Three: Transition The Litter Boxes
Remember that you want an alternative box for the cats as long as possible. If your cats are using the wood pellet only box, transition their old clay litter box. If they don’t want to use the wood litter at all, transition the new box until they get the hang of it. When they do, you can switch their old one out.
Wood Pellets Chips Or Shavings
You can purchase wood pellet cat litter at the pet store, but you may quickly notice that it is more expensive than clay cat litter.
The higher price defeats the purpose of changing cat litter if youre looking to save money.
You can make wooden cat litter by yourself with the right tools.
You will, of course, need wood and something to cut the wood.
If you live in a wooded area, you will have an abundance of trees to use, but pine is going to be your best choice.
Cut the wood into small pieces if this is an at home job, chips and shavings are going to be the easiest to manage.
Can You Use Pelletized Bedding For Cat Litter
Horse bedding pelleted bedding for horses, also called equine bedding, can also work for cat litter even though it is not specifically marketed as such. However, it is made of 100% pine, just like the cat litter brands and its much less expensive. You can find this stuff sold at places like Tractor Supply.
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Runner Up: Yesterdays News
The very appropriately named Yesterdays News is another great option and our runner-up! Made from recycled newspaper, this is one of my favorite options not only because its made from recycled materials which really takes the eco-friendliness up a level but also because it comes in pellet form.
It looks and acts almost exactly like a traditional wood pellet litter- which is what I love about it. Just like wood pellets, this litter will break apart into flakey dust when its urinated on so youll still need to work on your reverse scoop technique.
But if thats a deal-breaker for you, theyve also released a clumping version as well.
While its rare for cats to eat litter, although Ive seen several kittens give it a try, since this product is made from paper theres almost no risk of toxicity if cats do ingest it. If youre chosen the non-clumping version, its likely to pass through your cat without a problem.
You can read more reviews and .
What I Love About It: It has everything I love about wood pellet litter but uses recycled newspaper instead to really amp up the eco-friendlyness.
What I Wish It Had: Youre missing the natural pine smell that you get with traditional wood pellet litters. While thats a pro for some folks, it does mean that this litter box isnt quite as effective at managing odors.
Corn & Wheat Cat Litter
Corn and wheat litter usually comes in the form of pellets but they are both clumping litters because they contain starch, which is a natural binding element.
Wheat and corn are sometimes even added to other natural litter formulas like wood pellets to give them clumping abilities. These two grains are also often used together in one litter formula.
With corn and wheat, it can become a problem if your cat ingests too much of these grains regularly which is a possibility when its in their litter because grains upset your cats digestive tract. Another thing to watch out for with these grain-based litters is possible insect infestations if they are not stored properly. Make sure you seal their packaging perfectly, and youll be fine.
Other than that, corn and wheat litters are a great natural, flush-safe, and compostable litter option!
Top Corn Litter Recommendation: Worlds Best Clumping Cat Litter
Weve already reviewed the Purina Tidy Cats Pure Nature Clumping Cat Litter, which is made of a combination of corn, cedar, and pine. However, if you want a litter made solely from corn kernels, then the Worlds Best Cat Litter should be your first point of call. Although the name sounds a little over the top, it actually isnt far from the truth!
Pros
Cons
Top Wheat Litter Recommendation: sWheat Scoop Fast-Clumping All-Natural Cat Litter
For those of you that prefer wheat over corn, the sWheat Scoop All-Natural Fast-Clumping Cat Litter is another wonderful alternative.
Pros
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What Will My Cat Think Of Wood Pellet Litter
Maybe we should have started here! After all, wood or pine pellet litter could be the best in the world but if your cat wont use it then what good is it!?
Youll be pleased to know that the vast majority of cats are quite happy to use wood pellet litter!
I worked at a shelter for more than a decade and we eventually switched to using wood pellet litter for all the cats in the shelter. 99% of the cats were happy to use the wood pellets and with roughly 10,000 cats coming through the doors a year, thats a pretty big sample size.
That being said, the shelter environment is very different from your home and cats will of course have a preference just like any other creature. But Ive also fostered several hundred cats over the years and always use a pellet litter of some kind without any problems.
Still, because cats have a history as desert dwellers, its typically assumed that they prefer finer particles like sand or clay litter and some cats will make you well aware of this preference. But in most cases, cats will be happy to use wood pellet litter.
Kocat Natural Wood Clumping Cat Litter
Made with biodegradable material, this lightweight and soft cat litter have up to 500% of absorption, which can help to block kittys odor for up to 7 days.
