Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, where I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase throught my link, at no cost to you. But if you’re looking for ease of use, great odor control and something environmentally friendly then a silica based cat litter might be the best choice for you. Most cat owners will be familiar with the LitterMaid brand. 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. The Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Clumping Litter formula is a hypoallergenic, unscented, clumping clay litter designed to be 99.5% dust-free. They were willing to use the unfamiliar litters only occasionally while continuously returning to those they had used in the past. But just because you can flush natural cat litter doesn't mean you should, and not only because low-flush toilets and pipes made for human waste often can't handle clumps without clogging. That way you can make your own mind up, which type is best suited to your own individual circumstances. Silica crystals are filled with millions of micropores that adsorb moisture. At a little over a $1 per pound, World's Best Multiple Cat Unscented Litter was among the least expensive of the natural litters we tested and about 50% more than our favorite clay litter, Purina Tidy Cats Naturally Strong Litter. Relative to the other natural litters we tested, walnut litters have less of a natural scent and did a slightly worse job at preventing ammonia odors from escaping. Clumping ability and ease of cleaning: In the first phase of testing, I compared a small amount of each litter in matching plastic dishes. 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. They are slightly more expensive though, and a lot of that comes down to regular daily cleaning of the litter. When a cat marks, they back up with a raised tail to spray their pheromones as a form of communication, said Calder. This is a silica sand but it is worth noting that like almost all of these gels this is not a litter that clumps. It's non-GMO sorghum grass seed that gives Pioneer Pet Smart Cat All Natural Clumping Litter the superior clumping ability that helped it land at the top of this category. Many cats are also sensitive to scent. © Copyright 2020 Incredible Kitty   -  Designed by Thrive Themes These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. According to Calder, cats that eliminate outside the litter box are either toileting or marking. CDN$52.77. PetSafe ScoopFree Premium Crystal Non Clumping Cat Litter, 6. Product description Vibrant Life Mini Crystal Unscented Cat Litter keeps your air fresh and your cat happy. That in itself does not sound that important. These are medium sized crystals so not like the small pearl style. When you compare these dollar for dollar against weight, these crystals are about 3 times more expensive than a clumping clay litter. It is one of the cheapest on my top 10 list. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The crystals are super adsorbent and suck the moisture out of kitty poo. Dr. Christine Calder, veterinary behaviorist at Midcoast Humane, Brunswick, Maine, Dr. Megan Wilson, veterinarian at the Pennsylvania SPCA, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dr. Zay Satchu, co-founder and chief veterinary officer at Bond Vet, New York, New York, Micah McKechnie, behavior and training associate at the East Bay SPCA, Oakland, California. Dust and scent: One of the reasons veterinarians recommend natural litters is because they tend to be lower in dust than the average clay litter, making them a good option for cats or guardians with respiratory issues. I have yet to find one that is 100% dust free. Coming in at number 3 on our list is this one from the brand Just the Crystals. While my cats preferred to visit their clay litter during Ökocat's two-week testing period, they did use the wood litter occasionally. "Just like people, they have different levels of tolerance based on preference and learning history," said Micah McKechnie, behavior and training associate at the East Bay SPCA, in Oakland, California. The BREEZE Litter is actually a track free cat litter composed of zeolite, silica gel, and a moisture-repellent polymer coating. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. But while my cats preferred the texture of this sandy, soft litter over the wood litter, they did not choose to toilet in it consistently day after day during our three-week testing period. Blockages that aren't removed within 24 to 48 hours by a veterinarian can kill a cat. After two absorption trials, I cleaned the dishes, looking for any escaped moisture that had left clumped litter stuck to their interior. When it comes to natural litters, all of our experts agreed that the best variety is whatever one your cat is willing to use consistently day in and day out. 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. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. That is all there is to it until you need to do a full change out of the litter. You normally buy these in an 8 lb bag, but there is a better deal if you buy two bags, and that will save you some money. If you have a self-cleaning litter box, you will need to check that it’s suitable for silica crystal litters as some of these types of litter boxes require natural clumping or clay cluping cat litters. Litter Pearls Micro Crystal is a non-clumping silica gel litter that is unscented and low on dust (as many silica litters are.) Although the litter prevented odors when my cats used it, because they didn't toilet in the box consistently through the testing period, I can't say for sure that they don't become more intense over time. Pros: Natural scent masks odors, highly absorbent, sustainably sourced, produces minimal dust, Cons: Least successful of the natural litter options at clumping. They have a coarse sandy texture and generate very minimal dust, making them a good option for cats with respiratory issues, according to Satchu. 