Paraffin Candles Can Be Toxic To Pets
If you love to burn candles and you also own a pet, then you know that the two dont always go well together. Spilled wax, singed whiskerstheyre par for the course!
But those arent the only dangers candles pose to your pets. Many candles give off toxins that can be risky to your pets health. Its why I prefer to burn soy candles, and why you should, tooASAP.
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Tidy Cats Lightweight Glade Tough Odor Solutions Clear Springs Scent Clumping Cat Litter
Want a scented cat litter without all that extra weight? Try this lightweight clay litter from Tidy Cats. Its formulated with Glade Clear Springs scent to bring you an effective odor solutions litter. Glade Tough Odor Solutions is built into this clay litter to lock in moisture and trap unpleasant odors, while Tidy Lock prevents foul ammonia smells. We love that this scented litter is 50% lighter than traditional clay, so you no longer have to worry about lugging around massive containers. You can pick up this Tidy Cats scented litter for double the strength at half the weight!
Can A Litter Box Cause Bronchitis
litter causesasthmabronchitiscatlittercancauseasthmaDepending on many reviews, we compile a list of the best eco-friendly cat litter.
- HARTZ Multi-Cat Clumping Paper Cat Litter.
- Dr.
- GreenCat Natural Cat Litter Odors Eliminator.
- sWheat Scoop Natural Fast-Clumping Wheat Cat Litter.
- Okocat Super Soft Clumping Wood Cat Litter.
- Garfield Cat Litter Tiny Grains Flushable Cat Litter.
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How To Prevent A Litter Allergy
While a litter allergy is hard to treat, there are some things you can do to make life more comfortable for your cat to try and prevent a reaction.
Choose a Hypoallergenic Litter
The problem with traditional, non-clumping litter is that its extremely dusty. Pouring it into a litter tray can trigger airborne particles that create respiratory problems in cats. The same thing happens when cats dig their litter to hide their excrement.
Traditional litter can also contain additives or fragrances that can irritate a cats sensitive skin. Sodium bentonite is a chemical often found in clay clumping litter. It can cause asthma and other lung problems when inhaled.
Change Your Cats Litter Gradually
If you change it too quickly, your cat may become confused or stressed by the change. Cats tend to exhibit a preference for certain litters. Once trained to use one litter, a cat may reject another, even if offering improvements.
To prevent this, spend a few days swapping to a hypoallergenic litter, then be patient. It can sometimes take a few weeks to see a difference, so use this time to monitor the situation.
Clean out the Litter Daily
Even odor-free litters need regular cleaning. Cats like to go to the toilet in a clean environment. If the litter is dirty and smelly, theres every chance theyll find a clean spot to relieve themselves.
Regularly Inspect Your Cat
Keep the Litter Tray Clutter-Free
What Causes A Litter Allergy
An oversensitivity to everyday substances will lead to an immune response. The cats body will try to flush these substances from the body, leading to an allergic reaction.
Most litter allergies are caused by fragrances or scented chemicals that have been added for odor control. Europe PMC stated that perfumes added to gravel in cat toilets could lead to allergic reactions. In extreme cases, asthma can occur.
The European Respiratory Journal also argues that cat litter is a possible trigger for sarcoidosis. This is a disease involving a series of inflammatory cells that form granulomas, which are lumps. For example, silica, a component found in cat litter, can initiate inflammation and cause a reaction.
Scented litter only really benefits humans, so its best to avoid this kind of litter. Scented litter may even encourage your cat to go to the toilet elsewhere, leading to an unwanted cat smell in your home.
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What About Crystal Cat Litter
Due to the disadvantages of clay litter for cats, pet experts and enthusiasts have started marketing and going for an alternative called crystal cat litters. While clay litter uses bentonite clay, crystal litter uses sodium silicate sand, which makes it a little different.
If you arent familiar with sodium silicate sand, youll find most of its materials from the Do Not Eat sachets found in certain packages of food and items of clothing. Sodium silicate is typically used as desiccants to keep the item from getting moisture, and therefore protecting it from mold and spoilage.
However, the process of creating crystal cat litter is roughly the same as the clay counterpart it involves surface mining, so its not all that eco-friendly, either.
Pros & Cons Of Unscented Cat Litter
Being unscented doesnt mean a litter lacks odor-control properties. Although there is no positive smell to cover the ammonia smell of cat pee unscented clumping litters still trap urine inside clumps for easy removal and may contain other odor-neutralizers to offset the acidic urine and feces. The faster your litter absorbs urine, the quicker it can lock away the odors and keep the liquid off the bottom of the litter box.
Some cats are sensitive to the dust in clay-based clumping or non-clumping litters even when they are unscented. If that describes your kitty, try a low-dust formula such as ARM & HAMMER Cloud Control Breathe Easy Clumping Litter or switch to a non-clay-based litter such as ARM & HAMMER Feline Pine.
