I Want to Never Clean Litter Again
The research
- Why you should trust u.s.a.
- Why clay litter?
- How we picked
- Is clumping litter safe for kittens?
- How we tested
- Our option: Dr. Elsey'due south Ultra
- Flaws just not dealbreakers
- Also neat: Arm & Hammer Cloud Command Clumping Litter
- The best litter scoop: DurAnimals DuraScoop Original Cat Litter Scoop
- The best alternatives to clay litter (according to Wirecutter staff)
- Do yous demand to switch litters?
- How to solve common litter box bug
- The competition
- Oftentimes asked questions
- Sources
Why you lot should trust us
Shannon Palus was a senior staff author who wrote the original version of this guide. She interviewed Alexandra Medley, a veterinarian who had recently graduated from the Ohio State University (and now works for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), and had her survey the vets in her network for answers to Wirecutter'due south toughest litter questions. Shannon too consulted Michael Lund, a vet with the ASPCA; Anne Levin, president of the Brooklyn Span Animal Welfare Coalition and manager of the Brooklyn Cat Buffet; and Ray Dark-brown, VP of household R&D at Church & Dwight, the visitor that owns Arm & Hammer (which sells several kinds of cat litter). She tested the superlative-performing cat litters at Brooklyn Cat Cafe, where dozens of cats provided their, er, input.
Why clay litter?
Cat litter was invented in 1947 by a 20-something named Edward Lowe to aid out a neighbor who ran out of sand (which is what people put in litter boxes those days, if they allow their cats within at all). Lowe gave the neighbor some of the dried clay bits his begetter used to aid clean up grease spills at factories. He called it Kitty Litter, as a 1984 People magazine story on Lowe explains.
Lowe made a career of selling Kitty Litter under a handful of brands (including the enduring Tidy Cats proper noun). The term he coined became generic, and the number of options for litter exploded. Today, you can also purchase litter made of corn, pine, silica, or recycled newspaper. Clay remains the most common type of litter, and that's what nosotros'll focus on in this guide. "In my experiences with my own cats, and cats coming through the dispensary, most are going to do very well with a dirt clumping litter," said Michael Lund, 1 of the vets nosotros spoke with. (If y'all adopt not-dirt litter, we have some recommendations at the end of this guide.)
Clay litters are cheap and can produce solid clumps to make scooping easier. You don't need to add together baking soda or pee pads to make them piece of work. And because clay litter dominates the market, information technology comes in a diverseness of scents and grain sizes. If you lot and your cat are picky, it's easy to detect a slightly dissimilar kind without having to drastically change litters.
Plus, cats like clay. Clay is similar in consistency to soil, equally veterinarian Alexandra Medley pointed out, so going in a clay litter will feel pretty natural for your cat. When we tested litter at the Brooklyn True cat Cafe, the cats—who normally go pine pellets during the day because those don't track easily—were and so excited to use it that they jumped in the boxes and started pooping as soon equally nosotros poured the litter.
If you're skeptical that clay'southward soil-like qualities thing, consider this anecdote from Ray Brown, VP at Church & Chocolate-brown, maker of Arm & Hammer litter. About a decade ago, the visitor tried out a silica litter that consisted of white spheres the size of marbles. Not only did about a third of the cats reject it (because it felt weird to step on, Dark-brown figured), but it didn't wear so well, either. "When you lot first put it in the litter box, honestly it looks great, but afterward the true cat starts to apply information technology, it doesn't await so great," he said. To put it less politely: On a white groundwork, pee and poop stick out.
How nosotros picked
Our starting requirement was simple: clay litter that clumps.
Clumping litter forms a block when your cat pees on it, allowing you to scoop out the waste rather than having to change the entire pan. Information technology's made from a particular dirt, sodium bentonite, that sticks to itself when wet and also soaks up some odor.
Unless you take enough cats to fill an adoption center (and therefore need to toss the whole litter box every day), you'll get the most mileage for your coin out of a clumping litter. Most clumping litters we found averaged 58 cents per pound, but they tin can price up to 78 cents per pound. Scooping out clumps means you change the entire box less often. Lund and other vets recommend changing the litter entirely about every two weeks to clean out any ammonia build-upwards, which can be irritating to cats (if you scoop your litter box very regularly, you might exist able to get away with irresolute the whole thing a footling less frequently).
