Method of making extruded self-clumping cat litter

摘要

A litter and litter making method producing cat litter from a carbohydrate starch-containing cereal grain, e.g., corn, based admixture extruded from a single screw or twin screw extruder forming pellets having a clumping agent formed during extrusion composed at least in part of carbohydrate polymer binder. Each pellet is extruded under conditions that cause formation of carbohydrate polymer binder clumping agent at least some of which is water soluble. One preferred method of extruding cat litter causes starch dextrinization to occur such that at least some of the carbohydrate polymer binder clumping agent in each pellet is formed of dextrin. Each pellet can be coated such as with a smectite that preferably is bentonite. During use, pellet extrusion formed clumping agent in a pellet wetted with urine dissolves and flows in between and along adjacent pellets causing them to clump together without the presence of any clumping agent additive.

主权项

1. A method of making cat litter comprising gelatinizing an admixture comprised of starch in an extruder under sufficient pressure and temperature forming a litter clumping agent comprised of a water soluble carbohydrate polymer binder from at least some of the starch of the admixture during extrusion from the extruder producing a plurality of extruded liquid-absorbent litter pellets having a bulk density no greater than 0.7 grams per cubic centimeter and comprised of water soluble carbohydrate polymer binder clumping agent sufficient to cause the plurality of litter pellets, without the presence of any clumping agent additive, to clump together when wetted with urine dissolving water soluble carbohydrate polymer clumping agent forming a flowable liquid adhesive that flows therefrom along and in between adjacent pellets binding the plurality of pellets together during clumping of the plurality of pellets.