The nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi all work like a system of pipes through which the air is funnelled down into our lungs. There, in very small air sacs called alveoli, oxygen is brought into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide is pushed from the blood out into the air.
And, just to clarify, the kitty litter in your trunk, to be used for traction, needs to be taken out and spread around your tires. Most cars are front wheel drive, so the extra weight alone in the back ain't gonna do you much good.
Corncob litter is not recommended as bedding for hedgehogs, for a number of reasons. The danger of it getting caught in delicate places still exists, though not as likely as, say, clumping cat litters. There have also been many cases of mites that pointed back to the use of corncob bedding as the source.