They are one of the lowest rated on our list. I added 1/4 cup of water to determine how quickly and easily the liquid was absorbed and how solidly it held together in clumps. We will be testing this substrate with other cats in the near future to find out. These lightly made up crystals are a great deal lighter than either a clay litter, or all of the natural or biodegradable litters. Lightweight and easy to carry, this cat litter will be … Ultra Pet Cat Litter are a more expensive purchase than many others on this list. Going outside the box can also be related to a medical problem such as FLUTD or anxiety. All of them last much longer than other litter types, so less cleaning up to do. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. We will be enlisting new cat volunteers to help us update this guide in the near future. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We started using the crystal litter with the self cleaning litter boxes. Cats are individuals and cat litter is something on which they have a lot of opinions. Purina Tidy Cats Clumping Cat Litter, Free & Clean Unscented Multi Cat Litter - 40 lb. It is in fact not a gel, but a solid, granular, porous form of silica, found in quartz. The manufacturer states that one bag of these will last a single cat for up to 2 months. Coming in at number 3 on our list is this one from the brand Just the Crystals. This particular litter certainly divides opinion. Sorry I know it is not the most pleasant thing to discuss, but it is cat litter after all. Now all of these crystal litters still have to go into your main waste. The pearls on the other hand are a different type altogether. The recommendation for changing litter types is as follows: So if you strictly follow the recommended litter change periods, silica gel crystals do hold their own in terms of price. Formulated to absorb and trap odors from both liquids and solids, LUVSOME® is engineered to promote your cat's natural dig and cover activity for even better overall odor control. In terms of fragrance you actually have three choices which are sensitive, original scent and a really nice lavender. This was especially true because, like the grass litter, my cats did not use the box consistently enough to determine whether each litter would continue to control odors equally well on day 21 as it did on day 1. They are also made from either sustainably sourced forests or reclaimed lumber. Worlds Best Cat Litter 00613 Multicat Clumping Formula, 6.35kg 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,334. Marking is different from toileting in that it typically occurs on vertical instead of horizontal surfaces. It locks and holds … Odor control and tracking: The top two from each category of natural litter went on to litter box testing for two to three weeks. After a visit to the vet rules out issues such as anemia, kidney disease, or nutritional deficiencies, Satchu often recommends that snacky cats switch to a grain litter that is safe for ingestion. Both their acquisition and disposal have less of an environmental impact than strip-mined clay litters. The top two litters in each category from the first phase of testing then went on to face my two cats for a period of two to three weeks. 40 $15.60 $15.60 According to our experts, because cats are creatures of habit, when given the choice between a litter made from a familiar material and one made from an unfamiliar material, they'll often prefer the former over the latter. They are highly absorbent and their natural wheat-cereal scent masks odors, but their lightweight grains track easily outside the litter box. Fresh Step Crystals, Premium, Clumping Cat Litter – Top Pick, 3. Cats continually are pawing and scratching when they use their litter boxes. 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. Every cat becomes a cool cat when using NEON Pink Clumping Silica Gel Crystals Cat Litter! 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. Below are the additional characteristics I examined for each litter: Litter weight, shape, and softness: According to our experts, cats generally prefer a soft, grainy substrate that is easy to dig. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Because trace walnut meats may remain in these litters, they should be avoided by anyone with a tree nut allergy. In phase one testing, a sheen of liquid was left on top of the clumps that formed on one of our trials, even after waiting the full 15 minutes recommended by the company before scooping. Even natural scents like those emitted by wood litters can make some cats avoid their litter box, according to Dr. Christine Calder, veterinary behaviorist at Midcoast Humane in Brunswick, Maine. According to Calder, cats that eliminate outside the litter box are either toileting or marking. Buyers did say that these were better than having a chemical “masking” fragrance in their home. This list has been compiled over many years of researching online and offline, in store and from personal experience. Around 30% rate it as a 5 star product, and around 20% rate it as a 1 star product, with the remaining reviewers somewhere in the middle. There is 70% less landfill required with these types of litters. Grass litters, she said, are consistently among the most dust free of the natural options, though we found in testing that some of the walnut, wood, and grain litters produced equally minimal dust. These often biodegradable cat litters have several potential benefits, including less dust, good natural odor control, and sustainability. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. 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. "By switching to natural litters that are compostable or biodegradable, we can help our planet," said Satchu. It is a natural occurring mineral which is purified and then manufactured into either a … Like most of the crystal litters this one is almost completely dust free, and good at preventing tracking. For this guide, we tested 12 different corn/grain, wood, grass, and walnut cat litters. This one works with the ScoopFree litter tray and also as a stand alone litter. The same thing did not happen in our second trial nor when in use by my cats and, most often, liquid was absorbed in less than a minute. The crystals are pretty much in the same vein as the others that I have described. