SUFFOCATION HAZARD

from my friend

I have been rescuing feral cats for years and do TNR on a regular basis. The friendly cats are taken inside - some are kept as pets and others are adopted out. I keep four FIV+ kitties in a bedroom, away from the FIV- cats in my home.

A few days ago, one of the FIV+ cats went missing.? I searched high and low (dresser drawers, closets, vents, etc) and figured that he escaped when I opened a door. Then last night, I was cleaning out the litter box and went to add more fresh litter. When I opened the plastic tub of litter, I found the cat dead inside. I was absolutely stunned and saddened as you can imagine. I have never heard of such a thing, I surfed the net and couldn't find any reference regarding this situation. I did see that cats can suffocate if litter gets into their mouth and nose, because it clumps when it gets wet.

The litter that I use is Fresh Step Scoopable in the 28 pound plastic tub. The tub was half full. My theory is that the cat lifted up the loosely fitting top and climbed in. Then one of the other cats must have jumped on top of the lid?snapping it closed. My cats climb into anything that is accessible (kitchen cabinets, drawers, etc) and then remove items.??

The dead cat had litter?all over his face, so he either suffocated from the litter itself or because the lid formed an airtight seal. He started to decompose, but there was no smell. I am sure the scented litter covered up?the?smell as well as it's absorption abilities.

I looked at the outside of the tub and did see a warning regarding babies drowning by falling into a tub partially filled with water. Nothing else.

I know that other litter companies (Tidy Cats, etc) use similar plastic tubs. There must be a warning regarding this hazard to our feline friends. The lids should be redesigned so the cats can't get in or it should be easy for them to get out. I know that this is a freak accident, but something should be done to avoid this in the future.

For now, I would suggest removing the tubs to a place in the home, where the cats can't get to it. Or putting a heavy weight on top of the lid. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.? Thanks.