The Best Cat Litter Offers Great Odor Control
The best cat litter helps keep odors at bay, but dont expect a box of litter to take over your job. Weve found that the best odor control comes from great clumping and regular cleaning.
The more waste you can remove from the box, the better. Thats why we look for cohesive clumps, minimal stickiness, and great absorbency.
Some products amp up the odor control with activated carbon and baking soda, which can significantly cut back on odors.
Can I Flush Wood Pellet Litter Down The Toilet
Disposing of pellet litter is very easy and you even have some options to choose from: flushing the litter down the toilet or composting it.
While clay-based litter should never be flushed down the toilet, pellet litter made of biodegradable materials like wood can be flushed if it claims to be flush-safe. However, not all wood pellet cat litter is the same. The product will make its disposal options clear by stating if it is flushable or not on its packaging. If it doesnt say anything, it is probably not flush-safe.
While urine clumps of flushable cat litter are safe to flush, cat feces should never be flushed down the toilet. Cat feces could be carrying toxoplasmosis, a bacterial disease that spreads from eating wild animals or contact with other infected cat feces which is not uncommon. Infected cats discard the bacteria through their feces, so flushing cat poop down the toilet carries the risk of toxoplasma contamination of water and soil.
Toxoplasma contamination can be a large threat to human health, especially to pregnant women. Besides, it can also be damaging to the local wildlife and natural environment. For this same reason, you also shouldnt use cat feces as compost.
Another option for disposal if the litter is labeled as biodegradable or compostable is to bury the used pellets in a garden area and utilize them as compost. This will again be indicated on the product packaging, so check with the specific brand of litter youre using.
Zero Mess By Worlds Best Advanced Cat Litter
Zero Mess cat litter is made from a blend of plant fibers and whole kernel corn. Its designed to be super odor absorbent, forming tight clumps to lock in moisture. This cat litter is eco-friendly, biodegradable and flushable! Of course its dust free and made without silica dust, for even the most sensitive cats. We like that Zero Mess cat litter makes cleaning your kittys box incredibly easy and stress-free. Its also great for homes with a large kitty family.
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How To Solve Common Litter Box Problems
If youre unhappy with your current cat litter setupits hard having a small animal crapping where you live!there are a couple of other solutions that you might try before or in addition to swapping litters.
Scoop your litter at least once a day. When we went to the Brooklyn Cat Cafe to test litters, we were braced for the place to smell like a farm. It didnt. Thats because the cafes volunteers were always scooping, often within minutes of a cat doing its business. Though Church & Dwights Brown told us that litter formulas are tested for their clump integrity and odor control for up to three days , you still need to try to scoop every day.
If youre having trouble with your cat scattering litter, you could try a partially enclosed litter box instead. Or try a mat that catches litter, like the Easyology Premium Cat Litter Mat, which traps litter scatter better than any mat weve tested.
Several Wirecutter staffers have also found personal litter box happiness with a Litter Genie Plus Cat Litter Disposal System close-by. Its a trash can, of sorts, that allows you to scoop litter into a small vestibule and close the lid, and then send the litter into a larger compartment that way, your nose isnt bombarded with a weeks worth of dirty litter every time you go to add newly soiled litter.
Small Pet Select Premium Pine Pelleted Cat Litter
Another fantastic choice is the Small Pet Select Premium Pine Pelleted Cat Litter. As the name suggests, this kitty litter is made from 100% pine pellets with no additional additives or harmful chemicals. This is not only great for the environment as it is biodegradable but also makes it one of the safest cat litters there is on the market.
The all-natural pine pellets also have a wonderfully natural, woody scent. This effectively covers any odors and helps to ensure your home smells lovely. Besides, being an extremely absorbent material, the wood pellets will quickly soak up any urine before it has a chance to stink out your home.
This is also a non-clumping pellet litter, and so the pellets turn to sawdust when soaked in urine. As the pellets are large, separating the fine dust from the intact pellets is easy. Using any generic litter scoop or sifting litter box should be all you need to sort the two, so cleaning is simple! Besides, with heavier and larger particles, and with this being a low dust litter, tracking around your home is also minimal.
Unfortunately, these larger pellets do make it slightly uncomfortable on your cats paws. Most cats will get used to the change over time, but when transitioning from a clay litter it may take cats a little longer than usual. Also, be careful not to step on any pellets that end up scattered on the floor, as you may hurt your feet too!
Pros
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How Much Cat Litter Should You Use
Some cat owners fill the box halfway while others pour in just enough to give their cats something to scratch in. But whats the right amount? Generally speaking, you should use at least 2 to 3 inches of litter in the box so your cat can dig and cover the waste without too much trouble.
