Cat litter is a must-have for cat parents, and for many, once a brand is found that their cats don&#;t mind, it&#;s the brand used forever. But sometimes, it&#;s good to change things up a bit; you might find a cat litter out there that your cat likes even better than their current one. Plus, there are so many types of cat litter these days&#;not just clay&#;so you and your kitty have more options than ever.
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One of those options is crystal cat litter, but is it worth making the switch? That&#;s what we&#;re here to help you figure out. Below we&#;ll discuss exactly what crystal cat litter is, the pros and cons, and what other options are available if you decide this litter isn&#;t for you.
What Is Crystal Cat Litter?
Not familiar with crystal cat litter? Here&#;s the deal. Crystal cat litter is a mineral-based litter made up of silica gel (yes, the silica gel you often find in those tiny white packets labeled &#;do not eat&#; in packaged foods). Silica gel has minuscule pores in it that are capable of absorbing up to 40 times their own weight in liquid while also trapping odors. You can see how this makes for useful kitty litter!
Crystal cat litter was first marketed by a pair of brothers in .
The 4 Pros of Crystal Cat Litter
Crystal cat litter has several pros. Here&#;s a look at a handful of the benefits of using this type of litter.
1.
Non-ToxicIf you&#;re wondering why crystal cat litter is non-toxic, even though those silica gel packs clearly say &#;do not eat&#; on them, it&#;s because it&#;s made with amorphous silica gel, so it is safe for pets and humans. Crystal cat litter also doesn&#;t have crystalline silica, which is the element in clay litters that make the dust a possible danger when inhaled, making it safer for those in the home with respiratory issues.
2.
Highly AbsorbentAs mentioned before, silica gel is highly porous, so it is easily able to absorb liquids at a rate of up to 40 times its own weight. This means not only is urine absorbed, but these crystals also cause feces to dry out, both of which are wonderful for helping reduce odors.
3.
Simple Clean-upThis is one cat litter that&#;s a breeze to clean up (and it helps reduce the work associated with cleaning out the litter box)! You only have to scoop poop out each day, stir the remaining crystals so they don&#;t become smelly, and you&#;re done! And when it&#;s time to fully clean out your cat&#;s litter box, you&#;ll find no clumps stuck on the bottom of your litter box, as crystal litter is non-clumping. Have an automatic litter box? Crystal litter can also work well with those by keeping them cleaner longer with the lack of clumps and smaller granules!
4.
Long-LastingCrystal litter lasts longer than many other litters in the litter box. Thanks to its fabulous absorption capability, you can go a month between changes! This also means you have to buy less, which might save you money in the long run, and less litter goes to the landfill.
The 3 Cons of Crystal Cat Litter
Of course, there are always some drawbacks to products, so here are a few of the cons of crystal cat litter.
1.
Not Environmentally FriendlyCrystal litter isn&#;t environmentally friendly for a couple of reasons, so if that&#;s important to you, you may want to pick a different litter. For starters, this litter is made from a mineral that comes from quartz, and quartz is mined. Mining operations are highly industrial and displace natural habitats and vegetation, causing erosion, along with air, noise, and water pollution.
This also isn&#;t a biodegradable product, which means when it goes to a landfill, it will take a very long time to break down.
2.
Not Great for Feces Odor ControlSilica gel may be excellent for absorbing urine odors, but it&#;s not as great with feces odors. While it will eventually absorb these odors, too, as it removes moisture from the feces, you will likely smell your cat&#;s poop for a while after they use the litter box.
3.
CostCrystal cat litter is definitely pricier than other cat litters on the market. Chalk it up to being a bit more advanced than most cat litter. So, you will likely pay $3&#;$4 more for a bag of this type. It does last longer than other litter, though, so the cost may be worth it in the long term.
Other Cat Litter Options
Of course, plenty of other cat litter types are on the market if you feel crystal cat litter isn&#;t right for your cat. Just a few of your other options include:
All cat litters have pros and cons, so you&#;ll need to research to find the best option for you.
Conclusion
Crystal cat litter can be a fantastic option, as it has many pros, such as better absorption and odor control than others. However, there are also some cons, such as this litter being pricier than others and not great for the environment. Research all the types of litter out there to better understand whether crystal cat litter is right for your favorite feline!