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A Quick Comparison Of Our Favorites In 2022
Best Overall
Dr. Elseys Precious Cat Ultra Unscented Clumping Cat Litter
- Provide privacy to your cat while using the litter box
- Easy to scoop and clean
- Includes disposable filter
Worlds Best Cat Litter Clumping Litter Multi-Cat Formula
- The grated surface on exit reduces tracking
- Fully automatic and self-cleaning litter box
- Built-in health counter helps you to know how many times your kitty has used the box
Tidy Cats Free & Clean Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter
- Low front side for easy entry and exit
- High polished interior for easy cleaning
- Includes matching scoop
Okocat Original Premium Wood Clumping Cat Litter
The Okocat Original Premium Wood Clumping Cat Litter is a plant-based litter thats a clean and healthy option for both your cat as well as you. Since it is made up of plant-based ingredients so it is biodegradable, safe, and environment friendly.
It works naturally to control the odor and prevent enzymes from bonding with liquid and waste, this ultimately eliminates ammonia odor before it even starts. It is also free from any artificial fragrances, synthetic chemicals, or toxic dyes, hence it is safe for your feline friend.
Key Features:
- Quantity: 9.9, 13.2, and 19.8 lb box
- Unscented
This clumping litter absorbs liquid on coming in contact with the cats waste and creates solid clumps that do not break easily. This makes the scooping and cleaning of the litter box easier. Moreover, it is also flushable so all you need to do is flush one clump at a time into the toilet and your job is done.
Pros:
- Wood litter made from plant-based ingredients makes it safe for your cats
- The clumping formula makes scooping and cleaning eas
Cons:
- It does not clump well since its base material is wood
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Litters For Cats With Special Needs
Some cats, and even their people, will require special litters. This is particularly true if your cat or anyone in your home has a breathing condition like asthma, but there are other conditions and living situations that will necessitate special litters. Below are three common conditions/scenarios where special litters might be needed.
Best Litter For Cats That Need Help Learning To Use Their Litter Box
Sometimes a new kitten might need a guidemap or, more specifically, a guide scent to find and know to do their business in their litter boxes. And this may be especially true in households without any other adult cats to show the new kitten the “ropes” of their litter boxes. For these guys, using a cat attractant litter or litter additive like the ones linked below can sometimes help. And it’s not just young kittens that can benefit from these attractant litters and additives… adult or senior cats who start going outside of their boxes can sometimes benefit from them, too.
I hope this helps you find the best litter for you and your cat. Id love to know what you think and what litter you use with your cats. What has worked well for you and what hasnt? Please share your litter experiences in the comments section below.
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How To Tell If Your Cat Is Allergic To Litter
If you have a cat, you need a litter tray to ensure that your cats excrement and urine are dealt with hygienically. While litter trays can be unsightly and smelly, they can also cause litter allergies in cats. An allergic reaction can be serious, leaving your cat feeling sick and uncomfortable.
If youre using a dusty or fragranced cat litter, this will be whats behind your cats litter allergy. An allergy can lead to sores, rashes, and acne, while other cats may experience eye and respiratory issues. Litter dust occurs when poured into a tray or when a cat digs through its litter to hide its poop and pee.
Figuring out the cause of your cats litter allergy is the most important step. Experimenting with different litter types is one of the most effective ways to find out which brand, or ingredient, is causing an allergic response.
Are The Theories True
Most of the stories shared online about the dangers of scented oils to cats, including lavender scented oil, focus on the dangers of pure essential oil, which is extracted directly from plants. Essential oils are most often used to ease stress, cook with or place in a diffuser.
Essential oils are akin to chemicals, plants, foods and moreits possible for any of these household items to be dangerous to your pets health in high levels.
However, lavender scented litter shouldnt contain more than a small fraction of the amount of essential oil found in pure essential oil products.
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So Is Clumping Clay Litter Bad For Cats
Possibly, the dust and the clump-able clay particles can cause issues for cats if ingested.
Think about it:
. . . something able to block household plumbing must be wreaking havoc on the plumbing of our feline companions.
Below: Dr. Karen Becker gives some great insights into this and other preferences for cats:
Scented Vs Unscented Cat Litter: Whats The Difference
No one likes dealing with litter box odors but the type of litter you choose does play a role in controlling strong smells. Some kitty litters are lightly scented with a pleasant-smelling scent, while others are unscented and dont try to smell like flowers, but may use other ingredients, such as baking soda, to help neutralize odors.Lets decipher the difference between scented or unscented cat litters to help you decide which is best for you and kitty to use in your home.
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Dr Elseys Precious Cat
This brand was co-founded by Dr. Bruce Elsey, who has been a feline-only veterinarian for over 35 years.
All Dr. Elseys litter products are designed to promote good health, and some formulas target behavioral issues.
Their selection is innovative and varied.
