How To Choose The Best Cat LitterSo many cat litters to choose from, which should you use? Cats are naturally attracted to soft, sand like substances that are easily-raked – which is how clay based litter was formulated. Most litter in the stores are clay based, but recently there is a lot of interest in alternative litters, especially with the rising controversy against clay litter. Growing evidence is supporting the fact that clumping clay litter can be harmful to cats. Clumping clay litter forms a hard ball when it gets wet, which is one of the reasons why it is harmful. Sodium bentonite is a common ingredient used to make clay litter clump. Sodium bentonite, when wet, expands to 15 times it's size – which is why it can't be flushed down the toilet. When your cat or kitten scratches in the litter box, clay dust is stirred up and your cat breathes it in. Once it's in the lungs, it expands from the moisture – building up over time and causing lung problems. Also, the dust settles into your cat's fur, so while your cat is grooming – accidental ingestion of the litter can happen. Once the clay litter is inside your cat or kitten – it expands. Not only can this cause dehydration (because it is absorbing all the body's moisture), it can also form a hard mass in the intestines over a period of time, which can be fatal. Longer haired cats are at a higher risk, because they ingest more litter through grooming. Many manufacturers of clay litter have a warning posted right on the bag “Do Not Let Cat Ingest Litter.” Obviously you can't tell your cats to hold their breath while they are in the litterbox, and you also can't stop your cats from grooming themselves and ingesting the clay that has settled onto their fur. Even those who believe clumping clay litter isn't dangerous will tell you not to let a kitten younger than 4-6 months use it, because they are much more likely to ingest the litter. The ASPCA is one of many organizations who doesn't recommend using clumping litter for kittens. However, there are some clay based litters that do not contain sodium bentonite, and one of them is Cats Pride Litter. I believe it is sold in most pet stores, and can also be found online. It is still clumpable, and is even flushable - but it does not contain the harmful substance sodium bentonite. There are also other litter alternatives you can use – some are made from newspapers, peanut shells, cedar, etc. A very popular litter among cat lovers is World's Best Cat Litter. It is sold in some pet stores, and can also be found online. For cats that pee or poop outside of the litterbox, many cat owners have had success by switching to Cat Attract litter. Blended with a natural herb attractant, it's the first cat litter to provide a solution for cat owners whose cats do not use their litter box. If you do decide to go with a clay, clumping litter – try to find one without sodium bentonite and that produces the least amount of dust particles.
|
 
|
