What Is A Cat Litter Allergy
It might come as a surprise to some of you, but its quite common for cats to develop allergies. Tammy Hunter, DVM, explains that an allergy occurs when the cats immune system overreacts or is hypersensitive to foreign substances called allergens.
These allergens can be found in food or transmitted through insects like fleas. But allergens like dust, pollen, and molds that are inhaled can also trigger your cats respiratory system.
According to Cornell University out of 80 million feline companions that are living in American homes, 800.000 of them suffer from acute or chronic asthma?
Aside from breathing issues, these allergens can also cause a reaction through skin contact.
Its not unusual for litter to contain certain allergens like dust, chemicals, and fragrances that can affect both you and your cat. Not all cats or owners become allergic to litter overnight but they develop an allergy through constant use.
This is not surprising since litter is something cats use every day and similarly, we scoop and clean their litter at the same rate.
Testing The Health Monitoring System
Fortunately, my cats urine seemed to be within the healthy pH range throughout the testing process.
Because I wanted to see how the litter would respond to different pH levels, however, I ran an experiment using three different solutions:
After pouring the solutions into separate containers of Pretty Litter, I noticed the colors changing and deepening over time. They achieved their deepest color a few minutes after pouring.
Here is what the different colors indicate:
- Red May indicate a Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disorder , kidney stones, bladder stones, bladder inflammation, kidney disease, or clotting disorders. In rare cases, it may also indicate bladder cancer or internal injury.
- Orange May be a sign of metabolic acidosis, kidney tubular acidosis, or calcium oxalate crystal formation.
- Blue or Dark Green May indicate certain types of urinary tract infections and an increased risk for crystal/stone formation.
- Dark Yellow/Olive Green Indicates urine within the typical pH range.
Its important to note that Pretty Litter is a tool that provides insight into your cats health but should not be used as a replacement for medical diagnostics or veterinary care. If the product indicates a potential health problem, take your cat to the vet.
Can You Flush Cat Poop
Putting any cat litter down the drain can be harmful to local wildlife. The US Environmental Protection Agency classifies pet waste as a pollutant, which can introduce excess nutrients and harmful microorganisms like parasites and coliform bacteria into groundwater, rivers, and streams. Also, cat waste can cause toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection carried by cats that, in humans, can cause serious complications during pregnancy and for those with weakened immune systems. In California, evidence has linked toxoplasmosis from cat feces to increased mortality in sea otters, prompting legislation to attach anti-flushing notices on cat litter bags.
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Boxiecat Premium Clumping Clay Cat Litter
If youre looking for a veterinarian-recommended cat litter for your sensitive kitty, then the Boxiecat Premium Clumping Clay Cat Litter is a good option. This forms hard, flat clumps on the top of the litter, which are extremely easy to scoop out, while the remaining litter stays fresh. The manufacturing process uses an advanced dust suppression system, which makes this litter 99.9% dust-free.
While we think that this litter is great, the bag it comes in is not so much. The re-sealable top is a good idea in theory, but its actually difficult to scoop or pour the litter out, so expect a mess there. But if you empty the litter out into a covered pail and refill your litter tray from there instead, problem solved!
- Bag is tricky to use
Best Overall: Cats Pride Multi
- This litter doesnt contain harmful fragrances or scents that may irritate your cat.
- While its unscented it still offers a 10-day odor control that traps bad smells.
- This litter produces minimal dust so its perfect for cats with respiratory issues.
Cats Pride litter truly deserves the number one spot on this list. It has everything you can expect from a hypoallergenic litter especially for owners that prefer clumping litters made of clay.
As weve already discussed the major elements in cat litter especially those made of clay that can cause allergies are dust and scent.
Well, Cats pride has that covered with a formula that doesnt have to rely on cheap perfumes to mask the smell of your cats business, it actually works to eliminate the odors.
The dust-free feature is another reason why this brand is at the top of this list.
The fine granules form unbreakable clumps that are easy to scoop without lifting a thick cloud as you do so. Its perfect for the most committed diggers, even if your cat is an archeologist at heart!
The granules are soft on your cats paws so theyre great for older cats or cats that have sensitive skin and need a soft surface to dig into when they need to use their litter box.
