In relation to cat litter, there are a great deal of choices in your valuable feline. You possibly can select from non-clumping or clumping, and you too can select between clay, silica gel, and biodegradable, eco-friendly supplies. Nevertheless, with the various choices, how do you identify the most secure cat litter to make use of?
On this put up, we’ll talk about cat litter security and clarify what to search for with a purpose to use the most secure cat litter accessible available on the market as we speak. We’ll additionally look at the varieties of supplies used and the professionals and cons of every.
The three Forms of Supplies Utilized in Cat Litter
1. Clay Cat Litter
Clay cat litter is mostly the least costly, and extra economical kind of cat litter, and is a well-liked alternative amongst cat house owners because of the ease of retaining the litter field clear.
Nonetheless, clumping clay litter is considerably controversial because of its impression on the atmosphere, the mud it produces, and the prospect of intestinal blockages. Let’s look at the professionals and cons to get a extra in-depth concept of this kind of litter.
Professionals
- Higher odor management
- Extra manageable cleansing
- Funds-friendly choices accessible
- Retains litter field dry
Cons
- Not environmentally pleasant
- Non-flushable
- Potential to build up in digestive tract and trigger obstructions s
- Non-biodegradable
- Some are fairly dusty
2. Silica Gel Litter
You’ll have heard about questions of safety relating to silica mud, and are anxious about utilizing it in your house. The excellent news is that the type of silica gel granules utilized in cat litter, amorphous silica, doesn’t produce the hazardous mud related to crystalline silica, and is completely secure for you and your kitty. This kind of litter is much more costly than the others on the record, however with good purpose.
Silica gel litter works by trapping the urine contained in the granules, then slowly releasing the non-smelly liquid by way of evaporation. To maintain your litter field recent, you simply must scoop out the poop! This litter is non clumping, so there aren’t any dangers of it forming intestinal blockages, and most silica cat litters declare to carry round 4 weeks of urine per cat!
Some silica litter even comprise shade altering granules that allow you to know if there are issues along with your cat’s urine – how intelligent is that?
The primary downsides to this litter is the value, the truth that it isn’t a very eco-friendly choice, and a few cats don’t like the texture of the granules underfoot.
Professionals
- Absorbs liquids properly with odor management
- Requires much less upkeep and cleansing
- Comprises much less mud
- Much less more likely to develop mildew and micro organism
- Some are flushable and biodegradable
Cons
- Is probably not snug in your cat’s paws
- Costly
- Environmental impression of mining
- Granules usually get tracked out of the tray
3. Biodegradable/Eco-Pleasant Litter
Lastly, cat house owners have the choice of utilizing biodegradable cat litter. This kind of litter is created from all-natural, sustainable supplies, reminiscent of gentle wooden, recycled paper, pine, grass, walnuts, corn, wheat, soybeans, and different environmentally secure supplies. Not solely is this kind of litter higher for the atmosphere, it’s also safer in your cat.
In selecting eco-friendly cat litter, you possibly can relaxation assured it is going to be free from dyes, fragrances, GMOs, and artificial chemical compounds.
Professionals
- Eco-friendly
- Free from synthetic dyes, fragrances, GMOs, and artificial dyes
- Mud-free
- Higher for allergy victims
- Some are flushable
Cons
- Dearer
- Could also be tougher to search out in pet shops
- Some supplies might entice pests
- Minimal odor management
- Requires extra filling and cleansing
- Some supplies might produce extra mud
Different 2 Litter Components to Think about
The varieties of litter above also can come in numerous types; clumping, non-clumping, scented, or unscented – which is the very best in your cat?
1. Clumping vs. Non-Clumping
All cat litter is available in both clumping or non-clumping. Some debate surrounds the priority that clumping litter could possibly be harmful for cats because of sodium bentonite, the agent liable for inflicting the litter to “clump” when moisture is added to it. The agent acts as expandable cement, if you’ll, which hardens and permits you to scoop out the clump quite than cleansing your entire field and including all new litter. As an alternative, you solely need to fill within the void from the clump, leading to utilizing much less litter.
One other concern is the potential for the litter inflicting intestinal blockages in case your cat swallows some. Cats are consistently grooming themselves, and if litter is within the paws and your cat licks and ingests sufficient of it, it may trigger intestinal blockages. Stories of this appear to be anecdotal solely, with no circumstances readily present in any scientific literature. We might recommend avoiding clumping cat litter for kittens nevertheless; they’re much extra more likely to be enjoying, in or getting coated of their litter, which may improve their danger of a blockage.
Professionals
- Higher odor management
- Lasts longer within the litter field
- Simple to identify cat waste for elimination
- Clumps with moisture for straightforward scooping
Cons
- Extra mud and monitoring
- Requires each day upkeep
- Fewer choices in supplies used
- Slight chance of inflicting intestinal blockages
2. Unscented vs. Scented Cat Litter
Some cats are delicate to scented litter, and going with biodegradable and sustainable cat litter will most probably be unscented, which means no synthetic fragrances might be current, solely pure smells from the fabric itself. Understand that even when cat litter is marketed as “scented,” this characteristic doesn’t are inclined to final lengthy, and good litter field hygiene remains to be important.
Cat Litter Security Suggestions
- Hold your litter packing containers distant out of your cat’s meals and water.
- Be sure your cat can simply get out and in of the litter field and that it’s giant sufficient for them to show round in.
- Don’t use litter field liners, as cat claws can get caught in them or rip the liner, thus inflicting extra of a large number so that you can clear.
- Use an uncovered litter field with unscented litter, ideally.
- Fill the field with sufficient litter that your cat can dig and canopy their waste.
- Scoop the field no less than as soon as each day.
- Do a deep clear of the litter field no less than as soon as each two weeks (presumably much less usually with silica litter).
- Put on gloves everytime you’re cleansing the litter field.
- Pregnant ladies ought to have another person clear the litter field to stop them from being uncovered to toxoplasmosis.
Ultimate Ideas
In relation to choosing litter for your cat, a lot of the choice comes down to non-public choice; each yours, and your cat’s. When it comes to the most secure choice, search for litters that produce much less mud. Typically, the cheaper clay litters will produce extra mud than others, and silica gel produces little to none. Pure supplies are a lot kinder to the atmosphere, however would require extra cleansing to remain on prime of odor management.
Total, there aren’t any ‘unsafe’ litters available on the market, however like with something, some are better than others. One of many main components when it comes to giving your cat the very best toileting expertise is the field itself. Keep away from enclosed packing containers that hold odors trapped in – it is perhaps nicer for us, however it is going to be much less nice for them! Deep sided packing containers are good, and top-entry packing containers are an effective way to offer your cat with some privateness, a deep layer of litter, and cut back the quantity of litter being tracked round the home.
Hopefully, this data will put your thoughts relaxed in regards to the security of cat litter, and helps you make an informed decision subsequent time you’re on the pet retailer.
Featured Picture Credit score: Zoran Photographer, Shutterstock
