The Best Cat Litter Is Litter Your Cat Wants To Use
With inappropriate elimination near the top of the list of reasons cited when people relinquish their cats to the animal shelter, its clear that a harmonious litter box situation spells happiness in a cat-inclusive home.
If you look at it from your cats perspective, youll have a good foundation for evaluating any cat litter on the market. Will this litter feel good under your cats paws? Will dust fill his hooded box and make him uncomfortable? Is the artificial fragrance overwhelming?
Once youve satisfied your cats needs, you can start considering your own. Humans deserve a comfortable home too, and the ideal litter box benefits both you and your cat.
In an ideal world, the best cat litter offers a beautiful combination of features that meet both your needs and your cats. Your cats natural instincts get the respect they deserve, and you get to control the smell and appearance of cat waste in the house.
Your cat wins. You win. And any cat litter that contributes to this situation is a winning product.
What Is The Best Place To Put A Cat Litter Box
Cats prefer a quiet, clean place to do their business, just like humans do. Its best to place the litter box in a quiet room with limited foot traffic, and against a wall so your cat will feel safe when they use it. If a litter box is too hard to reach or too far away , your cat may not be able or even willing to go there. And boxes that are near loud appliances can upset your pet.
Also Great: A Deodorizer You Can Use With Your Existing Litter
If you have a litter your cat already likes but wish it did a better job preventing odors or just want to make sure you have your bases covered, consider adding a sprinkle of the NonScents Cat Litter Deodorizer on top whenever you change or clean it. This will also help eliminate odors, so you donât have to change the litter as often. The deodorizer is fragrance-free and biodegradable, since itâs made from natural zeolite. It comes in a 1-pound container you can buy in packs of one, two, or eight.
Helpful Amazon review: âWithin the first day of using this I noticed that the slight lingering ammonia/ poop smell wasnât noticeable when walking into the house anymore. After a few days I realized that I couldnât smell anything even as I was scooping the three litTer boxes.â
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Scented Or Not Scented
Sometimes having a scented cat litter might help mask the scent of your cats urine. It wont eliminate it entirely, but it will keep the odor from becoming so unbearable so quickly and will make the chore of cleaning out the litter box less miserable.
Every pet owner has their preference for whether the cat litter is scented or not. In houses where there is a scent allergy, a scented litter may not be possible but rather an unscented one. Other pet owners may not like the idea of their cats being around an artificially scented litter for health reasons and prefer an unscented litter also, cats like it. Whatever your preference, there is always the best way to find the best cat litter that is or unscented litter.
If you feel like the idea of scented litters is good but dont want the one artificial scent in your house, you can look for a cat litter that uses good natural scents control instead of the unscented one. The smell may not be as strong, but you wont be exposing your family or your pets to the chemicals used to scent litters.
See Pretty Litter review and So Phresh
How Often Should You Replace Clumping Cat Litter
Clumping cat litter should be scooped daily and changed every 2-3 weeks. However, this depends on the maintenance of the litter box. Each time you wash the litter box, make sure to fill it with fresh litter.
If the litter is excessively wet or clumped and smells bad, you should immediately change the clumping litter.
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Why You Should Trust Us
Im Wirecutters pets writer, and Ive covered everything from the best automatic litter boxes no one should buy to our favorite cat litter mats. Im also a lifelong pet owner and animal-shelter volunteer whos dealt with her share of cat poop, and Im determined to find the best way to control litter box odors without making things worse for feline residents.
Shannon Palus was a senior staff writer who wrote the original version of this guide. She interviewed Alexandra Medley, a veterinarian who had recently graduated from the Ohio State University , and had her survey the vets in her network for answers to Wirecutters toughest litter questions. Shannon also consulted Michael Lund, a vet with the ASPCA Anne Levin, president of the Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition and manager of the Brooklyn Cat Cafe and Ray Brown, VP of household R& D at Church & Dwight, the company that owns Arm & Hammer . She tested the top-performing cat litters at Brooklyn Cat Cafe, where dozens of cats provided their, er, input.
Clumping Cat Litter Versus Non
There are two main types of cat litter – either clumping or non-clumping. Clumping is simply where the waste clumps together in lumps. Non-clumping is where the constituent litter particles do not clump together despite being soaked in urine.Solid waste is easily removed from a litter tray regardless of whether the litter is of a clumping or non-clumping type.
However, solid waste is not the issue – it is urine that presents the challenge!It is important to remember two things:-Cats do not “toilet” in a tidy way!
The majority of cats, when they have used a litter tray, will throw litter around the litter tray .That means, that if a non-clumping litter is used, all the urine-soaked particles of litter are mixed up with the clean particles of litter. So how can you separate the soiled particles from the clean particles?The answer is – you can’t!However, with a clumping litter, all the soiled particles remain in a clump and quite separate from the rest of the particles – so all the urine can be removed very easily indeed – leaving just clean litter in the tray.