Chances are good the litter you purchase advertises itself as more than merely "clay clumping litter." But what practice those terms mean, and are whatsoever of these extra features really effective? Here's a guide to what else y'all might detect written on the side of your pocketbook:
- Multi-cat: These litters typically have more than odor-control and antimicrobial ingredients in them compared with other litters in the same line. (The gross smell from cat pee is ammonia, which is actually the waste from microbes feasting on the true cat waste, rather than the pee itself.) However, there's no standard amount of olfactory property-control additives in a unmarried-true cat litter versus a multi-cat version. In fact, companies that make only a couple of litter varieties often label them all "good for multiple cats." We erred on the side of multi-cat formulas when they were available, but information technology wasn't a strict requirement.
- Scented: Nosotros worried that these scents would only add to the smells emanating from the litter box, rather than successfully masking them. We tested a few of these litters considering we were curious about how well they'd perform in covering odors, and—because scents can be a personal preference—we wanted to exist able to provide information about them.
- Low grit: Feel has taught us that this descriptor isn't always meaningful, and that some "low dust" litters are only equally dusty, or fifty-fifty more than dusty, than litters sans the label. Though dust can be a nuisance, the amount of dust shouldn't matter for the health of nearly cats, unless they already have breathing issues. Physicists say that it takes nearly mammals nearly 12 seconds to poop, and, fifty-fifty if yous add on some time for them to encompass the poop, cats aren't generally spending a whole lot of fourth dimension in their litter boxes. (If you spot your kitty breathing with their rima oris open, get them to a vet, Medley said.)
- Lightweight: Litters with this clarification have some non-clumping materials mixed in with the clumping clay, which is heavier. Their reduced weight makes them pricier per pound, merely, in theory, a smaller amount past weight lasts longer compared with other litters. We selected one lightweight litter to test because nosotros were curious about how it would perform.
- Depression tracking: All clumping litters are going to track outside the litter box to some extent. "Because they want to clump, they also desire to stick—including to the cat's hair," said Brown. In general, larger particles are going to track less than small ones, because they are heavier and take more than force to stick to fur. (Smaller particles can be improve at blanket poop and sealing in odors.) Particle shape matters, too. And it helps to have a litter that'south formulated with both clumping and non-clumping particles, though that sacrifices dodder quality. This is all relatively hard to discern from the box itself—especially because a combination of factors is involved—then nosotros didn't select litters to exam based on how they might track.
Is clumping litter safe for kittens?
At that place are horror stories most cats eating clumping litter and having it form clumps inside their stomachs, only this isn't something most people need to worry nearly, said Medley. If your cat is eating litter, take them to the vet: It could be a sign of anemia or pica, the want to eat things that are not nutrient. Plus, in small-scale quantities, sodium bentonite isn't dangerous for animals—information technology's even an ingredient in some fauna feed.
Some people are especially worried about kittens eating clumping litter, because kittens take smaller stomachs and may be more curious. Though some brands recommend using non-clumping litters until your kitten is iv months old or and so, others, like Cat's Pride, note that there'due south no testify that sodium bentonite has actually acquired harm to a kitten; this is a conclusion supported by vets Medley and Lund, as well as past everything nosotros establish when scanning the literature and reading many Cyberspace forums. "In my vii years feel every bit a vet I've not seen a foreign torso from a kitten who has ingested clay clumping litter," said Lund. (He notes that clay litter in full general could be a concern for kittens under two weeks—younger than their typical adoption age—if they are feeding from a mom cat who is housed in a crate well-nigh a litter box.) If you're concerned and would still like to utilize clumping dirt litter—I would!—monitor your kitten'southward behavior and check in with your vet if something seems amiss.
How nosotros tested
To reduce litter waste, we turned 14-past-11-past-3¼-inch storage containers into makeshift litter pans and filled each one with 2 inches of cat litter. We graded the cat litters on how like shooting fish in a barrel their containers were to carry and cascade, their dustiness and odor, how well they masked stand up-in odors (an ammonia mixture and hing, a spice that smells like sulfur), liquid-waste scoopability and clumping hardness, and how easy it was to clean caked-on messes at the bottom of the pan. Cat litter that performed poorly in multiple categories were eliminated.