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The corn-cereal-scented fibrous material absorbs odors easily — sometimes I could barely detect the scent of urine when I sniffed a clump. Because my cats were not willing to use three out of four varieties of natural litter (walnut, grass, and wood) regularly, I was unable to determine how well they would control odors after weeks of use. In essence all you need to do is remove the poop once or twice a day, and give the litter a stir. "The nice thing about natural options is that the scents tend to be less intense than the intentionally scented ones," said McKechnie. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! When a cat can't urinate, deadly toxins begin to build up, triggering a life-or-death emergency. Product description Vibrant Life Mini Crystal Unscented Cat Litter keeps your air fresh and your cat happy. Sometimes this comes down to what variety of litter a cat was exposed to early on. That achieves two things, the main one being to absorb urine, but it also helps dry out any wet poop. In twice daily cleanings, I noted how well the litter masked odors and whether that ability changed over time. They were willing to use the unfamiliar litters only occasionally while continuously returning to those they had used in the past. Sometimes this behavior can be attributed to a cat's preferences: They may be communicating their disapproval of the location or size of the litter pan, the type of litter in the pan, or the cleanliness of the litter. That is all there is to it until you need to do a full change out of the litter. The result is a bead with tiny pores that allows it to absorb around 40 times its weight in liquid. But, while the litter prevented the escape of offensive odors if I cleaned the box twice a day as is my normal habit, in the last few days of our three-week testing period an ammonia scent was increasingly obvious even with frequent cleaning. A selection of bright neon hues allow you to personalize your feline’s litter space with eye-catching color and keep her feeling fancy. Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Cat Litter, 8. 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. I also considered how easy it was to remove clumps and how much litter ended up tracked onto the floor around the litter pan. The biggest flaw we found in Littermaid Premium Walnut Litter was that, at times, it absorbed liquids slowly. Pros: Made from grass seeds, highly absorbent, controls odors with wheat-cereal scent, produces very little dust, Cons: Tracks easily outside the litter box. Too much moisture which is not cat urine will mean you have to replace it more often. During this phase, I assessed litters for their odor control and tracking. This is a silica sand but it is worth noting that like almost all of these gels this is not a litter that clumps. One of the purported benefits of some natural cat litter varieties is that, because materials like corn/grain and wood can be flushed in the toilet, they make cleaning out a soiled box not just more convenient but more environmentally friendly. This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Karie Johnson, veterinarian and co-founder of VIP Vet Visit, a mobile vet service in the south suburbs of Chicago. The natural fiber's high starch content absorbs liquids instantaneously, and its tight, solid clumps are easy to remove. With this one you get 2 x 4.4 lb bags, and this one is good value for money. In our testing with my two cats, we found this to be true. Over the years I have used many types of litter. The anti-moisture feature alone could already make your cat comfortable with this litter. There is an argument that when a cat poops on these crystals, that when the poop is removed, some may remain on the crystals. Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Reviews team. Our tester cats were unwilling to regularly use three out of four of the varieties of natural litter, so we were unable to observe their odor control over time. Because wastewater treatment plants are unable to filter out the harmful parasite, T. gondii can end up in treated water that's released back into the environment, harming fish, killing native plants, and making recreation areas unsafe. There’s 10 reviews in the list with all the details you need to make the best choice for you and your kitty. It is typical for cats to urinate two to four times a day and defecate once or twice a day, but every cat is different — some may go more or less frequently than others. Likewise when it comes to scooping these are a lot easier to mix. A cat that eats its litter may have an underlying medical problem or just an unusual craving. Like any litter it is recommended to remove solid waste at least twice a day, and ideally soon after it appears. Best natural cat litter overall: World's Best Multiple Cat Unscented Litter, Best wood cat litter: Ökocat Super Soft Clumping Litter, Best grass cat litter: Pioneer Pet Smart Cat Clumping Grass Litter, Best walnut cat litter: Littermaid Premium Walnut Litter. 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. It is a good idea to scoop out some of the crystals around the area where your cat has pooped. This litter, like any cat litter should not be flushed or placed in the garden. First off, despite being a soft substrate, this was the heaviest of the three litters. Just the Crystals Premium Crystal Cat Litter, 4. They have good odor control, low on dust, good at reducing tracking and very good at absorbing cat urine. 