Cats are extremely clean and hygienic
Premium Ultra-Clumping
These are the crème de la crème of cat litters and are ultra-clumping and bio-degradable or alternately can be composted.
There are two main makes:
Cats Best Oko Plus is made from 100% pure organic wood fibres.
Worlds Best Cat Litter is mad from whole kernel corn.
Premium Ultra-Clumping
Standard Clumping
Summary
Silver Award
Bronze Award
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Arm & Hammer Platinum Clump Seal Cat Litter
- Available in 27.5 and 40-pound boxes
What we like about it:
The Arm & Hammer litter has one of the best odor control formulas in the market. It simply destroys odors on contact. Having multiple cats in one household is nothing to worry about when you have this in your arsenal.
It has a light, fresh scent that you can only smell when youre pouring or scooping it out from the litter box that the most sensitive of cats would not be bothered by it.
Just as the brand claims, there is no dust at all. There is little tracking, but since the litter is so fine, the tracking is pretty much negligible.
What needs a bit of improvement:
The packaging is too heavy to haul around, especially for seniors or those with back problems. Its also quite problematic to open, requiring a box cutter to do so. Also, the clumping is not too solid and has a tendency to break apart when touched.
Kocat Natural Wood Cat Litter
Heres another innovative clumping litter, this one made from 100% wood fibers. Its biodegradable, so if your locality allows you to flush litter, you can just scoop and flush. Ökocat will also appeal to households with allergies and sensitivities since its free of scents and dust.
What we like about it:
- Free of chemicals, dyes, and fragrances
- Blocks the creation of ammonia odor for up to seven days
- Easy-to-scoop clumps simplify your cleanup
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Tidy Cats Lightweight Cat Litter
This is a 100% dust-free, lightweight, clumping 24×7 performance cat litter for multiple cats. It successfully prevents ammonia odor from forming for two weeks when used as directed.
The lightweight formula is 50% lighter than other leading clumping litter. It forms tight, strong clumps to be scooped easily.
Pros:
- It is extremely lightweight and almost 50% lighter than leading clumping litter.
- It can prevent ammonia odor from forming for two weeks when used as directed.
Cons:
- Though the promise of lightweight clumping litter is too appealing, some customers feel that it requires to be changed more often, needs more litter, incurs more expenses and increases your cleaning chores.
Ever Clean Extra Strength Unscented Odor Eliminating Cat Litter
This Ever Clean cat litter comes in two sizes: 14 lbs and 42 lbs. The formula contains activated carbon mixed with the litter granules to eliminate odor on contact.
It also contains an anti-microbial agent that inhibits the growth of bacterial odors on the litter. The product also comes as a relief for those with sensitive noses as it is unscented cat litter and does not emit any fragrance.
Pros:
- This is available in two sizes for those with different requirements. Activated carbon mixed with litter granules fights odors immediately on coming in contact.
- Those among you with sensitive noses will find this non-fragrant cat litter more comfortable to use.
Cons:
- Some customers have reviewed the product as being over-priced and horribly dusty.
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Naturally Fresh Walnut Based Odor Control Clumping Litter
This cat litter is made from natural ingredients and it is walnut based. It uses pine and corn to give off a fresh smell that isnt made with chemical ingredients so you can have a scented litter without the artificial chemicals. The natural smell is fresh and a little bit sweet, hiding the smell of urine easily without being too powerful.
Just like Arm and Hammer, this good cat litter has clumps quickly and traps your cats urine before it can spread into the litter box. The clumps that are formed are easy to scoop out of the litter box when its time to clean so you wont have to replace the full litter as often as you scoop.
The 26 pound bag of cat litter will last you quite a long time as you dont need to empty it out so much. Its a lightweight litter that your cats can push around easily, but is also completely free of dust! Your cat will have good airflow and not be exposed to harmful dust when using the litter box.
Pros
- Made with natural ingredients and uses pine and corn for a natural scent
- Lightweight and easy for your cat to move around
- Completely dust free to prevent health problems and dust tracking
- Forms quick, tight clumps that trap in odors and are easy to scoop and simple to scoop
Cons
- Only designed for cats and is not suitable for other indoor pets
Make The Soiled Area Unattractive
If you find your cat spraying in a particular area on the bed, make it unpleasant.
Firstly, thoroughly clean the soiled area and change the bed sheets and covers. Then, spread some non-absorbent material and spray some strong cologne or perfume there.
It will prevent your cat from peeing there again, as they might not feel comfortable with the smell.
As cats are scent-driven beings, theyll return to a spot where they once did the deed!
Make sure to remove all pee smells from your bed or any other soiled furniture.
