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Seriously. Plain, unscented clay cat litter is recommended by some books and such as a cheap way to boost drainage and aeration in potting soil. Sort of like a replacement for perlite. I have also heard some sources suggesting the idea of using used cat litter as a fertilizer, but that's a whole other thing.
Anyway, I actually decided to give cat litter a try. The verdict.
No, I so do not recommend it.
The price isn't bad. I can get a 5lb bag from Walmart or Family Dollar for less than $2. When mixed with my usual potting soil, it goes a long way. And it seems to work sort of okay mixed with cactus mix for my succulents, but there have been issues.
First off, it's heavy especially when wet. If you need to weigh down a pot I guess it's okay, but typically you want your potting soil to be light and airy to better oxygenate the roots.
Secondly, it makes the soil hard. Like difficult to shove a moisture meter or stake into your pot kind of hard. Imagine if you were a plant trying to grow roots through something like that. Doesn't sound pleasant, right?
The scary thing is I've heard some people suggest using the clay litter on it's own as a potting medium, for like bonsai or cuttings. I say no way! If it gets that hard when mixed with potting soil, imagine what would happen if you used it on its own. It would be like cement. No thank you.
If for some reason you still feel the need to use cat litter for your plants, then I would recommend potting with a mixture of only 1/3 or less of the litter. I've been using a mix of cat litter, potting soil, and orchid bark.
Please let me know if you've tried this or any other interesting plant hack.
Stay Green.
Interesting; I had heard of using cat liter before but I never tried it.
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