Good cat litter: reviews, review, rating, tips for choosing

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

If a small kitten has appeared in the house, then it is urgent to take care of creating conditions for its toilet. This will protect the owner from unpleasant surprises in the form of excrement on their favorite carpet, puddles on the threshold of the house or in shoes. In order to teach a small pet to walk in one place, you need a tray and an absorbent mixture. But how to choose the right cat litter? What composition will not harm the pet, will be convenient for the owner to clean and will be affordable? The answers to these questions can be found by reading this article.

Mistakes of hosts in choosing filler

Many inexperienced cat breeders use paper, river sand or wood shavings as cheap cat litter. It is inexpensive, which means that you do not need to fool your head with shopping trips. But if we look at these components more closely, we get a picture that completely changes the first impression of the economy of use:

• Firstly, paper, sand and shavings do not relievethe room from an unpleasant smell.
• Secondly, when animals are raking in excrement, the above elements fly far beyond the tray. This causes additional trouble for the hosts.
• Third, a place soiled with excrement is difficult to remove from the tray. Therefore, all its contents have to be changed.

From this we can conclude that small momentary savings create big problems in the future.

All variety of fillers

Good cat litter, according to breeders, is well absorbed, reduces odor, is environmentally friendly and inexpensive. But how to make the right choice, because the range offered by pet stores is huge? To do this, it is necessary to study the types of known fillers, which, according to the principle of action, are divided into two groups:

• Absorbent cat litter can be made from wood waste, porous minerals, etc. The principle of operation is to completely absorb liquid and reduce odor.
• Clumping, on the contrary, when liquid gets on it, it gathers in lumps. This operating principle reduces the consumption of granules and makes cleaning easier. The disadvantage is the ban on disposal in sewer pipes.

As a rule, absorbent cat litter is cheaper, but it also consumes several times more.

Differences in composition

According to numerous reviews, a good filler forpet owners consider cat litter to be a safe material that does not cause allergic reactions, does not create dust, absorbs moisture well and stops unpleasant odors. It can be both natural ingredients and artificial ones. Cat litter ratings are compiled based on the stories of pet owners. But the animals themselves have different opinions on this matter. Some like wood pellets, while others like silica gel beads. The owner needs to experiment, carefully looking at the actions of the pet. If the kitten willingly visits the tray and does not shit anywhere else, then we can safely say that this particular composition suits him the most. Do not forget that the size of the tray should correspond to the growth of the animal. Otherwise, the kitten will pollute the space around the tray or simply cannot get into it. In addition, it is worth considering the size of the granules. Small ones are more suitable for small kittens, and large ones for adult cats.

Filler from waste wood industry

Absorbent cat litter includes wood pellets. When wet, the granules increase in volume and delaminate. The advantage of this material are:

• ecological cleanliness;
• hypoallergenic;
• economy in price;
• does not clog sewers;
• eliminates urine odor well;
• environmentally friendly.

A disadvantage can be considered sticking to the paws, as a result of which rubbish is spread throughout the dwelling. Most owners of tailedpets consider wood pellets to be a good cat litter. Feedback from numerous buyers only confirms this fact.

Clay Pieces

Clay is a natural material with excellent absorbent properties. That is why such a mass began to be used as a filler for pet trays. Manufacturers make clay pellets with clumping and absorbent characteristics. The advantages of this composition include the following qualities:

• sustainable;
• natural component (sand reminds cats);
• variety of pellet selection;
• safe for the environment.

From the shortcomings can be identified:

• clogs sewer pipes;
• turning into small particles, spreads throughout the home;
• sticks to paws.

Large clay granules can be uncomfortable for a small kitten so getting the right size is important.

Corn component

Another natural product is corn cat litter. The uniqueness of this ingredient is that one kilogram of dry mix can absorb up to two liters of liquid. As a result, the filler consumption is significantly reduced. Other benefits include:

• may be flushed down the drain;
• does not stick to paws and wool;
• eliminates bad odors well;
• animals love it.

The downside is raritythe appearance of corn cat litter on store shelves and the need for frequent replacement of litter.

Synthetics

Silica gel filler is a component made chemically by mixing water and silica. The resulting granules have a smooth structure and do not harm animals. Due to its excellent absorbent characteristics, the substance is also used to absorb excess moisture in the sale of shoes, leather goods. As a filler, silica gel has been used relatively recently, but has already managed to establish itself as one of the best components. According to numerous reviews, silica gel cat litter perfectly absorbs liquid and completely blocks unpleasant odors. Of the minuses can be identified:

• high price;
• animals are hard to get used to this substance;
• chemical origin of the granules.

