Pros and Cons of the Different Types of Cat Litter

When deciding which products to use for your cat, there are so many choices. This goes for the leashes, collars, supplements, food, cat litter, and other cat products that are needed. Today, as a cat care company, we want to help you learn more about the different types of cat litter. There are pros and cons to each kind. Sometimes, it comes down to the preferences of your cat, as well. No matter what type of cat litter you use, if you need someone to clean it while you are away, you can count on our litter box overhaul services. Keep reading here to find out more about the pros and cons of the different types of cat litter and how our cat care experts can help you.

Traditional Clay Cat Litter

One of the most commonly used cat litters is clay-based. This can be found in non-clumping or clumping form. The main reason clay cat litter is so common is because it absorbs urine well. This means the litter box isn’t as smelly. Keep reading here to find out more about the different types of traditional clay cat litter.

Non-Clumping Clay Cat Litter

One of the types of traditional cat litter is the non-clumping clay litter. This clay-based litter absorbs the weight of the liquid urine. Some of the other benefits of using this type of cat litter include the following:

  • Absorbs the smell of the urine
  • Non-clumping
  • Cheaper than many other cat litters

While there are some benefits to this type of cat litter, it will need to be changed more frequently than most other cat litters. If you can’t be home to do that you can call in our cat care experts to clean the litter box for you.

Clumping Clay Cat Litter

You can also get the clumping clay cat litter. This type of cat litter is made with bentonite clay. When your cats pee into the litter box, the litter will form in clumps. Then, these clumps can easily be scooped out. Some of the other benefits of using this type of cat litter include the following:

  • Can go a month or more without full emptying and cleaning out the litter box
  • Pricing can be about the same as non-clumping type because you don’t have to change it as often
  • Less maintenance and less time-consuming

If you don’t have a lot of time to clean out your cat’s litter box, this could be a solution for you.

Clumping Lightweight Clay Cat Litter

Another cat litter option that you could get is the clumping lightweight clay cat litter. This type of litter is made from clay. There are numerous benefits of using this cat litter. Some of these benefits include the following:

  • Very lightweight
  • Great for those who can’t lift heavy things

While these benefits are great, it does cost a lot more than the other traditional non-clumping and clumping cat litters. However, if you can’t lift heavy things, this might be worth it for you.

If you have any of these types of cat litters and need someone to change them for you, you can have one of our cat sitter professionals do it for you with our litter box overhaul services.

Cat Litters That Aren’t Clay-Based

If you aren’t happy with clay-based cat litter, there are some that are made without clay, as well. Some of the things these types of cat litter are made from include silica, paper, corn, and wood.

Silica Cat Litter

This type of cat litter is made with silica gel. Some of the benefits of using this type of cat litter include the following:

  • Absorbs urine better than many other cat litters
  • Does a great job at trapping urine odors
  • Non-clumping
  • Doesn’t make a wet mess
  • Only needs switched out once every month

As you can tell, this cat litter is quite low-maintenance.

Paper Cat Litter

You could choose to use paper cat litter, as well. This type of cat litter is made from recycled paper. Some of the benefits of using this type of cat litter include the following:

  • Earth-friendly
  • Highly-absorbent
  • Controls odors really well
  • Not toxic in any way

If you are looking for a cat litter that absorbs urine well and isn’t bad for the earth when disposing of it, this is the best option. However, just like with all other cat litter options, there are some cons. This cat litter can be quite messy and it can get expensive, as well.

Corn Cat Litter

Corn cat litter is another great option. This one isn’t used as often as the other cat litters that have been mentioned. However, for some cat owners, this is the solution. Some of the benefits of this type of cat litter include the following:

  • Clumping cat litter (for cat owners that prefer this)
  • Lasts longer before having to clean the entire litter box out
  • Biodegradable
  • Not toxic for your cats
  • Lighter than most cat litters

If you are looking for these benefits in cat litter, corn cat litter might be right for your cats. There are a few things to note, however. This cat litter can be quite expensive and it might not trap odors as well as you would like. Also, if you are changing to this, your cat might not want to use it.

Wood Cat Litter

Last, but not least, you may want to use wood cat litter for your cat’s litter box. This type of cat litter is made with wood pellets. Some of the benefits of using this type of cat litter include the following:

  • Absorbs liquids quite well
  • Just need to get the sawdust (wet part) of the litter out
  • Unused pellets can be left in the litter box
  • Some cheap wood cat litter options out there

If this sounds like the type of cat litter that would work best for you, you can try it out. It should be noted that some cats don’t like this type of cat litter.

