Choosing the better cat litter

Cat litters used in the olden days, meaning prior to the commercial cat litters now found in neighborhood grocery stores, are literally litters. Usually, these were dirt gathered from gardens.

But now, there are a variety of cat litters to choose from. These kitty litters, for the most part, are great for the cat as well as good for the environment.

These are tips and advice to make better a cat owner’s selection of the best litter possible for their cats.

Choose wisely

The choice of cat litters should primarily be based on how much this litter will affect the environment just as how much such litter is preferred by cats. Although cats really do not care much about how the litter may soon end up in a landfill, cats really prefer if their litter has no bad scent. They also care if the litter feels good.

Kitties have a very keen sense of smell, so it is important that litters have little or no scents that are made artificially. It is best if the litter contains no dust. It doesn't make any sense if cat noses are irritated since they will try to avoid going thru the litter if it displeases them in any way.

Ask wisely

Kitties do love the feel of sand with pellets or any surface that has shreds and bits of chunks. It would be better if a cat owner knows which kind his or her cat prefers.

However to further help a confused cat owner decide, questions such as the following should be best asked:

Is the kitty litter easily flushed in the toilet? Is it free from odors? Does the litter contain perfumes or any form of chemicals? Is the litter safe for the kitty, the owner, the environment? Does the kitty like the feel of the litter? How much does it cost and is it easily accessible?

Be aware
There are environment-friendly litters that are made from newspapers that are recycled. These types of litters can be easily flushed, can easily be burned and are almost a hundred percent free from dust.

There are also litters that came from plants. These litters usually come from corn – its husks, the cob and the corn itself. Byproducts of wheat such as wheat grass are also a source of cat litter.

But the best among all of these are the corn cobs because they are odorless as well as it controls odor. It is absorbent as well. They also don't produce a lot of dust and are easily flushed.

Litter from pine and sawdust

These types of litter are also biodegradable. They are simply made by drying and compressing them into pellet-forms. They do absorb moisture a number of times more than their weight until they break down again into natural sawdust. Because of their easily absorbent nature, any odor is naturally eliminated.

Be wary though, pine has natural resins and chemicals that aid in the elimination of insects and odor-causing bacteria because of its insecticide-like properties. This same feature can also cause respiratory damage as well as asthma and allergies for humans, as well as cats, may easily be susceptible to such allergens.

Do not be afraid of odor

The odor is one way by which nature tells the un-aware cat owner that it is time to replace the litter. Kitty litter should be regularly changed so that bacteria or micro-organisms will not collect in it. If odor persists check the diet your cat is consuming as that may also be the cause.

Cats and Clay

Clay is the most common type of litter being used today. A particular type of clay made of sodium bentonite has a special feature that when it is urinated on by cats a clump is formed making it more convenient to remove the clumps from the litter. However, such kind of clay is carcinogenic and is easily absorbed by the lungs of cats.

On the whole, the choice depends on the cat owner’s preference, budget, and favorites. After all, cats are everyone’s best fuzzy, soft, cuddly and gentle meowing friends.