For an earlier version of this guide, we took the four litters that performed the best in those previously mentioned tests— Dr. Elsey's Ultra, Cat's Pride Natural, Fresh Step Only Unscented, and Boxiecat Premium All Natural Scent Gratuitous Clumping Clay Litter—to Brooklyn Cat Cafe, home to a few dozen rescue cats and kittens (including weeks-quondam kittens that you tin can sentry snuggle on a 24/7 kitten cam). We paid attention to how well each brand of cat litter masked litter box odors, clumped pet waste, and prevented litter scatter. We likewise relied heavily on anecdotes from the cat cafe'south staff to determine which brands of litter the cats mostly preferred.
We also brought five dissimilar scoops—which were highly rated on Amazon or that came recommended past some other source—with us to the cat cafe, and took notes on how easy each was to hold, how effective each was at collecting clumps, and how much litter stuck to the scoop.
Our choice: Dr. Elsey'southward Ultra
Our pick
For your money, Dr. Elsey's Ultra forms tough clumps and does an outstanding job of trapping odors. It also produces less dust and is significantly cheaper than many other cat litters we tested.
In tests with liquid waste, Dr. Elsey'southward Ultra formed clumps that were in the heart of the pack in terms of hardness, and that were on the apartment side, making them less prone to sticking to the bottom or side of the litter pan. Wirecutter staffers written report that the clumps held upwardly well during scooping, sometimes breaking into large chunks if they were being excavated from a corner or side. "They never crumble into oblivion," said Wirecutter senior staff author Kimber Streams, whose cats have used it for vi years.
Our long-term testers said Dr. Elsey's Ultra does a great chore of masking waste odors. The litter itself smells neutral and isn't overwhelmingly fruity similar the Purina Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance. In our control tests, Dr. Elsey'southward Ultra masked the odor from stinky ammonia and pungent hing so well that we could odour just the dirt litter when the waste stand up-ins were just partially covered by litter.
Though tracking was tough for u.s.a. to test at the cat cafe, Dr. Elsey'south Ultra has grains that are on the larger side, pregnant it should track less than some of the competition. Our staffers' long-term experience experimenting with litter bears that out. "It tracks a bit, simply not as bad as other litters I've used," Streams said.
Dr. Elsey's does throw up some dust when you're pouring it into the pan, but non every bit much equally other cheap options—and fifty-fifty some of the pricier stuff—plus the dust settles faster than with the contest. In our almost recent circular of testing, only the Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Litter and the Arm & Hammer Cloud Control Clumping Litter outperformed Dr. Elsey's Ultra on dust command.
Dr. Elsey's low price secured this litter its position as our tiptop pick. Its average cost is 48 cents per pound, while near true cat litters we reviewed average 58 cents, or up to 78 cents per pound. You lot'll buy a lot of litter over your pet'south lifetime; we call up nigh people will like that this litter is one-half the cost of many others on the market. As Streams said, "I'm not paying a lot for fancy poop rocks."
Flaws simply not dealbreakers
The most obvious downside of Dr. Elsey'southward Ultra is its container. Though this litter is sometimes sold in small boxes, the lowest price is found on a 40-pound plastic pocketbook from Amazon. Out of all the containers that litter comes in, a plastic bag is the hardest to seal, and isn't equally easy to stow away equally a box or a plastic bin.
That 40-pound plastic purse is twice every bit heavy as other litters, which come in twenty-, 30-, or xl-pound cardboard-box containers that are easier to elevator and store. Pet owners with minimal arm strength may have difficulty pouring Dr. Elsey'south Ultra into a pan, so we recommend transferring some of the litter into an easy-cascade container (similar this one, which Wirecutter editor Tim Barribeau uses) or using a big kibble scooper that y'all store in the bag. Or you tin grab 1 of Dr. Elsey's 18-pound bags, which cost 7 extra cents per pound.