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. We will be enlisting new cat volunteers to help us update this guide in the near future. Pros: Made from upcycled walnut shells, absorbent and tightly clumping, produces minimal dust, soft texture, Cons: Tracks easily outside litter box, may be slightly less effective at controlling odors than other natural litters, should not be used by people with tree nut allergies. In our testing with my two cats, we found this to be true. 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. Cost: I calculated the cost per pound and compared them. World's Best Multiple Cat Unscented Litter is our top pick for the best natural. Cats may take time to adjust to Silica Gel litter Your cat can’t tell you when it needs to see a vet, but PrettyLitter may be able to. Sorry I know it is not the most pleasant thing to discuss, but it is cat litter after all. These are designed to be gentler on the cat’s paws and that makes them ideal for small kittens, or for older cats. The litter will need completely changed once a month if you have one cat, for 2 cats every 10 to 15 days, and for 3 cats every 7 to 10 days. Please read my disclosure for more details. This minimizes the risk for upsetting your cat’s respiratory system and the litter also contains natural essences to reduce stress. A cat that eats its litter may have an underlying medical problem or just an unusual craving. The top contenders in each category went on to fill the litter boxes of my two cats over a period of two to three weeks to determine the best of the best. Regardless of their size, households with more than one cat need more than one litter box, according to Dr. Megan Wilson, a veterinarian at the Pennsylvania SPCA in Philadelphia. 40 $15.60 $15.60 These are also relatively new to the marketplace. We will be testing this litter with other cats in the near future to evaluate how it holds up after several weeks of regular use. Most of these small crystals can absorb up to 15 times their own weight. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. I evaluated the shape, texture, softness, and weight of each litter, measuring 1/4 cup on a kitchen scale for the latter. Not only do they absorb well, but they also capture any germs and bacteria, and lock those inside the tiny spores on each individual crystal. World's Best absorbs liquid on contact, forming solid clumps that are easy to lift out in a single piece during cleaning. 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. 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. Please note that this is a non clumping 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. With so many different types of cat litter on the market, why would any cat owner consider buying one that is made from crystals of silica gel? Steve is a content creator with an unhealthy cat obsession. Now the time between changes depending on the brand that you buy and also on the number of cats that you have. Like most products this litter type also has some disadvantages, and I like to include all the information on my reviews. 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. 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. We will be testing these litters with other cats in the near future to find out. All of them last much longer than other litter types, so less cleaning up to do. Not only are they biodegradable and often more sustainably sourced than litters made from clay or silica gel, they are good at minimizing odors with their natural scents and fibrous composition. 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. Because of their mediocre reception of the substrate, I'm unable to say whether this litter continues to control odors the closer it gets to needing to be changed. Leave a Comment / Cat Litter, Cats / By Sean Green / December 1, 2020 December 2, 2020 Being a cat parent comes with a lot of responsibility. The crystals are also very small and that is much better and easier on the cat’s paws. This is a popular and pretty well known brand. For example, a cat that worries about being ambushed by another pet while using the litter box may stop using it altogether. Both their acquisition and disposal have less of an environmental impact than strip-mined clay litters. 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. There is an argument that when a cat poops on these crystals, that when the poop is removed, some may remain on the crystals. The best silica gel cat litter. Imagine an amount of dust generated from this the 2 or 3 times a day that cats urinate. The Pros of Crystal Cat Litter. 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. Hey, I’m Steve! Lightweight and easy to carry, this cat litter will be … In the first, I compared litters of the same material side by side to assess their absorption and clumping abilities, dustiness, scent, and texture. Because trace walnut meats may remain in these litters, they should be avoided by anyone with a tree nut allergy. 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. Read more about our testing methodology later in this guide. These lightly made up crystals are a great deal lighter than either a clay litter, or all of the natural or biodegradable litters. The manufacturer claims, and many buyers agree that this is extremely good at controlling odors. Have good odor control, low on dust, according to Satchu choice for Multiple.... Known brand biodegradable, we get a small share of the website of natural might... 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