What types of cat litter exist?
Updated: Sep 29, 2022
If you have to prepare the sanitary bed for your pet, you will find yourself with a great dilemma, and that is that there are several types of sanitary stones for cats. Below we will tell you what characteristics each one of them has, so that you can choose the most suitable one for your cat.
What is the importance of choosing well between the types of cat litter?
It is very important to know the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of sanitary stones for cats to choose the most suitable one. One of the risks of choosing the wrong litter is that if the cat does not like it, it will not use the sanitary litter to satisfy its physiological needs.
Another problem that can arise if we are choosing the wrong type of sanitary stones for cats is the sanitary litter smell that can be generated in the environment.
In short, the cat is the animal that chooses where to relieve itself, if the sanitary litter does not meet its expectations, it looks for another place in the home. The good thing is that there is a wide variety of sanitary stones, therefore, it is sure that you will find the most suitable one.
Types of sanitary sand for cats

Diatom stone vs Natural bentonite clay
Among the most effective types of cat litter stones are the following:
Sepiolite
Sepiolite is a porous mineral that has the ability to absorb and therefore has been chosen to fill cat litter. However, it has the disadvantage of giving off a lot of dust and does not completely absorb bad odours.
Bentonite
Another sanitary stone is a type of clumping clay, called bentonite. The main advantage of this type of sand is that both liquid and solid waste are compacted into small conglomerates. Which are very easy to remove with the shovel, leaving the rest of the bentonite in good condition inside the sanitary bed.
Since you don't have to remove and change all the litter, it lasts longer and saves money.
CatLitter is a company that offers premium quality Bentonite obtained in the Andes, 100% natural and ecological.
Another brand that offers premium quality Bentonite obtained from the same area in the form of sand is Omnicat. And finally, there is another excellent brand like BioStones that offers ultra-binding premium bentonite spheres. Each of these products come in different presentations with or without aroma.
Silica
Sodium silicate is a synthetic sand that is highly absorbent. It generates very little dust and depending on its quality can last up to a month. Because it allows easy removal of feces and absorbs odors well.
One of the most chosen types of silica for sanitary beds is called diatomite. Its original color is white and with use it takes on a yellowish tone. If the yellow tone is strong, it's time to change it completely.
The size of the stones is larger than the previous two types, so cats do not usually accept it quickly.
Diatom stone
A special type of silica used as cat litters is diatom stone. Which is a siliceous organogenic sedimentary rock. In other words, it is a stone formed by a concentration of remains of ancient living organisms, micro-fossils of diatoms. They are generally found interstratified with other types of sedimentary rocks. Among them are claystones and limestones. Diatoms are unicellular algae that are part of the phytoplankton in fresh and salt water. They are characterized by having a siliceous exo skeleton that remains as a microfossil. Among its main properties is a great porosity and fine granulometry. In addition, it has negative electrical charges that absorb bad odors. That is why they are the most chosen when choosing the sanitary arena. CatLitter, contains diatom stones obtained from Patagonia, is offered in a natural way, without colorants or flavorings.
Wood fibers
This sand is ecological, since it is composed of pine shavings and other vegetable fibers. They work in the same way as bentonite, that is, it is a binder. Therefore, it is easy to remove feces and urine from the beds.
The big difference between this type of stone and the previous ones is that it is biodegradable. That is, they can be disposed of directly, without any treatment. As a disadvantage we can mention that the grains can be so light that they remain in the cat's fur or paws, so they can be left out of the litter box.
Some tips to extend the useful life of sanitary stones
In order for the environment that we share with our pet to be healthy for both of us, we must keep it clean and disinfected. Therefore, it is necessary to remove solid and liquid stools converted into conglomerates every day.
If the house has several rooms, it is better to have several sanitary beds.
Cats are very demanding animals when it comes to cleanliness. In other words, they prefer quality products and of course, we comply with the daily cleaning of the sanitary beds.
Where can you buy quality cat litter stones?
The quality of the sanitary stones directly influences the health of the environment and the choice of the cat to satisfy its physiological needs. That is why we advise you to buy premium Bentonite in the form of sand or quality spheres in a store specialized in cats, dogs and birds, such as the Omnipets store.
The products are natural, ecological and ultra-binding with or without flavorings. If you have any questions about cat litter stones or other products for cats, dogs or birds, do not hesitate to contact us.