Our kittens keep us company on the sofa and bring us joy.
If you share your home with a cat (or three), you know firsthand how much happiness these feline friends bring.
They also bring something else: the inescapable need to buy kitty litter.
For those of you who are still aspiring cat parents what is the importance of litter as it is not just something for your waste.
Searching for good options at any of the major online pet retailers isn't too different from searching for "just cat food" or "cat litter boxes" as you'll find a wide range of options.
In fact, the sheer variety can be so confusing that we called in the experts to help us figure it all out.
Here, we give you the picks from vets and cat specialists.
However, no matter how good his advice is, in the end, your cat makes the decisions and you will have to identify which litter he likes and which he doesn't.
Otherwise, they may leave a surprise undiscovered when you get out of bed.
Cat litter for odor control
Arm and Hammer, Bulking and Sealing (
out of stock or
MX$709)
Veterinarian Ginger Benham of Northeast Animal Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, shares that the consensus favorite cat litter among Northeast vets is this unscented clay litter.
"It combats odors without overpowering perfumes that can bother cats," explains Benham.
"It also groups well."
World's Best Cat Litter 14 kilos (
USD$119 or
MX$3,936)
Pawp Senior Veterinary Advisor Laura Robinson points to World's Best as her top pick.
She applauds the ecology of this whole grain corn crop.
(Yes. Corn.) And it's infused with natural lavender oil that stinks and is soothing to kitties.
Non-Clumping Cat Litter
Really Great Cat Litter (
USD$29)
A non-clumping cat litter may be the best option for kittens and elderly cats.
"Curious kitties may decide to taste their feces. Sand can cause intestinal blockages," explains Nicole Van Andel, cat behaviorist at Tuft + Paw.
"And geriatric cats have a harder time cleaning themselves. They will especially benefit from a litter that doesn't stick to their paws."
This product is gentle on their paws, and the granules are too large to eat and dissolve in water.
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Pine-scented cat litter
$13.99)
Litter made from pine has a naturally pleasant scent that locks in the scent of your cat's waste without the need for artificial fragrances.
Pine Litter doesn't clump but still gets the enthusiastic vote of many cat parents and vets.
Jeff Smith, a veterinarian at Danville Family Vet in Danville, Virginia, especially likes feline pine, which he has found to be "naturally absorbent of odors" and "attractive to most cats."
unscented cat litter
Fresh-Step (
USD$13 or
MX$330)
"Fresh Step is my brand of choice," shares Sarah Wooten, a veterinarian who works with Pumpkin Pet Insurance.
"Cats have moderately sensitive noses. While the research is mixed on what cats prefer, my recommendation for unscented litters is also based on hygiene. One person can't clean a litter box often enough." if there is perfume that covers the smell".
Frisco Multi Cat Unscented Litter (
$15.99)
"My favorite brand for my own cat, Clarabelle, is Frisco Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter," says Mikel Delgado, a certified cat behavior consultant at Rover.
It forms extra hard clumps for easy picking, plus it's hypoallergenic, made without many common cat allergens.
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light cat litter
Purina Tidy Cat (
USD$30 or
MX$700)
This "featherweight" arena gives you the same volume as regular, but only half the weight.
Plus, it has an ammonia and activated carbon blocker to keep urine odors at bay.
JustAnswer's vet, Dwight Alleyne, is a fan.
"I've been a cat owner for almost 20 years, as well as a vet, and so far my favorite brand of all time has been Tidy Cat because it seems to have the best odor control," he says.
Cat's Pride Unscented Complete Care Litter (
USD$22.40)
This is a super fine, lightweight, easy to dig clumping clay litter for cats.
A win-win!
Christine Sellers, Cat Person's veterinary advisor, agrees.
"My favorite litter for my five cats at home and my top recommendation for my clients is Cat's Pride Complete Control. The clumps aren't too sticky and won't stick to the litter when picked up daily. And it's lightweight."
Dust free cat litter
Purina Yesterday News 11 kilos (
MX$3,330)
Long-haired cats will appreciate the large granules in this recycled paper litter, which won't catch on their fur.
You'll appreciate the noticeable lack of dust.
"Also, for cats that have recently had surgery, I recommend Yesterday's News, which won't get stuck in the wound," says Brian Evans, Dutch's veterinarian and medical director.
Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra Litter (
$14.99 USD or
MX$678)
Emily Wilson, a veterinarian for digital pet care company Fuzzy, notes that the low dust level of this litter is especially beneficial for cats with respiratory issues.
"As a cat mother of four kittens, I find fragrance-free litters more accepting, so I chose Dr. Elsey's Cat Ultra Litter," she explains.
"This litter works best for our home as it clumps constantly, which makes litter box cleaning much more successful."
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Cat litter with the best value for money
ExquisiCat Clumping Clay Premium Litter (
$16.99)
TB Thompson, a veterinarian at Natural Pets HQ in Phoenix, Arizona, tipped us off about this clever under-the-radar selection.
"One of the best options is ExquisiCat clumping clay litter. It's less messy than non-clumping varieties, very affordable, and is very well accepted by many cats."
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