A mixed type of cat litter with antibacterial and color indication and a preparation method thereof
By combining anthocyanins, sodium bentonite, taro residue, and honeysuckle, an antibacterial and color-indicating cat litter was prepared. This solution addresses the shortcomings of existing cat litters in terms of adsorption, clumping, and health indication, achieving clear color development, rapid water absorption, good clumping, and significant antibacterial effects, while also being environmentally friendly and pollution-free.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HUAIYIN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
- Filing Date
- 2023-12-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-10
AI Technical Summary
Existing cat litter has shortcomings in terms of absorbency, clumping resistance, environmental friendliness, and health indicators, and also lacks antibacterial and color indicator functions.
Using mixed anthocyanins, sodium bentonite, taro residue, and honeysuckle as the main raw materials, antibacterial and color-indicating cat litter is prepared by mixing and processing them in a specific ratio. The color-indicating properties of the mixed anthocyanins in response to changes in pH value are used to indicate health, and the antibacterial effects of taro residue and honeysuckle are combined.
It provides a color-coded indicator of cat urine pH value with a wide color range and obvious color rendering effect. It also has good absorbency, clumping and antibacterial properties, is environmentally friendly and pollution-free, and is easy to clean after use. It can be cleaned up in a timely manner and reflects the cat's health status.
Smart Images
Figure SMS_1 
Figure SMS_2 
Figure SMS_3
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of cat litter preparation technology, and in particular to a hybrid cat litter with antibacterial and color indication properties and its preparation method. Background Technology
[0002] Cats have a natural instinct to bury their excrement. Cat litter is a product used by owners to bury feces and urine in their cats. Trained cats will walk into the litter box and deposit feces on top of it when they need to relieve themselves. When feces or urine come into contact with the litter, due to its absorbency and clumping properties, it forms a clump together with the feces or urine, leaving the litter uncontaminated. Currently, cat litter sold on the market can be divided into organic and inorganic types. Inorganic cat litter mainly includes bentonite litter and crystal litter. Bentonite litter is cheaper, but its disadvantages include producing more dust, poor absorbency, difficulty in cleaning, and high viscosity; long-term use can increase the risk of respiratory diseases in cats. Crystal litter is made of transparent silica gel, has an attractive appearance, and good absorbency; however, the cutting of crystal litter can result in some sharp edges, and it's not easy to observe the cat's urination. In addition, crystal cat litter is not easily biodegradable, causing environmental pollution after disposal, and is also very expensive. Organic cat litter is further divided into wood shavings, paper scraps, and shredded tofu litter. Wood shavings have strong water absorption, but are prone to moisture absorption, easily break, attract fleas, and cats dislike the pine smell; their clumping effect is also average. Paper scraps can be flushed down the toilet, but their clumping ability is weak, they easily crumble after absorbing water, and when they come into contact with urine, they easily turn into a clump that sticks to the cat's litter box and is difficult to clean. Shredded tofu litter has good clumping and can be flushed down the toilet, but if not cleaned up in time, it will mold and produce an odor.
[0003] Current research on cat litter mainly focuses on the preparation of cat litter from bentonite, soybean residue, and anthocyanin extraction waste, with a particular emphasis on clumping properties, deodorization, and antibacterial performance. Examples include a modified bentonite pollution-free cat litter and its production method (application number: 201410774151.2), a natural indicator cat litter prepared from anthocyanin plant extraction waste (application number: 202010545654.8), and a soybean residue cat litter made from wet soybean residue and its preparation method (application number: 2020102051431). Furthermore, pH-indicating cat litters, both domestically and internationally, achieve this by adding pH-indicating materials. Chinese patents for cat urine pH-indicating materials and pH-indicating cat litter and their preparation methods (application number: 201910841624.9) combine pH-indicating materials such as methyl red and bromothymol blue with basic tofu cat litter. However, research on an antibacterial and color-indicating cat litter has not yet been reported. Summary of the Invention
[0004] Objective of the Invention: To address the problems existing in the prior art, this invention provides a hybrid cat litter with antibacterial and color-indicating properties, as well as its preparation method. The cat litter prepared by this invention not only has the function of indicating the pH of cat urine, but also has strong antibacterial and strong color-indicating effects.