Besides nifty: Arm & Hammer Cloud Control Clumping Litter
Also great
Nosotros like the Arm & Hammer Deject Control Clumping Litter considering it does a good job of trapping odors, and it has tiny litter granules that clump better than those of most cat litter brands we tested. Also, the Deject Control litter doesn't gunk up the bottom of a pan, and it produces well-nigh no dust. But those tiny granules may track throughout the home, and the Cloud Control litter'southward traditional cardboard-box container tin be a hassle to carry and open.
In our tests, the Cloud Control cat litter trapped stinky ammonia and sulfur-like hing odors improve than the competition, and only a faint stench remained when we were sitting next to the dirty litter; only Dr. Elsey'south Ultra beat it in this surface area past completely trapping the odors. The Cloud Command true cat litter quickly negates odors if your cat regularly buries their waste, just it'll accept a few minutes for the smells to misemploy if your true cat is rude and never covers things up.
Fifty-fifty though Dr. Elsey'south Ultra had the best odor control, the Cloud Command litter did the best job of making tighter, defined litter clumps that were the easiest to scoop and clean during our tests. As with every litter nosotros tested, with the Cloud Control litter the clumps were still moisture after almost xx minutes, only it was the only litter that nosotros could repeatedly scoop up in perfect mounds that didn't crumble. We institute that clay litters with finer granules, like the Deject Control litter, produced tighter clumps than litters with boilerplate-size granules, like Dr. Elsey's Ultra, which tended to break into larger pieces during scooping. (Cat'due south Pride Full Aroma Control Unscented, a brand with similarly sized granules, bankrupt apart into smaller pieces that were harder to scoop.) The Cloud Control litter was also the only one that didn't leave behind gunky messes at the bottom of the litter pan. The litter effortlessly slid out and left behind only a lite dusting, which is easier to deep-clean than the sticky patches left behind by other litters, including Dr. Elsey'southward Ultra, Arm & Hammer Super Scoop Clumping Litter, and Fresh Step Simply Unscented.
"After using Elsey's for my two cats over the course of virtually a year, the switch to Deject Command was actually a revelation," said Michael Hession, Wirecutter's head of photography and video. "I always struggled to scrape clay litter off of our boxes, and the Cloud Command makes scooping much faster and less labor-intensive. I also find that it lasts much longer without getting gross. It costs more than Elsey'southward, but it seems like I've been earning the money back in longevity."
And the Deject Control's moniker lived upward to its name. It was i of ii brands that produced no grit to the naked eye when we were pouring and scooping cat litter (the other was the Arm & Hammer Super Scoop Clumping Litter). The Deject Control's minuscule dust profile ways that nearby surfaces stay cleaner longer, and this brand of litter should exist easier to tolerate if you or your cat has allergies. (And, as Medley said, if your cat is breathing with their mouth open, go them to the vet right abroad.)
The Cloud Control litter'south smaller granules are easier to scoop and make clean, but those tiny specks are also more likely to stick to your cat's paws and track throughout the firm. Invest in a good cat litter mat, similar the Easyology Premium Cat Litter Mat, which traps fine granules better than any mat nosotros've seen.
Finally, the Arm & Hammer Cloud Control litter comes in a cardboard box with a plastic handle, making it easy to hold and to shop compared with the packaging for Dr. Elsey'south Ultra (though information technology's non most as comfortable to bear equally Cat'south Pride's plastic jug). When we first opened a box of Cloud Control litter by punching in a cardboard tab to create a hole, sometimes grains of litter would go flying. (Life hack: Utilise a box cutter to remove the top of the paper-thin box so it'southward easier to scoop litter out with a kibble shovel.)
The best litter scoop: DurAnimals DuraScoop Original Cat Litter Scoop
Our pick
Out of five scoops nosotros used to scoop litter at the Brooklyn Cat Cafe, the DurAnimals DuraScoop Original Cat Litter Scoop was the only one that didn't end up with a chaff of pee and litter on the border, or bits of litter stuck in the mesh.
This scoop is deeper and wider than the competition, making it simple to scoop up a large dodder or to rake through the litter to pick up any bits you lot've missed. Its sturdy edge allows y'all to hands remove any clumps that may have gotten stuck to the pan'south border or lesser.
