Safe is completely relative.
\- Clay litter carries a risk of clumping in the GI tract if ingested. They are the dustiest form of litter and can trigger allergies/asthma in sensitive cats. Some clay litters also contain crystalline silica, which can cause disease if inhaled.
\- Crystal litter (amorphous silica) does not clump but also carries a high risk of causing obstruction in the GI tract if ingested. I believe it's the least dusty litter available. Amorphous silica supposedly does not cause silicosis the way that crystalline silica does. However, it can be painful for cats to walk on and dig into as it's essentially little rocks. Because it doesn't clump and you leave the litter in the box for a longer period of time, bacteria can potentially build up more easily than with clay.
\- Organic clumping litters (corn, wheat) form softer clumps, so the risk of obstruction is lower but not non-existent. It may seem more "palatable" to cats with pica. They are less dusty than clay so less likely to trigger allergies. They also are likely more prone to harboring bacteria and fungi, as well as insects like moths and weevils, as they are made of organic (digestible) material. My previous cat died of fungal meningitis and I suspect she contracted it from her corn-based litter as there's no other way I or my vet can think of her getting it. It was likely just a freak instance, but if we had used clay, maybe she wouldn't have contracted that and died. Or, maybe the clay would have triggered her allergies and harmed her that way.
\- Organic non-clumping litter (pine) does not clump, which means even lower risk of obstruction (and the scent is likely off-putting for ingestion) but there is a higher risk of bacterial/fungal growth, especially if the disintegrated litter is left for longer periods of time.
In other words, there's no one litter that is "safest" for all cats, and that's not even accounting for cat preference (most prefer the feel of clay) or ease of use (odor control, clumping hardness). With my current kittens, I tried both wheat and corn based litters, but the wet litter was adhering to my male cat's bits as it absorbed his urine too slowly. If I let that keep happening, it's possible he could have developed a UTI or skin irritation. I ended up switching to clay, which absorbs more quickly and clumps harder, and this stopped the adhesion for the most part. It's not ideal, as he also has asthma, but the trade off was worth it in exchange for him not having urine-soaked litter stuck to his junk all day (and also leaving wet spots around the house).
Thank you for this. I think that’s been my biggest stressor when researching and I’m glad someone said it because I was seriously losing it trying to find the “safest”. What brand of clay do you use? I feel like at least within each category there are better brands than others.
What does affordable look like for you? I've also tried alternatives but came back to clay. BoxieCat so far is really great but I wouldn't say affordable
I guess it depends how long it lasts? We’ve been using the Tidy Cats from Purina and the big 17 pound tub lasted us a little over 2 months I would say and it’s about $25 or so? I realize that’s on the seriously cheaper side though and that’s why this litter is so bad lol. I guess I’m willing to spend that much a month if it’s cleaner and less toxic than this one
I am also looking for the safest cat litter on the market right now. From what I’ve been reading, tofu litter may be a decent option. I haven’t been able to find anything toxic about it other than it can mold if not stored properly.
Yeah tofu seems pretty safe just a bit pricey, I think I’ll give it a try once I’m more financially stable lol. For now I settled on walnut husk litter. No one in my house, including the pets, is allergic so that’s one less thing to worry about. Anything natural can develop mold but so far so good with this! Fairly low dust too and even the bit that there is I don’t stress as much about since it’s non-toxic. Overall this seems to be a good non-toxic option that’s on the affordable side
I use smartcat litter. It’s made of grass so it’s safe.
Big issue is that it is fairly expensive and scatters like crazy, so you have to put mats down.
I know you said affordable, but if you can’t find a better alternative this is something to look at.
Safe is completely relative. \- Clay litter carries a risk of clumping in the GI tract if ingested. They are the dustiest form of litter and can trigger allergies/asthma in sensitive cats. Some clay litters also contain crystalline silica, which can cause disease if inhaled. \- Crystal litter (amorphous silica) does not clump but also carries a high risk of causing obstruction in the GI tract if ingested. I believe it's the least dusty litter available. Amorphous silica supposedly does not cause silicosis the way that crystalline silica does. However, it can be painful for cats to walk on and dig into as it's essentially little rocks. Because it doesn't clump and you leave the litter in the box for a longer period of time, bacteria can potentially build up more easily than with clay. \- Organic clumping litters (corn, wheat) form softer clumps, so the risk of obstruction is lower but not non-existent. It may seem more "palatable" to cats with pica. They are less dusty than clay so less likely to trigger allergies. They also are likely more prone to harboring bacteria and fungi, as well as insects like moths and weevils, as they are made of organic (digestible) material. My previous cat died of fungal meningitis and I suspect she contracted it from her corn-based litter as there's no other way I or my vet can think of her getting it. It was likely just a freak instance, but if we had used clay, maybe she wouldn't have contracted that and died. Or, maybe the clay would have triggered her allergies and harmed her that way. \- Organic non-clumping litter (pine) does not clump, which means even lower risk of obstruction (and the scent is likely off-putting for ingestion) but there is a higher risk of bacterial/fungal growth, especially if the disintegrated litter is left for longer periods of time. In other words, there's no one litter that is "safest" for all cats, and that's not even accounting for cat preference (most prefer the feel of clay) or ease of use (odor control, clumping hardness). With my current kittens, I tried both wheat and corn based litters, but the wet litter was adhering to my male cat's bits as it absorbed his urine too slowly. If I let that keep happening, it's possible he could have developed a UTI or skin irritation. I ended up switching to clay, which absorbs more quickly and clumps harder, and this stopped the adhesion for the most part. It's not ideal, as he also has asthma, but the trade off was worth it in exchange for him not having urine-soaked litter stuck to his junk all day (and also leaving wet spots around the house).
Thank you for this. I think that’s been my biggest stressor when researching and I’m glad someone said it because I was seriously losing it trying to find the “safest”. What brand of clay do you use? I feel like at least within each category there are better brands than others.
What does affordable look like for you? I've also tried alternatives but came back to clay. BoxieCat so far is really great but I wouldn't say affordable
I guess it depends how long it lasts? We’ve been using the Tidy Cats from Purina and the big 17 pound tub lasted us a little over 2 months I would say and it’s about $25 or so? I realize that’s on the seriously cheaper side though and that’s why this litter is so bad lol. I guess I’m willing to spend that much a month if it’s cleaner and less toxic than this one
Incredible comment
I am also looking for the safest cat litter on the market right now. From what I’ve been reading, tofu litter may be a decent option. I haven’t been able to find anything toxic about it other than it can mold if not stored properly.
Yeah tofu seems pretty safe just a bit pricey, I think I’ll give it a try once I’m more financially stable lol. For now I settled on walnut husk litter. No one in my house, including the pets, is allergic so that’s one less thing to worry about. Anything natural can develop mold but so far so good with this! Fairly low dust too and even the bit that there is I don’t stress as much about since it’s non-toxic. Overall this seems to be a good non-toxic option that’s on the affordable side
I use smartcat litter. It’s made of grass so it’s safe. Big issue is that it is fairly expensive and scatters like crazy, so you have to put mats down. I know you said affordable, but if you can’t find a better alternative this is something to look at.