If a small kitten has appeared in the house, then it is urgent to take care of creating conditions for his toilet. This will protect the owner from unpleasant surprises in the form of excrement on your favorite carpet, puddles on the doorstep 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 it be convenient to clean for the owner and will be affordable? You can find answers to these questions by reading this article.
Mistakes of the owners in the choice of filler
Many inexperienced cat breeders use paper, river sand or wood shavings as cheap cat litter. It is inexpensive, which means that you don’t need to fool you with shopping. But if we examine these components more carefully, we get a picture that completely changes the first impression of the economical use:
- Firstly, paper, sand and chips do not save the room from an unpleasant odor.
- Secondly, when raking animal excrement, the above elements fly far beyond the limits of the tray. This gives additional trouble to the owners.
- Thirdly, a place stained with excrement is difficult to remove from the tray. Therefore, you have to change all its contents.
From this we can conclude: a small momentary savings create big problems in the future.
All variety of fillers
A good filler for a cat's toilet, according to breeders, is well absorbed, reduces unpleasant odors, is environmentally friendly and inexpensive. But how to make a choice, because the range offered by pet stores is huge? For this, it is necessary to study the types of known fillers, which according to the principle of action are divided into two groups:
- Absorbent filler for a cat's toilet can be made from waste from the woodworking industry, porous minerals, etc. The principle of operation is to completely absorb liquid and reduce unpleasant odors.
- Lumping, on the contrary, when liquid gets on it, collects in lumps. This principle of operation reduces pellet consumption and makes cleaning easier. The disadvantage is the ban on disposal in sewer pipes.
As a rule, absorbent filler for a cat's toilet is cheaper, but its consumption is several times more.
Differences in composition
According to numerous reviews, pet owners consider a good filler for a cat's toilet safe material that does not cause allergic reactions, does not create dust, absorbs moisture well and suppresses unpleasant odors. It can be both natural components and artificial ones. Cat litter ratings are based on pet owner stories. But in the animals themselves, opinions differ on this score. Some people like wood pellets, and others like silica gel balls. The owner needs to experiment, carefully looking at the actions of the pet. If a kitten willingly visits the tray and doesn’t spoil it 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 will not be able to get into it. In addition, the size of the granules should also be considered. Small ones are more suitable for small kittens, and large ones are suitable for adult cats.
Woodworking waste filler
Absorbent fillers for cat litter include wood pellets. When wet, the granules increase in volume and exfoliate. The advantages of this material are:
- ecological cleanliness;
- hypoallergenicity;
- cost effectiveness;
- does not clog the sewer;
- eliminates the smell of urine;
- safe for the environment.
Adhesion to the paws can be considered a disadvantage, as a result of which litter is carried throughout the dwelling. Most tailed pet owners find wood pellets a good cat litter. Reviews from numerous buyers only confirm 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 in trays for pets. Manufacturers make clay granules with clumping and absorbent characteristics. The advantages of this composition include the following qualities:
- environmental friendliness;
- natural component (resembles sand to cats);
- a variety of granules;
- safety for the environment.
Among the shortcomings can be identified:
- clogs sewer pipes;
- turning into small particles, spreads around the house;
- sticks to the paws.
Large clay granules can cause inconvenience to a small kitten, so it is important to choose the right size.
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, filler consumption is significantly reduced. Among other advantages, the following can be distinguished:
- can be washed off to the sewerage;
- does not stick to paws and wool;
- eliminates unpleasant odors;
- like animals.
The disadvantage is the rarity of the appearance of corn filler for cat litter on the shelves of stores and the need for frequent replacement of granules.
Synthetic materials
Silica gel filler is a component produced chemically by mixing water and silicon dioxide. The obtained 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 and leather goods. Silica gel is used as a filler relatively recently, but has already managed to establish itself as one of the best components. According to numerous reviews, silica gel filler for cat litter absorbs fluid perfectly and completely blocks unpleasant odors. Of the minuses, we can distinguish:
- high price;
- animals are difficult to get used to this substance;
- chemical origin of granules.
You can also note the minimum consumption of granules in comparison with natural elements (sawdust, clay, corn).
New technologies
Filling for cat litter "Fresh" has a unique structure, which is based on creating complete comfort to the animal and its owner. The composition of the filler may have an absorbent or clumping structure:
- The first option contains small granules of three colors, which are responsible for absorbing liquid, eliminating odor and neutralizing fumes. This allows the owner to not experience discomfort when walking the animal in the tray.
- The second option also does not cause the owner unnecessary trouble, because it is based on the absorption of liquid by creating a lump. Moreover, 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 appeared on sale - it is "Fresh" with silica gel granules. As wet, the transparent crystals turn yellow, thereby indicating the presence of urine. This allows the owner to remove the wet clot in time.
How to choose the right
The comfort of being a cat and a person in the house depends on how correctly selected by the owner of the animal the composition of the substance. According to customer reviews, it is not always possible to determine a good filler for a cat’s toilet, 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 owner of the pet 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 the tray. You can immediately buy 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 large cat or cat large, especially if the coat is long. Feline animals like to carefully rake their paws after emptying, so it is better to choose a filler with the appropriate structure.
What will the manufacturers rating suggest?
The cat litter rating is based on stories from cat owners. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the main criteria for the owner are the ease of cleaning, the absence of an unpleasant smell and dust. For the animal, a good structure and the ability to dig paws is important. Each pet is individual, so preferences may vary depending on the breed and nature of the cat. Here are some of the most famous filler manufacturers.
For kittens:
- The first position in the rating belongs to the filler Barsik. Antibacterial effect. It consists of fine clay and is ideal for training a kitten on a tray.
- The second place can be awarded to the Ever Klin brand for its low allergen content, small fraction of granules (no more than 2 mm) and a pleasant aroma that is released when urine enters.
- The third place is surely taken by the filler "Clean Paws" of wood pellets. It has excellent absorption, retains an unpleasant odor and has a natural structure.
For adult cats:
- 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, odor neutralization during evaporation.
- The second place goes to the Siberian Cat silica gel filler, which absorbs moisture almost instantly, does not scatter when raking, and has a minimum consumption of raw materials.
- The third place is occupied by the Kuzya filler. It has a low price, does not stick to the paws of animals and has antiseptic properties.
What pet owners think about it
A review of cat litter for Russian manufacturers of cats is presented below:
- "Murzik", "Kuzya", "Barsik" - the minimum price, average quality. They have a natural antibacterial composition with protection against smell.
- "Zoonik", "Barsik" for kittens - have a small fraction, ideal for the first acquaintance of the animal with a tray, have a minimum cost.
- “Kapitosha”, “My Beast” - perfectly absorb and hold the smell, have a small cost.
- "Clean paws", "Kotyara", "Snowball" - have an average price, antibacterial, well absorb liquid.
Most cat owners prefer a clumping composition. This is due to the ease of cleaning and economical consumption of the substance. However, at the first purchase of the toilet component, the owners most often opt for absorbent formulations. Silica gel cat litter, reviews of which are almost all positive, are mainly used to keep several cats. This significantly reduces filler consumption. To teach shaggy animals to silica gel balls you need to gradually, gradually adding granules to 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.