therefore concerns a method for production of sorbents based on cellulose containing material and at least one swellable smectitic clay mineral which form clumps on absorption of liquid the method is characterized by the fact that a the cellulose containing material and the smectitic clay material are thoroughly mixed in finely divided form the total water content of the components being mixed lying between about 25 and 40 wt or being adjusted to this range by adding water c the compacted molded articles leaving the die press are cut essentially across the direction of emergence and dried cellulose containing material is understood according to the invention to be a material that virtually does not swell in water and therefore has no binder properties either in contrast to the cellulose derivatives described in ep a 0 087 001 the sorbents produced according to the process of the invention are relatively light so that they can be better transported and handled by consumers for example a litter box can be easily filled and emptied the sorbents so produced also exhibit excellent clump formation in which the clumps to be disposed of have reduced weight they do not form dust and have excellent absorption capacity it is presumed without being wedded to this theory that the advantageous properties are attributed at least partially to particularly intimate bonding between the cellulose containing material and the smectitic clay mineral to achieve the advantages.