It's cleaner. When it comes to the other stuff, non-clumping litters don't clump around solid waste, meaning they can spread around, contaminating the rest of the clean litter. Non-clumping litter is typically made of clay, and if you've ever used it, you'll be familiar with the mess it can cause.
The choice of clumping versus non-clumping litter is a personal decision. Though many cats appear to prefer clumping litter because it is easier for them to push aside, some cats prefer non-clumping clay.
The main key benefit with non-clumping litter is that it can be at least 50% cheaper than the clumping variety so this is an obvious tick in the box, especially if your cat is happy and content with it.
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 litters generally have a lot more dust because smaller particles are better at absorbing liquids. The smaller the particles in the litter, the more dust you get. It's worth making sure that your cat doesn't breathe in too much of this dust.
Cats generally prefer clumping litter with a medium to fine texture. They also usually prefer unscented litter. To help your cat pick her preferred litter, put a few boxes side-by-side with different types of litter in them. She'll use the one the she likes best.
If you use a non-clumping litter and have only one cat, changing the litter twice per week is a good guideline. If you have more than one cat, every other day may work better. There are no hard and fast rules for how often you should change the cat litter.
Silica litter prevents bacteria with crystals that absorb urine and help dehydrate feces, making your cat's litter box too dry to sustain any growth. This helps prevent kidney problems and UTIs in cats. Environmentally, silica litters will biodegrade and are non-toxic, making them a better choice than clay.
Purina Tidy Cats Naturally Strong Unscented Cat Litter
After testing dozens of cat litter options, the Tidy Cats Naturally Strong Unscented litter is our top pick.
To clean non-clumping litter, remove solids every day. Any solid stool can usually be removed with a scoop and placed in the trash. If you notice urine pooling in the bottom, it is time to change out your cat litter.
Conventional non-clumping litter is made from clay, but many alternatives are available today. Using non-clumping cat litter is very simple: scoop solid waste, stir the litter daily to ensure all liquid waste is absorbed, and then change out the whole litter box every week or so.
Clumping litter tends to last longer compared to non-clumping litter because all you need to do is remove the solids that have formed after your pet has used the litter box. On the other hand, non-clumping litter is difficult to clean out.
In most cases, clumping litter is the easiest to clean. You'll also want to consider how much time and maintenance you're willing to dedicate to litter box cleaning.
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. If you clean the litter box daily, you might only need to change clumping litter every two to three weeks.
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!
Not sure how many litter boxes you need? Let Tidy help you do the math. Follow this simple rule: one box per cat, plus one extra. So if you have two cats, you should have three boxes.
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.
We do not recommend mixing a non-clumping litter with the clumping clay and it could inhibit the scoopable litter's ability to clump.
Litter boxes should be scooped at least once or twice a day, and it's even better if you can get to it as soon as your cat has finished his business. There are self-cleaning litter boxes available that use a sensor to tell when a cat has entered and then left the litter box.
You can flush down the toilet any litter that's made of corn, wheat, tofu, shredded paper, or wood remains. Some pine varieties are not flushable, however. The best way of knowing whether you are allowed to flush your cat litter is to make sure that you read the label.
Many experts recommend that the best litter for kittens under four months old is non-clumping clay or crystal litter. These types of litter have larger granules and don't stick to your kitten's paws or fur. That means the risk for ingesting litter while grooming is much lower.
The clumps form in seconds, trapping odours, and can be scooped out daily without making the rest of the litter tray dirty. Silica cat litters tend to last the longest but are not suitable for ingesting, so aren't recommended for kittens that might chew on stray pieces of litter.
1 rule, and the only thing that will keep litter box odor at bay, is constant cleaning. That means scooping the box out at least twice a day, removing the solids and liquid clumps if you use clumping litter.