Keep in mind, however, that some cats have unique preferences and my like 3 to 4 inches. For cats who like to dig, err on the side of adding a little more. For cats that tend to fling litter out of the box, a little less may help reduce the mess. Whatever you choose, its a good idea to replace what you scoop out.
Which Is The Best Low Dust Cat Litter
The Arm & Hammer Litter Slide Multi-Cat Clumping Clay Cat Litter is the best dust-free litter with the rating of being 100% dust-free. However, if you are looking for an alternative to the traditional clay litter or crystal without compromising on the effectiveness then the Worlds Best Multi-Cat Unscented Clumping Corn Cat Litter would be the best option for you.
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Choosing The Right Clumping Cat Litter
There are a multitude of factors that should be taken into account when choosing a cat litter. Finding the best clumping cat litter for your cat requires some careful considerations. We did our best to rank the products above with all of the following in mind:
Cost
Putting this first as its usually the biggest deciding factor in which cat litter brand you end up buying. Theres no point having the best cat litter if its costing you a fortune.
The price of clumping cat litter can vary significantly depending on the quality and brand name. Weve made our choices with the best value for money in mind.
Buying in litter in larger quantities is usually the best way to get cheap cat litter. Most brands sell a small and large version of any litter, and more often than not you will find that the best value for money lies in the bigger bag.
Scent and Odor Control
You can purchase clumping cat litter in both scented and unscented variants. Scented is the best choice providing your cat has no allergies that will cause irritation.
Masking the smell of cat urine is a real task, but scented cat litter does a lot to help. Some even pair up with well known fragrance battlers like Glade for that added bit of protection against nasty smells.
Odor control is slightly different. This term refers to the litters ability to lock in ammonia smells quickly. Even some unscented litters are so good at this that no smell escapes from the litter box at all.
Dust
Clumping
Do Air Purifiers Help With Cat Litter Dust
Levoit’s air purifier works fairly well at getting rid of the most common allergens in the air, and it can purify the air from cat litter dust, but it may burn out on you after a few weeks or a few months, if you use it constantly. There have been numerous reports of the system malfunctioning after a short while.
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Buying Guide For Best Clumping Cat Litter
Struggling to keep litter box odors under control? Wish cleanups weren’t quite so intensive? The solution could be as simple as switching up your kitty’s litter. While litter box duty will never be fun, clumping cat litter can make your job a whole lot easier.
Clumping cat litter forms firm lumps when it contacts moisture, making it possible to scoop out urine along with solid deposits. In turn, this translates to easier waste removal, reduced odors, and fewer litter replacements an all-around win for any pet parent.
Not surprisingly, clumping cat litter is an exceedingly popular choice among cat owners. While you’ll have no shortage of options to choose from, picking the right clumping cat litter for your feline isn’t always easy. Should you opt for a regular clay formula or something made of natural fibers like corn or wheat? Does scented cat litter work? Does texture matter?
Blue Buffalo Naturally Fresh Walnut
Clumping litter made from walnut shells
This litter is virtually dust free, and like the other choices in this list, its free from irritating additives like fragrances and deodorants. The unscented litter uses the odor neutralizing power and absorption ability of fibrous walnut shells to keep the litter box fresh. Walnut litter naturally clumps tightly, making it easy to scoop out liquid and solid waste.
Because its made from 100% natural, biodegradable, and renewable ingredients, this litter is easy on the environment.
Although the walnut litter produces almost no dust, it does tend to track a bit. The dark brown granules are easy to spot on the floor and may scatter across the room and around the house. Another common complaint is that the brown color makes it difficult to identify waste in the litter box. Buy It
Pros
- Made without irritating additives and fragrances
- Clumps well and provides great odor control
- Cats like the paw-feel of this litter
Cons
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The Best Cat Litter Is Low
Dr. Alex Crow, VetMed MRCVS cautions that some litter that contains crystalline silica dust can be harmful when breathed in, which is something you most certainly want to avoid. This is why it is important to buy dust-free cat litters. Inhaling this dust can cause your cat to develop serious issues and cause them to have trouble breathing.
Of course, most litter is advertised as low-dust or 99% dust-free, but these are usually flimsy claims. Some so-called low-dust products create plumes of dust, so dont trust the label.
Read customer reviews instead.
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Can You Get Toxoplasmosis From Breathing In Cat Litter
Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondiiwhich may be present in up to half the cats in some areas, and is most commonly found on pets that spend time outdoors. Most humans come into contact with the parasite when they eat undercooked or contaminated food or water, while gardening in an infected flowerbed, or when they come in close contact with cat feces . An infected person may be asymptomatic, the CDC notes, but the parasite can survive in a host for years. Pregnant people may pass it on to their children, where it can potentially be fatal and immunocompromised people may have severe symptoms.