[0005] Technical solution: This invention provides a mixed cat litter with antibacterial and color indication properties. The components of the mixed cat litter, by mass ratio, are: mixed anthocyanins: sodium bentonite: taro residue: honeysuckle = 0.5-1.5∶4∶4∶0.5-1.5; the mixed anthocyanins are a mixture of black carrot anthocyanins and camphor fruit anthocyanins in a mass ratio of 1:1.
[0006] This invention also provides a method for preparing a hybrid cat litter with antibacterial and color indication properties as described above, comprising the following steps:
[0007] S1. Wash the black carrots and camphor fruit, dry them, cut them into pieces, dry them, crush them, and sift them to obtain black carrot powder and camphor powder; dry the honeysuckle, crush it, and sift it to obtain honeysuckle powder.
[0008] S2. Add ethanol solution to the black carrot powder and camphor powder, extract in water bath, centrifuge, concentrate, freeze dry to obtain mixed anthocyanins;
[0009] S3. Add sodium bentonite, taro residue, mixed anthocyanins and honeysuckle powder to an appropriate amount of water in proportion, mix evenly, adjust the pH value to between 3 and 5, dry, and obtain the mixture.
[0010] S4. Granulate the mixture, sterilize it, and sieve away any small powder particles smaller than 0.5 mm to obtain mixed cat litter.
[0011] Furthermore, in S1, the black carrot powder and camphor powder are passed through a 100-mesh sieve.
[0012] Furthermore, in S1, the honeysuckle powder is passed through a 120-mesh sieve.
[0013] Furthermore, in S2, the ratio of the black carrot powder and camphor powder to the ethanol solution is 1:50.
[0014] Furthermore, in S2, the concentration of the ethanol solution is 70%.
[0015] Furthermore, in S2, the specific conditions for the water bath extraction are as follows:
[0016] Extract in a water bath at 50-60℃ for 2-3 hours, repeating the extraction 3-4 times.
[0017] Furthermore, in S2, the specific conditions for centrifugation are: centrifugation at 4000-5000 r / min for 3-5 min.
[0018] Furthermore, in S4, the sterilization temperature is 100°C.
[0019] Furthermore, the broken powder sieved out in S4 is returned to S3 for reuse. Beneficial effects
[0020] Mixed anthocyanins are a class of compounds formed by the glycosidic bond between anthocyanins and sugars. The mixed anthocyanins used in this invention are extracts of black carrots and camphor fruit (in a 1:1 ratio). The color of mixed anthocyanins changes with pH value, making them a natural pH indicator. They appear deep purplish-red at pH 2.5 and light purplish-blue at pH 7, with a noticeable color change. Under normal circumstances, the pH value of cat urine ranges from 5.5 to 7.5. Urine with a higher pH is more likely to lead to the formation of magnesium crystals. Therefore, the color change of cat litter can be used to indirectly test the pH value of cat urine and predict the health status of the cat.
[0021] The cat litter prepared in this invention exhibits different color changes under varying pH conditions due to the mixed anthocyanins. These anthocyanins show a noticeable color change upon contact with cat excrement, facilitating timely and accurate removal of contaminated litter by owners. The color changes of the cat litter indirectly reflect the cat's health, allowing owners to anticipate their cat's health status. Furthermore, the mixed anthocyanins possess antibacterial and bactericidal effects, providing pets with a healthy environment. The mixed anthocyanins (black carrot powder: camphor powder in a 1:1 ratio) are strictly adhered to in this ratio. Through continuous experimentation and adjustment, the final 1:1 ratio of the mixed anthocyanins was determined. This results in a clearer color range, as the individual anthocyanins initially had smaller color ranges that could not cover more specific areas. Mixing them significantly expands the color range and makes the color development more pronounced. The addition of mixed anthocyanins greatly enhances the color development function, allowing owners to better understand their cat's health status. Camphor fruit not only contributes to the color development but also has antibacterial properties, enhancing the antibacterial properties of the cat litter itself. This cat litter is formulated with natural ingredients, is non-toxic, harmless, and odorless. The honeysuckle and taro in the ingredients deodorize the litter; cats also tend to like the scent of honeysuckle, making it more appealing and reducing their aversion to the litter, thus helping to alleviate anxiety and other negative emotions. During the litter preparation process, the ingredients are mixed evenly, resulting in improved adsorption, clumping, and antibacterial effects. The taro residue in the litter increases its viscosity after hydration, preventing it from sticking to the litter box. Anthocyanins are extracted from plants rich in anthocyanins, eliminating the need for additional colorants and pH indicators, and avoiding the uneven distribution of pH indicators that could affect color change, resulting in more stable product quality. After use, the litter is easy to dispose of; it can be flushed down the drain, incinerated, or landfilled, making it environmentally friendly, green, and pollution-free. Detailed Implementation
[0022] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the embodiments.