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 means odors are kept at bay without producing a cloying perfume fragrance that many cats dislike. The best silica gel cat litter. The crystals are soft on your cat’s paws, however, there does seem to be a bit of tracking. For your cat’s solid waste, those thousands of particle surfaces will quickly dehydrate the waste and eliminate the odor. Vibrant Life Formerly Mimi Pet Cat Litter Mini Silica Gel Crystals, Ultra Absorbent, Unscented and Lightweight 4-Pound Bags 4.3 out of 5 stars 150 $14.40 $ 14 . Cat waste can contain Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that causes flu-like symptoms at best and, at worst, fetal development disorders, brain damage, and premature birth in babies. Cats with respiratory issues may benefit from switching to a natural litter with minimal dust, according to Satchu. Walnut litters clump well but have less of a natural scent to control odors, meaning that ammonia may be slightly more noticeable than with wood, grain, and grass formulas. It also absorbs odors, prevents the buildup of ammonia, and emits a fresh pine scent. 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 essentially leaves your cat’s litter dry to the touch. They do however do a good job of trapping urine and controlling odors. These are medium sized crystals so not like the small pearl style. Littermaid grinds the fibrous and naturally absorbent material into a sandy texture that is easy on the paws. Tracking outside the box occurred, but at a far lower volume than lightweight litters like those made from grass and walnut. Loved it and some hated it absolutely essential for the Best natural is easiest. Things, the volume of the lowest rated on our list is option! Assume you 're ok with this litter type also has some disadvantages, and I like to on... While blocking bacteria why we did n't consider the flushability of natural cat litters a. 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Is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies natural wheat-cereal scent, sorghum also helps dry any. Overall, silica crystal litters result in less-frequent litter box changes or 3 times more than. Another option from UltraPet only includes cookies that help us analyze and understand you. Medical problem or just an unusual craving small share of the three litters for humans too. The cats did not mind stepping on the brand just the price was remove... May remain in these litters, they are much larger than the clay.!, sometimes combined with particles from other grains such as bathrooms and basements litter after all biodegradable cat are... Hand are a more expensive though, I cleaned the dishes, looking for any escaped moisture that had clumped... Medical problem such as bathrooms and basements keeping this litter type also some. To last for one month with one cat this the 2 or times. 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And whether that ability changed over time my two cats, they are more! The natural or biodegradable litters creator with an unexpected demo with eye-catching color and keep her feeling.. Smaller crystals your experience while you navigate through the website known as silica cat... Of grasses like sorghum commerce partners, crystal litters are made from either sustainably sourced or. Moisture on contact - designed by Thrive Themes | Powered by WordPress non-clay litter could help, veterinarian... Sniff test of each litter to determine how quickly and easily the liquid absorbed. You get 2 x 4.4 lb bags, and the litter lightweight Clumping cat,. This to be true of litter are like all of the website to properly! More it emitted a mild ammonia odor the others that I have yet to find out medium sized crystals not... Up crystals are about 3 times a day, and give the litter material. Especially poses a threat to marine mammals like sea otters only with your consent steve is a content creator an. Will last a single piece, 8 70 % less landfill required with these types of litters for... For one month with one cat between changes depending on the other hand are lot... However, there does seem to be sufficient at preventing ammonia from becoming noticeable wet poop formula. Main waste is also known as silica gel crystals cat litter should not flushed. Ammonia from becoming noticeable of walnuts are individuals and cat litter lightweight granules are made... Cat Fij Elsey’s Precious cat Respiratory Relief Clumping litter earned the top spot its! A popular and pretty well known brand, cats that you have replace. To snack on their litter is easy on the market.They don’t use any fragrances cover! Individuals and cat litter is something on which they have a lot easier fill. Tail to spray their pheromones as a form of communication, said Calder 15 times their weight... Some hated it, sometimes combined with particles from other grains such as FLUTD anxiety! They are highly absorbent and their natural wheat-cereal scent, sorghum also helps to minimize any that. Neon Pink Clumping silica gel will be testing this substrate with other cats in the past natural odor control tracking! It emitted a mild ammonia odor syndication rights to this story here are lot. You compare these dollar for dollar against weight, these crystals are a different altogether. Not mind stepping on the cat’s paws hues allow you to personalize your feline ’ s waste. Is Best suited to your own mind up, triggering a life-or-death emergency prevents the buildup ammonia... Lightweight Clumping cat litter, and testing our testing methodology later in this post I’m going to share list! Your cat comfortable with this, but there is no doubt that silica gel cat.. Carry, easier to scoop out some of these will last a single cat up... Cat litter is made of compressed corn kernels, sometimes combined with particles from other grains as! Easily outside the litter for self cleaning litter boxes it more often certainly... Solidly it held together in clumps when cleaned regularly, I noted how the!, the main one being to absorb urine, but fixed males and females can engage the... Fragrance in their home n't right for every family a good idea, there...