Currently, the best way to prevent infection when youre around a cat, litter box or surfaces that may have been exposed to fecal matter is to thoroughly wash your hands before touching your eyes, nose or mouth. If youre pregnant or immunocompromised, its best to ask someone else to take over your litter-box-cleaning duties. If you live alone, clean the litter box daily, wear disposable gloves, and wash your hands. You can also keep your cat indoors and only feed them commercial can or dry cat food to limit their exposure to parasites.
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How Do You Choose A Dust
Cat litter manufacturers know that people hate dusty litter, so virtually every litter on the market claims to be a low-dust product. If youve been searching for a truly dust free litter for a while, you know that these claims are easy to make and hard to live up to.
Fortunately, there are a few key things that you can point out to identify a low or no-dust litter. Remember, you have a number of different types of litter to choose from and a world of varied formulations.
Lets take a look at a few different types of litter and think about how to choose one with minimal dust.
Best Dust Free Cat Litter With Reviews And Ratings
You love your cat, and you dont care who knows it, right?
But the last thing you want is cat-smell permeating your house or tiny dust-prints trailing across your newly polished wood floor.
And I know this may sound a litter ridiculous, but choosing the right litter can be overwhelming.
You stand at the wall of brightly colored bags and boxes, wondering if you should pick the lightweight one, the recycled paper one, the clumping, the low odor, the most absorbent, the cheapest!
But you have done some research and narrowed it down
Congratulations! Like many cat-owners, you want to go with a low-dust or dust-free variety.
If you want to know our favorite, we wont keep you in suspense.
Our review process is unbiased and based on extensive research. If you buy through the links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Our favorite dust-free cat litter is PrettyLitter! Its lightweight, affordable, controls odor, is dust-free, AND its an early-warning detector for your cats health!
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What Brand Of Cat Litter Is Dust Free
Asked by: Laverne Terry
ARM & HAMMER Clump & Seal Platinum Cat Litter is our top pick for the best dust free kitty litter. Its 100% dust free formula makes it safe for cats and owners with dust allergies. It is worth it as it comes in sizes that can serve multiple cats. It keeps your homes fresh and odorless.
Does Wood Pellet Cat Litter Clump
Typical wood pellet litter does not clump though this is in no way a drawback. Rather, it is just how pellet litters work.
Instead of clumping, the wood pellets decompose into sawdust once they are soaked with urine. This way, the powdered pieces fall to the bottom of the pan while the unsoaked, fresh pellets stay on top. To clean, all you need to do is remove the sifted sawdust at the bottom of the pan and keep the fresh pellets by reverse-scooping.
With poop, wood pellets work pretty much the same way as traditional clay-based litter. That is to say, nothing much happens to it. Although one difference may be that some clay-based litters stick to the poop and cover it up, which is not the case with most pellet litters.
While most wood pellet litters dont clump, some brands can form clumps to a certain degree, such as the Next-Gen Pet Fresh Cypress Cat Litter. These types of clumping pellet litters are more similar to clay-based litter with regards to how they are cleaned you scoop out the urine-soaked clumps and leave the rest for reuse.
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Purina Tidy Cats Lightweight Instant Action Multiple Cats Clumping Cat Litter
Knock down odors before they start with Tidy Cats Instant Action cat litter. Formulated for immediate odor control, this clumping litter contains a deodorizing system for fast, effective neutralization. TidyLock Protection locks in strong smells the instant they arise, and Ammonia Blocker prevents the formation of ammonia odors with regular maintenance, keeping cat areas clean and fresh. Our Instant Action cat litter is so powerful, it can handle households with multiple cats and litter boxes. This litter also weighs less than clumping litters, so carrying and pouring require less effort. The lightweight litter absorbs moisture readily, forming light, tight clumps that make for easier scooping. Our formula is low dust, trapping fine particles to minimize dust clouds. See the difference in your home when you stop odors in their tracks with Purina Tidy Cats LightWeight Instant Action Multiple Cats Clumping Cat Litter.
Ingredients: Natural Clay And Mineral Product With Deodorizing System.
*with regular maintenance
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.
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The Best Cat Litter Is Made Without Irritating Fragrances
Some people prefer litter made with added perfume, but these fragrances may irritate sensitive noses. The best cat litter doesnt lean on fragrances to disguise the smell of cat waste. Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM confirms this, encouraging cat owners to avoid highly-scented cat litters. She says that cats have a much better sense of smell than we do, so even if the litter smells good to us, cats can find it very irritating.