[0023] Implementation method 1:
[0024] S1. Weigh out each group according to the following weight formula and set aside;
[0025] Mixed anthocyanins 5g, sodium bentonite 40g, taro residue 40g, honeysuckle 15g.
[0026] S2. Wash the black carrots and camphor fruit, dry them, cut them into pieces, dry them, crush them, and pass them through a 100-mesh sieve.
[0027] S3. Add the pulverized black carrot powder and camphor powder from step S2 to a corresponding mass of 70% ethanol solution (70g anhydrous ethanol + 30g deionized water) (0.1% HCl) at a liquid-to-solid ratio of 1:50. Extract in a water bath at 50℃ for 2 hours. Repeat this process three times for three portions. Centrifuge at 4200 r / min for 3 minutes, concentrate using a rotary evaporator, and freeze-dry.
[0028] S4. Cut the honeysuckle and taro into pieces, dry them, crush them, and pass them through a 120-mesh sieve.
[0029] S5. Mix sodium bentonite, taro residue, and mixed anthocyanins evenly in the above proportions.
[0030] S6. Mix the products from steps S4 and S5 evenly, add an appropriate amount of water to make the pH value between 3 and 5, dry to 9% moisture content, pass through a 125-mesh sieve, extrude the granules through a granulator, and finally sterilize at 100℃.
[0031] S7. Sieving: The cat litter obtained in step S6 is sieved with a vibrating screen to remove the debris. The powder particles smaller than 0.5mm are reused as raw materials in step S5. The result is a round rod-shaped cat litter with a diameter of 7mm and a length of 15mm.
[0032] Implementation Method 2:
[0033] S1. Weigh out each group according to the following weight formula and set aside;
[0034] Mixed anthocyanins 10g, sodium bentonite 40g, taro residue 40g, honeysuckle 15g.
[0035] S2. Wash the black carrots and camphor fruit, dry them, cut them into pieces, dry them, crush them, and pass them through a 100-mesh sieve.
[0036] S3. Add the pulverized black carrot powder and camphor powder from step S2 to a 70% ethanol solution (70g anhydrous ethanol + 30g deionized water) (0.1% HCl) at a liquid-to-solid ratio of 1:50. Extract in a water bath at 50℃ for 2 hours. Repeat this process three times for three portions. Centrifuge at 4200 rpm for 3 minutes, concentrate using a rotary evaporator, and freeze-dry.
[0037] S4. Cut the honeysuckle and taro into pieces, dry them, crush them, and pass them through a 120-mesh sieve.
[0038] S5. Mix sodium bentonite, taro residue, and mixed anthocyanins evenly in the above proportions.
[0039] S6. Mix the products from steps S4 and S5 evenly, add an appropriate amount of water to adjust the pH value to between 3 and 5, dry to 8% moisture content, pass through a 125-mesh sieve, extrude the granules through a granulator, and finally sterilize at 100℃.
[0040] S7. Sieving: The cat litter obtained in step S6 is sieved with a vibrating screen to remove the debris. The powder particles smaller than 0.5mm are reused as raw materials in step S5. The result is a round rod-shaped cat litter with a diameter of 8mm and a length of 20mm.
[0041] Implementation Method 3:
[0042] S1. Weigh out each group according to the following weight formula and set aside;
[0043] Mixed anthocyanins 10g, sodium bentonite 40g, taro residue 40g, honeysuckle 15g.
