Silica Cat Litter Environmentally, silica litters will biodegrade and are non-toxic, making them a better choice than clay.
However, you must shop wisely and avoid clay, wheat, corn, crystal, and wood clumping litters. These clumping litters pose serious health risks to you and your cat. Breathing in these litters can cause respiratory issues, cancer, and starch-based litters are at risk for deadly mold.
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.
There are many DIY litter options that are tried and tested. Mixtures of chicken feed, baking soda and cedar shavings (great for absorption, but it does attract rodents!) or dish soap, water, shredded paper, and baking soda (Usually items you already have, but takes a long time) are just a few combinations.
Scented litter
A thin layer of baking soda placed on the bottom of the box will help absorb odors without repelling your cat.
If you have rice on hand, it's a much better idea to eat it rather than using it in your cat litter box. But, rice will absorb urine in a way that paper and wood shavings will not. It won't do anything to hide the smell of ammonia. And, remember not to overfill the cat box since rice expands.
Unlike clay litter, crystal cat litter is non-toxic and totally safe for cats and humans. Even thought crystal litter is made from silica gel, it does not contain crystalline silica (confusing, we know), which is what makes clay litter dust potentially dangerous to inhale.
If multiple cats are using the same litter box, chances are one of them could get sick from the excess waste in the box if it isn't cleaned and managed well. So while having multiple litter boxes lying around your home may seem like more of a hassle to clean, it's the more sanitary option.
Cat litter may contain chemicals, bentonite, silica dust, clay and/or fragrances that can cause your cat to exhibit allergies and begin avoiding the litter box. Cats that have already been diagnosed with other allergies will be more prone to developing a litter allergy.
A variety of studies have found that cats prefer their litter to be soft and fine-grained. A recent study compared three types of unscented litter—wood pellets, silica microgranules, and nonclumping clay granules. Overwhelmingly, the cats chose silica and clay over the pellets.
Less Contamination. Non-clumping litters don't clump around your cats “solids”, so they can get spread around and contaminate the rest of the litter, which isn't only unsanitary but can also be dangerous as cat poo may carry Toxoplasmosis or other harmful bacteria.
Living in an atmosphere filled with these ammonia fumes can cause a great deal of respiratory discomfort and problems. These fumes cause irritation of the bronchial membranes of the lungs, leading to an increased production of phlegm, coughing and difficulty breathing.
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.
It's made from sustainably grown corn (not mined or drilled like clay litter), with no added chemicals, so it's pet, people and planet friendly. And, World's Best Cat Litter® is tested and proven flushable* and septic safe, so you can scoop and flush without worrying about clogging the pipes!
Advantages of wood pellet cat litter
It is eco-friendly. Being made from wood, it is renewable, biodegradable and 100% sustainable. It does not get spread around the house as much as other types of the litter because it is too large to get stuck in a cat's paws. It has less dust compared to other litter types.
Keeping your cat's litter box in the bedroom isn't ideal so if you can, move it to a more appropriate part of the house. Although the risks are small, you could become ill if you contract Toxoplasmosis, worms or you're exposed to too much ammonia.
Having multiple boxes prevents overcrowding into one, where your cat has to step on others' waste and may feel like there's not a spot clean enough to “go.” Not finding what she needs in her litter box, she'll choose another spot where no stepping over waste is required.
One common cause for this is painful elimination. If your cat had a medical condition that caused her pain when she eliminated, she may have learned to associate the discomfort with using her litter box. Even if your cat's health has returned to normal, that association may still cause her to avoid her litter box.
Among the many health tips for expectant moms: Pregnant women shouldn't clean up the litter box. But why not? A common parasite called Toxoplasma gondii is to blame.
Clumping litter - Clumping litter does not contain silica. Instead, it's made from grains of bentonite clay that clumps together when wet. Non-clumping clay-based litter - Non-clumping clay-based litter also does not contain silica.
While corn flour is preferred, other constituents which can provide similar characteristics to the cat litter can be used, such as wheat flour, for example.
You can place an open container of it in the fridge or around smelly items to get rid of the stench. Many people use cat litter to soak up oil spills, oatmeal is another option that works well to soak up messes the same way that cat litter would without the cat litter smell.