Another unique quality that I truly appreciate is the litters weight. I know firsthand how frustrating it can be to receive a package, even if its right in front of your door, only to realize its too heavy to carry towards your cats litter box.
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Fresh News Unscented Non
This cat litter from Fresh News Unscented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter is made from 100% recycled paper formed into pellets that offer superior absorption. Its a 100% non-allergenic formula thats also 99% dust-free, ensuring that you and your cats should have no issues with airborne particles. We were also happy to see that unlike many litters, this blend doesnt stick to your cats feet. This means theres almost no tracking, so the mess stays in your litter box and doesnt spread throughout the house.
That said, we had quite a few complaints regarding this cat litter. First, its a non-clumping formula. Some people may prefer this, but we think it makes things more difficult since its much harder to spot clean, and remove the waste without replacing all of the litter.
But the bigger problem is that this litter is very poor at containing odors. After just a few days, the smell had grown until it was difficult to deal with. Usually, we can get a week or two from a good litter before the scent becomes strong, but this litter had an unmanageable odor in just a few days. Many of our cats were also averse to it, which is this litters third strike.
- Doesnt contain odors well
- Many cats are averse to it
What About Its Clumping Ability
There is debate whether clumping or non-clumping cat litter is better.
There is no right answer it is completely up to you. Your cat doesnt really care about the clumping ability of its litter. After all, youre the one thats going to be cleaning up the litter box, so you can decide which litter works best for you..
Keep one important thing in mind: cat litter with great clumping ability tends to produce a lot of dust, which is not good if you or your cat are allergic to it.
So, the higher the clumping ability, the more dust the litter probably contains.
Even though non-clumping cat litter does not contain a lot of dust, it is more messy to clean up, and some cat owners hate that. However, the trade off of not having allergies is a good one for some people.
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Types Of Hypoallergenic Litter For Cats With Allergies
For cats that experience allergies to their litter, there are a few different allergen sources to look into. While some cats are just sensitive all around, most cats will have a specific element of their litter that causes irritation, rather than the entirety of the litter bothering them.
If youre trying to narrow down which part of your cats litter is causing allergic reactions, there are three common allergen sources to consider.
Why Cat Litter Allergies Occur
The ingredients in litter can cause allergies in some cats. Clumping litters generally contain silica, which produces silica dust, an irritant known to cause allergies in some humans and animals. Fragrances can also be potentially irritating. While clay litters tend to be the most highly irritating, your cat can be allergic to any number of components in any litter.
The way that your cat uses the litter box contributes to these potential allergies. Cats dig in the box, bury their business, and scratch at the box sides and at the litter. All this activity can stir up dust and irritants, making the issue worse.
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How To Choose The Best Cat Litter For Human Allergies: The Buying Guide
How do you choose the cat litter for human allergies? You must consider many things, such as the brand name, price, and product quality. In addition, you should also consider whether it is suitable for your needs or not.
So how do you choose the right cat litter for human allergies? Here are some tips that you can use to help you find a good product:
What you Should Keep in Mind When Buying cat litter for human allergies
When shopping for a cat litter for human allergies, there are several things to consider. You need to think about the quality of the product, the price, and even how much it will benefit your life. However, you also need to keep these factors in mind:
Can Cat Litter Cause Allergies In Cats
Yes, cat litter can cause allergies in cats. A cats litter box is one of the top places allergens are found in a home.
Cat litter dust contains silica dust, which may trigger an allergic reaction to your cats eyes, nose, or throat.
Feline companions that inhale dust from some types of cat litter may develop allergic reactions to the dust litter particles.
Symptoms may include sneezing and coughing or an itchy or runny nose or eyes.
If your cat has allergies, try using dust-free litter thats made from a natural alternative.
If you have a cat with allergies and youre not sure what the cause is, talk to your veterinarian about testing for specific allergens as well as trying different types of cat food and litter.
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Where Is Pretty Litter Cat Litter Sold
Pretty Litter is currently only available through the company website. To get started, simply log on to the website and select the number of cats you have . To write this review, I ordered a one-month supply for my two cats, Wessie and Forrest.
I received my order six days after submitting it and found it easy to cancel the subscription once Id completed testing. Pretty Litter makes it easy to manage your account online.
