The newest cat litter to hit the market is one that is based on silica. Silica is widely used as a simple drying agent. You've seen little sachets of this material in expensive electronic or photographic equipment. The cat's litter box is laid with the silica litter just about an inch deep. That is sufficient to absorb all kitty's waste and especially the foul odor from the litter box. There's absolutely no smell anymore! Cleaning the litter is also so much easier as all the waste is as dry as a bone!
You need to use very little silica cat litter. For a single cat, you'll need to lay out one inch of the litter in the box, and this will last for two to four weeks. This saves you the bother of refreshing the cat litter every few days and in some cases everyday. This particular silver lining does have its attendant cloud! The fear is that silica is harmful to your cat's health and well-being.
The particles of silica are very small but they are edgy, not rounded. The edges can bruise the cat's paws as it tries to scratch around in the litter box. Moreover, the particles cling to the cat's paws. When the cat licks its paws as is its custom, the silica particles get licked up as well. Over time, the particle build-up inside the cat's intestines can cause a number of health problems.
Some owners have an issue with the fact that it is not necessary to re-lay the litter everyday. They say that litter which is not changed for two weeks or more will be a happy hunting ground for bacteria which will adversely impact your cat's health.
The main advantage of silica as a litter is its cost effectiveness, $10 lasting you for a fortnight or more. Secondly, it is easy to maintain, since you only have to scoop out the dried poop everyday. Thirdly, you have to re-lay the litter just once or, at most, twice a month.
The opponents of silica cat litter say that the cost effectiveness is as good as that of traditional cat litters if computed over a month's usage. You use less silica cat litter, but this is offset by its high retail price. The second criticism is that the silica litter 'absorbs' the liquids from the cat's waste matter, and traps it within itself. This cannot be removed every day. With the ordinary clumping variety you can remove the entire waste.
One mustn't forget that silica can bruise your cat's paws. If these concerns put you off of buying silica litter, you can buy the variety which comes mixed with ordinary litters. These are more acceptable to many than the purely silica variety.
In conclusion, the health concerns regarding silica cat litter really put it at a disadvantage. You'll not risk your precious pet's health just like that! The mixed variety seems to be the best bet for most cat owners. This variety is more comfortable for your pet too!
You need to use very little silica cat litter. For a single cat, you'll need to lay out one inch of the litter in the box, and this will last for two to four weeks. This saves you the bother of refreshing the cat litter every few days and in some cases everyday. This particular silver lining does have its attendant cloud! The fear is that silica is harmful to your cat's health and well-being.
The particles of silica are very small but they are edgy, not rounded. The edges can bruise the cat's paws as it tries to scratch around in the litter box. Moreover, the particles cling to the cat's paws. When the cat licks its paws as is its custom, the silica particles get licked up as well. Over time, the particle build-up inside the cat's intestines can cause a number of health problems.
Some owners have an issue with the fact that it is not necessary to re-lay the litter everyday. They say that litter which is not changed for two weeks or more will be a happy hunting ground for bacteria which will adversely impact your cat's health.
The main advantage of silica as a litter is its cost effectiveness, $10 lasting you for a fortnight or more. Secondly, it is easy to maintain, since you only have to scoop out the dried poop everyday. Thirdly, you have to re-lay the litter just once or, at most, twice a month.
The opponents of silica cat litter say that the cost effectiveness is as good as that of traditional cat litters if computed over a month's usage. You use less silica cat litter, but this is offset by its high retail price. The second criticism is that the silica litter 'absorbs' the liquids from the cat's waste matter, and traps it within itself. This cannot be removed every day. With the ordinary clumping variety you can remove the entire waste.
One mustn't forget that silica can bruise your cat's paws. If these concerns put you off of buying silica litter, you can buy the variety which comes mixed with ordinary litters. These are more acceptable to many than the purely silica variety.
In conclusion, the health concerns regarding silica cat litter really put it at a disadvantage. You'll not risk your precious pet's health just like that! The mixed variety seems to be the best bet for most cat owners. This variety is more comfortable for your pet too!
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Another great solution, but also a more expensive one, is to purchase an automatic cat litter box. Go to www.CatLitterBoxesPlus.com to learn about all your cat litter options. You'll discover why clumping cat litter remains the most popular choice on the market today.
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