[0044] S2. Wash the black carrots and camphor fruit, dry them, cut them into pieces, dry them, crush them, and pass them through a 100-mesh sieve.
[0045] S3. Add the pulverized black carrot powder and camphor powder from step S2 to a 70% ethanol solution (70g anhydrous ethanol + 30g deionized water) (0.1% HCl) at a liquid-to-solid ratio of 1:50. Extract in a water bath at 50℃ for 2 hours. Repeat this process three times for three portions. Centrifuge at 4200 rpm for 3 minutes, concentrate using a rotary evaporator, and freeze-dry.
[0046] S4. Cut the honeysuckle and taro into pieces, dry them, crush them, and pass them through a 120-mesh sieve.
[0047] S5. Mix sodium bentonite, taro residue, and mixed anthocyanins evenly in the above proportions.
[0048] S6. Mix the products from steps S4 and S5 evenly, add an appropriate amount of water to adjust the pH value to between 3 and 5, dry to 7% moisture content, pass through a 125-mesh sieve, extrude the granules through a granulator, and finally sterilize at 100°C.
[0049] S7. Sieving: The cat litter obtained in step S6 is sieved with a vibrating screen to remove the debris. The powder particles smaller than 0.5mm are reused as raw materials in step S5. The result is a round rod-shaped cat litter with a diameter of 5mm and a length of 18mm.
[0050] Comparative Example 1:
[0051] This comparative example is largely the same as Example 1, except that the weights of each component in this comparative example are: 1g of black carrot anthocyanins, 4g of camphor fruit anthocyanins, 40g of sodium bentonite, 40g of taro residue, and 15g of honeysuckle.
[0052] Apart from the above, this comparative example is exactly the same as that of Implementation Method 1, and will not be repeated here.
[0053] Comparative Example 2:
[0054] This comparative example is largely the same as Example 1, except that the weights of each component in this comparative example are: 4g of black carrot anthocyanins, 6g of camphor fruit anthocyanins, 40g of sodium bentonite, 40g of taro residue, and 10g of honeysuckle.
[0055] Apart from the above, this comparative example is exactly the same as that of Implementation Method 1, and will not be repeated here.
[0056] Comparative Example 3:
[0057] This comparative example is largely the same as Example 1, except that the weights of each component in this comparative example are: 7.5g of black carrot anthocyanins, 0g of camphor fruit anthocyanins, 40g of sodium bentonite, 40g of taro residue, and 5g of honeysuckle.
[0058] Apart from the above, this comparative example is exactly the same as that of Implementation Method 1, and will not be repeated here.
[0059] Comparative Example 4:
[0060] This comparative example is largely the same as Example 1, except that the weights of each component in this comparative example are: 7.5g of black carrot anthocyanins, 7.5g of camphor fruit anthocyanins, 40g of sodium bentonite, 0g of taro residue, and 5g of honeysuckle.
[0061] Apart from the above, this comparative example is exactly the same as that of Implementation Method 1, and will not be repeated here.
[0062] Performance Analysis:
[0063] The weight parts of each component in the formulations of Embodiments 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-4 are shown in Table 1:
[0064] Table 1: Weight parts of each component in the formulations of Embodiments 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-4
[0065]
[0066] To test the indication effect, absorbency, clumping resistance and antibacterial effect of the above-mentioned cat litter, test experiments were conducted on the cat litter of the above-mentioned examples and comparative examples.
[0067] The first experiment was to test the indication effect. 200g of cat litter from each of the embodiments 1-3 and comparative examples 1-4 were taken, and urea aqueous solutions with pH=8 and pH=6 were poured on top of them respectively with a concentration of 2g / 100ml. The color change was observed and the time was recorded.
[0068] Table 2: Cat litter indicator effect experiments of Implementation Methods 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-4
[0069]
[0070] Second, the water absorption and clumping performance test was conducted as follows:
[0071] Experiment 1: Take 200g of cat litter from each of the embodiments 1-3 and comparative examples 1-4, and pour salt water containing 2g / 100ml urea on top of it to test its water absorption capacity. The water absorption is determined by the fact that after adding water, the litter clumps together and the beaker is inverted without dripping water. Record the water absorption.
