A method of making granular absorbent comprising gelatinizing an admixture having a moisture content of no more than 18% by total wet admixture weight, a starch content of at least 45% and formed of 50% or more by dry admixture weight of at least one cereal grain having a carbohydrate content of at least 45% of cereal grain weight and optionally cellulosic material up to 50% by dry admixture weight having a cellulose content of at least 20% by cellulosic material weight, in an extruder under an extrusion pressure of at least 5515 kPa (800 pounds per square inch) and at an extrusion temperature of at least 135° Celsius forming a clumping agent comprised of an amylopectin starch based carbohydrate polymer binder from at least some of the starch of the admixture during extrusion from the extruder producing a plurality of extruded liquid absorbing pellets having a bulk density no greater than 0.7 grams per cubic centimeter and containing at least 5% amylopectin starch based carbohydrate polymer binder clumping agent including dextrin disposed at an outer pellet surface such that the carbohydrate polymer binder forms at least a portion of the outer pellet surface sufficient to cause the plurality of pellets, without the presence of any clumping agent additive, to clump together when wetted with liquid; wherein each one of the plurality of pellets has a porous outer surface comprising amylopectin starch based carbohydrate binder clumping agent; and wherein the amylopectin starch based carbohydrate polymer binder clumping agent in each liquid absorbing pellet is water soluble. gelatinizing an admixture having a moisture content of no more than 18% by total wet admixture weight, a starch content of at least 45% and formed of 50% or more by dry admixture weight of at least one cereal grain having a carbohydrate content of at least 45% of cereal grain weight and optionally cellulosic material up to 50% by dry admixture weight having a cellulose content of at least 20% by cellulosic material weight, having a moisture content of no more than 18% by total wet admixture weight, a starch content of at least 45% and formed of 50% or more by dry admixture weight of at least one cereal grain having a carbohydrate content of at least 45% of cereal grain weight and optionally cellulosic material up to 50% by dry admixture weight having a cellulose content of at least 20% by cellulosic material weight, in an extruder under an extrusion pressure of at least 5515 kPa (800 pounds per square inch) and at an extrusion temperature of at least 135° Celsius forming a clumping agent comprised of an amylopectin starch based carbohydrate polymer binder from at least some of the starch of the admixture during extrusion from the extruder producing a plurality of extruded liquid absorbing pellets having a bulk density no greater than 0.7 grams per cubic centimeter and containing at least 5% amylopectin starch based carbohydrate polymer binder clumping agent including dextrin disposed at an outer pellet surface such that the carbohydrate polymer binder forms at least a portion of the outer pellet surface sufficient to cause the plurality of pellets, without the presence of any clumping agent additive, to clump together when wetted with liquid; wherein each one of the plurality of pellets has a porous outer surface comprising amylopectin starch based carbohydrate binder clumping agent; and wherein the amylopectin starch based carbohydrate polymer binder clumping agent in each liquid absorbing pellet is water soluble. having a bulk density no greater than 0.7 grams per cubic centimeter and containing at least 5% amylopectin starch based carbohydrate polymer binder clumping agent including dextrin disposed at an outer pellet surface such that the carbohydrate polymer binder forms at least a portion of the outer pellet surface sufficient to cause the plurality of pellets, without the presence of any clumping agent additive, to clump together when wetted with liquid; wherein each one of the plurality of pellets has a porous outer surface comprising amylopectin starch based carbohydrate binder clumping agent; and wherein the amylopectin starch based carbohydrate polymer binder clumping agent in each liquid absorbing pellet is water soluble.