In fact, cats can be quickly accepted and loved by humans. In fact, a large part of the reason is due to the promotion and popularity of cat litter.
Time flies. At the beginning, cats The litter is actually mainly non-condensing cat litter, mainly to make it easier for the poop scooper to collect cat poop.
With the improvement of human needs and the continuous advancement of cat litter research and development technology, people are no longer satisfied with the simple function of collecting cat litter.
Later, with the different needs of people for cat litter, condensed sand, wood sand, crystal sand, bentonite sand, etc. were developed.
People who have no experience in raising cats will definitely be confused when they first come into contact with cat litter.
? ? Who am I and where am I? Who should I choose? Who chose me?
Because there are so many types of cat litter on the market now, and the prices range from tens to hundreds, many people are confused when they first choose cat litter.
Here, the editor personally believes that when choosing cat litter, most cat owners should mainly consider the cost-effectiveness, dust volume, deodorizing power, coagulation power and other factors.
Each cat litter currently on the market actually has its own advantages and disadvantages, and no cat litter is absolutely perfect.
So when you choose the right cat litter for your cat, you should not only look at the price of the cat litter, but also consider your cat’s nature and usage habits.
Today, the editor will analyze several common cat litters currently on the market and take stock of the advantages and disadvantages of these cat litters. The poop scraper can choose the cat litter he likes according to his own needs.
There are two main categories of cat litter currently on the market!
Mineral cat litter and plant-based cat litter
Mineral cat litter mainly includes bentonite cat litter, zeolite cat litter, crystal cat litter, diatomite cat litter, clay cat litter, etc. Etc.
Plant cat litter mainly includes tofu cat litter, paper cat litter, wooden cat litter, etc.
Today the editor will tell you about the ones with more users. Cat litter, the kind of cat litter that is relatively niche and unpopular, will not start classes yet.
The first bentonite cat litter
Bentonite cat litter should be the most common and widely used cat litter on the market. Bentonite cat litter is made of natural bentonite minerals. , the main component is montmorillonite, which has good agglomeration effect.
Bentonite cat litter should be cats’ favoriteThe cat litter is soft and comfortable to step on, and it is very exciting to paddle. It feels similar to the sand in the wild. It can create an environment for cats to go to the toilet, and most cats can accept it.
Bentonite cat litter is the cat litter with the largest market share in the world, and there are small categories under bentonite cat litter:
Based on the shape, bentonite cat litter can be divided into: ball litter , strip sand and broken sand
According to the amount of dust, it is divided into: dusty sand and dust-free sand
According to the manufacturing process, it is divided into: carbon-soil mixed sand, earth-encapsulated carbon sand, soil-encapsulated carbon sand - Various types such as crystal-carbon mixed sand
It can also be divided into green tea flavor, peach flavor, lavender cherry blossom flavor, etc. according to the added flavor
According to the different cations between layers It is mainly divided into: sodium-based, calcium-based, and potassium-based bentonite. Their properties are quite different. Relatively speaking, calcium-based bentonite has poor ion exchange capacity and affects its deodorization ability, so it is generally not used to make cat litter.
Advantages: Easy to clean, favorite for those who are seriously lazy and cancer-stricken. Just shovel every day and add new sand regularly. A bag of cat litter can last for months and is cheap. The best model cat litter that is affordable.
It has strong water absorption, good clumping ability, and medium-to-high deodorant effect. The price is cheaper and easy to buy. Easily accepted by cats.
For cats, bentonite cat litter is lighter and feels better on the feet. It is suitable for cats who naturally like to bury themselves. It is easier to clean. Some brands of cat litter are better at absorbing odors. If there are not many cats in the house, cleaning the cat litter every day can basically make it odorless.
Disadvantages:
There is dust. The longer the time, the more dust there will be, which can easily cause allergies. The round particles are easy to get stuck in the cat's claws and are taken out of the litter box. The ground needs to be cleaned frequently. When the cat cleans its claws, it is easy to ingest dust and sand, which is harmful to health. The weight is heavy and it is troublesome to carry when buying in large quantities. Cannot be flushed into the toilet.
Note: Bentonite cat litter is very suitable for home use, making it convenient for cat owners to clean up cat feces at any time, but the dust is relatively large, so it is best to place the cat litter box in a well-ventilated area. Since cats accidentally ingesting cat litter containing bentonite clay can damage their respiratory and digestive systems, special attention should be paid.
The second type
Tofu cat litter
Tofu cat litter is made of dried tofu residue as the main raw material, added with starch and binder and pressed. It has a light bean aroma and is an environmentally friendly, natural food-grade cat litter. Tofu cat litter is currently the second most popular type of cat litter in the market. Its most important feature is that it can flush the toilet. However, the deodorizing ability of tofu cat litter itself is very weak, and it will encourage the growth of bacteria and increase the odor in summer, so antibacterial agents are often added during production. Tofu residue can be combined with other raw materials and flavors to make a variety of cat litter.
Based on the smell, common flavors include original flavor, green tea flavor, peach flavor, lavender flavor, apple flavor, etc.
