In short, cat litter is the substance you fill your litter tray with so your cat has somewhere to toilet and can do so with minimal fuss. Cat litter makes cat owners lives much easier and is used all around the world. Whilst cleaning out your felines tray, you may have wondered what actually is in cat litter? In this article we explore what cat litters are made of and what is best for you and your cat.
What Is Cat Litter Made Of
Depending on the cat litter you buy will depend on what is actually in it. There are so many options that you can shop to see what works best for you, and here are the ingredients of the most popular.
A classic absorbent clumping cat litter may contain ‘sepiolite’ which is a soft white clay mineral. It’s perfect for use indoors and it doesn’t stick to your cat’s paws and leaves no marks on flooring and fabrics. It’s also good to know cat litter containing Sepiolite is non-toxic and therefore safe for your family and home. It’s safe for the environment as its composition is natural and free from any chemical additives.
Corn cob cat litter is a low-dust cat litter which is great for sensitive cats. Our Sanicat corn cat litter is made from 100% corn cobs making the litter biodegradable, and it also has a natural antibacterial effect!
Clay clumping litter is usually made from bentonite which may be the easiest litter to clean up, but unfortunately it is not biodegradable and often creates a lot of dust.
Crystal litter is usually made of silica which often controls odour a lot better than other forms of cat litter and often last a lot longer than a clay litter. Crystal litter is often more expensive and can be dangerous if your cat ingests much of them when cleaning their paws.
Is Cat Litter Radioactive
Surprisingly, some cat litters are radioactive. Often clay clumping cat litters that contain bentonite do contain some form of radiation and large amounts of cat litter can be measurably radioactive.
Which Cat Litter Is The Best?
Cat litters come in a huge variety of types, and some may suit yours and your cats lifestyles better than others. What all cats do however have in common is cleanliness, and they’ll always appreciate a carefully cleaned, freshly filled litter tray. Accidents may occur if your cat’s litter tray isn’t clean and fresh!
A clumping cat litter is easy to remove without replacing the whole of the litter tray which often saves both time and money. Try not to introduce a clay litter tray to your kitten however as often clumping litter can be swallowed by kittens and can cause dangerous internal obstructions.
Corn is a brilliantly absorbent and natural too which makes it a great option. It doesn’t clump as well as clay and can get expensive but is often a great value for money.
Wood and pine litter are often wood remnants, pulped then used to create pellets, which produce very little dust and small great (for both you and your cat!) Wood pellets are often larger which may take time for your cat to get used to.
Silica litter is made from a natural material that is highly absorbent. It’s great at masking smells and is the most absorbing of all litters. They don’t however clump which may make cleaning less than ideal.
