Whether we like it or not, we have to buy cat litter for our felines. The cost of cat litter can be surprisingly significant. We’d better choose the correct type before breaking the bank. Not only does cat litter cause a great impact on the health of our feline friends, it also determines the safety of our furniture and the air quality within our home.

It’s tempting to choose the cheapest litter. Indeed, the choice ultimately comes down to your cat’s preference and your lifestyle. Choosing an appropriate type of litter to use can be a tricky task.

You may find countless types of cat litters in different textures, materials, fragrances, size of granules on the shelves of pet supplies shops. For example, mineral clay, corn cat litter, soya cat litter, Silica gel crystals cat litter, paper cat litter, pine cat litter, etc… The number of choices on the market is mind-boggling. That’s why it's important to familiarise ourselves with their pros and cons.

If you are wondering ‘how to choose cat litter for my cats’, or in search of the best type of cat litter, you are at the right place! Ahead, find the comparison between the common types of cat litter, and the top-selling cat litter products.

Factors to Consider

Normally speaking, owners should consider below factors before purchasing a certain type of cat litter:

1. Anti-Odour

Picky felines may refuse to use stinky cat litter boxes. It can be frustrating when you see your cat pooping outside the litter box. Some products feature an anti-odour formula that covers the litter smell.

However, some cats prefer unscented litters to scented litters. You may select odour-eliminating litter instead.

2. Clumping or Non-Clumping types

Some owners prefer clumping cat litter because of the scoopable clumps. You just have to remove the solid and liquid clumps in the litter box, and refill litter to replace what is removed. This saves us time and effort to do the clean-up.

3. Hygiene

Tracking and scattering of cat litter are probably some of the most common complaints the owners have. Cats love kicking and throwing litter. You can select a dust-free cat litter that doesn’t track. Or else, it’s very likely that litter and dust ends up everywhere, and may even cause respiratory issues for you and your cats.

4. Sizes of Granules

Generally, cats tend to like stepping on finer litters — happy feet! But cat litter in small granules always get stuck between cat’s toes. And they will be brought to every corner of your home.

5. Price

You may be led to some cheap options at first. But don’t forget to take quality into consideration as some litters may require higher replacement frequency. In the long run, choosing quality litter will save you more money.

6 Common Types of Cat Litter

1. Mineral Clay

Clumping mineral clay is often made of bentonite. It looks exactly like the sand on beaches. The litter can absorb liquid to form clumps, which makes scooping extra easier.

Cats like to pee on sand and rocks because of their natural instincts. Clumping clay is generally acceptable to most of the felines. The price of mineral clay is also not expensive, which can be a good starting point if you are a new cat owner.

On the other side, mineral clay generates more dust which may cause respiratory or allergy issues of cats. They are also heavier in weight, which makes carrying difficult.

Recommendation: Intersand Odour Lock Dust Free Cat Clumping Litter Unscented

Produced from high-quality clay in Canada, Intersand OdourLock mineral litter is 100% pure and natural. It has optimal odour control for more than 40 days. The other highlighted point is the 99.9% dust free formula, which is different from the traditional clay litter and is safe for the respiratory tracts of humans and cats.

2. Silica gel crystals Cat Litter

Silica gel crystals cat litter consists of small Silicate granules that can adsorb moisture and urine. These beads look similar to the desiccant beads in the “Do not eat” packets. It has excellent odour control, and won’t cause airborne clouds. Though the price is relatively higher, you can reuse it for a longer period.

Some felines might be hesitant to step on it because of its texture. When it comes to the ‘cat eating litter’ issue, this chemically treated cat litter might potentially cause negative impact on cat’s health.

3. Paper Litter

Made with recycled paper, paper litter is lightweight and biodegradable which can reduce ecological footprint and help to save the environment. But it is non-clumping, meaning more regular replacements will be necessary.

4. Pine Litter

Pine litter is made of recycled wood pellets which have been undergone high temperature process, making it safe and environmentally friendly to use. It is available in many choices, and its natural smell is good for odour-fighting.

It’s worth mentioning that you need to pair non-clumping pine pellets with Double Layer Cat Litter Box, because the pine will turn to sawdust when it meets water.

Recommendation: Clean Paw Natural Pine Tree Cat Litter

Clean Paw Natural Pine Tree Cat Litter features low dust formula which makes the litter 99% dust free. It is also flavour additives free, protecting your cat’s health. Its formula can also offer special care for cats with respiratory and urethral problems.

5. Corn Litter

Corn litter is a biodegradable and highly absorbent cat litter, and has excellent odour control. But it needs to be regularly replaced as it is easy to get damp from urine or humidity.

Recommendation: Garfield Regular Grains Flushable Cat Litter

Made from pure plant based natural ingredients, Garfield Cat Litter is 100% biodegradable and are free from chemicals or artificial additives. It destroys urine odours naturally and can be flushed down the toilet.

6. Soya Litter/Tofu Litter

Made from a by-product of the tofu manufacturing process, Soya Litter (aka Tofu Litter) smells like nature and is eco-friendly. It clumps quite quickly, and is highly absorbent and flushable, making cleaning-up extra easy.

Recommendation:  Clean Paw Natural Tofu Cat Litter

Looking for the tofu litter cats and you both love? Made from natural soybean powder, Clean Paw Natural Tofu Cat Litter are 100% natural environmentally-friendly. It is flavour additives free, making it safe and reliable to use. The litter is also soluble in water, extra low dust and can eliminate odour.

Soya litter requires frequent replacements as it might get damp and cause hygiene issues.

Keep in mind that a quality cat litter should not only suit your needs, it should also be safe and appropriate to use for your cats. If they are unhappy with the litter, they may just avoid using it, ultimately having negative effects on household hygiene or cat’s health.

The type of cat litter box also matters (e.g self cleaning cat litter box or uncovered boxes). You should also look closely to the litter box location and cleanliness. No matter what type of cat litter you choose for your cats, remember to keep the litter box constantly clean.

Wondering how often to change cat litter? The answer is — scoop out all soiled litter on a daily basis, and clean the litter box at least weekly. You may also need to clean the cat litter mat that traps the litter scatter.

If you are going to experiment to find out the litter your cat likes best, go with small packages first, and do the switching gradually by adding a little of new litter day by day. If they resist the change, you should try another new type without stressing out your felines.

Get the type of cat litter that works best for your cat at BARKMALL. We are now offering cat litter delivery that makes things easier for you.

Wondering how to further elevate your friend’s mood? Read our To-Buy-List: Essential Pet Supplies for Cats, and get all top-selling cat supplies/cat products at BARKMALL today!