This litter provides good odor control without added fragrances, deodorants, or chemicals that might irritate sensitive cats. The granules are medium-sized and dont provide rock-hard clumps.
This clumping clay litter has heavy non-tracking granules that help to keep your home clean. Its also regarded as one of the least dusty clay litter products on the market. The price is in the budget range.
What Happens When You Dont Change Cat Litter
One of two things will happen: they’ll go somewhere else, or they’ll hold it in until the box is clean. If they do the latter, that can lead to some serious issues, like a UTI, bladder infection, or kidney problems. For humans, bladder issues are obnoxious, but not too serious. For cats, they’re a big deal.
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Ever Clean Extra Strength Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter
This Extra Strength clumping clay litter from Ever Clean is highly-absorbent and provides maximum odor protection against the strong smell that comes from litter box because of the cats waste.
With its activated carbon bonded to the litter mixed within the litter granules, it can effectively eliminate odors for up to 14 days. Moreover, it is an unscented formula made with a premium blend of purely natural minerals and clays.
Key Features:
- Quantity: 14, 25 lb box, and 42 lb bag
- Unscented
This clumping litter locks in moisture to create extra-strong clumps that wont break which makes scooping and cleaning easy. Additionally, since it is a low-dust formula so it helps to keep surfaces cleaner and air clean to breathe.
Pros:
- Effectively absorbs moisture and eliminates odor from and around the litter
- Low-dust formula keeps surface clean and air breathable
Cons:
- It is not effective enough in tracking
Background On Traditional Cat Litter
Cat litter is usually in clay form and thats why it is being frowned upon by environmentalists. To let you know why clay litter is not eco-friendly, lets have a look at how it is made. If youve been using clay litter for your cats litter box, you might want to read on to find out about its composition and why it isnt exactly great for the environment.
Clay liter for cats was invented by Edward Lowe in 1947. During the old days, kitty litter boxes were only made with sawdust, ash, dirt, and/or sand, which caused a lot of problems, such as asthma and allergies acting up. They are also a threat to maintaining healthy air quality at home.
Therefore, Lowe invented cat litter made from clay at the request of his neighbor named Kay Draper, who was tired of having to clean cat tracking due to the traditional litter used. Crushed clay was the choice because it was an oil spill controller for auto shops before, so he thought it would do a similar job for taking care of cat litter.
After his product was sold like pancakes, it went into many pet stores in the United States and all over the world. Today, clay litter for cats is commonly found at your local pet store, no matter where you live.
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Pros & Cons Of Scented Cat Litter
The biggest benefit to using a lightly scented kitty litter, such as ARM & HAMMER Clump and Seal AbsorbX Clumping Litter, is the odor-blocking, clean scent that helps refresh the litter box even when you cant scoop it. Scented litter can help prolong the time between scoops and full litter box changes and help keep your house from telegraphing cats live here.
Some people wonder whether scented litter is bad for cats or OK to use regularly. Cats are small and have an excellent sense of smell, so the added scent in kitty litter is designed to be subtle. Like humans, some cats are more sensitive to scents than others. If you or your cat sneezes or coughs around scented cat litter, an unscented version may be better for you.
Is Clumping Or Non
There are both benefits and weaknesses to non-clumping cat litter. Cat litter that clumps typically does a better job of removing or locking in waste odors for a longer period. Clumps also make cat waste easier to remove, which allows you to remove sources of odor while prolonging the life of the litter.
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Can Clumping Cat Litter Make Cats Sick
catscanclay litterlitterClumping litterscanpetlitter
. In respect to this, is clumping cat litter safe for cats?
Many mass market cat litters contain significant amounts of silica dust which has been linked to upper respiratory issues in cats and even humans. Likewise, the chemical fragrances in many cat litters can also be toxic to cats. Yet another issue is the sodium bentonite clay in clumpingcat litters.
Beside above, why is there a shortage of clumping cat litter? The nation’s cat owners could be left with a lingering litter problem due to a shortage at major supermarkets caused by the collapse of a petcare company that manufactured a popular brand of the feline toilet essential.
Subsequently, question is, what happens if a cat eats clumping cat litter?
If you have a kitten under three months old who is eating cat litter, he may just be curious. In addition, cats that eat clumping cat litter should be taken to the veterinarian right away because the absorbency of the kitty litter is dangerous for their system. It can cause choking or an intestinal blockage.
Can cats die from eating cat litter?
If your kitten eats cat litter it can be a dangerous situation, especially if the litter is toxic or has a clumping property. Clumps can form inside the body and cause a blockage in the digestive system, and this can kill your kitten if left untreated.
Is Pretty Litter Safe To Breathe
Ingestion by cats, dogs, or curious toddlers can cause serious gastrointestinal problems, including blockages that could be life-threatening. The buildup of dust in the lungs can be harmful even when it is inhaled. It is even more frightening than Sodium Bentonite to hear Crystalline Silica Dust describe its dangers.
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