Cat Litter Unleashed

Cat litter aisles are filled with different types and brands of cat litter. There really isn't an ideal cat littler solution out there, only cat litter options that satisfy your cat and reduce the amount of maintenance from the owner. Cat litter can be tracked all over the house, on the carpet, furniture, even in the bed. Several cat litter companies have tried to create low track cat litter that will keep the cat litter in the box and off the carpet, unfortunately the cat litter still manages to sneak out of the box. In order to decide which cat litter will best suit the needs of the cat and the owner, you need to understand the different cat litter options. Cat litter comes in 4 main styles:

• Clay-based clumping
• Clay-based non-clumping
• Crystal
• Natural and biodegradable, corn and wheat-based cat litter

The purpose of cat litter is to absorb the cat's urine and allow the cat to cover its feces. The cat litter is created with odor-absorbing chemicals and bacteria-eliminating materials to provide the cat and the cat owner with fresh, clean cat litter. Most cats do not care about the scented cat litter; they only care about the smell that builds up in the litter box if it is not properly cleaned.

The main types of cat litter are clumping and non-clumping cat litter. The clumping cat litter will stick together when the cat urinates. Cat owners can then scoop out the clumped cat litter and buried feces every day, without having to change the cat litter. The cat litter level will start to decrease as the scooped cat litter is removed, so you simply need to add a little more cat litter to the box. The entire cat litter box will need to be cleaned every 3 to 4 weeks, allowing the cat owner to have low maintenance.

Non-clumping cat litter is made from a natural clay and it is dried into granules. The cat litter is not scented, but does come with baking soda and other fresheners. Cat owners will need to scoop out the solid waste on a daily basis. Every week the cat litter box needs to be washed and sanitized and the cat litter needs to be replaced. The non-clumping cat litter is normally the cheapest cat litter type. Non-clumping cat litter does tend to cause more dust when the cat digs, however some dust-free non-clumping cat litter options are available.

The best way to determine which type of cat litter works for you and the cat is to leave that decision up to the cat. If the cat doesn't like the cat litter, they simply won't use it. Different cat litters may bother the cat's feet or they may be bothered by the dust of the cat litter. Purchase a few brands and types and see which one the cat prefers. Once the cat has chosen the cat litter, stick with it and don't change it.

A cat litter box needs to be kept clean in order for a cat to use it. Depending upon the style of cat litter you purchase, you still need to scoop out the feces on a daily basis. Using a diluted bleach spray can help kill odor-causing bacteria and will help control the excess dust caused from the cat digging around in the litter box. The rule of thumb with cat litter is that if you do not feel comfortable getting next to the box and breathing in the smell, the cat is not comfortable using the litter box. Cats are more sensitive to smell than humans and they will refuse to use a litter box if it is not kept clean.

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