The DuraScoop's inventor, Chuck Firth—aka the "poop scoop guy," as he signs his emails—said he invented this scoop in 2003 because he was tired of using plastic scoops that bent easily. The DuraScoop lives up to his intent, and its rubber handle is easy to grip and won't bend or dig into your hand.
Overall, the DuraScoop makes an unpleasant chore as simple as possible, a fact reflected by the scoop's impressive, 4.8-star rating on Amazon. 1 reviewer says, "xxx years, 4 cats, and countless plastic scoops subsequently, I bought the metal DuraScoop. What a relief." Says another, "I can't believe I'thou in love with a litter scoop!" It'south besides a house staff favorite at Wirecutter.
The DuraScoop is more expensive than the competition, though nosotros think that about $13 is nonetheless a small price to pay for something that makes it easy to clean out your pet's litter box.
This scoop's big size makes it impossible to fit in some scoop holders, like the one that comes on the Litter Genie. And a few reviews complain that the DuraScoop's holes are too big, allowing smaller clumps to fall through. We did discover this during a new round of testing, so if your cat litter crumbles easily, you may adopt a litter scooper that has narrower sifting slots. Finally, if you lot use litter box liners, the DuraScoop's metal border may snag on the plastic.
The all-time alternatives to clay litter (according to Wirecutter staff)
Our experts said most cats do well with dirt litter, and we recollect dirt clumping litter will require less experimenting and less expense for most people. But if you lot're looking for a different setup (whether it's out of personal preference or because you have a defiant cat), here are a few personal recommendations from Wirecutter staff.
The best silica gel cat litter
Wirecutter contributing author Gregory Han swears by the odor-arresting properties of silica gel litter, and he has used So Phresh Scoopable Cat Litter for about a decade. "Guests have remarked our apartment does not smell like the usual pocket-sized space, multi-pet abode, and most importantly the cats seem to similar the sodium silicate best," he writes in Apartment Therapy. Han notes that silica gel litter tends non to track as far outside the litter box equally some clay litters he'south tried. For ane of his cats who spent a lot of fourth dimension scraping at the litter box, the dust from clay was a trouble too. Han admits that And so Phresh is pricey (information technology's more than iii times the toll of our top selection), and he says it works best with a layer of baking soda added to the lesser of the litter pan (another expense). Unlike silica with bigger crystals or pearls, the And then Phresh silica is small plenty that it coats poop reasonably well, though it does get a lilliputian xanthous from cat pee.
The best pine true cat litter and cat litter tray organisation
Several Wirecutter staff members are into the Tidy Cats Breeze system, which makes getting rid of cat pee easy. Special pino pellets go in the box, and below them there's an absorbent pad that you tin swap out, in improver to scooping. So you scoop daily, modify the pad about once a week, and change all the pellets once a month. It'southward more expensive than a regular setup—a little more than 2½ times equally much as our tiptop pick for litter—but Breeze advocates say the convenience is worth it (and you lot tin can bring the operating costs downward by using plain pine pellets, sold in majority as horse bedding, in place of Tidy Cats'south specialized pellets). Withal, if your cat doesn't like it, you're out the expense of a new litter box besides as a agglomeration of special pads and pino cat litter pellets.
The best flushable, corn cat litter—only apply caution
Again and again while working on this guide, we heard from people who swore by World's Best Cat Litter, which is made of corn. We ordered some to test, just to run into what the fuss was nearly. It smells like a subcontract, and objectively, information technology forms soft mushy clumps. But those who love it mainly honey it because the company claims that the litter is flushable (and the company says it'due south performed tests to ensure that the litter doesn't clog pipes and sewer systems).
Still, putting your litter down the bleed can practise harm to local wildlife. Equally we've written in our guide to dog poop numberless, the US Environmental Protection Agency classifies pet waste every bit a pollutant, which can introduce excess nutrients and harmful microorganisms similar parasites and coliform bacteria into rivers, streams, and groundwater. An consequence particular to cat waste matter is toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection carried past cats that in humans can cause serious complications during pregnancy and for those who accept weakened immune systems. In California, show has linked toxoplasmosis from cat feces to increased mortality in ocean otters, prompting legislation to attach anti-flushing notices on cat litter bags. Equally a sanitation operations manager told The New York Times (Wirecutter's parent company) virtually wet wipes, which are also supposedly flushable: "I hold that they're flushable. A golf ball is flushable, but it'due south not a skillful idea."