Dr Elseys Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Silica Gel Cat Litter
Another Dr. Elseys cat litter makes our list of best hypoallergenic kitty litters. This one, comprised of silica gel crystals, helps cats with allergies, asthma or respiratory complications. Its free of plant proteins and any additional deodorants or perfumes. Not only is this cat litter dust free and hypoallergenic, but its also biodegradable! A benefit to using this silica gel hypoallergenic litter is its also formulated with natural enzymes to reduce stress in cats. If your cat is anxious, elderly or ill, this may be the best hypoallergenic cat litter for them.
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Ever Clean Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter
This premium clumping clay litter has activated charcoal bonded to the clay. This helps eliminate odors right on contact. It also contains antimicrobial agents that control the growth of bacteria that can lead to bad smells if you dont get to clean the litter box right away.
The unscented formula contains no synthetic fragrances and is perfect for kitties and humans with sensitive noses. Even smarter, this litter contains plant extracts in the form of chlorophyll that are activated when your cat steps into the litter box and helps leave your home feeling fresh as they release their natural extracts. As the first brand to bring clumping cat litter to the U.S., you can trust Ever Clean to deliver the goods.
- Can be a little dusty
For Better Litter Box Use
Litter boxes may be ignored if cats, especially sensitive ones find them uncomfortable to use. This will cause them to eliminate improperly and at the wrong places. Encourage cat litter box use by providing them with hypoallergenic cat litter that will make them feel comfortable and confident to use.
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What Features Did We Look For
When you are looking for a cat litter that wont trigger an allergic reaction, we discovered during our research that the most important things to look for are:
The Best Cat Litter Is Made Without Irritating Fragrances
Some people prefer litter made with added perfume, but these fragrances may irritate sensitive noses. The best cat litter doesnt lean on fragrances to disguise the smell of cat waste. Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM confirms this, encouraging cat owners to avoid highly-scented cat litters. She says that cats have a much better sense of smell than we do, so even if the litter smells good to us, cats can find it very irritating.
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Important Hypoallergenic Cat Litter Components
There are a handful of things you want to consider when you start comparing this type of cat litter. Using this short outline will help you narrow down your choices much faster.
100% Free of Dust
To be hypoallergenic, your cat litter has to be at least 99% dust-free. When you pour litter or your cat kicks it up, the dust releases into the air. This is what can easily trigger allergies.
Material
Youll have to decide on a litter material to use. If you make this one of your first priorities, itll narrow your choices down out of the gate. This usually comes down to your cats preferences. Clay is very popular, but it shouldnt containsodium bentonite. This is the material that produces dust in cat litter, and its a popular sealing agent.
Size of the Pellets
Cat litter comes made out of pellets or grains. The smaller grains are popular for cat parents that use mechanical litter boxes because it has fewer chances of clogging up the machine. Generally, pellet litter is better for cats with long hair because there are fewer chances that itll stick to them.
Scent or Scented
Many cat litter brands use scents in their formulas that give the litter a better chance at covering up any odors. However, perfumes and artificial scents are a big allergy trigger. Ideally, your hypoallergenic cat litter wont have a scent. Most dont as a general rule.
Disposal Method
Odor Control Guarantee
How To Reduce Your Cats Allergy Symptoms
In some ways our smoochy little companions are similar to us, and if you have suffered from allergies then its likely your body has reacted to many of the same allergens as the ones that cause cat allergies.
Its not an easy process to find out what is causing your cat to exhibit allergy symptoms, and usually cat owners need to look at a few different possibilities before finding the main cause.
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Keep Their Litter Box Area Clean And Dust
Maintaining a clean litter box should help minimize any dust or bad odors that can aggravate cats prone to allergies, but you also need to pay attention to your home.
Im quite sensitive to dust, and living with two cats that I want to keep close to my face at all times made me realize how important it is to vacuum the floors and change my bedding regularly.
Cats are going to lay on different surfaces and their fur will gather much of the dust and dirt around them. And while they are thorough groomers its not always enough.
Keeping my floors clean, their cat beds, and cat trees free of dust, and accumulated fur decreased these allergens from building up.
Hypoallergenic litter especially with dust-free formulas like the Arm & Hammer on my list is also great at minimizing the spread of dust that we end up breathing in.
Having a cat that is prone to allergies, or has respiratory issues will benefit from a clean home, and it can also improve your own wellbeing!