Extruded animal litters having an increased absorption rate

Abstract

The invention provides animal litters that have an increased absorption rate and methods of making and using such litters. The animal litters comprise one or more animal litter particles that have been produced by fragmenting extruded animal litter particles that have a film on the surface of the particle that adversely affects the absorption rate. The fragmenting exposes the interior of the extruded animal litter particles, which does not have this film, to the external environment and increases the absorption rate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An animal litter having an increased absorption rate comprising one or more animal litter particles that have been produced by fragmenting at least one extruded animal litter particle that has a film on the surface of the extruded animal litter particle. 
     
     
         2 . The litter of  claim 1  wherein the extruded animal litter particle comprises an extruded mixture comprising from about 10 to about 90% of or more clays and from about 90 to about 10% of one or more starches. 
     
     
         3 . The litter of  claim 2  wherein the clays are non-swelling clays, swelling clays, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The litter of  claim 2  wherein the starches are amylose, amylopectin, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . An animal litter of  claim 1  wherein the film covers at least 10% of the surface of the extruded animal litter particles. 
     
     
         6 . An animal litter of  claim 1  wherein the film covers at least 50% of the surface of the extruded animal litter particles. 
     
     
         7 . An animal litter of  claim 1  wherein the film covers at least 70% of the surface of the extruded animal litter particles. 
     
     
         8 . An animal litter of  claim 1  wherein the film covers at least 90% of the surface of the extruded animal litter particles. 
     
     
         9 . An animal litter of  claim 1  wherein the animal litter particles have a surface area that is at least 10% greater than the surface area of the extruded animal litter particles. 
     
     
         10 . An animal litter of  claim 1  wherein the animal litter particles have a surface area that is at least 30% greater than the surface area of the extruded animal litter particles. 
     
     
         11 . An animal litter of  claim 1  wherein the animal litter particles have a surface area that is at least 50% greater than the surface area of the extruded animal litter particles. 
     
     
         12 . The litter of  claim 1  wherein the animal litter particles have a partial or complete coating of one or more swelling clays. 
     
     
         13 . The litter of  claim 12  wherein the swelling clay is bentonite. 
     
     
         14 . The litter of  claim 12  wherein the swelling clay comprises from about 5 to about 40% of the litter. 
     
     
         15 . An animal litter comprising a combination of the animal litter of  claim 1  and a different material capable of functioning as an animal litter. 
     
     
         16 . The animal litter of  claim 15  wherein the combination comprises from about 5 to about 95% of the animal litter of  claim 1  and from 95 to about 5% of the different material. 
     
     
         17 . The animal litter of  claim 15  wherein the different material is a litter made from swelling clay, non-swelling clay, silica gel, or combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A method for making an animal litter comprising fragmenting an extruded animal litter particle that has a film on its surface into two or more animal litter particles. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the extruded animal litter particle is fragmented by crushing the particle. 
     
     
         20 . An animal litter made using the method of  claim 18 .