The Best Crystal Cat Litter

PetSafe ScoopFree Premium Crystal Cat Litter

If there’s one thing that’s difficult about buying necessities for your precious cat– it’s finding the best type of litter. If you were to walk into a pet supply store, you’d be greeted by so many choices, and it can be totally overwhelming. How do you know which type of kitty litter to get? Of course, you want to get a litter that’s perfect for your cat, but you also want one that works for you too, which means not being able to smell anything- including the litter itself. Crystal cat litter is the answer to all those questions and concerns you have. This guide will help you understand the different types of litter, all the advantages of using crystal cat litter, how to use crystal cat litter properly, and all of the best crystal cat litter picks we have for you.

The Best Crystal Cat Litter

Different Types of Cat Litter

Before we talk about why using crystal cat litter is good for both you and your cat, let’s take a look at all of the different cat litter types out there.

Clumping Clay Cat Litter

Also known as traditional clay litter, clumping cat litter is one of the most popular cat litters you’ll see when you’re browsing the cat litter section at your local pet store. Made from a clay known as bentonite clay, it clumps together when hit with liquid (like your cat‘s urine) making it easy to scoop out. One advantage of clumping clay cat litter is that it’s relatively easy to clean out of your cat‘s litter box– because it clumps! It is also relatively inexpensive, which makes it a good choice for the cat parent that is on a budget.

However, it tends to make a big mess quickly when your cat leaves the litter box. If you opt for a clumping clay option, you’re going to want to put a pad or towel down outside the litter box to try and contain the mess as well as possible. Clumping clay cat litter is also prone to creating lots of dust– so if you or your cat have respiratory issues, you may want to choose another option of cat litter.

Non-clumping Clay Cat Litter

Non-clumping clay cat litter is another type of cat litter. There is still a base of clay, but other additives may be used such as charcoal or baking soda to help conceal any odors that may exist in the litter box. The biggest advantage to this cat litter is that it is safe for many types of cats (and humans!). It’s also inexpensive, making it another good option for those who are on a budget.

However, because it is non-clumping litter, you’re going to really need to be on top of your litter box game. If you don’t regularly change the litter, you run the risk of messes being tracked everywhere as well as the inevitable smell of too much urine-stained litter.

Silica Crystal Cat Litter

Also known as just crystal cat litter, silica crystal cat litter is the third type of kitty litter on the market. It’s composed entirely of silica gel crystal beads, making for a very absorbent cat litter option for both urine and the odor produced by cat urine. There’s also no dust produced by silica gel cat litter, making it an excellent option for those that have respiratory issues. You also won’t need as much silica gel cat litter as you may other types of kitty litter because of how absorbent it is.

One potential downside to crystal cat litter, however, is that it may be a little more expensive than other types of kitty litter. This is due to the premium materials and quality of the crystals themselves. If you’re not concerned about the price of a cat litter, this choice is excellent for you.

pine based cat litter

Pine-Based Cat Litter

Pine-based cat litter is made from wood pulp that’s ground up into shreds, pressed, and finally sanitized. Pellets are made from this mixture and packaged into bags of litter. The way this type of litter works is relatively simple. When your cat urinates in the litter box, the pine pellets break down and absorb all of the liquid. There’s also a natural pine scent released, making it odor resistant.

However, this type of cat litter doesn’t really clump as well as clay cat litter does. If you choose this type of cat litter, you’ll want to pay close attention to its state so it doesn’t smell too bad or get tracked everywhere once it’s used.

Paper-Based Cat Litter

Similar to pine-based cat litter, paper-based cat litter is made from recycled paper materials. It is packed together into little pellets, some of which have added odor-resistant materials added to them. Paper-based cat litter is an excellent option for people who have respiratory issues (or if your cat has a respiratory condition) because it leaves virtually no trace of dust. It’s also non-allergenic, making it a good choice for people or cats that have sensitivities or allergies to other cat litter ingredients.