[0072] Experiment 2: Take 200g of cat litter from each of the embodiments 1-3 and comparative examples 1-4, and pour 50mL of physiological saline containing 2g / 100ml urea on top of it to test the time required for complete absorption and clumping.
[0073] Table 3. Experimental results of cat litter absorbency and clumping performance in Implementation Methods 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-4
[0074]
[0075] As can be seen from the data in Table 3, the cat litter prepared by Embodiments 1-3 of the present invention has good water absorption and clumping properties, fast absorption speed and large absorption capacity.
[0076] Thirdly, an antibacterial test was conducted. Cat litter was placed on a culture medium coated with Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and incubated at 35°C for 30 hours. The diameter of the inhibition zone was then measured.
[0077] Table 4. Experimental results of antibacterial performance of cat litter in Implementation Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-4
[0078]
[0079] As shown in Table 4, the cat litter prepared in Embodiments 1-3 of this invention has good antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
[0080] In summary, this invention is a hybrid cat litter with antibacterial and color-indicating properties. It exhibits excellent absorbency and clumping ability, absorbing water quickly, clumping rapidly, and demonstrating significant antibacterial effects. The key to this invention lies in the full utilization of bentonite, mixed anthocyanins, taro residue, and honeysuckle, which enhances the cat litter's adhesiveness, clumping ability, and absorbency. Furthermore, the readily available raw materials significantly reduce production costs. Simultaneously, the mixed anthocyanins act as a natural pH indicator, eliminating the need for additional cat litter colorants and pH-indicating materials. The mixed anthocyanins are more evenly distributed within the cat litter, resulting in a superior color-changing effect and higher product quality. The color change of the cat litter after excretion allows owners to promptly remove contaminated litter and indirectly reflects the cat's health, enabling early detection of potential diseases. This invention is formulated from natural raw materials, is non-toxic and harmless, and is easy to dispose of after use, such as flushing down the drain, incinerating, or landfilling. It is environmentally friendly, green, and pollution-free.
[0081] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent transformations or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A hybrid cat litter with antibacterial and color-indicating properties, characterized in that: The components of the mixed cat litter, by mass ratio, are: mixed anthocyanins: sodium bentonite: taro residue: honeysuckle = 0.5-1.5∶4∶4∶0.5-1.5; the mixed anthocyanins are a mixture of black carrot anthocyanins and camphor fruit anthocyanins in a mass ratio of 1:
1. The method for preparing the mixed cat litter includes the following steps: S1. Wash the black carrots and camphor fruit, dry them, cut them into pieces, dry them, crush them, and sift them to obtain black carrot powder and camphor powder; dry the honeysuckle, crush it, and sift it to obtain honeysuckle powder. S2. Add ethanol solution to the black carrot powder and camphor powder, extract in water bath, centrifuge, concentrate, freeze dry to obtain mixed anthocyanins; S3. Add sodium bentonite, taro residue, mixed anthocyanins and honeysuckle powder to an appropriate amount of water in proportion, mix evenly, adjust the pH value to between 3 and 5, dry, and obtain the mixture. S4. Granulate the mixture, sterilize it, and sieve away the fine powder smaller than 0.5mm to obtain mixed cat litter; The mixed cat litter has a clear color range and good antibacterial effect.
2. The mixed cat litter according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S1, the black carrot powder and camphor powder are passed through a 100-mesh sieve.
3. The mixed cat litter according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S1, the honeysuckle powder is passed through a 120-mesh sieve.
4. The mixed cat litter according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S2, the ratio of black carrot powder and camphor powder to ethanol solution is 1:
50.
5. The mixed cat litter according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S2, the concentration of the ethanol solution is 70%.
6. The mixed cat litter according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S2, the specific conditions for the water bath extraction are as follows: Extract in a water bath at 50-60℃ for 2-3 hours, repeating the extraction 3-4 times.
7. The mixed cat litter according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S2, the specific conditions for centrifugation are: centrifugation at 4000-5000 r / min for 3-5 min.
8. The mixed cat litter according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S4, the sterilization temperature is 100°C.
9. The mixed cat litter according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that: The broken powder removed in S4 is returned to S3 for reuse.