Do y'all need to switch litters?
If your true cat is using the litter box, and the litter you're using right now is reasonably priced, clumps well, and doesn't scent terrible with regular scooping, keep using what you're using. Fifty-fifty our favorite litters can only do so much.
Cats have a reputation for being picky about litter, only if your litter leaves room for comeback, chances are practiced that your cat volition go on with a change. It'due south common for about 2 percentage to iv percent of cats to reject any given litter, co-ordinate to Ray Brownish, of Arm & Hammer's parent visitor, Church & Dwight. Ease the transition past mixing in some of the new litter with the sometime for a week.
How to solve common litter box bug
If y'all're unhappy with your current cat litter setup—it's hard having a small-scale animate being crapping where you live!—in that location are a couple of other solutions that you might try before or in addition to swapping litters.
Scoop your litter at least once a twenty-four hour period. When we went to the Brooklyn Cat Buffet to examination litters, we were braced for the place to aroma like a farm. It didn't. That's because the cafe'due south volunteers were e'er scooping, oft within minutes of a cat doing its business. Though Church building & Dwight's Brown told the states that litter formulas are tested for their dodder integrity and odor command for upwardly to 3 days (that'due south in case you miss a mean solar day, or a clump), you still demand to try to scoop every day.
Several Wirecutter staffers have also found personal litter box happiness with a Litter Genie Plus True cat Litter Disposal System close-by. Information technology's a trash can, of sorts, that allows you to scoop litter into a minor antechamber and shut the lid, and then send the litter into a larger compartment; that way, your nose isn't bombarded with a calendar week's worth of dirty litter every fourth dimension y'all go to add newly soiled litter.
Switching litter won't solve health problems. If you spot your cat eating litter or having breathing issues when they're in the litter box, that could indicate underlying health issues, so take your cat to the vet equally shortly as possible, said veterinarian Alexandra Medley. If your cat does have asthma, switching to an unscented litter or not-clay litter could help, added veterinary Michael Lund. If your true cat is besides frequently defecating or urinating in other locations, that may be a sign of a health outcome, rather than a litter problem. Cats will often seek comfortable and condom places when in pain—causing them to crouch downward nether your bed, rather than using their box. Too, if a cat associates their litter box with pain (which can happen if they have an infection), they may start avoiding information technology.
The competition
2020 testing
The Fresh Pace Simply Unscented litter is a former likewise-smashing option because it was adept at controlling aroma. Simply it'south really dusty, has average clumping action, and sticks to a dirty litter pan more than almost of the competition.
2017 testing
Boxiecat Premium All Natural Scent Free Clumping Clay Litter boasts apartment meridian™ (yes, ™) clumps. The clumps are indeed flat. This characteristic was nice when we were testing with fake waste product; flat clumps are easy to scoop because they don't require whatever excavation. However, when we brought Boxiecat litter to the Brooklyn Cat Buffet, nosotros discovered that the flatter clumps were also decumbent to breaking apart when cats stepped on them.
Of the three scented litters we tested, Arm & Hammer Slide did the best job of removing the sting of the ammonia. The fine grains produced no dust, and would likely track less than our top picks. However, information technology smells like Starburst candy, which nosotros don't think will appeal to most people.
Purina Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance comes in a pail with a long handle that's unwieldy to concord. The clumps are relatively squishy and form deep in the pan. The litter'due south smell is fruity, without eliminating the sting of ammonia.
We used to recommend True cat's Pride Natural as an upgrade pick. It was more than expensive than the other litters we recommend, but it came in an easier-to-pour container and tended to course tougher clumps compared with everything else we tested. Unfortunately, it is no longer available.
Often asked questions
When should you switch litters?
If your cat is using the litter box, and the litter yous're using right now is reasonably priced, clumps well, and doesn't odour terrible with regular scooping, proceed using what you're using. Even our favorite litters tin merely do so much.