However, one downside to paper-based cat litter is that it isn’t necessarily good at controlling odors unless another odor controlling product is added to it. It’s also not as easy to find and can be expensive, so if you’re going to use a paper-based cat litter, it is recommended that you keep a stock of it or know many places that sell it so it doesn’t run out.

Grass Seed Cat Litter

Grass seed cat litter is one of the most natural cat litter options available. It’s completely biodegradable, unlike some other heavily processed cat litter options like clay-based cat litters. It is made entirely out of grass seeds and clumps together easily when liquid comes into contact with it. It’s also a more lightweight option than some other cat litter types, because all it is is grass seeds!

However, because there are so many tiny seeds in the litter box, it can track outside of the litter box easily. If you’re going to pick this litter option, we recommend putting a mat or other type of pad that can gather all the extra litter on it when your cat steps outside of the litter box. There’s also an inherent allergy risk if you or your cat are allergic to grass. If either of you are, then you’ll likely want to look for another cat litter type.

Wheat-Based Cat Litter

Wheat-based cat litter is made from one of two things. Either it is made from different types of wheat that aren’t suitable for cooking (but are great for litter) or made from wheat grasses. The most common is the first option, which is good for cat litter in many ways. The starches in the wheat have good absorbent properties that not only absorb liquids but trap odors in their place. It’s also completely biodegradable and relatively harmless to both humans and cats.

The biggest downside to wheat-based cat litter is that it can easily be tracked throughout the house if not paid close attention to. We recommend placing a pad or other mat outside of your cat‘s litter box to collect all the extra litter particles if you decide to choose this type of litter.

The Best Crystal Cat Litter

Walnut Cat Litter

As you may guess by its name, walnut cat litter is made entirely from the shells of walnuts, making it a biodegradable option for those who are concerned about the environment. Chemicals in the walnut shells also naturally repel many odors and have been known to absorb up to three times as much liquid as clay-based litter.

Although many walnut cat litters absorb liquid at a great rate, the clumping properties aren’t as strong as other types of litter. If you choose this type of cat litter, you’ll want to be gentle when cleaning your cat‘s litter box so the clumps don’t break apart.

Corn-Based Cat Litter

Corn-based cat litter is one of the most popular types of natural cat litter on the market. It is made from, you guessed it, compact chunks of corn! Corn-based cat litter is highly absorbent and messes inside the litterbox don’t spread around quickly. It is also great at clumping together when your cat urinates on it and has odor trapping properties that make it a good option for those who are concerned about litter box smells.

Despite the fact that corn-based cat litter is absorbent, you’ll really need to pay attention to how long the cat litter sits in a moist state. If left sitting for long enough, a deadly mold called aflatoxin can form, posing a great health risk to both you and your cat.

Why Using Crystal Cat Litter Is Best

There are many reasons why crystal cat litter is regarded as one of the best types of cat litter to use. That’s not to say you can’t use a different type of cat litter, but these advantages of crystal cat litter are why we believe crystal cat litter is the best on the market.

  1. It’s a safer option. Some of the other types of cat litter can be consumed by cats (such as clay cat litter) or release toxins if left sitting long enough (such as corn-based cat litter). Crystal cat litter has none of those risks, as it’s 100% safe for both humans and your feline friend.
  2. It’s a cleaner option. Many other types of cat litter can be tracked all over the place or not clump together properly when urinated on. However, if you simply stir the crystal litter every day and remove solids from it, you won’t have to worry about messes being tracked everywhere.
  3. It’s not smelly. The absorbency factor of the crystals allows for a high absorption rate of both liquids and odors. Crystal cat litter is especially odor-resistant if other natural chemicals are added to the litter, such as baking soda.
  4. It’s lightweight. The crystals that are used in cat litter are lightweight and porous, even when saturated with urine, making it an option that’s easy to clean and that’s lightweight.

