Types of Cat Litter

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Out of the types of cat litter I have tried, this has been my personal favorite for many years now. I've never had a cat that didn't seem to like using this type of cat litter and I have found it the easiest to clean by far, as long as you use appropriate amounts and clean the litter box out at least daily, depending on the number of cats you have and the size of the litter boxes you use. My current favorite brand I have found is Scoop Away for Multiple Cats that I buy in large containers from Costco for a very decent price.

The major benefit of this type of litter is that it easily absorbs any liquid waste and forms a clump, which means easy cleaning for you. However, make sure you don't use too much litter, or your cat will likely throw a lot of litter outside the box when digging. On the flip side, if you use too little litter, the liquids may form a pool along the bottom of the litter box before they are able to be absorbed and leave a sticky mess that isn't easy to clean up. I reccommend adding in a small scoop of fresh litter daily after cleaning to re-coop the litter you took out during scooping, changing out all the litter every few days, and at least once a week, removing all litter, washing the box with soap and water, drying, then replacing with fresh litter. If you have only one cat, you may be able to get by with washing out only monthly. This will keep odors down and your cat happy. Another benefit is odor control, however you must also clean out the litter box regularly to cut down on any unwanted odors overtime. Many of these types of litters have scented varieties, but be careful as they can sometimes be overpowering to both you and your cat, and if your cat does not like the scent, chances are they will not continue to use the litter box.

One big negative for this type of litter is toxicity. If you have young kittens, it is generally suggested that you not use this type of litter as they are more prone to digesting the small particles, which is not good for them. Some people also question the chemicals used in the litter for clumping power, but from my own research, many cat experts don't consider this to be of any significant worry. This type of litter can also create a lot of dust, so if you or your cat have problems with allergies, you may wish to steer clear of this type of litter. Disposal of the litter can also be a bit messy as this type of litter is not flush-able compared to some other varieties. This is what I reuse my plastic grocery bags for. I also like to keep a cheap piece of carpet under the box with a bit of overhang as this litter will track easily and you will likely want to vacuum regularly around the area to keep it tidy. Also be careful if you buy large packages of this type of litter as it gets heavy very quickly!

This type of cat litter basically looks just like its clumping counterpart, only it doesn't form clumps. I have tried this type of litter a few times over the years, but still go back to the clumping varieties for ease of cleaning. I do often buy it to mix in with clumping varieties when money is a bit tight, as it is cheaper. I personally don't like to use this type of cat litter on its own, however, as it is much more of a task to clean up, especially with multiple cats.

This litter also absorbs liquid waste very easily, however, since it does not form clumps, when you go to scoop the box, you will only be able to scoop out the solid waste. Because of this, you will have to completely empty, wash the box, and refill on a much more frequent basis, especially if you have multiple cats. Also keep in mind that because of this, odor control may be varied unless you choose to completely empty the box out daily. This litter also comes in scented and unscented varieties. As with the clumping litter, you also cannot flush this type, so be mindful of disposal, and again the weight of the product itself.

Crystallized cat litter is one of the newer types of litter on the market. I used this for quite some time and loved the ease of cleanliness when I only had one cat, but found that as I added to my feline family, clay litter was a better fit for our household. My cat at the time also seemed to prefer the clay litter because she likes to dig a lot in her box, and I imagine the clay particles feel better on the paw.

Many cat owners who really abhor the idea of scooping a litter box regularly will probably love this type of cat litter. Most of the brands that offer this type of litter suggest that you can use the same litter without replacing for up to one month if only one cat is using it, subtracting 1-2 weeks for each additional cat you add to the mix. You would of course want to continue scooping the solid waste during this time. From my own experience, this type of litter absorbs liquid waste very well and thus contains odors nicely. However, once I had 3 cats, I no longer saw the benefit of using this litter, even with multiple boxes, as it would be completely used up in under a week and turned into a constant icky mess to keep clean. I have read that some flush this type of litter, but I have never seen packaging on one that specifically said it is safe to do so. Some brands also tout that they are dust-free, but from my own usage, I still saw a small amount of dust floating around. However, since the crystals tend to be on the larger side, tracking is much less of an issue compared to other types of litter. There are also many brands of clay cat litters out there that include a bit of the crystals for better absorption. Certain cats may have sensitive paw reactions to the crystals, so make sure to keep an eye on your cat's paws if you decide to try this kind.

