Several Types of Cat Litter

Cat litter is an essential supply for all indoor cats. It is used instinctively by a cat to bury its urine and feces, but some owners have preferences for what type of litter they'd like their cats to use.

Historically, clay cat litter was the only option for absorbing urine and allowing a cat to practice the natural behavior of burying its waste matter, but, now, many different options are available.

Price, odor control, the amount of dust, absorbency, how well it clumps, availability to purchase, scent or lack thereof, and other factors may play a role in the type of litter you or your cat prefer.

In addition to the following types of cat litter, some people will also temporarily use cat litter substitutes that they find lying around their homes. Dirt, sawdust, wood shavings, various small animal beddings, pet chicken feed, sand, and moss have all been used. However, concerns with smell, dust, parasites, and other problems do not make these items good long-term solutions for cats.

A final, and important, consideration to make when choosing a litter is whether or not your cat likes it and will use it. Many cats will refuse to use some kinds of litter and will instead go outside the litter box. This, of course, is not ideal for anyone, so the ultimate factor in deciding what kind of cat litter to purchase may lie with your cat and its preferences.

^{01 Clay Litter}

Clay cat litter is the most popular litter choice for cat owners, probably in part because it is also one of the most well-established and easy to come by.

Low dust and dust-free options are available along with scented or unscented varieties. Some of these litters are made up of large pieces of clay and others are finer clay particles, but they all absorb urine and turn into a softer, wet cement-like texture when they do. There are even clay litters that contain attractants to entice a difficult cat to use the litter box more.

There are two main types of clay cat litter: clumping and non-clumping. Clumping cat litter is often preferred by many cat owners who like to scoop the urine waste out of the litter box regularly, but others like the lower cost of non-clumping litter and will dump the entire litter box contents when necessary.

Some disadvantages of clay litter include the fact that it is not environmentally friendly, the amount of dust that is present, the heavy weight of the litter, and how much the litter tracks through the house. However, the price point and availability of most clay litters still make it a popular choice for cat owners.

^{02 Silica Gel Litter}

Growing in popularity, silica gel cat litter is made by several different companies. Most companies advertise that silica gel litter is not as dusty as clay, traps urine without having to scoop it out of the litter, lasts longer than the same amount of clay litter, offers excellent odor control, and is sometimes even preferred by cats over clay litter.

Silica get litter is usually more expensive than a clay litter bag of the same weight, but since it lasts longer, some pet owners do not see a significant price difference. Some types of silica gel litters, like Pretty Litter, even have color-changing indicators in them to help monitor a cat's urinary system health.

^{03 Pine Litter}

Pine litter is popular because of its natural ability to fight off odors. Being made from pine trees, it is also lightweight, has low dust, is absorbent, and is softer than clay litter.

Some cat owners like the fact that it is more environmentally friendly than clay litter and that it could provide better odor control. There are both clumping and non-clumping options available. Non-clumping pine litter typically comes in a cylindrical pelleted form while the clumping form is a ground-up pine litter that looks more like sawdust.

^{04 Wheat Litter}

Similar to pine litter, wheat litter is also an environmentally friendly alternative to clay litter, but it is made from processed wheat. It clumps, helps control odors, and is even flushable. There are not usually any added dyes or perfumes to this ground-up, granular product. When a cat urinates on wheat litter, it turns to a sawdust-like material and can be scooped out of the box.