For most indoor cat owners, finding the right cat litter is essential for both their and their cat’s sanity. For first-time cat owners, a trip to the pet store can be overwhelming with the various options.
Cats can be very particular about where they do their business. After you have done the hard work of finding the best type of litter box for your cat, the next thing you must consider is the cat litter. Cat litter is one of the most important things that your feline friend evaluates before peeing on your favorite couch if it doesn’t appeal to their standards.
Other than that, cat owners know that an unmanaged litter box with the wrong litter can cause many household inconveniences. Some issues that you may encounter with some types of cat litter may include foul odors, residual mess, poisoning, tick bites, allergic reactions, and of course, your cat choosing to pee elsewhere. These issues can range from a slight inconvenience to potentially life-threatening conditions.
Common decision-making factors include price, odor control, scent, clumping, availability, residual dust, and absorbency when finding the right type of cat litter. In addition, your cat has to like it enough to use it. Sometimes, for your cat, it’s just a matter of preference.
Thankfully, through the years, many cat lovers have innovated various types of litter to suit almost any household. Here are a few options that you can consider for your cat litter:
DIY Litter
For those who have had suddenly found themselves chosen by a cat, whether it’s from an unexpected rescue or being followed home during a storm, there are types of DIY cat litter substitutes that you can find at home.
Commonly used DIY litter substitutes include dirt, sand, sawdust, wood shavings, and small animal beddings used by rabbits or hamsters. However, it’s good to bear in mind that most DIY litters do not control odor well, which can be stressful to use for cats after several uses.
While these are temporary solutions, you should make sure to buy better litter as soon as possible. Not only are many of these DIY solutions unnecessarily messy, but some of them can also be dangerous. They may contain toxic particles or have various parasites that can lead to issues with your cat’s health.
Paper Litter
Paper litter is a temporary type of cat litter made of shredded paper. While it can be considered DIY cat litter, it has a use for cats who are injured. Cats who have recently undergone surgery or have any form of open wounds are prone to infection.
Many DIY and commercially available litter will have tiny dust particles or bacteria that can seep into the wounds and create complications. With this, paper litter is the safest temporary litter solution for cats recovering from injuries.
Clay Litter
Clay is known as the most common and widely available type of commercial cat litter. There are two types of clay cat litter: clumping and non-clumping. Between the two, clumping clay cat litter can be easier to manage because you can scoop out the excrements easily. Non-clumping clay cat litter can appear to be cheaper at first, but it needs replacement more frequently. Both types of cat clay litters absorb cat urine into a cement-like texture.
Additionally, there are many varieties of clay cat litter in terms of the amount of dust generated and scent. With this type of cat litter alone, there are various textures that your cat can choose, from finer particles to larger pieces.
Tofu Litter
Tofu is the safest form of litter available for young kittens and curious cats who put everything in their mouth. It is also biodegradable and safe to flush down your toilet. Not only is tofu eco-friendly, but it also does its job of absorbing urine well. While it can appear more expensive than many types of litter, it is long-lasting.
Corn Litter
Composed of corn kernels, corn litter is another flushable and biodegradable option. Corn litter is lightweight, naturally clumping, and available in a variety of scents. One of the biggest concerns that people have with corn litter is that it is prone to mold growth that can be toxic to pets.
Pine Litter
Made from pine trees, pine litter is a soft, absorbent, and low dust cat litter option. Not only is it an environmentally friendly option, but it is also known for natural odor control. Similar to clay litter, there are clumping and non-clumping varieties. When buying pine litter, you can determine if it is clumping if it looks like wood shavings, while non-clumping appears like cylindrical pellets.
Silica Gel Litter
Silica gel is one of the newest and more expensive forms of cat litter alternatives. Less dusty than other litter types, silica gel is relatively long-lasting and offers odor control. Other than the function of keeping your cat’s excrements at bay, some brands of silica cat litter also contain color-changing indicators that signal clues to your cat’s urinary health.
How should you dispose of cat litter?
After you have invested in both the right box and litter, you must stick to a routine of maintaining your litter box regularly. Besides daily scooping, you must also routinely replace the cat litter every two to four weeks to keep it free from bacteria.
As much as possible, opt for biodegradable bags when throwing away used litter. Not only will this do the job of keeping foul odors at bay, but they are also good for the environment.
Should you flush flushable cat litter?
Sold as natural, many items on this list are marketed as flushable. However, while they can be incredibly convenient, they don’t always disintegrate properly in your pipes.
With more toilets using water-saving technology, there may not be enough water available to push your used litter. Also, not all septic tanks can handle flushable cat litter leading to possible contamination in the water supply.
Find the right litter for your cat.
Finding the right litter for your cat may seem like a lot of trouble. However, it is essential for your cat’s overall health and peace of mind. The right litter should fit into your monthly budget, control odor, and fit your cat’s preference.
The great thing is that cats are creatures of comfort. Once you have the found litter that works for you, you’ll never have to look for a new one again. All you have to do is to make sure that it’s maintained well, and you’ll have a happy, healthy cat.