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Crystal Cat Litter: Pros & Cons Compared to Other Types
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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 Ability
Crystal 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.
2. Ease of Cleanup
Because 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 Tracking
Crystal 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 Control
Surprisingly, 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. Dust
There’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 Feces
While 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.
2. Not Environmentally Friendly
Crystal 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. Texture
If 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. Price
You 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!
- Corn Cat Litter
- Paper Pellet Cat Litter
- Pine Pellet Cat Litter
- Tofu Cat Litter
- Walnut Cat Litter
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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Nicole is a lover of animals of all sizes but is especially fascinated with the feline variety. She’s the proud mom of Baby, a Burmese, and works every day so he can relax in the sunshine or by the fire. She’s always had a cat in her home and has spent countless days with others, observing behaviors and softening up even the grouchiest of the lot. Nicole wants to share her kitty expertise with you so you and your cat can live happy, healthy, and care-free.
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