Clumping litter forms a hard, insoluble mass when it gets wet. It also produces a fine dust. When cats use the litter box, they lick themselves clean and ingest the dust. The ingested dust expands, forms a mass, and coats their internal organs, causing dehydration and preventing nutrient absorption.
Some clumping litter is bad for cats. Naturally clumping litters like corn can produce mold growth. Breathing in clay and silica dust has been linked to respiratory issues in humans. And breathing wood dust can cause cancer.
Cats tend to prefer unscented clumping cat litter that's medium-fine textured. Giving your cat some samples by putting litter boxes side by side with different litters can be a great way to determine which they prefer.
What Type of Litter Is Best for Your Cat? The best choice is biodegradable litter because they are made from materials that are safe for cats and the environment. Biodegradable litters include cat litter made from corn cobs, pine pellets, or wheat straw; sand; and paper-based (non-clumping) clumping litters.
Clumping litter is often finer than non-clumping litter, this is part of what makes it clump. As a result, it can often be dustier. So if your cat has allergies or asthma, it might not be a good choice. Also, because it's so fine, you might find it tracks more than the larger granules or pellets of non-clumping litter.
As your kitten reaches the four month mark, you can start to gradually switch them over to clumping litter. You can start by mixing a small amount of the clumping litter in with the non-clumping litter and slowly increase the amount over the next several weeks.
How Often Should You Change the Cat Litter? If you use a clumping litter, it's best to scoop the box daily and change it out completely at least monthly. If you have more than one cat, it may be best to change the cat litter more often, every 2-3 weeks.
Dangerous types of cat litter on the market include some types of clumping cat litter, those containing sodium bentonite clay and those containing crystalline silica dust.
Vets often say that unscented clumping litter is best: “I always recommend unscented, clumping cat litter,” says Jim D. Carlson. “Scented litter is designed for humans, not cats. Felines have a strong sense of smell with 67 million scent receptors.
Corn-based Cat Litter
Corn-based cat litter is made from corn kernels or corn cobs. It is septic and sewer safe making disposal easier. Corn-based cat litter is also 99% dust-free and safe for kittens, cats prone to infection, cats with respiratory problems, and cats recovering from surgery.
Dr. Elsey's recommends completely changing the litter in your box every 4 weeks if you are using a clumping clay litter. Be sure to remove the clumps daily and top off with fresh litter to maintain a three-inch level. For non-clumping litter, we recommend changing the litter box every 7-10 days.
Turns out, it really does matter! For one thing, some cats have litter preferences. They may prefer a specific texture or smell to their litter, and you might find they won't relieve themselves in the litter pan if they don't approve of the litter you choose!
We do not recommend mixing a non-clumping litter with the clumping clay and it could inhibit the scoopable litter's ability to clump.
Crystal litter absorbs urine and dehydrates waste, making it five times more effective at reducing odors than other litters such as clumping clay. It is also more cost-effective as cats use less crystal litter over time.
Breeder Celect Recycled Paper Cat Litter is the litter choice for many cat breeders and there are many good reasons!
Clay Cat Litter
Clay is one of the oldest and most commonly used types of cat litter. There are both clumping and non-clumping clay litters. Clay has become popular largely because it was the first type of commercial cat litter on the market—appearing in 1947—and it's sold virtually anywhere you can buy pet supplies.
Covered litter boxes may trap odors and make the human environment smell better but for those reasons they may not be as desirable for the cat. If boxes are not cleaned regularly, the odor may be aversive to them. Most commercial open litter boxes are too small for the average cat.
Scoop the Litter Box Frequently
Using a litter scoop with small and closely set holes, clean the clumps out of the litter at least once daily—more often if you have more than one cat. To keep the smell to a minimum after cleaning, add some litter to replace what you removed while cleaning.
Virtually all cats like clean litter boxes, so scoop and change your cat's litter at least once a day. Rinse the litter box out completely with baking soda or unscented soap once a week.
The average cat is happiest with fine, unscented clumping cat litter. Cats are typically not big fans of the scented varieties that many people tend to prefer. They often dislike the crystal-type litters as well — most sizzle when they get wet, so you can imagine why that would be unpleasant for a cat!
Scoop waste daily. How often you replace the litter depends on the number of cats you have, the number of litter boxes and the type of litter you use. Twice a week is a general guideline for replacing clay litter, but depending on your circumstances, you may need to replace it every other day or only once a week.
Non-clumping litters are often made of clay, which is strip-mined from the earth (which is bad for the environment) and may contain harmful silica dust (which is harmful for you and your cat).
On one hand, too much litter in your cat's litter box can cause overflow and spillage problems all over your bathroom floor. On the other hand, too little litter in the box can create smelly and messy poo problems when your cat isn't able to dig enough litter to hide their solid waste.
Though many cats appear to prefer clumping litter because it is easier for them to push aside, some cats prefer non-clumping clay. Both clumping and non-clumping cat litters do produce some dust, although there are formulations of both types that are designed to decrease the amount of dust in the litter.
Clumping clay litters are not flushable, because they're made from bentonite clay. Bentonite clay forms a cement-like compound in water, so flushing it could clog pipes or damage septic systems. Because of this, using traditional clay litter means also signing up for endless trips to the trash.