What Kitty Litter Should I Use?
There are a few different types of kitty litter out there. At Mishcats we’ve tried a lot of different styles and were here to help you through the dirt, wood, paper & crystals.
One we have been experimenting with and has fast become our favourite is the tofu, corn, bamboo clumping litters, there are so many to choose from and they all work similar to the clay/bentonite litter but safer for your kitty, better for the environment and softer on your kitty’s paws. Not all clumping litters are equal when it comes to the clumping and odour control. We have tried quite a few now and these are our picks. We only sell what we are happy to use ourselves! Our number 1 favourite for texture, clumping properties, dust and odour control is Lylli Pilly Premium Millet Litter. Another one we recommend is a company called Kitty Fresh. If you subscribe to Kitty fresh they will deliver a recyclable litter box with litter (choice of tofu or bamboo) to your door every month. If you subscribe and add a scoop to your cart enter the code MISHCATS at checkout to receive the scoop valued at $8.95 for free.
The benefit of this style of litter is it’s effective for odour control and any kitty tray is compatible!
Another style of litter we like is wood pellets! There a few different brands to choose from but we use and recommend Catmate. It’s great for odour control, minimal tracking and it’s safe for kittens.
Works best with a two tray sieve system like our Oval Cat Litter Sieve Tray
Simply put a scoop of the litter in the base tray.
Put the sieve tray on top and add a couple more scoops of litter.
When the litter is wet it breaks down into saw dust like particles which will fall through to the bottom tray when shaken once or twice daily. Scoop out any solid waste. Once the bottom tray is filled, remove the sieve tray and empty the base either in the bin or on the garden. Add a scoop of litter to base and place the sieve tray back on top. Add a scoop of new litter every few days to top up the sieve tray.
You will want to thoroughly clean your trays every few weeks with a pet safe cleaner (we recommend F10 veterinary disinfectant or Trueeco Dog and Cat Surface Cleaner). There’s no need to throw out the litter in the sieve section, just put it aside in a plastic bag to be put back in once the trays are clean. I use it to put in the base tray.
We used the clay type of kitty litter once. It absorbs the liquid quickly but is hard to clean as it doesn’t really clump together. The smell is better than the paper type, similar to the clumping. It’s reasonably priced.
We used to use the clumping type of kitty litter. It absorbs the liquid quickly and is easy to clean. The smell is better than the paper type. It’s reasonably priced. So what’s wrong with it?
The clumping type is made from bentonite. It’s bad for the environment, being a finite resource that is often strip-mined. Also, we have heard numerous accounts of constipation & obstructions caused by kittens and cats eating the litter or licking it from their paws or coats.
This type is super popular among breeders. Why? We have no idea! It’s expensive & stinks & is so hard to keep it clean. The only thing going for it is it’s environmentally friendly, made from over 99% recycled paper with has no additives or chemicals.
Crystals! Seriously who came up with this idea? We used them for a while and couldn’t believe how useless they were for everything. They smell, don’t hold the moisture, don’t last very long, the texture is sharp on the cat’s paws and the crystals get stuck to their fur and paws so then the poor cat licks it off and ends up eating it!