A microbial composition for improving the conditions in animal farms comprising: a slow-releasing carrier base having a first predetermined percentage by weight (w/w %); and a mixture of microorganisms identified in a 16S rRNA gene sequence so that the composition is capable of denitrification, feces decomposition, and hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) oxidation.

An animal litter composition comprising 2-methylbut-2-enal is described for the modification and reduction of dominant behaviors in household animals.

Provided herein are animal litter compositions comprising wood particles activated carbon, and a clumping agent. The wood particles have a moisture content between 4% and 25%. The composition does not comprise wood particles with a moisture content outside the range of between 4% and 25%. The composition has a density between about 30 lbs./ft.sup.3 and about 45 lbs./ft.sup.3 and is essentially dust free. These animal litter compositions may be made by contacting wood particles with activated carbon and a clumping agent to form a mixture. The mixture is extruded the mixture into a densified material having a density between about 30 lbs./ft.sup.3 and about 45 lbs./ft.sup.3. The size of the densified material is reduced to between about 0.5 mm about 2 mm (US Mesh 16-US Mesh 6).

Litter formed of extruded pellets containing water soluble binder sufficient to self-clump when wetted producing pellet clumps having a clump retention rate of at least 90% and which shrink after clump formation during drying producing a clump pulls away from any contacting solid surface minimizing adhesion therebetween. Such clumps preferably also have a crush strength of at least 15 PSI when dry. Pellets preferably contain water-soluble binder formed of starch physically modified during extrusion that solubilizes when wetted to facilitate clumping while opening the interior of the pellet improving absorption capacity. A preferred litter is formed of a mixture of extruded pellets of different sizes producing litter composed of extruded pellets falling within a plurality of different size ranges with the smaller sized pellets being fines that cause horizontally extending clumps to form on top of the litter.

A block copolymer (A) including a vinyl alcohol-based polymer block (b) and an ionic polymer block (c) containing a monomer unit with an ionic group forming a salt and a vinyl alcohol-based monomer unit. The ionic group is a carboxylic acid group, a sulfonic acid group, or an ammonium group. The vinyl alcohol-based polymer block (b) has a number-average molecular weight (Mn.sub.b) from 15,000 to 220,000. The ionic polymer block (c) has a content of the vinyl alcohol-based monomer unit from 5 to 95 mol % based on the total monomer units. The block copolymer (A) has a number-average molecular weight (Mn.sub.A) from 20,000 to 440,000. A ratio (Mn.sub.b/Mn.sub.A) of the number-average molecular weight (Mn.sub.b) to the number-average molecular weight (Mn.sub.A) is from 0.1 to 0.9.

Method and coated lightweight granular absorbent formed of lightweight inner cores made of extruded pellets coated with powdered smectite, preferably bentonite, to form an outer sorbent smectite shell around each pellet producing lightweight sorbent granules where the pellets have sufficient water soluble binder to facilitate shell formation and clumping during sorbent use. When lightweight sorbent granules are wetted, clumps are formed that shrink during drying producing a clean, generally non-sticking clump having a high clump retention rate of at least 92% and/or a crush strength of at least 15 PSI. In a preferred method, the pellets are dried coated with dry powdered smectite before wetting using an atomizer or mister while turbulently directing air towards the pellets and powdered smectite to coat the pellets with the powdered smectite forming the outer sorbent shell while minimizing pellet shrinkage and densification. Such lightweight granular sorbent is well suited for use as litter.

Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter include a litter scoop that will work with a pelleted cat litters made from various substances such as wood shavings, bamboo, paper, coir, etc.

A pelletized, environmentally friendly animal litter. The animal litter includes birch bark waste in pellet form that is mostly hydrophobic to allow liquid waste to quickly pass therethrough while trapping a small amount of waste therein that adheres to the surface of the pellet and is then absorbed over time. The litter is used in a litter box system that includes a base, a drawer slidably received therein for capturing waste in a preferred absorbent pad and a removeable grate suspended thereover for retaining the litter thereover. The drawer defines a container of sufficient volume to receive all of the litter when a standard amount of litter is used to fill the box which improves ease in changing litter by removing the grate and allowing the litter to drop into the drawer.

Animal litter comprising composite particles formed from renewable components where the composite particles include starch and dextrin agglomerated together. The dextrin may be included in an amount of from about 10% to about 50% by weight of the composite particles and the starch may be included in an amount of from about 50% to about 90% by weight of the composite particles. The composite particles may optionally include powdered activated carbon. The litter may advantageously be free or substantially free of non-renewable mineral components, and may exhibit a clump retention of at least about 90% and/or a clump strength of at least 1,000 g.sub.f.

Antimicrobial animal bedding includes a base textile material and a halo active aromatic sulfonamide compound of Formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein the variables M.sub.2, X, and M are disclosed herein. The resulting animal bedding product maintains antimicrobial properties over extended time periods.