Cat litter: varieties and subtleties of use

Unlike most dogs, pedigreed cats are often purely domestic pets. They spend almost all their lives in four walls and do not go on regular walks. Because of this, it is impossible to make the animal meet its natural needs on the street, so there is a need to organize a cat's toilet inside the room.

The task is not so difficult, because cats are clean animals, and they themselves are interested in not messing up the whole apartment, they just need a little help with this, and therefore they cannot do without toilet filler.

By itself, the tray is just a container that does not provide cleanliness at all: it only defines the space for a latrine, but even the smell does not hide. For this reason, equipment for a full-fledged cat's toilet also needs some kind of filler. Despite the fact that cats have been living in close proximity to humans for several millennia, until recently, the cat owner had to use improvised materials as filler, which often turned out to be ordinary sand or cut paper.

Today they are not a productive solution. Since the late 40s of the last century, the industry has started the production of artificial fillers with much more interesting characteristics.

The current cat litter is a small granule that does not cause any negative pet reaction. Raw materials for the production of such granules can be different materials, they all have the ability to perfectly absorb moisture, and some successfully mask the smell. Anyway the dirt does not stick to the pet and does not spread for him throughout the house, which allows you to observe a decent level of cleanliness.

Universal filler does not exist, at a minimum, granules differ in size of individual particles. For small kittens or adult animals with hypersensitivity, small pellets are usually chosen, whereas for long-haired pets, coarse-graded fillers are preferable. At the same time the used filler from the absorbed moisture can swell and stick together in lumps.

The mere fact of the existence of a large variety of different fillers indicates that not all of them are equally good. Modern production is focused on the hygienic component: a typical absorbent filler should be able to remove the smell. But in practicality from the point of view of a person, the requirements for granules do not end there: it is necessary that the cat also considers your solution optimal. In particular, very much depends on the habits of a particular individual.

For example, you took a kitten from the nursery, and there he was already accustomed to the tray. In the nursery, the filler was silica gel, and you preferred wood. It is not surprising that the formerly cultured cat would suddenly become irresponsible. The fact is that for an animal the toilet symbol is not so much a tray as a filler. A new substance seems to him unusual, strange and inappropriate, because he is accustomed to silica gel.Because of this, the cat simply will not associate your tray with the toilet and will look for a place whose texture is more similar to silica gel.

Since the animal is constantly in contact with the filler, it is important to ensure that it is completely safe from an environmental and chemical point of view. On the production of granules are often further flavored to more effectively hide an unpleasant smell, but for a kitten it may be an incentive to try a lot of tooth. In addition, in the digging process, dust rising from the pellets can penetrate into the lungs of the animal and accumulate there. In the end, a strong aroma, even by itself, can be a problem if it causes allergies.

Essential filler requirement is An adequate combination of cost and frequency of replacement. Used granules must be thrown away, but much depends on the absorbency of the substance used: in some cases, the filled tray will be enough for several times, in others it will have to be emptied almost immediately. For this reason the cheapest packaging is not always the most profitable purchase.

Granular filler, regardless of the composition, is of two main types: crumpling and absorbing. Their maintenance is somewhat different, because the first, absorbing moisture, is collected into lumps, and they must be immediately thrown away, and the second, on the contrary, dries out and falls into dust over time, which does not require such frequent replacement. You can make the erroneous conclusion that the clumping options are not too good, but in fact they have a lot of advantages. These include:

• relatively small consumption of the substance;
• decent masking of the smell;
• ease of cleaning;
• environmental safety due to natural origin.

Among other things, such pellets like most pets, and even for kids such a substance is not dangerous. There are not many reasons for criticism, but they are significant:

• first, the lumps dry not so quickly and can stick to the paws of the animal, because of what they spread around the house;
• secondly, such a substance involves daily cleaning of the tray;
• among other things, a truly high-quality filler of this type will cost the cat owner a pretty penny.

