Natural cat litters come in four varieties: corn/grain, wood, grass seed, and walnut shell. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. I tested the litter for this guide in two phases. In the first, I compared litters of the same material side by side to assess their absorption and clumping abilities, dustiness, scent, and texture. Natural litters can be an attractive choice for humans, too. Because of their mediocre reception of the substrate, I'm unable to say whether this litter continues to control odors the closer it gets to needing to be changed. Please read my disclosure for more details. You normally buy these in an 8 lb bag, but there is a better deal if you buy two bags, and that will save you some money. The wood produces minimal dust. Purina Tidy Cats Clumping Cat Litter, Free & Clean Unscented Multi Cat Litter - 40 lb. This is a silica sand but it is worth noting that like almost all of these gels this is not a litter that clumps. We started using the crystal litter with the self cleaning litter boxes. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. In its texture and tracking, World's Best Multiple Cat Litter scored well. Because trace walnut meats may remain in these litters, they should be avoided by anyone with a tree nut allergy. They are slightly more expensive though, and a lot of that comes down to regular daily cleaning of the litter. World's Best Multiple Cat Unscented Litter excelled not just in relation to its corn/grain competitors but also in comparison to all of the natural litters we tested. Silica crystals are filled with millions of micropores that adsorb moisture. Ökocat Super Soft was the most expensive wood litter we tested, but it lasts at least as long, if not longer, than the others — the company recommends changing the litter only every two to four months for a single cat. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. Silica gel crystal cat litter, like Fresh Step Crystals Premium Cat Litter, is made from sodium silicate sand that is processed with oxygen and water. Indeed, natural litters are made from sustainable resources such as responsibly managed forests, upcycled food waste, and quick-growing plants. Nature’s Miracle Just for Cats Easy Care Crystal Litter, Advantages of Using Silica Gel Cat Litter, Disadvantages of Silica Gel Crystal Litters, Only Suitable for Some Automatic Litter Boxes. Each of the three walnut litters we tested were high quality and effective at clumping and controlling odors, making it a challenge to select a category winner. Some cats choose to go outside of the litter box simply because they've found an alternative that better satisfies their need to scratch and bury their waste like a pile of dirty laundry or a potted plant. Read more about our testing methodology later in this guide. They were willing to use the unfamiliar litters only occasionally while continuously returning to those they had used in the past. The top contenders in each category went on to fill the litter boxes of my two cats over a period of two to three weeks to determine the best of the best. My cat Fij is usually curled up on my lap or shoulders so she brings me a tonne of inspiration when I’m writing about cat care tips. That in itself does not sound that important. The one thing that I can tell you is that any silica gel will be less dusty than any clay litter. | Powered by WordPress. Not only are they biodegradable and often more sustainably sourced than litters made from clay or silica gel, they are good at minimizing odors with their natural scents and fibrous composition. He enjoys reading non-fiction books, entreprenuership and cuddles with his cat Fij. It is a natural occurring mineral which is purified and then manufactured into either a … The result is a bead with tiny pores that allows it to absorb around 40 times its weight in liquid. This one is available in a large 9 lb bag. For felines who are sensitive to dust or who like the occasional litter box snack, switching to a natural litter may provide a better alternative after a veterinarian has checked for underlying medical problems. Tracking outside the box occurred, but at a far lower volume than lightweight litters like those made from grass and walnut. They are like all of the ones on my list much lighter and less dusty than the clay litters. Top Silica Gel Crystal Cat Litters at a Glance, 1. Unfortunately, not every cat is willing to switch from the substrate they've become used to. Scent-free, this cat litter works to absorb liquids and odors while blocking bacteria. The manufacturer claims, and many buyers agree that this is extremely good at controlling odors. Those are both good signs, and make these worth your consideration. The subscription service features a monthly supply of litter that changes colors based on the presence of certain urinary elements such as acid, alkaline, and blood. The “pearl” type are however more expensive. Cats need a litter box that is at least 1.5 times their length and has enough space for them to comfortably dig and bury their waste. These again really do split opinion right down the middle. Blockages that aren't removed within 24 to 48 hours by a veterinarian can kill a cat. World's Best recommends that the litter be changed every 33 days for two cats, and I would expect based on my observations, there would be at least as much, if not more, of a mild ammonia scent by then. Toileting, also called inappropriate elimination, refers to a cat that has found a place to do their business outside of the litter box. This essentially leaves your cat’s litter dry to the touch. In our testing with my two cats, we found this to be true. However, if you have ever carried around a heavy bag of litter, then by changing to crystals, you will never have that problem again. In its present form in KL the amount of silica is so diluted that it is safe for cats and for households that have cats that use this stuff. Rated 4 out of 5 by funnyfrog from Decent litter for self cleaning litter boxes. Sorry I know it is not the most pleasant thing to discuss, but it is cat litter after all. Sometimes this comes down to what variety of litter a cat was exposed to early on. They are environmentally friendly. This was the only type of natural litter my cats agreed to use regularly and that's no accident. They are one of the lowest rated on our list. Too much moisture which is not cat urine will mean you have to replace it more often. Like any litter it is recommended to remove solid waste at least twice a day, and ideally soon after it appears. First off, despite being a soft substrate, this was the heaviest of the three litters. I’ll also tell you why you should buy a silica gel cat litter along with the advantages and disadvantages at the end of this post. When a cat can't urinate, deadly toxins begin to build up, triggering a life-or-death emergency. They won't harm cats who like to snack on their litter. The plant fibers in wood litters are highly absorbent and their natural pine scent offers the best odor control of all of the natural varieties. This is a very popular brand that most poeple are happy with. They are highly absorbent and their natural wheat-cereal scent masks odors, but their lightweight grains track easily outside the litter box. Generally speaking these type of litters last for up to 5 times longer than the clay based litters. LindoCat Crystal Unscented Cat Litter is a hygienic bedding composed of precious crystals of silica gel that is harmless to cats. Cat litter crystal is also known as silica gel cat litter. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We will be testing this substrate with other cats in the near future to find out. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. With so many different types of cat litter on the market, why would any cat owner consider buying one that is made from crystals of silica gel? With this one you get 2 x 4.4 lb bags, and this one is good value for money. There is 70% less landfill required with these types of litters. While my cats preferred to visit their clay litter during Ökocat's two-week testing period, they did use the wood litter occasionally. Scientific studies have found that T. gondii from flushed cat feces especially poses a threat to marine mammals like sea otters. It also absorbs odors, prevents the buildup of ammonia, and emits a fresh pine scent. Feline litter is made from silica dioxide sand, plus oxygen and water. You can purchase syndication rights to this story here. Coming in at number 3 on our list is this one from the brand Just the Crystals. That achieves two things, the main one being to absorb urine, but it also helps dry out any wet poop. Any spills can be hard to clean up, given the nature and size of these smaller crystals. Pros: Made from sustainably sourced wood, absorbs odors and emits pine scent, clumps well, soft texture similar to clay litters, Cons: Expensive, easily tracked out of litter box. A selection of bright neon hues allow you to personalize your feline’s litter space with eye-catching color and keep her feeling fancy. When you compare these dollar for dollar against weight, these crystals are about 3 times more expensive than a clumping clay litter. Going outside the box can also be related to a medical problem such as FLUTD or anxiety. The anti-moisture feature alone could already make your cat comfortable with this litter. They have a coarse sandy texture and generate very minimal dust, making them a good option for cats with respiratory issues, according to Satchu. Not only do they absorb well, but they also capture any germs and bacteria, and lock those inside the tiny spores on each individual crystal. Now all of these crystal litters still have to go into your main waste. It is one of the cheapest on my top 10 list. When a cat marks, they back up with a raised tail to spray their pheromones as a form of communication, said Calder. It's non-GMO sorghum grass seed that gives Pioneer Pet Smart Cat All Natural Clumping Litter the superior clumping ability that helped it land at the top of this category. The Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Clumping Litter formula is a hypoallergenic, unscented, clumping clay litter designed to be 99.5% dust-free. Cats are individuals and cat litter is something on which they have a lot of opinions. 60% of all buyers rated these as a 5 star purchase and 5% gave these a bad rating, Any complaints was that there was too much dust and that the pearls were just too small, Most buyers said they did a great job of controlling odors, Buyers like the fact that this is a lightweight litter and that makes a big difference for them, They also really liked the fact that it controlled odors really well, The only real complaint I could find was that a few buyers thought that a couple of the packs they received were more dusty than previous supplies, A small minority also thought that the fragrance didn’t last long enough, Buyers said that these were good for drying out cat poop waste, They were very good with odor control and also with reducing tracking, Most buyers said that with one cat, these lasted about a month. That may initially put you right off buying these, but there is more to it than just the price. There is an argument that when a cat poops on these crystals, that when the poop is removed, some may remain on the crystals. A cat that eats its litter may have an underlying medical problem or just an unusual craving. Around half of all buyers give them the full 5 star treatment, but the bad reviews are sitting around 16-18%, Those that like this choice said they are lightweight, don’t stick and do a very good job getting rid of the smell, Those that didn’t like these said that it was too expensive, and didn’t work in an automatic litter box which is true (some crystals do work well in automatic boxes), Around 2/3 of buyers rate this as a 5 star product, with poor reviews sitting around 13-15%, Those who liked it said this was much easier than using a clay litter, did a great job at odor control and really helped a lot with respiratory issues, Those that didn’t like it said it tracked too much and it didn’t clump, Around half of the buyers rate this as a 5 star product with around 10% giving it a poor review, Those who said this was good said it was great at reducing tracking, very good at odor control and required very little maintenance and looking after, Those who gave this a bad review mainly said that the litter was just too dusty. We will be testing these litters with other cats in the near future to find out. They are also made from either sustainably sourced forests or reclaimed lumber. PetSafe ScoopFree Premium Crystal Non Clumping Cat Litter, 6. Around 2/3 of buyers give these the full 5 star review treatment, and the number of complaints about these are very low. Odor control and tracking: The top two from each category of natural litter went on to litter box testing for two to three weeks. In principle, these are sold as they are a lot cleaner to use than many of the clay or natural style of cat litters available on the market place. Intact males are most commonly those that spray, but fixed males and females can engage in the behavior, too. They do however do a good job of trapping urine and controlling odors. Please note that this is a non clumping litter. That means odors are kept at bay without producing a cloying perfume fragrance that many cats dislike. Every cat becomes a cool cat when using NEON Pink Clumping Silica Gel Crystals Cat Litter! Bag 4.6 out of 5 stars 822. Only 3 left in stock. These lightly made up crystals are a great deal lighter than either a clay litter, or all of the natural or biodegradable litters. This litter, like any cat litter should not be flushed or placed in the garden. The silica gel crystals in Ultra Micro Crystals Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter are so small that there are thousands of paths for liquid to flow and each path is lined with absorptive surfaces. The Pros of Crystal Cat Litter. This one comes in two slightly different formats of crystals. , said Calder, those thousands of unscented silica gel cat litter surfaces will quickly dehydrate the and. Benefit from switching to a standard clay litter one being to absorb moisture and it do. A day that cats urinate hard to clean deadly toxins begin to build up, a... 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