Silica Cat Litter - A Wise Or Unhealthy Choice?

Silica cat litter is one of the newest types of cat litter on the market. What makes it different is that it can absorb and "dry" many times its weight in liquid, and thus greatly reduce and even eliminate cat box odor. You simply put litter in the cat box to the depth of about one inch. As the cat uses the box, the liquid waste is absorbed and then "dried" so that no smell remains and the letter itself remains dry. Solid waste is basically "petrified" and is removed regularly by scooping it out and flushing or disposing of it.

The biggest advantage is that a single inch worth of litter can last up to two weeks or even a month for a single cat. As a result, many owners swear by this type of litter since it makes litter box maintenance so much easier. However, there are drawbacks and concerns, especially in regard to the health of your cat.

First of all, silica litter can be sharp and rough on your cat's feet when he or she uses the litter box. Although manufacturers have tried to address this concern by purportedly giving subsequent litters a "softer feel," the concern still remains. In addition, some fear that cats may ingest small particles of this silica (which is much like glass in terms of how it functions internally) when they clean themselves, and ingestion of silica can be very unhealthy.

Finally, a third concern is that it's not healthy for litter to remain unchanged for up to a month's time. Unlike clumping litter where all waste is removed in solid form, with silica, solid "petrified" waste is removed, but liquid waste including urine and the liquid from feces remains in the litter itself and is merely "dried.". This means that there may be bacterial or other health concerns present when your cat continues using litter that has been unchanged for so long.

An advantage to using silica litter is that it is, indeed, cost-effective for owners, since one roughly $10 box of litter can last up to two weeks to a month's time per cat. It's also generally less trouble to take care of, since solid waste can be removed only daily. Finally, the litter box itself only needs to be changed one to two times a month per cat.

However, despite this, it's no less expensive to use than a good clumping litter for the same time period per cat. In addition, with clumping litter, you can usually scoop just once or twice per day. Although you will not be able to flush solid waste with clumping litter as you do with silica litter, you can remove all waste (including liquid) from the box every day with clumping litter, where you cannot with silica litter.

Finally, the sharpness of litter on cats' feet is a concern for many owners. This is one reason many choose to avoid it. You can buy scooping letters mixed with silica to help with odor control, so that you can have the advantages of silica without all of the disadvantages. This type of litter is also much more comfortable for your pet.

Therefore, although it's up to you to decide whether you want to try it, silica cat litter is probably not a good option for many cats. The health concerns inherent in leaving litter unchanged for up to a month's time are great, as is the effect on cats' feet. It may be best to use a combination litter that uses a small amount of silica along with a good clumping litter to get the same odor-controlling results, but with much less potential risk to your cat's health.

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