Composting kitty litter?

Hello,

I've been wondering if it's possible to compost used kitty litter? I use Dr. Elsey's Scoopable clay litter. Our recycling program is pretty awesome, which allows us to throw kitchen scraps (including meat and bones), into the composting bins. 

Would the clay litter eventually break down in a composting situation?

Usually the advice is to NOT compost cat, dog, or human waste in a typical compost system.  There are potential pathogens (one that many are aware of is Toxoplasma)  that will not be killed unless all parts of the compost are heated thoroughly.  This sometimes happens in a well-managed compost bin, but the majority of compost situations just don't reach that level of microbial activity (the good germs generate so much heat that weed seeds, parasites and other potential nasties are killed).  A lot of compost piles or bins just aren't that active, so over time the waste will break down, but germs could still be present.

Especially if it's a communal composting setup, I wouldn't toss in the kitty litter.  It might contaminate a large amount of compost and there's a chance, however small, that somebody could get sick.  

Now, if you do your own composting and really want to compost the kitty waste, there's nothing wrong with that.  It keeps the litter from the landfill.  It should, however, be part of a separate pile that will only be applied to ornamental plants and not food plants in the garden, and preferably not where children have access either.