Types of cat litter

Shopping for your new cat is normally pretty fun. There are cute collars, adorable toys, and snuggly beds. But when it comes to shopping for cat litter? Not so much fun. It’s an important buy though, as the best cat litter will lock in smells, be easy to remove, won’t need changing that often, and won’t be tracked by your cat throughout your home.

Let's look a 'litter' deeper into cat litters and litter accessories.

Types of litter

Before you go shopping, it’s a great idea to understand the types of cat litter you can buy. Here’s a quick overview of the different types.

Clumping litter: When your cat goes to the toilet on clumping litter, it forms solid clumps that are easily scoopable because it absorbs wee and poo, all dirty litter is removed but clean litter is left behind. This means you only need to do full litter tray clean outs every week or 2. Plus, the clumps lock in the smells. The downside to clumping litter is it’s more expensive than non-clumping litter, but as you use less of it, it lasts longer. Clumping litter can be made of biodegrable or compostable materials, like recycled paper or plants, so it can be an eco-friendly option.

Non-clumping litter: More affordable than clumping, but it needs to be replaced more often. You can scoop out poo, but wee is soaked into the litter. This means it’s potentially more smelly and you’ll have to change the entire litter tray every day.

Recycled paper: Eco-friendly recycled paper pellets can be easily composted. They absorb well, making clean up pretty straightforward while making them a little smellier. As the pellets are quite large, not all cats like the texture on their between their toes.

Crystals: Usually made of silica. A natural mineral, it’s really absorbent, has little smell (although you can get scented ones) and no dust. You can use each layer of crystals for up to 1 month for 1 cat so you don’t have to change the litter tray very often. The downside? Crystals normally have to be thrown away when you change it - it’s not flushable or compostable.

Clay: One of the most popular cat litter types, partly because it’s affordable. It’s also known for being good at controlling smells and absorbing liquids. Some clay cat litter is biodegradable, but not all of it is.

Plant extracts: Natural cat litter contains plant extracts, things like soybeans, corn and tofu, or wood. The great things about natural cat litter are that it’s biodegradable, safe (it’s non-toxic and digestible if your cat takes a nibble), and sustainable. It’s normally good at masking smells too, whether that’s because it’s got added baking soda or it’s made of naturally scented pinewood.

How to choose the best cat litter

Now you understand the different types of cat litter, which one is right for you, your cat and your home? Here’s what to consider.

Scented vs unscented

Your nose might like a scented cat litter to mask toilet smells. But cats have a better sense of smell than us and might find a scent off-putting. They’ll also find the smell of an unclean litter tray off-putting though, which means you could consider unscented cat litter.

Just because a scent hasn’t been added doesn’t mean you’ll suffer from a smelly litter tray. Unscented cat litter normally uses ingredients like carbon and natural plant extracts to help absorb smells.

Tracking

Once your cat’s used their litter tray and hops out, you don’t really want to find little bits of cat litter or dust throughout your home. That’s where low-tracking cat litter comes in. Generally, larger or heavier pellets track less - recycled paper and wood cat litter are good options. Basically, the smaller the litter, the more tracking you’ll experience.

Environmental impact

If you’re eco-aware, it’s good to think about what happens to the cat litter when it needs to be disposed of. There are a few ways to dispose of litter:

• • • Compostable litter. Sustainable materials, like wood, recycled paper or plant-based, are biodegradable and can be composted. Just don’t put it in a compost pile that you’ll ultimately use on the human veggie patch due to the health risks!
    • Landfill litter. If the litter can’t biodegrade, like some crystals or clay, it’ll need to be put in the bin instead where it’ll end up in landfill.

Cat litter tips

Here are a few handy tips to remember when using cat litter:

• • • Because there are a lot of options when it comes to litter, you might need to try a few different types to see which your cat likes the most.
    • Cats can be fussy about their toilet so if you’re trying a new litter, you’ll need to do it slowly. Add small amounts of the new litter to the old over a 7-10 day period until you’ve switched over completely.
    • Hooded litter trays are good for privacy and for containing the mess and smell.
    • Ensure the litter tray gives enough space for your cat to turn around and dig in to cover up their mess (a high-sided litter tray can catch any enthusiastic digs!).
    • Clean the cat litter tray regularly - spot clean it daily with an animal-safe unscented cleaner or wipes, and deep clean reguarly depending on the litter type by fully replacing all litter.
    • Invest in a scoop to keep your hands safely away from cat waste.
    • Provide 1 tray per cat - if you’ve got multiple cats, you’ll need multiple trays.
    • Place the litter tray in a quiet, private spot away from where you regularly walk past.
    • If your cat starts going to the toilet outside of their litter tray, take them to the vet to rule out any health issues.

We hope these tips set you up for toileting success with your cat. If you need any further help or have a question we haven’t answered, contact our friendly Pet Direct Customer Care team on 0800 200 240 or email support@petdirect.co.nz.

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