Hi folks! I’m Skye Blake, following an unusual trail about tofu cat litter… how weird is that?
Tofu makes great cuisine, but tofu cat litter??!!
The information here is for general knowledge… always see your vet with questions about your cat’s individual needs.
Who Is Skye Blake?
Skye Blake, Cat Info Detective, is a curious cat researcher (not a veterinarian) who sniffs out expert, reliable sources about cats, studies their information, then passes it on to you!
Sometimes there’s not enough evidence for easy answers, so Skye gives you all sides, explains the situation as thoroughly and clearly as possible, and links you to experts on each page.
Sources are at the bottom of each page so you can do more snooping.
What is Tofu?
“Tofu, also known as bean curd, is a food prepared by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness”1“Tofu”, Wikipedia
Soybeans are the main ingredient in many products.
They are a legume, referred to also as “pea”, with many uses as food products, animal feed, and in various industries.
Tofu litter is made from bean dregs, by-products of the process of making tofu.
The manufacturers use fibers of the soybean plant mixed with other ingredients like activated charcoal or cornstarch to make litter pellets.
It’s biodegradable and a renewable resource.
Is Tofu Litter Flushable or Compostable?
Tofu and other plant-based litters can be flushed but you should always test this with a small amount, especially with septic systems.
You’ll have to decide if you want to risk plumbing and septic problems (and the costs involved) for the convenience of flushing the litter.
Be sure to find out if it’s legal to flush litter in your area.
Did you know you can use soiled tofu litter as mulch in flower beds?
Don’t use it on vegetable, herb or other food beds to prevent transmission of diseases from cat waste.
However, if you process the litter properly into compost, removing possible pathogens, it can be used safely.
If you’re not sure, put it just on flower beds.
Some Cats Might Eat It!
The manufacturers claim these litters are safe even if your cat eats them… because they make these litters from food-based ingredients.
But any clumping litter is dangerous because it swells up and absorbs a lot of moisture.
A cat who eats it could get a digestive blockage or become dehydrated, which can kill her.
This is especially true for young kittens. Always use a non-clumping litter for your little ones!
If you have a cat who eats litter, you should avoid all food-based litters.
Here’s another thought for you… litter that smells like food is confusing to cats.
They instinctively won’t pee where they eat, so if litter smells like food, they’ll likely find somewhere else to pee!
Tofu Litter Brands & Reviews
Below are some tofu litter brands with a few reviews.
Brands and products given on this page are for your information and convenience only… I make no money from them.
They are available at some pet stores and online suppliers like Amazon and Chewy.
I Am Tofu Cat Litter (K Kamy’s Zoo)
I Am Tofu litter consists of soybeans and cornstarch in a lightweight, flushable pellet form.
The manufacturer claims it clumps immediately and dissolves quickly, is dust-free, non-tracking, and has no synthetic additives, chemicals or clay.
I Am Tofu litter is dehydrated, dried, and sterilized at 896°F.
The pellets can absorb up to 4 times their weight… 6 lbs. can last 3-4 weeks for one cat.
Reviewers either loved or hated this litter.
There’s general agreement that it clumps well but is too expensive for the small amount in the bag.
It’s also low-dust and worked well for someone with allergies, but there was disagreement about odor control.
Some liked it, while others said after a few days it was horrible.
This can also depend on how diligent people are with daily scooping.
Some found it dissolved quickly like toilet paper and flushed well.
Others were worried about it turning to mush in the box.
At Amazon, someone asked if it’s safe to flush down a septic system.
The company’s answer was a recommendation to break the chunks down smaller before flushing.
It needs 4 times more water than the weight of the clumps to safely dissolve.
Knowing this, you’ll have to decide if you want to risk plumbing and septic problems (and the costs involved) for the convenience of flushing the litter.
Natural Paw Tofu Cat Litter
Natural Paw litter has tofu with added starch and activated charcoal in pellet form.
The company claims it’s 99.9% dust free, clumps well and is good for multi-cat homes.
The price, however, as with many specialty litters, can make it not worth getting if you have more than one cat.
PETNF Tofu Cat Litter
PETNF litter is made from food-grade pea fiber, corn starch and other starches to form 2 mm pellets.
It clumps quickly, scoops well and doesn’t stick to a cat’s fur.
PETNF controls odor well and absorbs in 1.5 seconds, is flushable and almost dust free.
People either loved this litter or hated it. Some said it didn’t track, others said it tracked a lot.
Odor control and ease of use was debatable. Some reviewers hated the smell… one said it’s like sour milk.
Here’s a review from Lori L… (Best review ever!) “Smells like a pina colada…with just a splash of cat pee. I mean that in the best way.”
Rufus & Coco Wee Kitty® Eco Plant Clumping Litter
Wee Kitty® Eco Plant Clumping Litter is a combination of sustainable and naturally absorbent wheat and soy fibers.
It controls odor quickly and clumps and absorbs 4 times its weight in liquid.
Wee Kitty® Eco Plant Clumping Litter is low dust with little tracking.
Those reviewers who didn’t like this litter complained of it being way too dusty, much dustier than other tofu litters.
It also could be difficult to scoop unless done with a larger hole scoop.
Those who did like this litter mentioned it was dusty but liked other things enough to overlook that.
They liked the clumping and how it fell apart in water so it could be flushed.
It stuck well to poop, absorbed pee and controlled odor well.
Reviewers liked that they got more for the money than other tofu litters.
Tofu Litter for Self-Cleaning Boxes
O.R.I./Graystone Natural Granular Tofu Cat Litter is a newer product that the company claims is for automatic self-cleaning litter boxes.
Other tofu litter might work but unless it specifically mentions self-cleaning boxes, check with the litter box manufacturer before trying it.
Other Tofu Cat Litters
Currently there are a number of other tofu cat litter brands available online at Amazon and Chewy.
Read the descriptions and reviews carefully and compare price per unit to find what you want.
Here are a few…
- Frisco, Pidan, Pettime Tofu & Corn, Fukumaru
- Vetreska Tofu & Bentonite, Chowsing Mixed
- Noba Soy, Fresh Whisker
Here’s a helpful video about tofu litter…
Here are some video reviews of tofu cat litter…
Related Pages of Interest
Curious about other types of cat litter and boxes? Discover more at “Supplies for Cats“.
Having trouble with your cat peeing or pooping outside the litter box?
Find some answers to fix the problem and clean up the mess at “Behavior“.
Sources
Sources used on this website are either primary or secondary.
Primary sources are always preferable and have the most reliable information because they’re original and directly referenced.
Scientific abstracts and data are good examples of primary sources.
Secondary sources are weaker because they usually consist of opinions or articles that give no sources of their own.
However, sometimes they refer to primary sources.
When I use secondary sources, most are those with some authority, such as veterinarian or cat behaviorist books and articles.
List of Sources
“Best Cat Litter for Kittens”, by Mallory Crusta
“Quick and Comprehensive Understanding Tofu Cat Litter”, Emily Pets, 2019
“Eco-Friendly Compostable Kitty Litter”, greenlivingideas.com
“How Cat Litter is Made”, greenlivingideas.com
Updated July 13, 2023