The problem of accustoming a kitten to the toilet, unfortunately, is known to many owners firsthand. It is very rare that an animal enters the house with all the relevant skills. In most cases, good habits have to be fostered. In order for the efforts not to be in vain, the first thing to do is to choose where and how the cat will “walk”.
Street, tray or toilet?
This is the main question, on the answer to which the further actions will largely depend. Undoubtedly, the use of a shared toilet by a pet has a lot of advantages. Firstly, the savings. No need to buy cat-like filler (silica gel, sand, sawdust, etc.), the tray itself and accessories for cleaning it. Secondly, convenience. An additional source of infection does not appear in the house. However, not every cat agrees to use an ordinary toilet. And not every housewife will wish to keep it constantly with the lid open (otherwise, nothing). In addition, by negligence, the animal may fall into the water or slam itself on the head with a lid, after which it will become wary of the source of its troubles and may begin to mess out. Walking a cat on the street is also not for everyone. Most owners are against their pet being trampled on the asphalt, the ground with their clean paws, or roaming the basements. Therefore, many choose a tray.
What are the fillers?
A lot of animals use empty trays. It is economical, but unhygienic. After all, the cat steps in its own feces with its paws, and then carries them on the floor, furniture and other items. So it’s better to spend some amount on backfill for the tray than to jeopardize the health of your family members. Moreover, in any specialized store they are offered in the widest assortment. Globally, fillers can be divided into clumping and crumbling. The former under the influence of moisture form a dense compound (like a stone), the latter, on the contrary, fall apart, turning into dust. Clumping materials are mainly clay and silica gel fillers, and crumbling ones are pressed wood sawdust. There are also combined options containing various granules. They are usually used as a transitional option to accustom the animal to new material. In addition to the composition, fillers also vary in granule size (there are small, medium and large). They are selected depending on the age, size and preferences of the animal.
What is silica gel?
If you answer the question from the point of view of chemistry, then this is a fairly simple compound, or rather, a dried gel of silicate acid. Get it by colloidal mixing with water, silicon dioxide. But it is not the chemical but the physical properties of the substance that are of interest. More precisely, the ability to absorb moisture.
Silica gel has a porous (hydrophilic) surface. Due to this quality, it is often used for drying air or other gases. In boxes with shoes, clothes, equipment, paper bags with transparent crystals are often found. This is silica gel. The application of the material has been wide enough, from domestic to industrial.
In addition to water, silica gel adsorbs many other compounds. Therefore, it is often used to capture harmful substances. Relatively recently, silica gel for cat litter began to be used, and quite successfully. And he is an excellent catalyst for chemical reactions.
Which filler is better?
As mentioned above, the main options for hygienic fillings for trays are clay, sawdust and silica gel. Filling for a cat's toilet can be very difficult to choose. Each material has both advantages and disadvantages. In addition, the final decision is still made by the animal, and he is not very concerned about the sanitary conditions and price characteristics.
If we consider the filler made of clay, then it is good for its low price, but it does not cope very well with odors. Around the tray, as a rule, many grains accumulate, and in the process of "digging" the animal creates a whole cloud of dust, which is not very convenient. In addition, cats sometimes swallow bits of filler, which is hardly useful.
Another, more popular version of pressed sawdust is very popular with the animals themselves. Reasonable price and ease of disposal (after use it is flushed into the toilet) made it popular. In addition, it is precisely sawdust that often additionally aromatizes, which cat owners like so much. But, unfortunately, they do not absorb liquid very well, so the contents of the tray have to be changed quite often. And there is a lot of debris from them, animals drag small particles all over the apartment. Often they cause allergies.
Silica gel cat litter is more expensive than clay and wood. But in the end it turns out to be more economical, because, thanks to its high absorbent qualities, they change it much less often.
Advantages of silica gel filler
Firstly, this material in itself is very light. This dignity will certainly be appreciated by the mistress of cats who know what they should drag a 7-10 kilogram bag with clay or sawdust to the 5th floor without an elevator.
Secondly, silica gel cat litter is partially changed every 2-3 days, and completely, after 2-3 weeks. It turns out both economically and conveniently. Those who are obsessed with cleanliness are also advised to choose a silica gel filler. Reviews of this material, regardless of the manufacturer, say that traces of his stay in the room are almost imperceptible (which cannot be said about sand, clay or sawdust).
Everything else, granules perfectly absorb not only moisture, but also smells. So it’s impossible to find a cat’s tray by its characteristic “aroma” if this material is used in it.
About the disadvantages
Ideal things in this world, as you know, do not exist. So even silica gel cat litter, despite all its advantages, has a number of disadvantages. Firstly, the cost. A small bag with translucent granules will cost several times more than a large (and heavy) bag with sawdust. True, given the economical consumption, it turns out not so expensive, but still it is the price that scares many.
Secondly, some animals are afraid of him. Or rather, the sounds that silica gel is capable of emitting. Cat litter made of this material rustles loudly when a cat digs through it (most animals simply cannot do without it). But the worst thing is hissing. When liquid is absorbed, the process occurs so rapidly that it is accompanied by sufficiently loud, frightening sounds. Undoubtedly, over time, the cat gets used to hissing and rustling, but at first it may experience some discomfort and even stress.
The third thing that stops cat owners from buying silica gel is its composition. If everything is clear with sawdust, sand or clay, then many people do not know what this material is made of and consider it a complex (and harmful) chemical compound. Undoubtedly, this is a fallacy, and the crystals themselves are no more toxic than ordinary sand. True, if swallowed, it can be dangerous (there is a risk of dehydration). And the specific smell of silica gel, which is not perceptible by humans, sometimes just scares animals away.
Is it possible to accustom a cat to a new filler?
Sometimes this is necessary. For example, if the animal got into the house, being accustomed to clay or sawdust, and its owner considers it not too hygienic and prefers to use silica gel. Veterinarians and professional breeders recommend making any changes gradually. This applies to feed, and toilet, and other points. That is, if the cat is accustomed to pressed sawdust, and the owner does not like it, the ideal option is to continue to pour them, adding a little silica gel. As soon as the animal stops concentrating on crystals, their number increases. Thus, gradually you can completely switch to silica gel cat litter. In this case, the owner will be satisfied, and the animal will not experience much stress.
Mode of application
Silica gel filler is very easy to use. The contents of the bag are poured into the tray and, after a few days, the lumps are removed from it with the help of a special spatula, being careful not to touch the dry crystals. After 2-3 weeks, it is recommended to completely renew the filler. When combined with sawdust, it is best to change the contents of the tray daily or as it becomes dirty.
Which tray is better to use?
There are also a great many of them: closed and open, deep and not very, with or without a lattice. There are even stylized under various interior items. However, choosing a tray, do not forget about its intended purpose. In addition to aesthetic qualities, practical ones must be present in it. First of all, it is the ease of access of the animal, its convenience, as well as the ability to easily wash the container or change the filler.
The shape and depth of the tray - the moments are purely individual and depend on the size of the animal, as well as its behavior. For example, if a cat likes to rummage in the filler from the heart, you should not choose too small a container, otherwise the crystals will be scattered throughout the room. For such cases, there are trays with high sides or even a roof. Animals sitting on the very edge or even the edge of the vessel should be offered a more flat shape so that the cat does not turn over under its own weight. In general, you can start with a universal “basin” of medium depth, and then experiment and observe.
In fact, the toilet for the animal, as well as for humans, is a rather intimate and strictly individual affair. Therefore, it is better to choose the number of trays, their shape, and fillers so that it is comfortable for both the cat and its owner. In this case, the apartment will always be clean and there will be no unpleasant surprises.