It is available in different sizes and it has zero added chemicals or scents perfect for cats that have smell sensitivities.
Thats not all This nature cat litter has no airborne dust so your air purifier doesnt have to suffer either. A single packaging can last up to 2 1/2 months on one cat.
Key Features
- Available in different sizes and variants
- No airborne dust
- Lasts long for a single cat
The ökocat Natural Wood Clumping Cat Litter may be what youre looking for if you want cat litter that is biodegradable and flushable.
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Best Wood Pellet Cat Litter 2022 And How To Use It
Wood pellet cat litter is a severely underappreciated choice for cats litter boxes. Though it may seem odd to make cat litter out of wood pellets, the material is actually very effective and of course, being cat litter made out of wood it is generally more sustainable, environmentally-friendly, and affordable than traditional clay litter.
Recycled Paper Cat Litter
Recycled paper litter is usually made from recycled newspaper fibers that are compressed to form pellets.
Recycled paper litter is one of the best litter alternatives out there. It is sustainable, eco-friendly, non-tracking, no-dust, typically flush-safe, and hypo-allergenic. It is also completely safe for your cat and will not harm her digestive system if ingested.
Recycled paper is very similar to wood pellet litter because both have coarse pellets that are highly absorbent, which prevents dust and tracking. However, whereas wood pellet litter can still track a bit as its pellets crumble into sawdust when soaked, paper litter doesnt track at all because instead of disintegrating, its pellets just absorb the urine as much as they can.
However, one disadvantage of paper cat litter is that it is relatively hard to clean. Soiled pellets are darker in color and have engorged to 2-3 times the size of their clean pellets. Effective cleaning requires a scoop with holes that are suitable to separate the soiled pellets from the clean ones.
Top Paper Litter Recommendation:PURINA Yesterdays News Odor Control Paper Cat Litter
When compared to regular clumping litter, PURINA claim this product absorbs 3x as much moisture. This not only helps when cleaning the litter tray as all the urine will have been absorbed but also keeps odors to a minimum. By rapidly absorbing all liquids before they have a chance to release nasty smells into your home, you can easily keep it smelling fresh.
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Can You Mix Cat Litter With Dirt
Mixing cat litter with dirt is a great idea.
If you have a cat that doesnt like to use the litter box or prefers to go outside to do his duties, then I might suggest mixing your cat litter with dirt.
Dirt will encourage your cat to use the litter box because the scent of the dirt or soil will attract your cat to the litter box.
Dirt acts as a stimulant to your cats senses, so you might want to give it a try if you are struggling with your cat.
Remember that soil and dirt will not have the same clumping effect as cat litter. You will not find that dirt will make your litter box clean up duty any easier, which can be a bummer.
In order to keep scooping your litter box as easy as possible, do not add too much dirt into your mixture.
Next Gen Cypress Fresh Cat Litter With Green Tea: Best Low
This wood pellet cat litter is made from Japanese Hinoki, which is actually a type of Japanese cypress. It is a form of softwood that becomes pretty absorbent when turned into pellet form.
The green tea scent helps mask odors which makes it pretty efficient when it comes to odor control. The addition of green tea leaves helps decrease bacterial growth which may actually be harmful to your pet.
Features
If you are into saving the environment , you should really check out this natural litter. It makes use of recycled wood and natural wood fiber making it completely sustainable.
It is a low-dust type of litter so you and your cat wont have to worry about silica dust that may actually be bad for respiratory health.
Benefits and Drawbacks
| Added green tea leaves to decrease bacteria | Some may not like the green tea scent |
| Completely sustainable | |
| Low dust |
These pellets come in smaller sizes compared to other types of cat wood pellets so your cat might find it easier to transition from traditional clay litter.
Overall, this is a good alternative to clay litters but clumping may still be an issue. Clumping clay litter still does better so the scooping process may still get a bit tedious when using these pellets.
While, as the name implies, I am Tofu is NOT technically a WOOD pellet cat litter, its still among the best options for a more eco-friendly and natural litter box.
Features
Benefits and Drawbacks
| Some complain that it doesnt dissolve fully |
| Flushable |
Features
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Can You Use Wood Pellets For Cat Litter Heres The Answer You Should Be Knowing
Taking good care of your cats is not an easy task, but with the right tools, you can hit the spot. Finding the correct type of cat litter is a great task for cat-owners.
From clay to silica to corn, pine, and paper, there is an extensive range of varieties available. But if you want to maintain a harmonious balance with nature, you should go for plant-based organic litters.