I have personally never used this type of litter as they tend to be a bit pricier and I have been wary if my cats would like them, but I am definitely leaning towards trying them as I really like the logic behind them. These types of litters are generally made out of paper, wheat, corn, or pine. They are easy to dispose of as the majority are flushable. If you have problems with allergies, I'd definitely try out one of these brands as they should be practically dust-free. Most, if not all, are also non-toxic and will not harm the cat if ingested, so they are also recommended for young kittens. For those wanting to help with the effort of leaving the world a cleaner place, you may want to consider this as an option as these types of litters are biodegradable. One note is if you will be using one of these litters for a cat that is already accustomed to a clay or crystal litter, the textures, shapes, and sizes can often be quite different since they are made out of a variety of materials, and your cat may be put off on using them.

Those wishing to lead a greener lifestyle will love the idea of the paper pellets. This litter is made of pellets of recycled paper, generally mixed with baking soda to help stifle odors. Some common complaints include that this type of litter does not absorb odors as well as others and once the pellets absorb quite a bit of liquid, they may turn into a gooey mess that is unsightly.

Wheat-based cat litter seems to be one of the best alternatives to clay litters as it has natural clumping capabilities. Some complaints about this type of litter include that it may have bugs in it since it's wheat and that the odor control isn't as good as compared to traditional litters. Others say that the clumping may result in a glue-consistency that breaks apart and is difficult to clean.

Corn-based cat litter also seems to be a good alternative to clay litters, with the ability to clump. Specific brands also claim they are septic-safe and can even be used in mechanical litter boxes. As with the wheat, a common complaint is lack of odor control and the clumps breaking apart. Also, since it is light-weight and powdery, it tends to fly about and track easily.

People seem to either love or hate the pine-based litters. Many love how it absorbs liquids, but say it does nothing for fecal odors, especially if your cat may happen to have diarrhea. Since the pine pellets break down into dust, many complain again of tracking issues. Some cats also seem to have difficult times when switched to this type of litter, which may create disobedient litter box manners that can be hard to fix once started.

Looking for something super frugal? If all else fails and you don't want to have to buy any specific litter, try recycling your own paper! If you have newspaper you don't reuse, you can make small strips out of it and place in a litter box like traditional litter. If you shred a lot of paper for whatever reason, try using the shreds in place of litter.

1. Make sure you use the right amount of litter. This varies based on the type of litter you are using, but many people use too much. Most clay litters are recommend at a 2-4 inch level. Add more or use less as your cat seems to prefer. Remember, when you scoop the litter box, add approximately as much litter as was removed to keep a constant level.

2. If you are really worried about odor, try sprinkling a thin layer of baking soda over the bottom of the litter box before you add in cat litter. If you use scented plug-ins to mask any odors, make sure they aren't too strong to deter your cat. Also, steer clear of citrus scents. Most cats do not like citrus scents at all and it can very likely deter them from using the litter box.

3. Make sure you have a good scoop. I first started out with the cheap plastic scoops, but found that a lot of the waste would stick to them and they broke easily. Some of the cheaper metals ones would bend easily and again waste would stick to them. Then I found the Duranimals Durascoop. It works like a charm, easily wading through the litter, never bending, and very rarely having any residue left.

4. Scoop regularly. Many people like to put a cat's litter box close to or in a bathroom so they can remember to scoop it when they go to the bathroom themselves. Both you and your cat will be happier with a cleaner box and the litter will last longer from not getting overly soiled when the cat digs for multiple uses.

5. Make sure the litter box is big enough. If the box isn't big enough for your cat, they may hit the sides of the box, which can create a lot of extra mess. Also the higher the sides of the box, the less likely your cat is to knock litter onto the floor when digging. Just make sure it is at a comfortable height for your cat to be able to get into. Some boxes also have the option of a snap-on rim that helps keep litter in.

6. Make sure you have enough litter boxes. The general recommendation is to have at least 1 litter box for every cat you have, plus an additional one. This makes sure your cats are happy with their litter box choices and that the litter in one box isn't constantly over soiled from over use.

7. Cats are picky. Don't be discouraged if your cat doesn't like your first litter choice. As with most living things, cats don't do well with change and need to be slowly introduced into new products, such as cat litter. Start mixing in a very small amount of the litter you want to use into the current product you use, increasing the new product and reducing the old product each time you empty the box. Soon your cat should be happily using the new product.

8. I don't recommend using the litter box liners. Any cat I've tried to use them with has not been a fan. From my experience, it just causes them to dig more and the bag ends up getting shredded, making the box more difficult to clean.