From the particle size, the common types are between 2.0mm and 4.0mm.
The raw material of tofu cat litter is soybeans.The prices of both dregs and pea dregs continue to rise. Some merchants may also add bamboo fiber, corn cob fiber, straw fiber, etc. to replace tofu dregs. The current problems with using other cheap materials to replace tofu residue are: the technology is immature and the supply of raw materials is not large-scale, but this is the direction of the development of plant-based cat litter.
Advantages: environmentally friendly, waste recycling, can flush the toilet directly. Strong coagulation and absorption power, no dust. The ingredients are natural and can be naturally degraded. It is suitable for purebred cats and cats with poor gastrointestinal function. It is more suitable for postpartum and postoperative cats. There is no need to worry if the cat accidentally ingests it. The used tofu cat litter can be flushed into the toilet or used as fertilizer. Dust-free, non-toxic, harmless to cats and humans. Easy to clean. The ingredients are natural and can be flushed directly into the toilet. It is also convenient to take out for cleaning. Just change them all in 12 days, 7 days, or 5 days according to the size of the cat.
It is recommended that if you raise purebred cats, cats with weak stomachs must use clumping cat litter. The bean dregs of tofu cat litter produced by regular manufacturers are edible, so it is extremely suitable for postpartum and post-operative cats and kittens before half a year old to use tofu cat litter. Because tofu sand is safe, there is no need to worry if you accidentally ingest it.
Disadvantages: It is easy for insects to grow in summer or humid environment. Some people reported that it had a beany smell and the cat refused to use it. The clumping properties are not as good as those of clay sand, and the price is more expensive than those of clay and crystal.
Moist weather can easily breed bacteria and parasites. Cat owners must have good feeding habits. Some cats will eat clean tofu cat litter. The price is more expensive.
The third type
Wawdust cat litter
Pine cat litter is processed from sawdust. It is columnar, has large particles and has a natural wood fragrance.
This cat litter product is made from recycled pine wood, paper pulp or wheat by-products and is an environmentally friendly cat litter product.
The basic effect of sawdust cat litter is similar to that of crystal cat litter. This kind of cat litter is made of sawdust as the main raw material, supplemented by a small amount of natural binder granulation. It has no dust or very small dust and will not cause It has strong anti-penetration ability and good agglomeration and odor absorption functions. It absorbs urine directly and can be flushed directly into the toilet. It does not require excessive cleaning. However, sawdust cat litter will turn into powder after absorbing urine. When the entire litter is almost powdery, it can be discarded and has a long service life. Basically, sawdust cat litter is less smelly, but the smell of wood will definitely be there. If you don’t like the smell of pine or other sawdust, you should consider purchasing it. The price is slightly higher than condensation cat litter and crystal cat litter.
When we buy wooden cat litter, we should pay attention to pollution problems. This type of cat litter reflects the most problems, because the source of raw materials for some unscrupulous merchants is furniture factories. If the furniture factory uses a large amount of plywood, then the wood chips will It will contain formaldehyde and VOS (volatile organic compounds), which will increase TVOS (total volatile organic compounds in indoor air) and endanger people's health. If you smell the pungent smell of wooden cat litter, you should stop using it immediately. If it is just pine or fir wood,The flavor doesn’t need to be overly stressful.
Advantages
(1) Good water absorption effect.
(2) Less odor.
(3) Low loss rate and long service life.
(4) Easy to use, just turn it into powder and throw it away or flush it into the toilet.
(5) It is said to reduce the incidence of FUS feline lower urinary tract syndrome.
Disadvantages
(1) Sawdust is susceptible to moisture and fleas.
(2) Some cats don’t like the smell of wood, are not used to the touch, and even refuse to use it.
(3) The price is slightly more expensive than coagulated cat litter.
(4) Sawdust powder can easily be taken out of the basin and contaminate the home.
Environmental issues
When other types of cat litter are available, there is no need to cut down trees to make sawdust cat litter. Therefore, when purchasing, be sure to choose sawdust cat litter that is marked as environmentally friendly recycled products.
Summary: Pine wood litter is the most environmentally friendly cat litter because it can flush the toilet! The taste control ability is also good. Pine wood sand disperses when exposed to water (urine), so every time you clean the sand basin, you only need to remove the broken sand-like foam. Compared with clumping cat litter, there is no problem of being carried everywhere. It has strong water absorption and odor absorption power, and is dust-free. It is not easy to take out the sand basin. Compared with bentonite cat litter and crystal cat litter, it saves money, is easy and convenient to clean, can be flushed into the toilet or buried in the soil, and is very environmentally friendly.
Disadvantages: Bacteria can easily breed in humid weather. The price is slightly expensive. Poor wrapping power for poop. Some cats don't like the smell of sawdust and will refuse to defecate in it, causing them to urinate everywhere. A special cat litter box is required.