SourcesFeatured Image Credit: Valentina Zavrazhina, Shutterstock
There comes a time in every cat owner&#;s life when you want to try a different cat litter. Sure, you&#;ve been faithful to the traditional clay litter (or whatever litter your cat uses). But there has to be a better option out there, right?
Maybe crystal litter is the answer, and maybe it isn&#;t. This post will help you decide.
Crystal litter is made of silica gel, a porous form of silica dioxide1. You often see silica gel in those white packets in boxed food. The silica gel helps keep moisture out of food so it doesn&#;t spoil.
Turns out, it&#;s also a great cat litter&#;but it&#;s not perfect. Let&#;s find out why.
What Are the Pros of Crystal Cat Litter?
1.
Clumping AbilityCrystal cat litter is a non-clumping litter, meaning you won&#;t have to scoop out blocks of urine-saturated litter. Instead, the silica gel absorbs the urine. You won&#;t have to add fresh litter when you clean the box because you&#;re not scooping any litter out. All you need to do is remove the solids and stir the crystals on the bottom.
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2.
Ease of CleanupBecause you&#;re not scooping out heavy clumps of litter, cleanup is a breeze. With clay cat litter, you have to do some heavy-duty lifting when you&#;re changing out the litter.
3.
Low to Zero TrackingCrystal cat litter doesn&#;t track all over the floor either, compared to clay cat litter&#;depending on the granule size. Larger granule sizes will stay in the litter box better than the finer crystals. However, you might find a few crystals outside the litter box if you use a finer crystal size.
4.
Urine-Odor ControlSurprisingly, crystal cat litter does a good job of trapping odors even though it doesn&#;t clump. The silica gel absorbs the urine so well that you don&#;t smell urine.
5.
DustThere&#;s little to no dust with crystal cat litter, so it&#;s a great option if you or your cat has asthma. This varies depending on the brand and the size of the granules. For instance, finer granules will produce some dust, whereas larger crystals won&#;t.
What Are the Cons of Crystal Cat Litter?
1.
Weak Odor Control for FecesWhile crystal cat litter works effectively in controlling urine smells, poop is a different story. The litter isn&#;t bad, but your cat can&#;t cover its business with crystal cat litter, so you might smell cat poop for a few minutes.
The litter begins to smell horrible after a week or two because the silica gel becomes oversaturated with urine. But as long as you keep the box scooped and stirred daily, the odor is much less pungent than dealing with clay litter.
Sometimes even the best litter box setup needs a helping hand in combating invasive smells. Our Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Cat Litter Deodorizer naturally breaks down odors at the source. This effective litter additive can help all types of cat litter last longer, saving you money, and is safe for all life stages. Best of all, it's 100% biodegradable and fragrance-free.
Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Cat Litter Deodorizer Powder
2.
Not Environmentally FriendlyCrystal cat litter is not the most eco-friendly choice as it is mined and not biodegradable. This is something to consider if you have a few indoor cats who use cat litter exclusively. However, for other people, the pros of crystal cat litter sometimes outweigh the cons.
3.
TextureIf you own a cat, you know that some of these felines are quite picky. With that said, they might not like the feel of the crystal cat litter on their feet. This might deter them from using their litter box.
4.
PriceYou shouldn&#;t use as much crystal litter as you would with clay litter, so the numbers on the price tag stay low. However, you&#;ll probably use more if you have multiple cats because the silica gel becomes saturated faster.
Price also varies with brand. PrettyLitter is a popular crystal litter because it helps detect health concerns through your cat&#;s urine. They charge more for their crystal litter because of this feature.
Different Cat Litters on the Market
Now that you know the pros and cons of crystal cat litter, you might wonder if there are any other options besides the traditional clay cat litter. Well, you will have plenty to choose from!
All these choices could work better depending on you and your cat&#;s needs. Some of these are fantastic eco-friendly options; however, certain cat litter&#;like corn and tofu&#;are prone to spoiling if not stored correctly.
The Verdict
Crystal cat litter definitely has its advantages. The lack of dust and urine absorption are definite pluses! However, crystal cat litter may not be the best for cats with sensitive paws. The best thing to do is try using crystal cat litter for a week or so to see how your cat responds to it. Your cat may take to it effortlessly and forget all about its old clay cat litter!
Featured Image Credit: New Africa, Shutterstock
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