It's common for about 2 percentage to four percent of cats to decline whatsoever given litter, according to Ray Brown, of Arm & Hammer's parent company, Church building & Dwight—just if your litter leaves room for improvement, chances are good that your true cat will keep with the change. Ease the transition past mixing in some of the new litter with the old for a week or two, or follow the transition instructions on the box, if they differ.
What is the best place to put a cat litter box?
Cats prefer a quiet, clean place to practice their business organization, just similar humans do. It's best to identify the litter box in a tranquility room with limited foot traffic, and against a wall so your true cat volition experience safety when they use information technology. If a litter box is besides difficult to reach (on a loftier platform) or besides far abroad (the opposite stop of a 2,000-square-human foot home), your cat may not be able or even willing to go at that place. And boxes that are near loud appliances can upset your pet.
Can you affluent cat poop?
Putting any cat litter down the bleed can be harmful to local wild animals. The US Environmental Protection Bureau classifies pet waste as a pollutant, which can introduce excess nutrients and harmful microorganisms like parasites and coliform bacteria into groundwater, rivers, and streams. Also, cat waste tin crusade toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection carried past cats that, in humans, can cause serious complications during pregnancy and for those with weakened allowed systems. In California, prove has linked toxoplasmosis from true cat feces to increased mortality in body of water otters, prompting legislation to attach anti-flushing notices on cat litter numberless.
Do cats prefer open or closed litter boxes?
Most cats adopt a articulate view of their surround, and so it's best to opt for an open up litter box. And since airtight lids can trap smells, it may also make for an unpleasant environment for your pet. We like the open Nature's Miracle Loftier Sided Litter Box because information technology'due south cheap, it has a low entryway but loftier sides that comprise messes, and a smoothen, easy-to-clean interior. You can read more nearly information technology in our guide to the all-time cat litter box.
What is the divergence between scoopable and clumping cat litter?
Many cat litter manufacturers apply the terms "scoopable" and "clumping" interchangeably when discussing clay cat litters. Scoopable is the ability to remove cat waste material, either urine or feces, with a cat litter scooper. Clumping refers to when cat urine is absorbed or dehydrated by clay or silica-based litter granules, and forms hard clumps that are easy to scoop. In that location are some types of cat litter that are only scoopable, not clumpable, like pino litters and recycled paper litters.
Tin you get toxoplasmosis from breathing in cat litter?
Toxoplasmosis is an infection acquired by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii—which may be nowadays in up to half the cats in some areas, and is about usually found on pets that spend time outdoors. Most humans come into contact with the parasite when they eat undercooked or contaminated food or water, while gardening in an infected flowerbed, or when they come in close contact with cat carrion (for example, touching hand to mouth later cleaning the litter box). An infected person may be asymptomatic, the CDC notes, just the parasite can survive in a host for years. Meaning people may pass it on to their children, where it can potentially be fatal; and immunocompromised people may have astringent symptoms.
Currently, the best way to prevent infection when yous're around a cat, litter box or surfaces that may have been exposed to fecal matter is to thoroughly wash your easily before touching your eyes, nose or mouth. If you lot're pregnant or immunocompromised, it's best to ask someone else to take over your litter-box-cleaning duties. If you lot live alone, clean the litter box daily, vesture disposable gloves, and launder your hands. (Notation, the parasite doesn't go infectious until 1 to 5 days subsequently it's been in true cat feces.) You tin also continue your cat indoors and only feed them commercial can or dry cat food to limit their exposure to parasites.
Sources
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Alexandra Medley, veterinarian, interview
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Ray Chocolate-brown, VP of household R&D at Church & Dwight, interview
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Lori Huston, DVM, What is the Best True cat Litter? Non-Clumping vs. Clumping Litter, Pet MD , July 6, 2012
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Preventing Litter Box Problems, The Humane Society of the United States
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Choosing the Correct Kitty Litter (PDF), Mobile SPCA
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Why Does Cat Urine Odour So Terrible?, Vet Depot , September 13, 2016
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Jacqui Neilson, Thinking exterior the box: Feline emptying, Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery , February ane, 2004
hamiltontiand1952.blogspot.com
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-cat-litter/
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