Vet's warning about popular $8 Kmart pet product: 'A real worry'

Owning a pet can be a whole lot of fun - there's the endless snuggles and unconditional love and the simple joy of having at least one household member who can't talk back to you. There are also a couple of downsides to pet ownership though and one of them comes in the form of poop. Lots and lots of poop.

If you own a dog then you'll be no stranger to the panic of walking your fur bestie only to realise that you've not got any poo bags on hand. And if you're a cat owner, then you'll be very familiar with the struggle of making sure that the contents of the litter box stay in the litter box and that the smell doesn't take over your living space.

One Kmart shopper and proud kitten owner recently thought they had found a solution to this problem with an $8 product from the retailer, but experts caution that the item might be better suited to older felines, thanks to the potential for ingestion.

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"We purchased the Cat Litter Scents in a Bottle," the cat owner wrote online, referring to the Cat Litter Odour Eliminator. "My husband added them to the new litter last night & we have a sick cat today! Trying to work out if it's maybe those that caused this, as she eats bloomin' everything. She is only 5 months old & loves food."

Dr Natalie Slade from the Beaches Vet on Sydney's Northern Beaches tells Yahoo Lifestyle that that while all of the listed ingredients on the Kmart product are safe, they are not designed to be ingested - something that's hard to stop young kittens from doing.

"Ingesting the beads in large numbers could potentially result in illness from excessive amounts of the ingredients being absorbed, or from a gastrointestinal blockage," she says. "My recommendation would be that it is safe to use in adult cats that are not prone to ingesting foreign material other than food."

She adds, "Also, it is always a good idea to put a small amount of the beads out initially and monitor your cat to ensure they are not trying to ingest them at all. Cats are quite sensitive to any changes in their routine or environment."

Vet Nurse and owner of Vet Nurse School Tess Nolan agrees, telling Yahoo Lifestyle that, from her experience with cats and their toileting habits, sticking with a more traditional type of kitty litter would be her preference.

"While Kmart often offers affordable alternatives that seem great, when it comes to something that affects health, especially cat urinary health, which is so important and so delicate, I’d prefer to go with a higher-quality option," Tess says.

"I’d also be concerned, particularly with kittens who tend to eat everything, that these litter balls could look more like a toy than a toilet. That raises a real worry about potential foreign body ingestion, and that can lead to many vet visits."

Pet Insurance Australia spokesperson Nadia Crighton also tells Yahoo Lifestyle that gastrointestinal issues are the most common insurance claim across all age groups for cats, with treatment costs ranging from $727 to a staggering $27,061 for cats aged 1 to 8 years.

While several people in the comment section of the Facebook post about the odour eliminator said that they had used it without issue, many others said they wouldn't trust the product around their pets.

"I would never trust that (I’m a vet nurse) because: where was it made, what is it made of, is it toxic?" one comment reads. "So it could well be that I would remove it completely from the home and seek vet advice."

"I would suggest avoiding the risk and using a safer alternative such as Breeder's Choice which is a natural and non toxic litter option," Tess tells us.

However, plenty of other shoppers have raved about the product, leaving overwhelming positive reviews on the item's page.

"Few cupfuls in kitten litter and no more smells really works. Recommend," one reads.

"Don't just get 1 bottle. Get 2. This frequently goes out of stock for good reason. Works a charm, even in pine pellet litter," another says.

"Works fantastic, no smell whatsoever especially the number twos from cats. Definitely recommend this," a third review reads.

When approached by Yahoo Lifestyle for comment, Kmart said that they had not had any similar complaints about the product, despite having stocked it for several years, and that the ingredients in the odour neutraliser (activated charcoal and clay) are not considered to be hazardous.

The retail giant also says that it takes the quality and safety of all of its products very seriously and encourages the affected customer and any others who experience an issue with a product to get in touch with their customer service team to ensure that it can be investigated properly.

Meanwhile, for cat owners who are desperate for something to minimise the smell of a litter box but prefer to go a different route, Dr Slade says that diet is a key component.

"The most reliable way to eliminate unwanted odours is to feed your cats good quality low-residue foods to reduce the smell of their wees and poos, and clean their toileting spaces regularly with animal-safe cleaning products," she explains.

"Well-ventilated areas are also preferred to reduce the build-up of ammonium in the air that occurs with cats' urination. These beads would be a good complementary treatment to the above for suited cats."

Nadia also advocates for regular cleaning as one of the most effective ways to control odour.

“Scooping your litter box daily and giving it a thorough wash weekly using a pet-safe cleaner can do wonders for keeping smells at bay — and it’s much safer than relying on chemical additives,” she says.

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For cat owners looking for additional safe options to neutralise odour, she suggests:

Activated charcoal inserts or pads placed beneath the litter tray

A sprinkle of baking soda under the litter (not on top where it can be inhaled)

Natural litter deodorisers that are specifically labelled kitten-safe

“Another great tip is introducing your kitten to a hooded litter tray early on,” Nadia adds. “It can help reduce odour, contain mess, and encourage good litter habits. Just remember — even the best system relies on regular cleaning.”

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