In most cases, clumping litter is the easiest to clean. You'll also want to consider how much time and maintenance you're willing to dedicate to litter box cleaning.
With a clumping litter, the clumps that form after you cat has used their litter are far less likely to scatter. Not only does that mean less cleaning for you, but it also means less worry!
The Downsides to Clumping Litter
Clumping litter is often finer than non-clumping litter, this is part of what makes it clump. As a result, it can often be dustier. So if your cat has allergies or asthma, it might not be a good choice.
The main key benefit with non-clumping litter is that it can be at least 50% cheaper than the clumping variety so this is an obvious tick in the box, especially if your cat is happy and content with it.
Cats generally prefer clumping litter with a medium to fine texture. They also usually prefer unscented litter. To help your cat pick her preferred litter, put a few boxes side-by-side with different types of litter in them. She'll use the one the she likes best.
How Often Should You Change the Cat Litter? If you use a clumping litter, it's best to scoop the box daily and change it out completely at least monthly. If you have more than one cat, it may be best to change the cat litter more often, every 2-3 weeks.
What Type of Litter Is Best for Your Cat? The best choice is biodegradable litter because they are made from materials that are safe for cats and the environment. Biodegradable litters include cat litter made from corn cobs, pine pellets, or wheat straw; sand; and paper-based (non-clumping) clumping litters.
Non-clumping litters don't clump around your cats “solids”, so they can get spread around and contaminate the rest of the litter, which isn't only unsanitary but can also be dangerous as cat poo may carry Toxoplasmosis or other harmful bacteria.
Ease of cleaning — Clumping litter is usually easier to clean than non-clumping. Flushable litter is especially convenient, but always check if flushing cat litter is legal in your city. Odor control — Controlling urine smell is the key here, because no litter can truly neutralize the smell of solid waste.
Crystalline silica dust, the other ingredient in most clumping litters, is a known carcinogen for both humans and household pets when inhaled. According to OSHA.gov, “Crystalline silica has been classified as a human lung carcinogen.
Clumping litters usually contain sodium bentonite, which is a natural clay. Even though sodium bentonite is considered to be an inert, non-toxic substance, many clumping litters form very hard, cement-like clumps which are not safe to be flushed as they may clog the plumbing in your home.
Clumping clay litters are not flushable, because they're made from bentonite clay. Bentonite clay forms a cement-like compound in water, so flushing it could clog pipes or damage septic systems. Because of this, using traditional clay litter means also signing up for endless trips to the trash.
We do not recommend mixing a non-clumping litter with the clumping clay and it could inhibit the scoopable litter's ability to clump.
Open a trash bag and place it next to the litter box. Mix two parts hot water with one part hydrogen-based bleach in your spray bottle and shake well. Spray all of the clumps that remain on the litter box thoroughly. Soak them well so they're easy to remove.
While each kind has its draw, most experts recommended unscented, clumping clay litter. “Clay litter is the most economical, one of the most absorbent substances to use and is also easy to scoop and clean,” says Dr. Zach Coston, DVM, of Dutch, an online veterinary service.
Silica litter prevents bacteria with crystals that absorb urine and help dehydrate feces, making your cat's litter box too dry to sustain any growth. This helps prevent kidney problems and UTIs in cats. Environmentally, silica litters will biodegrade and are non-toxic, making them a better choice than clay.
Twice a week is a general guideline for replacing clay litter, but depending on your circumstances, you may need to replace it every other day or only once a week. If you clean the litter box daily, you might only need to change clumping litter every two to three weeks.
While clumping litter might be the standard for adult cats, it's a risk to kittens if ingested, and should not be provided until the kitten is at least 2-3 months old and well accustomed to the litter box.
Advantages of wood pellet cat litter
It is eco-friendly. Being made from wood, it is renewable, biodegradable and 100% sustainable. It does not get spread around the house as much as other types of the litter because it is too large to get stuck in a cat's paws. It has less dust compared to other litter types.
If you can, you should aim to replace cat litter at least once per week. However, if you scoop the litter frequently, it is possible to stretch litter changes to once every two weeks. We find that the easiest way to stay on top of litter changes is to schedule it for the same day every week.
Dirty litter boxes can cause kidney, bladder, and urinary tract diseases in cats. When a kitty squats over a pile of feces, bacteria can travel up the urethra, wreaking havoc all along the way.
The question of whether or not to use litter box liners is mostly a personal choice. Using liners may help keep the litter box sanitary and clean. We line our litter boxes and are big proponents of using them. However, we have subscribers who use them and subscribers who don't use them.
If you flush kitty litter down your toilet, it can swell up and block sewer pipes, even in the pipes in your home — yuk! Don't risk it! Blocked sewer pipes are a horrible, messy and smelly problem. Sinks can block and toilets can stop flushing.