(a) extruding from a discharge of an extruder from a starch-containing admixture within the extruder at least a plurality of pairs of extruded liquid-absorbent pellets per second at a minimum extruder temperature and a minimum extruder pressure that produces extruded liquid-absorbent pellets each having a water-soluble binder formed from starch in the starch-containing admixture during extrusion in an amount sufficient to produce a clump of the extruded liquid-absorbent pellets when wetted with water or urine without the presence of any other binder additive in the extruded liquid-absorbent pellets; and

(b) transporting the liquid-absorbent pellets away from the extruder in a stream of turbulently flowing air upon the extruding of the extruded liquid-absorbent pellets from the discharge of the extruder, the stream of turbulently flowing air substantially simultaneously cooling and drying the extruded liquid-absorbent pellets to prevent loss of the water-soluble binder in the extruded liquid-absorbent pellets and without heating the extruded liquid-absorbent pellets (1)(i) from an initial temperature of the extruded liquid-absorbent pellets entering the turbulently flowing air stream, and (ii) to a temperature that is at least 15 degrees Celsius less than the initial temperature before exiting of the extruded liquid-absorbent pellets from the turbulently flowing air stream, and (2)(i) from an initial moisture content of the extruded liquid-absorbent pellets entering the turbulently flowing air stream, and (ii) to a moisture content that is at least 3% by pellet weight less than the initial moisture content before exiting of the extruded liquid-absorbent pellets from the turbulently flowing air stream.