Xylitol is lethal to cats

I was watching Pets on Parade and a veterinarian guest talked about hazards for pets, in particular cats. It wasn't surprising to hear about chocolate and raisins, but he went on to add sugar-free gum and candy. Apparently, the Xylitol often used in those items is lethal to cats. I have been trying to avoid chemical sweeteners and have found the hardest item to buy now is gum. Pretty much all gum has artificial sweetener in them. At "health food" stores, they sell gum with Xylitol. It is not good for the digestive system (ask a cat?), so I also avoid that ingredient. I have found ONE brand, only at Sprouts (not Trader Joe's or Whole Foods) that uses sugar instead of artificial sweeteners. Unbelievable. So our choices are aspertame and Splenda (cancer) or Xylitol (diarrhea). Great.