best cat litters

Cat litters – Which One?

3 Facts about Cat Litter

  • Edward Lowe was an American businessman and entrepreneur, noted for the invention of cat litter. Before Lowe’s invention, people kept their cats outside, using ashes, dirt or sand as cat litter when it was necessary to keep them inside.
  • Cat waste can contain a nasty parasite called Toxoplasma which can cause some serious health problems to humans. Many cat owners like the convenience of being able to scoop cat waste directly into the toilet and flush it away, instead of having to bag up the litter and put it out with the trash. However, many experts advise owners not to flush cat litter, because some cats carry a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii and can transmit it through their poop. Sewage treatment can’t kill T. gondii, so it makes its way into the oceans, where it can pose a deadly threat to sea otters.Because of these risks, the Sea Otter Alliance urges cat owners never to flush cat litter down the toilet. However, not all cats are carriers of T. gondii.
  • Cats are fastidious in covering their waste either in the litter tray or out in the garden. This is instinctive behaviour and no training is required. They cover their waste to prevent its scent from attracting unwanted predators or competition.

3 x 2 things to consider when choosing cat litter

  1. Dust free: Dust can cause respiratory problems in both cats and humans. Dust can also be tracked through out your home creating mess.
  2. Odor Control: Keeping the smell of cat waste under control is at the top of any cat owner’s wish list. It’s important for cats as well, as according to the ASPCA, uncontrolled odor is one of the top reasons cats refuse to use their litter boxes. However, artificially scented litters aren’t the solution, as cats often reject litters with strong scents. These scents can also be toxic.
  3. Environmental Impact: The annual environmental deposit of cat feces in the US is 1.2 million tons. Add to this the litter, more than two million tons of it, or approximately 100,000 truckloads, ends up in landfills in the U.S. alone.​
  4. Granule size. Cats tend to prefer fine-textured litter, which feels softer on their paws, but coarse litter is less likely to get tracked around the house. Coarser litters are also safer for kittens under three months old, who may inhale or swallow finer-grained litters.
  5. Price: The average cat owner actually spends more on litter than on food. However, the cheapest litter isn’t necessarily the best bargain. Natural cat litters, made from plant-based materials such as corn and wheat, offer more options for disposal, and there’s some evidence that they’re also safer, particularly for kittens. And best of all, for some owners, a natural cat litter can actually cost less in the long run.
  6. Good Clumping: Many cat owners prefer clumping litters, which combine with cat urine to form hard lumps that can be scooped out. Clumping litters generally control odor better than non-clumping ones, and the stronger their clumping power, the less odor there is. Clumping litters also require less work, since scooping a litter box daily is easier.

 3 of the most common Cat litters that we have experienced in Barcelona

1. Silica litter

Crystal cat litter has a unique structure to its atoms, it is composed of silica dioxide sand, oxygen and water. The gel is made up of tiny pores that absorb 40 times their weight in liquid.  This unique composition helps the silicon bind with a high amount of liquid and neutralise any odours.

Unlike some other types of litter, this one doesn’t clump so you’ll need to change out the whole pan of litter on a regular basis to prevent odors from forming. With regular changing, stirring and removal of solid waste, crystal cat litter should keep your cat’s litter box odor-free. The blue crystals also can contain a product that is carcinogenic to you and your cat.

The Pros of Crystal Cat Litter

  • High absorbancy resulting in less-frequent litter box changes. 
  • They promote a cleaner litter box because mold and bacteria are less likely to grow in the crystal litter than in other types of litter.
  • Some brands are dust free. 
  • Generally owners will use less crystal litter than traditional clay litters.  
  • Some silica gel litters are biodegradable.

The Cons of Crystal Cat Litter

  • The most potentially serious is the chance that your cat may eat some of the crystals. If your cat eats litter crystals, he could face some life-threatening medical situations due to the inorganic nature of the crystals.
  • Some brands are not dust free and the silica dust can cause respiratory problems to cat and human alike.
  • Urine to pool in the litter box when the crystals become saturated. Manufacturers recommend daily stirring of the crystals when you scoop feces from the litter box to reduce the chance of urine pools forming.
  • Cats my find the rough shape of the crystals painful on their paws. 
  • Crystal litter is more expensive than traditional clay litters. 
  • Many of the crystal litters contain crystals dyed blue with a chemical called cobalt chloride.  This dye helps indicate the moisture level in the litter, but this dye is known to cause cancer in both your kitty and you: it has carcinogenic characteristics and is very bad for your kitty, you and your family, and the environment in general.
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2. Clay Litter

​Clay litter is composed of absorbent, diverse clay minerals called “fuller’s earth.” Fuller’s earth is any non-plastic clay or clay material that can be used to filter, decolorize and absorb liquids and spills. It has been popular for decades and has the innate ability to absorb its own weight in water.  