And pine cat litter is difficult to clean! Very difficult to clear! Very very difficult to clear! Unlike clumping cat litter, you just need to pull out the big chunks: pine sand needs to clean the particles scattered at the bottom of the litter basin. If you want to only clean the broken particles without taking away a clean piece of pine sand, that is really a technique. Live! Most importantly, although pine sand is environmentally friendly, it is not popular with owners: the strong pine smell and the large particles that cannot be buried affect the paw feel. Generally, a sudden change from ordinary sand to pine sand can easily cause resistance among owners.
The fourth type
Confetti cat litter
Confetti cat litter is rare on the market and is not a mainstream cat litter. It is made of pressed paper pulp and looks like small cotton balls. After absorbing cat urine, it will expand. When cleaning, you can remove the expanded paper sand and add new paper sand. It is lighter than other types of cat litter and is easy to transport.
Confetti cat litter is soft sand, the size of rice grains. In terms of deodorization, the particle size and hardness of confetti cat litter are similar to those of ordinary mineral sand, so the odor is not easy to escape. Generally, the confetti cat litter sold on the market contains activated carbon, which is also helpful for deodorizing. Because the particles of confetti cat litter are relatively small, the dosage is smaller. Although it does not clump, it will turn gray after peeing, making it easy to identify and easy to remove. And it can be poured into the toilet and flushed, which is relatively simple.
Advantages: strong ability to absorb water and odor,There is no dust and can be flushed into the toilet. The particles are large and difficult to be taken out of the sand basin. Less chemical components, natural and environmentally friendly. Not easy to stick to cats, suitable for cats with wounds.
Disadvantages: It easily turns into paste after absorbing water and needs to be cleaned frequently. It has poor coagulation power and poor deodorizing effect. It is easy to produce sour smell after absorbing urine and is expensive. Poor ability to wrap poop. Being lightweight, the litter box is easy to tip over. The coagulation power of confetti cat litter is slightly weaker. Some confetti cat litter can coagulate when used, but it will turn into a ball of paste.
The fifth type
Crystal cat litter
Crystal cat litter is silica gel whose main component is silica, so it is also called silica gel cat litter. The particles are relatively large, and the blue particles are for anti-corrosion and disinfection to reduce the growth of bacteria. After silica gel absorbs urine, it changes from transparent to yellow. If you are concerned about odor, you can choose crystal cat litter.
When used, it is recommended to use it in combination with a double-layered cat litter box. The filter should be covered with crystal sand, and the lower layer should be covered with a pee pad or bentonite cat litter to receive unabsorbed and penetrated urine to reduce loss. Completely different from clumping cat litter, crystal cat litter cleans urine by absorption, and poop scoopers only need to remove the solid poop every day (this poop scooper is truly worthy of its name!). When most of the cat litter changes color, just empty out the old litter and put in new litter.
So in terms of the shoveling workload of the litter shoveler, crystal litter should be the smallest~
< p>Advantages: There will be no dust problems when using crystal cat litter; it is not easy for cats to take it out of the litter box. Crystal cat litter has better water absorption and deodorization properties. It saves money compared to bentonite cat litter and is easy to clean, no need to clean it every day. fair price.Disadvantages: Cannot be flushed into the toilet and cannot wrap poop. Changing of diaper pads is required frequently. Some cats may be in danger of accidentally eating it. Will cause secondary pollution. Due to the transparent nature of crystal cat litter, it may not satisfy cats’ instinct to bury their excrement. Some cats may even reject it and need time to adapt. Basically, after a cat uses crystal cat litter for a period of time, the smell of the litter box becomes unbearable, and the only solution is to replace it with new litter. Therefore, the service life is basically short and the price is high, so please be careful if you are a dirt-eater.
There are many types of cat litter on the market, and the quality of each type varies greatly according to the process characteristics of the respective factory. The above is just some basic knowledge, grasp these basic knowledge, and then choose cat litter. It’s very targeted, and I hope you can buy the cat litter that suits your owner after reading it.
Nowadays, many brands of cat litter are available in small packages. At the beginning, the cat litter owner can choose several well-known brands of cat litter and give them to his cat to try one by one to see if he likes it. Which one, then just decide.
But! When choosing cat litter, it is not a blind choice. You need to pay attention to a few points
1. First, choose cat litter that can condense and be easily removed. This kind of cat litter is easy to clean and can absorb odor
2. Cats prefer cat litter that has no smell, so try not to use those with strong fragrance, but owners oftenI usually prefer scented cat litter, such as green tea, peach or messy litter. But the owner must remember it! Cat litter is for cats, not for you to smell! Cat litter is suitable only if the cat likes it.
ps: If a cat doesn’t like cat litter, there are usually several symptoms: scratching the cat litter box, standing outside the cat litter box, or jumping out quickly after entering, or directly next to the cat litter box. "Poop", please change to another type of cat litter when you find that your cat has the above symptoms.
With the continuous upgrading of technology, many The shortcomings will be overcome. For example, some manufacturers have solved the dust problem of bentonite sand. The editor believes that technology is advancing with each passing day, and there will definitely be more useful products in the future. But now, choosing the right cat litter for your cat is the most important thing!
