If a small kitten has appeared in your house, then you probably have a lot of questions about how to feed it, how to raise it and how to teach it to the tray. In addition, of course, you need to think about how to fill the cat toilet. Now a wide range of these products is presented. Today we will understand in detail which filler is best for kittens. To accurately answer this question, you need to consider all the options, highlighting their positive and negative sides.
Product Group Description
So, which filler is best for kittens? Previously, for our purrs, we used boxes with pieces of newspaper or plain river sand. Now there are more opportunities. Therefore, the toilet for the cat can be filled with another composition. But what is still better from a cat's point of view? Now we highlight some characteristics of the ideal composition for the pet tray:
- it’s convenient to dig into it;
- pads of paws on it is very convenient to step on;
- when you dig in it, in no case does dust appear;
- it does not cause allergies;
- it has a natural smell;
- if you try to swallow it, then nothing bad will happen.
What does the owner think about this issue?
Now consider the characteristics of the ideal filler from the owners:
- keeps smell well;
- not spread around the apartment on cat's feet;
- when the cat scratches in the tray, dust does not appear;
- convenient to clean;
- it will not cause obstruction or poisoning if the pet suddenly wants to try it on the tooth;
- economical: kitten toilet filler is a consumable, which means that you need to buy it constantly.
To summarize the above, we see that basically the criteria for the ideal filler for owners and their pets are the same.
The only thing that does not concern the purr is, of course, the price. It’s not very clear for a person that a pleasant flavoring is not always liked by a cat with its rather sensitive sense of smell.
Which filler is best for the toilet? Now let's figure it out. We also find differences between the fillers. By the principle of action, all of them can be divided into clumping and absorbing.
The first type is clumping
If moisture gets on such a filler, then lumps appear in it, which are quite convenient to remove from the cat's toilet. You can simply remove solid waste and lumps from the tray every day by regularly adding new filler. In order to keep the “aroma” well, you need to pour it into the cat's toilet with a thick layer (about 8 cm). This filler is usually suitable for most cats.
The second type is absorbent.
Now consider another type of filler - absorbent. It absorbs and retains moisture, while not changing its structure. After use, such a filler must be completely changed, since all the granules have already been saturated with liquid. Otherwise, liquid will accumulate at the bottom of the cat’s toilet, resulting in an unpleasant odor coming from the tray.
Due to the fact that the cat is scratching in the tray, hiding its "affairs", it mixes the used filler with unused. Therefore, it is very difficult to maintain cleanliness. We conclude that it can only be used if no more than two cats live in the house. Otherwise, pay attention to a different type of filler. Otherwise, you have to clean the cat toilet very often, and this, as you know, is not economical. The absorbent filler has another drawback - this is a rather unpleasant replacement process. At this moment, you need to inhale the "aroma" that he kept in himself.
Kinds
We examined what are the fillers for cat trays according to the principle of action. Now we will divide the fillers according to the materials from which they are made. So they are:
- wood;
- from grain and corn;
- clay;
- silica gel;
- from cellulose.
Now we will examine in more detail each of them, highlight the main points, as well as the positive and negative qualities of each product.
Clay
Such a filler, as a rule, is liked by purrs. This is because it most closely matches their idea of how a toilet for a cat should look. The quality of such a filler depends on the clay from which it was made. The best option is bentonite. This material is a type of clay that swells if moisture gets on it. Note that clay filler can be crumpled and absorbent. The cost per package (5 kg) is on average 280 rubles.
Woody cat litter
Wood filler is usually made from sawdust of coniferous trees, which are compressed into granules. As part of it there are no chemical elements, so it is considered environmentally friendly. Granules perfectly absorb liquid and also neutralize odor. The downside is that as they are absorbed, the granules scatter into sawdust, which turns into dust. She, in turn, is on the paws of a cat and carried around the apartment. Of course, such a disadvantage is compensated by all the advantages. By the way, you can throw such cat litter into the sewers. The price of wood is lower than the cost of clay (bentonite) compounds. For packaging, which is designed for 4.5 liters of liquid, you need to pay about 100 rubles. Note that wood filler is mainly produced absorbent, although some manufacturers still offer clumping option.
Silica gel
Such a toilet filler is made from a dried polysilicic acid gel. Silica gel absorbs liquids very well. That is why it is used in the production of such products. So that such a filler does not lose its properties upon contact with air that contains moisture, it must be in a sealed packaging before use. By the principle of action it is only absorbent. If we talk about the cost of goods, then it is much higher than the prices of other fillers, but this option will be used longer than others. For three kilograms of such a filler, you need to pay about 800 rubles. Outwardly, it is a translucent or white granules.
Kittens may not like this filler. There are two reasons for this phenomenon. The first is that it is unpleasant to step on silica gel balls. The second is a strange hissing sound that occurs when liquid enters the granule.
The manufacturer on the packaging with such a filler indicates that it is made from natural ingredients. But it is not so. In the manufacture of silica gel, acids are used, so the balls that enter the mucosa can cause a burn (chemical). In addition, this material belongs to substances of the third hazard class (moderately hazardous).
Given the fact that cats are very curious creatures, they like to try everything, and kittens, as you know, start their acquaintance with the tray in this way, silica gel filling is not the best option for a small pet.
Other types of cat tray mixes
Fillers made from grain, cellulose and corn are much less common. The advantage of such a product in price is that it is quite low (about 300 rubles per package, which is designed for 4.5 liters of liquid). In addition, such a filler can be disposed of in a sewer.
Let us ponder over the main question and finally find an answer to it.
If we talk about which filler is best for kittens and owners, then, most likely, it is worth giving preference to clumping clay. "Why?" - you ask. We will explain now.
This is because such a filler is not melancholy, neutralizes the smell of urine and is economical (lasts a long time). In addition, it is easy to clean, there is no need to completely change the composition every three days, it is only necessary to throw away the collected lumps and solid waste as they appear. The owners also like it because there are no whitish tracks and additional garbage (for example, sawdust) on the floor. Such a filler is most similar to the usual toilet in nature.
Tips for owners of small kittens
Regardless of your choice, use a filler according to the requirements of the manufacturer. Pour it into the toilet of the pet as much as necessary. Do not save once again. If you do not fulfill some requirement of the manufacturer, then the result will be completely different. Therefore, always think before doing anything.
Little conclusion
In our opinion, we found out which filler is best for kittens. Although, of course, each person has his own opinion on this issue. And this is not surprising, because any such product has its pros and cons. Therefore, each owner must decide for himself which filler is best for kittens, based on their needs and financial capabilities. We hope our tips will help you make the right choice.