The Best Crystal Cat Litter

How To Use Crystal Cat Litter Properly

Every cat litter is intended to be used differently. Here are our top tips on how to get the most out of your crystal cat litter:

  • Don’t overfill the litter box with litter. Many crystal cat litter companies recommend that you don’t fill the litterbox with more than 1.5-2 inches of litter. If you put too much litter in, your cat may kick it all over the place.
  • Empty solid waste when you notice it. As soon as you see solid waste in your cat‘s litterbox, you should empty it into the trash. If you let it sit, you run the risk of the waste being tracked all over the outside of the litterbox.
  • Stir the crystals daily to allow for maximum absorption. In order to prevent the same litter from being saturated with urine over and over again, we recommend you stir your crystal cat litter once daily.
  • Change the litter regularly. Of course, if you notice a lot of crystal cat litter that’s a dull color, looking heavier than usual, or emitting any smells, we recommend that you change the litter to be fresher.

Our Top Crystal Cat Litter Picks

Here are our top picks for crystal cat litter and all the reasons why we like them.

Alpha Paw Genius Cat Litter

Alpha Paw Genius Cat Litter is one of our top picks of crystal cat litter for good reason. Not only does it provide the same benefits as regular crystal cat litter, but it also provides health indications for your cat (or cats, if you have multiple cats). When your cat urinates on this litter, the litter can turn either yellow, blue, green, orange, or red depending on the health of your cat‘s urine (yellow being normal and no conditions detected). Alpha Paw recommends taking your cat to a veterinarian if you notice consistent color changes with this litter. This unscented 6 pound bag of litter can be found on Amazon for $24.99.

Litter Pearls Micro Crystals Unscented Cat Litter

Litter Pearls Micro Crystal Litter for cats provides many benefits to both cat health and human health. It is unscented (as opposed to scented litter), so you and your cat won’t be smelling any funky odor in the litter that could potentially be harmful. Additionally, Litter Pearls has an added Odorbond ingredient to block all the smells of your cat‘s waste from going in the air. The Odorbond is so strong that this brand’s crystal cat litter guarantees a 30 day odor control, so you’ll be good to go for a long time without having to worry about any smells. This 7 pound bag of crystal litter can be found on Amazon for $16.59.

PetSafe ScoopFree Premium Crystal Cat Litter

PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Cat litter comes with 2 4.5 pound bags of crystal cat litter that lasts for up to two months with one cat! If you have multiple cats though, you’ll go through it a little faster. This crystal cat litter is one of our top picks because it is fast-absorbing, odor resistant, and is tracking resistant (so your cat won’t track it everywhere). This crystal litter is also 99% dust free, so there’s no need to worry about polluting the air with harmful dust. This bundle can be found on Amazon for $23.70.

Fresh Step Crystals Premium Cat Litter

Fresh Step’s crystal cat litter is made with an ultra lightweight formula that works even better than normal clumping litter. In fact, Fresh Step claims that one 8-pound bag of this crystal cat litter is equal to using 28 pounds of competing brands normal clumping litter. It is 99% dust free and incredibly easy to scoop out solid waste and change when need be. This crystal cat litter also comes with a 30 day odor guarantee, so you won’t be smelling any of your cat‘s waste anytime soon. You can find 16 pounds of this crystal cat litter for $35.36 on Amazon.

Ultra Pet Clumping Crystal Cat Litter

Ultra Pet Clumping Crystal Cat Litter is a little different from our other choices we’ve listed here so far. This crystal cat litter, contrary to many other types, is made with a premium clumping formula for easy cleanup and scooping cat feces. Made with lightweight, non-toxic crystals, this cat litter is soft on your cats paw and is not a scented litter which is great for sensitive cats. This premium cat litter also doesn’t have a lot of dust as a result from being used, making a mess-free and healthy environment for both you and your cat. You can find this 5lb bag of kitty litter for $14.24 on Amazon.

Conclusion

We understand you might be overwhelmed with trying to find the perfect cat litter for you and your feline friend. However, through talking about the different types of litter and why talking about how crystal cat litter specifically is the best option, you’ll be better informed when going to purchase your purrfect litter.

PetSafe ScoopFree Premium Crystal Cat Litter

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