You can also note the minimum consumption of granules compared to natural elements (sawdust, clay, corn).

New technologies

Cat litter "Fresh" has a unique structure, which is based on creating complete comfort for the animal and its owner. The composition of the filler may have an absorbent or clumping structure:

• The first option contains small granules in three colors, which are responsible for absorbing liquid, eliminating odor and neutralizing fumes. This allows the owner not to experiencediscomfort when walking the animal in the tray.
• The second option will also not cause unnecessary trouble to the owner, because it is based on the absorption of liquid by creating a lump. In this case, clumping occurs only in the wet part of the granules. The rest of the filler remains dry. This significantly reduces the consumption of the substance.

Recently, a novelty has appeared on sale - this is "Fresh" with silica gel granules. As it gets wet, the clear crystals turn yellow, indicating where urine is present. This allows the owner to remove the wet lump in time.

How to choose the right one

The comfort of being in the house of a cat and a person depends on how correctly the composition of the substance is selected by the owner of the animal. Determining a good cat litter from customer reviews is not always correct, because one animal may like wood pellets, and another may like clay pieces. Therefore, if a person took a kitten into the house, he should be ready for experiments and careful observation of the pet. If a kitten wants to go to a cheap filler, then you can stop on it. If the pet owner noticed small puddles in another place not designated for this, then it is worth looking for a different composition. Otherwise, there will be more and more puddles, which means that it will be more and more difficult to accustom a pet to a tray. You can immediately buy an expensive filler, but in this case, success is not guaranteed. It is important to remember that the size of the granules is of great importance. A kitten needs to buy small fractions, and a big cat or a cat needs large ones,especially if the coat is long. Cats like to carefully paddle their paws after emptying, so it is better to choose a litter with the appropriate structure.

What the rating of manufacturers will tell you

The rating of cat litter is based on the stories of cat owners. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the main criteria for the owner are ease of cleaning, the absence of unpleasant odors and dust. For an animal, good structure and the ability to dig with paws are important. Each pet is individual, so preferences may vary depending on the breed and character of the cat. Here are some of the most famous filler manufacturers.

For kittens:

1. The first position of the rating belongs to the filler "Barsik. Antibacterial effect". It consists of fine-grained clay and is ideal for potty training.
2. Second place can be awarded to the brand "Ever Clean" for the low content of allergens, small fraction of granules (no more than 2 mm) and a pleasant aroma that is released when urine enters.
3. The third place is confidently occupied by "Clean paws" filler made of wood pellets. It has excellent absorbency, odor retention and a natural texture.

For adult cats:

1. The first place rightfully goes to the manufacturer "Fresh Step. Triple Control", the composition of which has three types of bent. Each of them is responsible for certain functions: absorbency, odor elimination, neutralizationodor when evaporating.
2. Second place goes to the silica gel filler "Siberian cat", which almost instantly absorbs moisture, does not scatter when raking, has a minimum consumption of raw materials.
3. The third place is taken by filler "Kuzya". It has a low price, does not stick to the paws of animals and has antiseptic properties.

What do pet owners think of this

An overview of cat litter from Russian manufacturers is presented below:

1. "Murzik", "Kuzya", "Barsik" - minimum price, average quality. They have an antibacterial natural composition with odor protection.
2. "Zoonik", "Barsik" for kittens - have a small fraction, ideal for the first acquaintance of the animal with the tray, have a minimum cost.
3. "Kapitosha", "My Animal" - perfectly absorb and retain the smell, have a low cost.
4. "Clean paws", "Kotyara", "Snowball" - have an average price, antibacterial, absorb liquid well.

Most cat owners prefer a clumping formula. This is due to the ease of cleaning and economical consumption of the substance. However, when first purchasing a toilet component, the owners most often opt for absorbent formulations. Silica gel cat litter, reviews of which are almost all positive, are mainly used for keepingseveral cats. This significantly reduces filler consumption. It is necessary to accustom furry animals to silica gel balls gradually, gradually pouring granules into the filler familiar to cats. Experienced breeders of cats and cats are advised to put a grate in the tray. In this case, the consumption of pellets is less, which means that there is a saving in the family budget.