Cat litter: While it’s not a particularly “sexy” item in the world of cat keeping- choosing the cat litter that our cats will use consistently is one of the most important aspects of excellent kitty care.
There’s a wide variety of cat litter available in pet stores, supermarkets and on the Internet. There are cat litters made from clay, silica gel crystals, corn, wheat, pine, cedar chips and recycled paper with many different textures that it’s no wonder that cat guardians might find themselves scratching their heads wondering what type is the best.
With such an overwhelming assortment from which to choose, it can certainly be hard to pick the most appropriate types of litter that truly will appeal to kitties. We know how fussy our cats get when it comes to the “toilet” accessories that are alluring to them; so finding one that they will actually use can sometimes be quite challenging.
What can add to the confusion is the plethora of cat litter advertisements. While they promise cat guardians that their kitties will be magnetically attracted to their particular brand; this is not necessarily the case.
Noted veterinarian, Karen Becker, DVM offers some sage advice for kitty guardians. Doctor Becker’s rule of thumb is, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
In her recent article about cat litter and boxes she says that if your cats are happily using the cat litter you provide them, and have no issues, you must be doing something right by picking the kind of cat litter, the type of box and its location which your cats find to their liking!
However, for people bringing a new cat into the household or have a cat that is flexible about litter changes, Dr. Becker recommends using a recycled, eco-friendly, sustainable product. Additionally she suggests that the most favorable type of cat litter to use is one that is both chemical-free and as dust-free as possible.
One of the most popular types is clumping clay litter (see also best clumping litter USA 2011). It is generally made from bentonite, highly absorbent clay which when in contact with moisture, forms into solid clumps. It makes scooping and cleaning the box easy. The downside to this litter is it’s heavy, non-biodegradable and dusty (see also allegedly Tidy Cats Lightweight super dusty litter).
There is a non-clumping clay litter made from different varieties of clay. While it does absorb urine, it doesn’t clump, so when the box is scooped it can leave some moist litter behind. Since the box can become stinky more quickly it will require more frequent scooping and changing than a clumping litter. However, some cats prefer it to clumping litter.
Recycled paper: Made from recycled paper, it is available in granules or pellets. It is biodegradable, highly absorbent and dust-free. The granule variety clumps urine, but the pellet form does not.
Pine litter: This product is recycled. It’s usually made from scraps of lumber in which the oils, allergens and toxins are removed through heat-treatment. It comes in granules, pellets and roughly crushed pine and are somewhat clumping. Its pine scent helps to control odor.
Silica gel crystals are made of tiny silica gel beads. Although it is highly absorbent, is virtually dust free, lasts longer and controls odors nicely, some cats don’t like getting it on their paws and since cats clean their paws, it can be dangerous if ingested in large amounts over a long period of time. It also can be quite more costly.
Corn based litter is absorbent, biodegradable and controls odors. But since corn is a problem ingredient for cats and most cats ingest some of the litter while grooming, Dr. Becker doesn’t recommend it. From what I have been reading there is also a bit of controversy concerning corn litter since the corn used in the manufacture of World’s Best Cat Litter is genetically modified. Roundup-ready is used as a pesticide, although World’s Best Cat Litter assures consumers that their product is completely safe.
Let’s not forget about wheat-based cat litter. It is manufactured from ground wheat, is biodegradable, low in dust with little tracking and provides good odor control. Since wheat is another problematic ingredient for cats Dr. Becker also suggests avoiding this type of litter.
While guardians may prefer using scented litters for odor control, most kitties abhor them. Most cats definitely prefer unscented, clumping litters in their clean, comfortable litter boxes placed in strategic (to the cat) locations.What type of litter do your cats prefer? Share your opinions in a comment.
Unscented clumping clay is our longtime favorite, with no apology, and that’s right…if it ain’t broke, we’re not fixin’ it 😉
You’re a stick in the mud 😉 . Just joking. Years ago I converted to wood based litter because living in a flat odour control is very important and wood litter is fantastic for that.
We tried cedar litter when we lived in New York. The cats actually liked it- much to my surprise. What I liked about it was the odor control- but also that it was biodegradable- and easy (after removing the waste) to dump on the woods on our property. We discovered Worlds Best Cat litter and started using it since it clumped and was flushable- septic tank safe. Since the cats really liked it we continued using it and have been for 10 years now. We have had no problems with the cats eating it-and it hardly tracks or sticks to their paws. While it is costlier than other types- it lasts a long time- so is just as affordable, actually- in the long run. We also use Clevercat Litter boxes, which are amazing- especially for macho male cats who prefer to stand up to pee. The boxes are high enough so there is no run off on the floor or walls- optional cover which is great since the top has ridges that catch the litter so very little litter is tracked outside the box.
I started using World’s Best about 8 years ago when my Bandit was 18+ years old and begun getting some litter stuck on his paws…. eating clay is not good for kitties especially senior kitties who are ill….I tried the silica litter when it first came out but my vet warned me off of it and when he started ingesting some clay she suggested a corn based littler. Arm and Hammer makes one too btw… I like it, the cats like it… I’m not too worried about them eating it since it rarely every sticks to their paws. The vet said that ingesting a small amount of the corm litter was a LOT better than the clay litter. Since thye like it , I’m not changing it!
Sharon, I think you make a good point about litter pellets becoming stuck in between toes. This is an important aspect of cat litter use and a distinct health hazard. I might do a short article on that.
Thanks Michael, I didn’t realize it was a problem until it happened to my older kitty and the vet talked to me about it.
Sorry Jo, are you saying that you use World’s Best cedar litter?
I use wood litter as it is the best for odor control. It does not clump but because it is highly absorbent there is no wetness at all in the litter tray.
I believe there are some hidden health problems with cat litter generally that needs more investigation with scientific backing.
Last year after Samirah pulled that claw out I bought a bag of Yesterday’s News, the soft formula. She took right to it. I made the mistake of buying another bag, same formula, and she didn’t like that so much. The pellets were harder and larger. It was clear to me she didn’t like it. She’d use the box and then leap out of the litter box and cover her business. Sometimes.
I switched her to Tidy Cats non-clumping litter and she’s never been happier. I scoop her boxes twice a day. Dust has been marginal, and the tracking is so minor I can live with it.
I had been buying a cheap unscented clumping litter that worked fine, until I noticed that recently a scent had been added. So, I began a hunt for another affordable unscented litter.
I couldn’t believe how hard it was just to find an unscented litter! Forget affordable! The first one I tried said “clumping”, but didn’t clump. I returned it! The second one was very coarse, and left a lot of litter outside the box.
I discovered that any litter that says “odor control” is suspect. I asked the vet what they use, and was told they just use a non-clumping product, not specified as litter, but used to absorb grease, etc. from driveways.
So, my label reading continued, now with litter. I’ve recently found a clumping litter that is affordable (although twice what I was paying) and unscented. It’s Premium Choice Solid Scoop, all natural, low tracking, and low dust.
I’ve read something about newspaper leaving ink on carpet. I can’t imagine that would be good on kitty paws! I have an aversion to pine, corn, silica, and wheat for obvious reasons.
Look forward to knowing what other readers can share about this important topic.
Clumping unscented clay litter. In all my years of cat guardianship, i’ve only had one disagreement. We tried pine and newspaper litter and Chutzpaw communicated his displeasure by using the bathtub instead. We had 3 cats at the time and had to watch to figure out who was the picky kitty.