Absorbent type fillers act quite differently. Despite the same useful result, they do not change their structure as they are used. Caring for a toilet with such a filler is much easier, so it is chosen either by those who do not want to engage in a tray every day, or by the happy owners of several cats at once. The advantages of this choice are obvious:

• relatively rare maintenance;
• good neutralization of odor;
• low cost;
• the presence of special species for kids.

If there is only one cat, then the substance may last for a good week and a half. It is possible to determine that it is time to change the pellets even according to the behavior of the cat: she simply refuses to go to the tray if it does not seem clean enough to her. At the same time, over time, the ability of the granules to absorb the odor decreases, and some very sensitive four-legged individuals also need to be replaced when they are only half soiled.

The substance is made from different types of raw materials, which in each case provides its own advantages and disadvantages.

• The mineral filler is often called granulated clay.. In fact, these are 2 different, albeit similar substances. Both are made on the basis of clay, the cost usually starts from 70-100 rubles per kilogram.Such granules are both lumpy and absorbent, and they are valued for their low cost and naturalness. But there are also disadvantages. Thus, the mineral raw material, when used, gives too much dust, and it sticks to the wool and spreads around the house, and it is extremely undesirable to flush it down the drain. In addition, minerals are considered unsuitable for kittens.

• Woody filler refers to komkuyuschimsya, it is made from pressed conifer sawdust. This option is not only environmentally friendly, but also hypoallergenic, it has a pleasant smell (both for people and for pets), it is suitable even for kids, and most importantly - it does not clog the sewers. At the same time some sawdust can be spread around the house, but this is the only minus of cheap substance for 100 rubles per kilo.

• Silica gel based fillers - relatively new development, which is sold not by weight, but in batches. On average, 4 kg will cost from 200 rubles. The characteristic white balls produced from polysilicic acid are greatly approved by pet lovers, since they are completely safe for pets, instantly dry and do not stick to the cats' fur, do not contribute to the reproduction of microorganisms. Such granules not only effectively absorb moisture and odor, but can serve without replacing a couple of weeks.

• Corn filler - the substance is relatively rare, there are such granules from 170 rubles per 1 kg, made from the core of the cobs. The natural product is completely safe and economical, and most importantly - very effective. But there are also disadvantages: a peculiar smell of granules and their too light weight, contributing to scattering.

In addition, as a marketing move or an experiment, some manufacturers offer other, much more rare, filler options. For example, soy, zeolitic, cellulose, coal or ocean sand. Most often the product is offered from zeolite. All these original solutions are not yet very popular, which may hint at their low efficiency indicators. But if you are inclined to experiment or know about these materials more than the average cat owner, it may be worth trying.

Due to the fact that there are no universal options for a filler, and every cat owner simply searches for such a solution that most fully meets his requirements, a full rating cannot be made: there can be no objectivity in the allocation of seats. Therefore, we are ready to offer readers An overview of some of the most popular blend options that are in high demand and popular with many consumers.

Since it would be foolish to compare fillers of different origin with each other, we decided to make separate short lists for the most popular types of raw materials: wood, clay and silica gel. If we talk about wood fillers, the most popular among consumers acquired products of 4 brands, and here's why:

• Cat's Best Eko Plus called the option “cheap and cheerful”, for your money this is an excellent solution to all problems;

• N1 Naturel "Green Tea" It has a pleasant smell that people like and does not scare four-legged pets;

• "Kuzya" It is considered one of the most budgetary decisions among all wood pellets, however, it brought together not so bad recommendations on the Internet;

• “Clean legs” receives the audience award as a mass, which is often characterized on the positive side, with comment authors mentioning its various advantages.

Among the clay options select 5 popular products.

• Fresh Step Extreme Clay will prove to be one of the best solutions in terms of instantly removing unpleasant odors. If the mass can no longer perform its functions, you will immediately understand the flavor.

• Barsik Standard. Granules are made from a mixture of wood and clay, which transfers the best qualities of both materials to the product.

