NEWSBRIEF - Cat litter and sea otters
Southern sea otters, an endangered species, inhabit the ocean off the coast of California. Recently they have been dying in record numbers. A team of researchers at the University of California believes they have found the culprit. They found signs of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii in 60 per cent of dead sea otters and in 40 per cent of live ones. T. gondii is usually carried by cats and the researchers suspect that the new innovation of "flushable" kitty litter is responsible for increasing the concentration of T. gondii in the ocean. T. gondii is not removed by sewage treatment. The researchers urge cat owners not to flush the kitty litter down the toilet, but rather put it in a plastic bag and dispose of it with their garbage.
New Scientist, August 31, 2002, pp. 42-43