Pros of clay litter:

  • It will effectively absorb moisture as well as provide some odor control through absorption.
  • It is also relatively inexpensive compared to other products on the market. 

Cons of clay litter:

  • While clay litter effectively absorbs moisture, if the soiled litter isn’t replaced often enough, the urine will collect at the bottom of the box. The bacteria in the urine will multiply and convert the uric acid into foul-smelling ammonia.
  • It is dusty and can cause respiratory problems in both cats and humans.
  • It is obtained through strip mining, which has a negative impact on the environment. 
  • It does not break down naturally – leaving landfills full of soiled cat litter.

CLUMPING (or SCOOPABLE) CAT LITTER

Clumping litter is also a clay-based litter, but the main ingredient, sodium bentotite, acts as a clumping agent, absorbing urine and turning it into tight, solid clumps that can be easily removed from the litter box and disposed of. 

Pros of clumping litter:

  • “Urine clumps” eliminate odor build-up and keep the box cleaner.
  • It is virtually dust free.
  • Ideal for mechanical or sifting litter boxes.
  • It works well with multi-cat households.

Cons of clumping litter:

  • There has been much debate about the safety of clumping litter in regard to a cat ingesting the litter and becoming ill. It has been suggested (but not clinically proven) that if ingested – the clumping litter will expand in the cat’s intestinal track and absorb moisture in the cat’s body, creating intestinal blockages and dehydration. As such, many clumping litter products are not recommended for kittens – who often times play in litter pans and ingest litter.
  • Do NOT flush! Due to the highly absorbent nature of clumping litter, flushing it down the toilet can cause it to expand and damage plumbing.
  • Green hazard: Clumping litter is also collected from strip mining and is NOT biodegradable.
  • It’s more expensive than regular clay litter.​
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3. Biodegradable cat litter

The most common types of natural litter are corn, wheat, pine, walnut, and paper. There’s a lot of variation between the different types – and between different brands of the same type – in terms of cost and performance.

Here i talk about the variety we have come across in our travels around Barcelona​: CORN CAT LITTER. Corn cat litter is all-natural and the whole kernel substrate offers clumping and odor control. The large surface area of the kernel traps and absorbs ammonia and urine odors naturally. ‘ConsumerSearch‘ names this brand the best biodegradable cat litter on account of its strong reviews, both from experts and from cat owners at Amazon.com and PetSmart.

Pros of corn litter:

  • Soft texture
  • Resists tracking
  • Safe for flushing and septic tanks
  • Biodegradable
  • Safe for composting
  • Silica dust-free
  • Natural clumping ability makes it easy to scoop box
  • Safe for kittens and other pets

Cons of corn litter:

  • Not all cats like the texture or smell of corn litter
  • More expensive than clay litter
  • Not always found in grocery stores (You may need to visit a pet retail store or pet store) ​

3 things to consider about the Cat Scoop

  • The scoop needs to match the litter. The holes need to be big enough to let the litter fall through but hold onto the clumps and lumps.
  • Some litters need 2 scoops. One with holes as per above and one with no holes, to scoop out the urine soaked litter at the bottom of the tray
  • A good quality scoop really does make a difference. 
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Summary

  • Environmentally friendly litters are our favourite. They have less dust, can be compostable and degrade naturally in a landfill and in general are healthier for kittens.
  • Reading the customer reviews, especially on the points that are important for you, are very helpful before choosing your final litter. In the end your cat will make its own choice.

From all the research i have read to date, it is not advisable to flush your cat waste into the toilet even if it is biodegradable due to the possible toxoplasmic infection as well as many sewerage systems may not be adequately designed to deal with cat waste.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Lowe_(businessman)
​https://flohawks.com/do-not-flush-cat-poop-down-your-toilet/
https://www.cell.com/trends/parasitology/fulltext/S1471-4922(13)00090-1
https://animals.mom.me/how-to-use-crystal-cat-litter-12148779.html
www.vetinfo.com/pros-cons-crystal-cat-litter.htmlhttps://www.moneycrashers.com/best-natural-cat-litter-reviews/​
https://www.consumersearch.com/cat-litter/best-biodegradable-cat-litter
https://www.aspca.org/

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