• Pi-Pi-Bent "Classic" praise for the maximum naturalness and texture.

• Ever Clean Fast Acting famous for a carefully selected formula. The composition of these granules just will not cause allergies in your pet.

• "Zoonik" It has a well-thought-out composition that is comprehensively good: it is not dusty, does not provoke allergies and is effective.

Silica gel fillers are considered the best achievement of civilization in this area, but here there are both mediocre options and “stars”. Consider the best solutions:

• N1 Crystals Most consumers describe it as the best filler by a combination of advantages, because it is environmentally friendly, safe, absorbs a very large amount of moisture, while being liked by the animals themselves and does not require too frequent weight changes;

• Siberian elite cat it is found throughout our country everywhere and collects almost exclusively positive reviews, which makes it very popular and raises it to the level of a recognized sales hit;

• PrettyCat "Crystals of Purity" showed itself from the best side in terms of hypoallergenicity: among other silica gel fillers, which should not cause allergies even theoretically, it is the safest;

• Cat step It is highly valued by cat owners for their cost-effectiveness: you will not waste time either on too frequent mass changes in the tray, or on constant trips to the store for adding.

If you have not previously had experience in selecting cat litter, then the first time you are unlikely to be lucky to choose the perfect option. In this situation, it is best not just to read and listen to other people's recommendations, but to try different solutions and form your own opinion about them. The choice is quite impressive, so you should know what to look for.

• Absorbency. In terms of the rapid absorption of moisture, mixtures of the crumpling type manifest themselves best of all: the resulting lump usually hardens and does not mix with the remaining dry mass. In terms of the amount of moisture absorbed per unit volume, the absolute champion is silica gel, while in terms of efficiency, wood and corn work in many ways not worse, but, alas, they do not absorb so much and are able to crumble.

• Masking the smell. The unpleasant smell from the cat tray does not please not only people: because of it, even the pets themselves refuse to visit their usual place. In terms of camouflaging aromas, natural remedies strongly lose to synthetic ones, and the same corn filler even in its pure form has its own specific aroma.

• Flushing down the drain. When replacing the filler in the tray, many cat owners consider completely unnecessary fussing with garbage bags. Instead, they would gladly wash all the waste along with the pellets straight into the toilet. This option is available only if the substance has a natural origin and has the ability to quickly decompose in water.

• Aromatic properties. Many manufacturers offer just to kill the unpleasant smell of the tray with a pleasant aroma, which is inherent in the filler. Such a decision is not always positively perceived by four-legged: the predator should not smell at all, even pleasantly, therefore many cats simply refuse to visit the too aesthetic tray.

• Hypoallergenic properties. Like humans, cats may be allergic to various substances around them, and the bulking agent may also contain allergens. Natural products in this case is considered the most correct, but if it is very dusty, it still will not be too good, especially for kittens. As practice shows, silica gel, although positioned as a completely safe substance, is still not as good as clay or wood.

• Efficiency. If you look specifically at prices per unit of weight or volume, the cheapest solution seems to be mineral filler, followed by wood mixtures, and silica gel and corn - this is already a kind of elite solutions. It is necessary to take into account the consumption of the substance, because silica gel serves without replacement for about 2 weeks, whereas wood pellets rarely last more than 3 days.

It is believed that the mixtures created specifically for filling cat trays, it is difficult to replace anything else without loss of efficiency. However, some consumers still do not consider it necessary to spend money on such products, especially if there is a variant of using improvised means in this quality, which otherwise would be wasted. At a minimum, such an approach is worthy of mention, so let's say a few words about popular substitutes for factory fillers.

• Without filler. This solution can be safely called the most economical, since there will be no consumables at all. Some cats and do not seek to hide the results of their life, so a simple lattice container can be a good solution to the problem. At the same time, the cleanliness of such a toilet should be monitored especially in good faith: it must be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed daily after each use.