Other Types of Cat Litter

If you want to try out different kinds of cat litter, there are other options out there. Here at Pawz and Palz Pet Care, we have changed many different types of litter. We know that some cats prefer a certain type. Sometimes a cat won’t use a litter box if they don’t like the litter. No matter what type of cat litter you are using, you can book our litter box overhaul services  and we will clean the litter box for you.

Wheat Cat Litter

Did you know that you can get a wheat cat litter? Many cats like this type of litter. However, just as with any other type of cat litter there are pros and cons. Some of the benefits of using this type of cat litter include the following:

  • Can be flushed down the toilet
  • Natural smell
  • Most are dust-free

As you can see, there are some pros of using wheat cat litter for your cat’s litter box. However, sometimes, these litters develop a fungus in them. That fungus can be harmful to your cats. If you are going to use this kind of cat litter, be sure to have it cleaned out regularly to prevent fungus from forming. If you don’t have the time to clean it regularly, our team at Purrfect Pawz N Palz Cat Sitting LLC would be happy to help.

Grass Cat Litter

If you are still looking for the right type of cat litter, you may want to try grass cat litter. Many cat owners choose this type of litter for their cat’s litter box. There are some benefits of using grass cat litter. Some of these benefits include the following:

  • Natural (made of grass seeds)
  • Renewable cat litter
  • Clumps well
  • Minimal dust
  • Soft for your cat’s paws
  • Lightweight and eco-friendly

If you choose this cat litter, you can see that it could be great for your cats. With this being said, there are few downsides, as well. This cat litter can be costly and your cats might have a grass allergy. If you don’t mind the cost and your cat doesn’t have a reaction to it, this might be one of the best cat litters to use.

Recycled Newspaper Cat Litter

Another option for cat litter would be to use recycled newspapers. You can probably imagine some of the benefits of using this type of cat litter. Some of the benefits include the following:

  • Absorbs cat urine well
  • Flushable (if you want to do that)
  • Eco-friendly
  • Doesn’t have a bad odor
  • Safe for most cats
  • MInimal to no dust

If you are looking for an eco-friendly cat litter, this might be one of the best options. There are some downsides of using recycled newspaper for a cat litter box. It doesn’t clump well like most other cat litters. It can be costly and doesn’t hold in the urine odor well.

Crushed Walnut

You might want to try out crushed walnut cat litter. There are some pros and cons to using this type of cat litter, as well. Some of the benefits of using crushed walnut cat litter include the following:

  • Clumps well
  • Lightweight but is grainy for cats that like that type of litter
  • Nice odor control

On the other hand, the clumps aren’t as hard as they are with clay-based cat litter. They might fall apart when you are trying to pull them out of the litter box.

 

Coconut Husks

One other cat litter option that you might want to try is coconut husks. Just like all the other cat litters, you will find there are pros and cons of using this type of litter, too. Some of the benefits of coconut husk cat litter include the following:

  • Doesn’t smell bad
  • Helps to hide the cat urine odors
  • Uses renewable resources
  • Lightweight

This type of cat litter doesn’t clump, though. So, if you are looking for that benefit, you will have to try a different type of cat litter. 

Using Attractant for Your Cat Care Litter Box

No matter which type of cat litter you are using, it might be a good idea to get an attractant for the litter box. This is especially helpful when trying to litter train your kitten or cat. The attractant has an order that is attractive to cats. It usually makes kittens and cats want to use their litter box.

Things to Consider When Picking the Litter

Now you know more about the different types of cat litter. You also know more about the pros and cons of each. Before picking out the type of cat litter that you are going to use for your cats, there are some other things to consider. Some of these things include the following:

  • Allergies (does your cat have any allergies to things that might be in the cat litter?)
  • Cats sometimes ingest cat litter when they are grooming (this should be considered when thinking about the type of cat litter that will be used)
  • If you are changing the cat litter, be sure to change it gradually (sometimes, it might be best to add a bit of the new kind into the litter box in addition to the old stuff until you fully switch over)

If you take these things into consideration, you shouldn’t have to worry so much about your cat using the litter box.

Conclusion

These are some of the different types of cat litter. You may want to try out different ones to see which ones you like to use for your cats. You may have to change it up if your cats refuse to use a certain type. If you need someone to watch your cats while you are gone or clean the cat litter box when you are away, contact us now. We would be happy to help

Cat walking into litter box