Cat litter is cat litter, correct? If only it were that simple. With just about 90 million cats living within the US alone, it is not surprising that the annual worldwide sales of cat litter is almost $1 billion. It is huge enterprise, and with the advent of far more eco-friendly litter materials competing with clay, it really is going to have bigger. Wanting to establish the best cat litter for the cat could be a daunting mission. Just standing in the litter isle might be overwhelming to a new cat parent, in addition to cat owners which are just searching for an option to their existing litter. You’ll find numerous concerns, countless brands and numerous promises. Let’s take a look back at how cat litter was discovered, get familiar with some widespread litter sorts and components, and examine the concerns that cat parents have concerning its use and safety.

Before 1950, most domesticated cats applied the fantastic outdoors as their litter box. The housecats from the day were treated to a box of sand or fireplace ashes. Just picture the mess that sooty, sandy paw prints would make across a freshly mopped floor. It was for that reason that in 1947, a lady frustrated using the untidy tracks of her cat, approached her neighbor Ed Lowe to inquire about a a lot more penetrable style of sand. Lowes’ loved ones owned a corporation that sold industrial absorbents, so Lowe knew a factor or two regarding the absorbency of various organic materials. He recommended to his neighbor that she use clay since of its high absorbency, and due to the fact it is larger grain size would lessen the tracking. The clay was a hit! Realizing the potential of his acquiring, Lowe began packing the clay in brown paper bags, scribbling “Kitty Litter” across the front and selling it to regional grocery stores. And yes, for lack of a superior phrase, the rest is history.

Clay Litter

Non-clumping clay litteris made from organic clay, consisting with the minerals zeolite, diatomite, and sepiolate, and dried into tiny pellets or granules. Clay components are highly absorbent, drawing the cat urine for the bottom with the litter box, hence reducing odor. Several clay litters include additives which present extra odor manage. Due to the fact traditional clay is non-clumping, the cat urine eventually mixes into the clay requiring more frequent cleaning.

Clumping clay litteris created from bentonite clay, which tends to clump collectively when wet. As a result of clumping property, the urine will clump into a ball as opposed to seep all through the litter, making scooping considerably much easier. While clumping litter is often a small much more pricey than non-clumping, you normally do not have to replace the litter as often making use of significantly less over time.

Clay concerns- You’ll find some issues relating to achievable health hazards of making use of clumping litter. A typical concern is that kittens, which generally ingest litter after they are extremely young, can create an intestinal blockage, due to the swelling properties of sodium bentonite clay when it becomes wet. As a result it can be advisable that kittens not use clumping litter. Nevertheless, you will discover a lot of stories on the internet from owners who report that their adult cats, along with kittens, have developed concerns including intestinal blockages and respiratory challenges, due to the dust, when using clumping litter.

Silica Gel Litter

Produced from silica dioxide, silica gel litter – also referred to as crystal litter – is really a additional prevalent option to clay litters. The granules consist of tiny pores which will absorb as much as forty times their weight in moisture. Even so, after the granules have reached maximum saturation, urine will commence to pool within the bottom with the litter box. While the dust associated with silica litter is less evident than that in clay litter, it can be nonetheless a concern for some cat parents who worry about respiratory illnesses resulting from repeated exposure. Nonetheless, because of its high absorbency and good odor control, crystal litter is a favored among quite a few cat parents, but some cats discover the granules really hard and uncomfortable on their paws.

Biodegradable Litter

Until the early 1990’s, the litter decision was a relatively straightforward 1: clumping, or non-clumping clay. The barrage of option litters has been steadily streaming onto shelves for nearly 20 years, and due to the eco-friendly mindset of America, there has been a surge of biodegradable litters within the final decade. Biodegradable litters are produced from a number of plant sources, and since they fully break down inside the land fields they are regarded environmentally friendly. Though these litters price more than classic clay litter, they tend to final longer and the majority of them are flushable. Biodegradable litters are created from a vast array of supplies which includes wheat grass, oat hulls, processed orange peel, cedar chips, pine sawdust; the list goes on. While commonly believed to be safer than clay or silica primarily based litters, the uncommon materials is often off-putting to some cats, and some cat owners discover that the odor handle is lacking.

So How Do I Make a decision?

The truth is, there is no definitive formula for purchasing the right cat litter. Cats possess a reputation for being finicky; as a result you could have to attempt several brands or components just before locating the best litter for kittens fit for you and your cat. Just before heading off to the pet store, take some time and investigation litter on the web, which includes going to manufacturers’ websites. Search for unbiased buyer reviews, normally identified on cat associated blogs and forums. Talk together with your veterinarian about attainable well being effects that he/she may have noticed because of a certain type of litter. Approaching the litter isle with some information in hand will permit you to make an educated selection that may meet your demands and more importantly these of one’s cat.