• Sand. Common and readily available material, good for its naturalness. It will not cause rejection in a pet. It absorbs the moisture perfectly, but there will be some problems with the smell: such a filler cannot completely hide the aroma. When choosing in favor of sand, it is desirable to have a tray with high sides, otherwise individual grains of sand will inevitably crumble around. Such a mixture needs replacing every 2–4 days.

• Newspapers. Obviously not the best option: they resort to it only because the old periodicals still need to go somewhere. For ease of use of the tray the owner will have to carefully chop the paper, large pieces should not be. Due to the fact that newsprint quickly gets wet, you need to change it daily, in terms of masking the smell, it almost does not give any effect, so you also need to wash the container regularly.

• Sawdust. This is perhaps the best of the popular options. It is pretty good at absorbing moisture and masking the smell. While the filler does not get wet through the entire thickness, unpleasant odors are usually not observed, so in some cases you can even change the mixture once a week. At the same time for such a rare service you need a full ten-centimeter layer of the substance, as well as high sides. However, even the latter will not save from the fact that sawdust inevitably give fine dust and stick to the cat's paws, because of what they spread throughout the apartment.

• Fuel pellets. In essence, this is the same as store wood products. Getting wet, the granules just crumble into ordinary sawdust. This option is quite productive in terms of hiding odors and perfectly absorbs moisture, it can not be changed after each use, but simply to fill up. All these properties allow you to do cleaning in a container is relatively rare: once a week or one and a half.

Cat litter trays are all over the place for the simple reason that they are very easy to use. Each box should contain a detailed instruction describing the correct algorithm for applying mass, however, in general, it is almost always the same: the container is filled with an even layer of granules approximately 5–10 cm thick.

Sometimes for komkuyuschih mixtures manufacturer specifies the exact amount of the required mass, then the observance of the stated dosage allows the use of granules as efficiently as possible. This type of substance must be cleaned daily, removing solid waste and lumps formed.

Absorbing mass option without replacement is noticeably longer. Depending on the species, it is usually changed every 5–10 days. At the same time, the entire volume of the filler is removed and replaced, before the new batch is poured it is necessary to carefully wash the container.

Please note that it is very difficult to retrain an animal that is used to a certain type of filler, therefore it is often necessary to take a very responsible approach to choosing the first mix for a kitten. It is possible to quickly teach a kitten to the tray, having caught the moment when it becomes restless after taking a meal. At this point, immediately take it and sit in a container, not letting go until he can handle his business.

The child’s association will develop not so much with the location or the tray as with the filler, therefore replacing the squad can give the pet an indication that the toilet is no longer there. However, some cats become attached precisely to the place, especially if the replacement of one filler to another occurs smoothly, and the smell and texture differ not so drastically.

If you see that the selected mixture is not suitable for some reason, it is worth trying something new.

The comments of the owners of baleen four-legged on various thematic forums show that an experienced cat owner is no longer guided not only by the material from which the granules are made, but rather by the manufacturer. It is obvious that even wood pulp from coniferous wood can be made of different wood species. In addition, the exact composition of the substance may be different if there are any extraneous additives. The same applies to mineral or clay fillers, because the clay for their manufacture also varies, so what about synthetic substances produced in laboratories. Since the size of the fraction also matters, sometimes you have to look for the ideal option for a very long time.

At the same time, a universal solution for all life situations simply does not exist. The choice depends on too many factors, starting with the range available in your city and ending with the features and personal preferences of the animal for which the tray is equipped.

For this reason, any recommendations for choosing a mass are rather conditional: not the fact that your cat will like the same that most of his relatives like. However, if you are not at all guided by the topic at all, sometimes it makes sense to read the reviews on the forums in order to make at least an approximate list of products that you need to try first.

Please note that on the websites of manufacturers and sellers of fillers comments of negative and critical content are never found. Often these reviews are customized, or resource moderators simply remove unpleasant opinions. For this reason, during the selection focus primarily on your own observations, opinions of familiar people, as well as on messages on independent Internet sites.

On how to choose a cat litter, see the following video.