Abstract: An absorbent material which may be used for animal bedding or litter, is made up of pellets of cellulosic fiber having a bulk density of 95 to 350 kg/m3. The cellulosic fiber may be reclaimed from the waste stream of a paper product manufacturing. The pellets may have a diameter of 3 to 12 mm and a length of 3 to 36 mm. For use as a cat litter, the pellets may have a density of 240 to 305 kg/m3 For use as a small animal litter, the pellets may have a density of 160 to 225 kg/m3. The pellets have a very low amount of inorganic material, typically less than 10% or less than 5% by weight.

Abstract: Degradable particulate absorbent materials, together with processes for manufacture thereof, wherein the absorbent materials: (i) have, in most forms of the invention, only on the order of 0% to 10%, by weight, of inorganic solids or "fillers", and in all forms have less than 30% inorganic solids by weight; (ii) are not in pellet form; (iii) are characterized by an open porous fiber structure having relatively low bulk densities on the order of not more than 13 lbs./ft..sup.3 and preferably only from about 6 to about 10 lbs./ft..sup.