Are you looking for an eco- friendly alternative for your commercial cat litter?
Luckily, there are a lot of eco-friendly litters available in the market to save your day.
Wood pellets are one of the best eco-friendly and cat-friendly options available in the market. Lets see how efficient and safe they are.
Note: In case youre looking for some more available options, you can read our cat litter alternatives guide here.
Does That Make The Trash Can The Best Option
Yes, the trash can is almost always going the best option for disposing of used wood pellet litter. The risk of toxoplasmosis to people and other animals is too high to justify any of the options.
While you could make an argument for composting or flushing litter thats only been exposed to urine, its not a very compelling one.
Thats because toxoplasmosis is transmitted via anything that has come in contact with cat feces, including transmission via your cats paws. Just because you dont Ia cat poop sitting on a pile of pine pellets it doesnt mean that they havent been exposed throughout your cats normal litterbox routine.
Instead, it makes more sense to consider the entire litterbox compromised and just stick with the trashcan. But you can rest easier knowing that the wood pellets arent going to be sitting in the landfill for the next 100 years!
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So Are Wood Pellets Better Than Traditional Litter
Wood pellet litter beats traditional options when it comes to cleanliness, environmental impact, and cost so Id argue that its better than traditional litter in the majority of cases. The biggest downside for most folks is the fact that the scooping process is a little different and may take some getting used to.
While I feel that wood pellets are the better option, its really up to you to decide what makes the most sense for you and your feline friend. Thats why Ive put together a full list of the pros and cons for wood pellet litter vs traditional options.
How To Dispose Of Wood Pellet Cat Litter
While you can add wood pellet litter to your household trash, there are a few other options for disposal.
You can compost the pellets or sawdust to make fertilizer for both indoor and outdoor plants. It should be noted that this fertilizer should not be used in vegetable gardens due to the microbial nature of your cats fecal matter, despite the wood pellets being quite safe.
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How Do I Scoop Wood Pellet Litter
Remember, when cats pee on the wood pellets they start to break up into sawdust-like clumps. Most scoopers have narrow holes that are too large for the wood pellets to pass through but small enough for the sawdust bits to fall through. When you scoop, youll want to place a trash bag under the scooper to collect the peed-on pellets and dump the clean ones back into the box.
With clumping litter, you let the dirty clumps stay in the scoop while the clean litter falls back in the box. But with wood pellets, were doing just the opposite and letting the dirty and broken-up pellets fall into a trash bag while the clean pellets stay on the scoop.
Not making sense?
Check out this video to see exactly how this is done:
You can see that shes using a regular old scooper which works because the pellets are too large to fall through.
But what about the poops?
In the video above, you can see that shes using a bag to just pick up the poops. I actually use doggy bags and its admittedly a little gross and certainly not for everyone. However, the pick-up-a-poop method works really well for wood pellet litter since the clean pellets arent going to fall through the scoop like they would with traditional litter.
You can also just use your existing scooper to remove the poops and consider the surrounding clean pellets collateral damage.
Is There Something More Environmentally Friendly Than Wood Pellets
While wood pellets make a great option for eco-friendly cat parents, there are other options that take it a step further by using recycled materials. My absolute favorite is a product called Yesterdays News which uses recycled newspaper to create pellets. The pellets look very similar to the wood pellets and if youre not looking closely you probably wont even notice the difference.
You can learn more about this option and .
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Does Wood Pellet Litter Require A Custom Litter Box
Wood pellet doesnt require a custom litter box, and you can use the one you already have. It also doesnt matter whether the litter box is hooded or not. However, there are litter boxes custom-designed for pellet litters that can help you avoid scooping daily and make your cleaning process easier.
These litter boxes are equipped with a sifting tray that separates the sawdust from the fresh pellets. The sifting tray fits onto the regular tray at the bottom of the litter box. The sawdust falls through the holes of the sift to the bottom tray while the intact pellets stay on top for your cats use.
The design of the Purina Tidy Cats Breeze litter box incorporates a drawer at its base where the sawdust can collect for removal without you having to deal with the sift or dismantle the box. The Purina litter box comes with its custom pellets but you can use most pellet litters as long as they are compatible with the holes of the sift.
Since wood pellet litters dont have a standard granule size, you should make sure the size of the shifts holes matches the kind of pellet litter you use. The holes should be smaller than the pellets but large enough for sawdust to easily fall through. You also dont need to fill the litter pan to the brim. Instead, 2-3 inches deep is enough because some pellets soak up urine and engorge, thus taking up more space than when dry.