Before you can begin to choose the best cat litter for your cat, you need to know what the purpose of cat litter is. Yes, it provides a place for the cat to ‘go’, but why do we use cat litter? Cat litter works by absorbing cat urine, it can absorb it’s own weight in urine, though you probably don’t want to let it get too saturated, because then the urine will pool at the bottom or top. It also covers the cat’s feces, which limits odor causing bacteria.
Cats are naturally going to use cat litter, since they instinctively bury their feces in sand or dirt in the wild. This means it is usually easy to train a cat to use the litter box (but not always!).
When choosing the best cat litter for your cat , it is easy to get overwhelmed. There are tons of different types! I’m going to explain how the different types work so that it is easier for your to choose one.
Clay Litter
The most common type of cat litter is clay litter. It is the least expensive litter and is literally based in clay. Some clay litters are just clay with nothing else added. It has a similar consistency to sand, which means cats like it a lot. The problem with this type of litter is it tends to be quite dusty and can leave tracks throughout your home.
Clumping Cat Litter
Clumping litter is a very common form you can find in most stores.This litter is very convenient because it absorbs urine efficiently and forms it into a clump which can be disposed on its own. This allows you to use less litter over time, since you are only throwing out the litter which is dirty. The cons to this type of litter is that, depending on the brand, it can be dusty, and the clumps can fall apart (usually only cheaper brands do this).
Biodegradable litter can be made from plant-based materials, but is sometimes made from recycled materials, like old newspaper or sawdust. This type of material is easy to dispose of and can often be flushed down the toilet. This is usually more expensive than clay based litters.
Another type of cat litter is plant based. These are often made from sawdust or husks of wood. Plant-based litters are good for the environment and good at odor control. However, some cats have sensitivity to these types of litters.
Silica gel is made from sand which is great at absorption as well as odor control. This litter is non-toxic and dust-free. However, it is more expensive than some of the other litters and some cats may not like the texture.
To help you find the best cat litter for your cat, you can see a great side-by-side comparison of the different cat litters at Petco.com.
