal from a litter box, and wherein the concentration of the smectite clay is insufficient to prevent the lump of wetted sorbent from disintegrating in water.

A method of preparing a clumping litter box sorbent which when wetted with urine has sufficient cohesiveness for removal of the lumps of wetted litter from a litter box containing the litter which comprises mixing together from about 30% to about 80% by weight of a smectite clay which exhibits osmotic swelling and which has a particle size such that at least about 95% of the particles thereof pass through a 2000 micron screen, from about 5% to about 70% by weight of a cellulosic material having a particle size such that at least about 95% of the particles thereof pass through a 2000 micron screen, from 0% to about 60% by weight of a density control agent having a particle size such that at least 95% of the particles thereof pass through a 2000 micron screen, and an aqueous liquid, adjusting the mixture to the desired moisture content, and sieving the mixture to obtain a sorbent which has a particle size distribution such that at least about 95% of its particles pass through a 2000 micron screen, at least about 80% of its particles are retained on a 297 micron screen, and less than about 10% of its particles pass through a 149 micron screen, wherein the minimum concentration of the smectite clay is such that upon wetting the sorbent the cohesiveness of the lump of wetted sorbent is sufficient to allow its removal from a litter box, wherein the maximum concentration of the smectite clay is insufficient to prevent the lump of wetted sorbent from disintegrating in water, and wherein the sorbent has a bulk density in the range from about 0.54 g/cc to about 0.96 g/cc and an apparent sorption capacity greater than about 1.0 cc/g.