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Why Only The Best Cat Litter For Cats With Urinary Problems Helps
When dealing with urinary problems, most cats tend to pee outside the litter box. Same is true with territorial marking in cats. Either way, you should try to encourage the cat to start using the box again and changing the litter helps, among other things.
Here are some ways in which getting the best cat litter for cats with urinary problems helps:
- Better clumping abilities: Clumping litters have better absorbance power and transform the moisture into firm clumps. This way, the cat will have more room to push litter aside and pee comfortably.
- Easier to clean: Cleaning the litter box will be easier. Since these types of litters form firm clumps, they are easy to remove. So, the litter box stays cleaner longer and more appealing for the cat to use.
- Odorless: While you might find scented litters appealing, your cat may be overwhelmed by potent fragrances. Unscented cat litters can encourage your cat to use the box more often and will lock in all potent odors.
- Texture: Cats prefer litters made of small granular materials. The sand-like texture is easier to move around and a cat can dig and do its business without any issues.
What Does It Mean If A Cat Stops Urinating
If a cat stops urinating altogether, it is likely they are experiencing a feline urinary tract disease such as bladder inflammation or urinary stones or crystals. Male cats are particularly susceptible to the latter. “Male cats have a very narrow urethra, so crystals and mucus can form a plug or a single tiny stone may become lodged anywhere along this narrow tube,” said Tannert.
If a cat is unable to urinate, deadly toxins begin building up. Death can occur if the blockage isn’t removed by a veterinarian within 24 to 48 hours. If a veterinarian rules out medical problems like FLUTD, anxiety may be the culprit, a problem a veterinary behaviorist is best equipped to handle.
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Best Litters For Cats With Asthma
Anything that irritates an asthmatic cat’s lungs can bring on or worsen an asthma attack. Unfortunately, litter dust whether clay, or otherwise can be a potent respiratory irritant for cats. So for cats with asthma it’s a good idea to go with a litter that is as “low-dust” as possible. The litters linked below typically fit that bill, while also having some of the other characteristics of litter that both you and your cat will like.
sWeat Scoop, World’s Best Cat Litter Clumping Formula, and Boxiecat are also great litter options for cats suffering from asthma or respiratory issues.
Dr Elseys Ultra Premium Clumping Cat Litter
This Precious Cat Ultra Premium Clumping Litter is one of the top-rated products and it shouldnt come as any surprise. Its an unscented cat litter, which is dust-free and is the clumping type that makes cleaning incredibly simple. The formula comes with heavy granules to reduce tracking when the cat leaves the box. Being a hypoallergenic cat litter, your choosy cats will not have issues using it.
Further, it has been designed such that it will reduce the amount of liquid hitting the bottom of the tray and you will not have to spend your evenings scooping up congealed litter. Though its unscented cat litter, the medium-weight clay is meant for superior odor control.
Even apartment dwellers love Dr. Elseys because they feel it is the only litter that eliminates odor, even in places cramped for space. It works well even for multiple cats though it may require changing the litter a little more frequently. Precious cat ultra is available in 18 pounds or 40 pounds and a cat litter container is recommended so that pouring it out can be made a bit easier.
Pros:
- It is incredibly easy to clean and demonstrates superior odor control in the most cramped spaces.
- The cat litter works well even for multiple cats though litter may require changing a bit more frequently.
Cons:
- If the litter is wet, your kittys paws can form what can only be described as concrete on them and would require soaking, chiselling and cutting it off her hair.
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Best Cat Litter For Cats With Urinary Problems
Being a cat parent brings a lot of responsibility. Its like looking after a child. You have to be constantly vigilant about your pets needs or behavior and have to look out for any unusual symptoms.
If your cat cannot urinate or passes a small amount of urine, frequently urinates, or passes blood in his urine, she might be suffering from a urinary tract infection.
In that case, you should be extra cautious while taking care of your cat, and that also includes getting the right litter specially designed for cats with urinary problems.
What Pet Owners Love About Cat Litter Mats
When first-time pet owners get a new cat, they know theyll need a litter box. However, a lot of people dont realize that the litter inside the box doesnt always stay there. Plus, some cats are extremely exuberant about kicking up as much litter as they can. Any time you step into the room, it may feel as though you just step foot at the beach.
While a cat litter mat may seem like an unnecessary expense, it actually saves you a lot of hassle in the long run. Instead of having to sweep up kitty litter off the floor, you can just pick up the mat and get rid of the pieces that way.
Even if your cat isnt a kicker, theres a good chance it will drag some litter with it on its paws. The right mat can take these pieces off, so when your cat reaches the floor, its paws are clean. Its easier on both you and your cat, making a purchase a no-brainer. Hopefully, you have a better idea of what mats would work for your household, but if not, here are some common questions to helpfully narrow it down.
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