What is Crystal Cat Litter & What are the Top Benefits
Having a cat can be easier than caring for a dog until you have to drag, scoop, and change their litter box. And while it is easy to find things to fill the box up with, not all cat litters can provide you with an odor-free home and a happy cat too.
So how do you break away from the endless heaps of clay litter? The solution comes in the form of pretty cat litter crystals. But before you grab a bag for your cat, check out why this litter may be one of the best alternatives to clay cat litter and more.
What is Crystal Cat Litter?
Crystal cat litter is a silica gel that has been crystallized. This cat litter only requires you to scoop out solids and stir the box every so often to prevent urine from over-saturating the crystals. This type of litter is an alternative to other popular types such as clay, wood shavings, corn, etc.
Unlike the alternatives, it is often dust-free and has sponge-like pores that absorb moisture and slowly release it to evaporate without releasing odors. However, you may want to ensure your cat does not accidentally ingest this type of litter since it can cause digestion problems and intestinal blockages.
What to Look for in a Quality Crystal Cat Litter
Crystal cat litters may all look the same, but there are some aspects you’ll want to focus on before purchasing some. Some points to consider before buying a bag of crystal cat litter are:
- Dust-free
The main perk of crystal litter is it is dust-free, in most cases. Some brands of crystal cat litter may still cause dust. - Affordability
Unlike clay and other cat litter alternatives, crystal cat litter can run on the more expensive side per bag. These bags are also not as big as clay and other types of cat litter either. - Fragrance
Some crystal cat litters come with a fragrance, and others will have no fragrance at all. This is an important aspect since some cat owners and even cats can have allergies to certain fragrances. - Anti-bacterial
Some crystal cat litter brands offer an anti-bacterial feature, while others may not be as clean as you would like it to be. However, crystal cat litter, in general, is far cleaner than clay and other cat litter alternatives. - Easy on kitty paws
Cat litter of clay, crystal, and other varieties often have the annoying feature of grinding a cat’s paw. Some brands of crystal cat litter are finer, so your cat’s paws won’t hurt with every use.
Outside of these points, there are also benefits and drawbacks to using crystal cat litter in your furry friend’s cat box.
Top 6 Benefits of Using Crystal Cat Litter for Your Kitty’s Litter Box
While crystal cat litter can be a bit on the pricey side, there are many benefits you can enjoy that can offset the costs easily. So, let’s check out the top six wonderful benefits of crystal cat litter.
1. Safe to Use
Since crystal cat litter is made of paw-friendly silica, the crystals are easier on a cat’s paws. This makes it ideal for cats with sensitive paws, elderly cats, and kittens that are being litter box trained. The dust-free nature of the litter makes it ideal for cat owners who have dust allergies and asthma.
And unlike clay litter, which uses chemicals to make it clump up, crystal cat litter is non-toxic and safe for cats and other litter box users. Also, like any other type of cat litter, crystal cat litter may not be pleasant to step on with bare feet.
2. Great for the Environment
Clay and wood chips aren’t environmentally friendly cat litter types. Clay litters often have to be replaced in short spans of time, making them a large consumable when compared to other types. Pine and other wood cat litter, while a little longer lasting than clay, take a while to breakdown naturally in nature.
This is where crystal cat litter comes to the rescue since you won’t need to change the litter as often, and it is safe for the environment. Crystal cat litter requires less manufacturing than other types of cat litters. However, crystal cat litter is not flushable and should be disposed of properly.
3. The Tidier Option for Your Home
Cat litter crystals are tidier than other types since they won’t stick to your pet’s paws and fur. This will mean more litter staying in the box instead of all over your home. However, some brands of cat litter may be stickier due to added fragrances. And crystal cat litter doesn’t clump, which may not make them an ideal choice for some self-cleaning cat litter boxes.
4. Odor Control
Some crystal cat litter brands have added fragrances, but not all. However, all crystal cat litter brands offer crystals that can absorb moisture, which helps remove cat box odors. On top of keeping urine and fecal smells away, crystal cat litter brands often don’t have their own smells, unlike wood, clay, corn, and other cat litter alternatives.
5. Lighter than Clay Alternatives
Ever had to lug a giant back of clay cat litter around? On top of not being foot-friendly, smelly, and not environmentally safe, clay cat litters often way a lot per bag. And while wood and corn cat litter may be lighter, crystal cat litter comes out on top with being one of the lightest types of cat litter to use.
However, because of how light this litter is, your cat may still have moments of kicking it out of the cat box between uses.
6. Better Moisture Absorption
Moisture absorption means the urine will be trapped in the crystals or fall to the bottom of the cat box for easy cleaning. This absorption makes the litter last longer than clay and pine cat litter alternatives. So, you can expect a bag of crystal cat litter to last you at least two weeks to a full month, depending on the number of cats you have.
Final Thoughts
Crystal cat litter may seem a bit expensive, but unlike other cat litter alternatives, it lasts longer with more preferable results. So, if you’re looking for better alternatives to clay and want something that will keep urine smells at bay, then crystal cat litter is the most suitable choice. And with all of this in mind, we hope you find the best cat litter for your furry feline friend.
Wayne Probert is a senior reporter at Zobuz, covering state and national politics, and he is a grantee with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Before joining Zobuz, he worked as a freelance journalist in Kentucky, having been published by dozens of outlets including NPR, the Center for Media.
