Not all cat litter is created equal. With a wide range of options on the market, spanning a huge variety of different materials, prices and features, choosing the right cat litter can be a challenge.

There are a host of factors to consider when choosing a cat litter. Between you and your cat you’ll be able to prioritize which qualities are most important and choose an appropriate litter that makes everyone happy.

• Texture
• Weight
• Odour control
• Smell
• Clumping or non-clumping
• Disposable or reusable
• Biodegradable/environmentally friendly
• Tracking
• Healthy
• Cost
• Availability

For the purpose of this article “organic” refers to litters made from plant based materials such as wood or grain, rather than materials that are grown without the use of chemicals.

Texture

Texture – the way litter feels on the paws – is an important factor for cats. Litters come in a variety of textures, from finely ground clay, sand or sawdust to large extruded paper or wood pellets to coarse crystals. Fussy cats tend to prefer a finer texture such as clay, but many cats readily accept crystals or pellets too.

Weight

Weight comes into play for digging. While many litters may have similar textures, mineral-based litters such as crystals, clays and sand tend to be much denser than organic  litters, such as wood, corn, wheat and soy. Many cats prefer the density of mineral-based litters.

Odour Control

Odour control is important to everyone, both us and the sensitive noses of our cats. We should be scooping the litter box daily and cleaning it completely on a regular basis, but a good litter should do a good job of controlling odour between scoopings. Some litter materials, such as heat treated pine have great odour control properties on their own.  Other litters have additives such as zeolites or baking soda to help control odour. Different clay formulations have different levels of odour control.

Smell

Fresh, unused litter has its own smell. Choose a material that has a scent that is acceptable to both you and your cat, steering away from litters with artificial perfumes. Your cat’s nose is much more sensitive than yours and cats are also highly sensitive to chemicals. Organic litters tend to have their own distinct fragrance when fresh and when mixed with waste, some of which are pleasant, others not so much. Inorganic litters often have less of a distinctive smell.

Clumping vs Non-Clumping

Both options have their pros and cons.

Clumping litter is easy and convenient to clean, just scoop the lumps out to freshen up the box. Clumping litter also allows us to more easily observe our cats’ urinary habits. However clumping litter can stick in our cats fur, in drains and to the bottom and sides of the box. Consumption of clumping litter can be potentially harmful.

Non-clumping is less likely to clog things up and stick to your litter boxes. Daily scooping of solid waste and weekly changing of the entire box makes it easy to keep things fresh, though changing the entire box regularly is more important than if you use clumping litter.

Disposable vs Reusable

The majority of litter products on the market are disposable, however there are a few reusable options available that utilize non-absorbent particles that are regularly washed.

Reusable litter has the advantage of not needing to be replaced regularly and results in much less waste going into the landfill, but options for reusable litter are fairly limited and the special litter boxes that contain the washing mechanism tend to be quite expensive (the Cat Genie starts at over $200,  the Smart Cat Box which is less high tech, at $50.)

Biodegradable/environmentally friendly

If environmental issues are a concern for you then the source of the litter and disposal of it both require consideration.

Clay litters are often strip mined, placing a great strain on the environment, though some come from other sources – if it doesn’t say on the bag, call the customer service number (most companies provide one) and ask. You can also find out what kind of reclamation efforts the company takes after the area has been mined out. Clay litters are also not biodegradable – once thrown out it sits in landfills, taking up space.

Organic litters are often made from recycled materials such as paper or wood, while others may be made from new materials. They can also be composted or, if disposed of in the trash, will break down more quickly.

Tracking

Litter can create a huge mess, being kicked out of the box and tracked out on your cat’s paws. In general, coarse and dense litters tend to stay in the box better, where as light, finely textured litters get spread around more. Pelleted or crystalline litters are the least likely to track, while light weight organic litters such as those made from sawdust or grain are most likely to end up far from the box.

Health

Litter can have an impact on the health of your cat and yourself.

Organic litters such as those made from wheat can be allergenic for both animals and humans. Litters made from pine or cedar may release phenols which are harmful to small animals (companies that produce these litters claim that the processing removes any phenols and risk from limited exposure is probably minimal, but it’s up to you to do you research and determine your comfort level.)

Clay litters can produce a lot of dust which gets inhaled and can cause serious problems for asthmatics and potentially result in health complications with long term use even if you and your cat are healthy.

Pica, a condition that results in the consumption of non-nutritive substances, is not uncommon in cats, and even cats that do not regularly eat litter or other non-food objects will often taste a new litter. Small particles of litter will be consumed while grooming, so it’s important to choose a litter that is non-toxic and that won’t harm them in small amounts.

Cost

Price for litter can range from $3 for a huge bag to $15 for a small container. You often get what you pay for, and the smaller containers of premium litters will often stretch further than a comparable amount of cheaper litter, but it’s not always the case. For organic litters, similar alternatives that aren’t marketed for cats are often available much, much cheaper (for example, extruded wood pellets for wood stoves are virtually identical to cat litter but much cheaper.)

Availability

Some litters are readily available at every pet store and Walmart you go into, where as others may need to be special ordered over the internet or bought at a feed store. Choosing a litter that is not easy to obtain or that is frequently unavailable can be a source of stress for you and your cat. Be cautious about getting your cat used to a litter if it looks like your supply might dry up at any time.

However, if you have a very fussy cat and find the perfect litter, going the extra mile to get a regular supply of it just might be worth while.

Making your choice

Your personal values combined with the demands of your cat will determine how you prioritize these factors. Finding the perfect cat litter can be a major challenge, but well worth it. A litter that your cat is content to use and that fits your life style, values and budget will make for a happier relationship with your cat, by reducing behaviour-caused inappropriate elimination and allowing you to feel confident in your choices.

Personally, for a long time I used extruded pine pellets (Feline Pine and other brands). Unfortunately, Cajun is extremely fussy about weight and texture and won’t touch pelleted litter. Violet and Clover don’t mind it, but if there is a box with a softer litter they will opt to use that and ignore the pellets. Getting Cajun using the box consistently was top priority so we switched to Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract, which is a clay litter, and has worked quite well. Because I love the fact that pine is biodegradable, recycled and has amazing odour control, I’ve got a couple of boxes with Feline Fresh Scoopable which seems to meet my needs and the preference of the cats pretty well.

Your turn – what is your favourite cat litter? Were you able to find one that worked for you quickly and easily, or did you go through many different litters before finding one that works? What is important to you in a cat litter?

Photos  by Malingering, Daniesq & Shana Lee.

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4. Household items that make great cat toys
5. 5 New Year’s Resolutions for you and your kitty

Tags: choice, clay, crystal, litter, Litter box, organic, pine, values

This entry was posted on Monday, March 23rd, 2009 at 1:25 am and is filed under Litter box. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.