Here are a couple of brand new items from Modern Cat Designs, makers of the ultra-mod cat condo. These two new designs can both be used for either a litter box or a bed. Choose from the covered model or the open one. Both are made from durable high-pressure laminate with chrome-plated steel accents. Very sleek and mod!
And don’t forget to sign-up for this month’s giveaway, and enter to win a small cat condo from Modern Cat Designs.
NOTE: This is a follow-up to the original post, What’s In Your Litter Box? which outlined the dangers of clay and silica cat litters. If you haven’t already, please read the original post to learn more about this important topic.
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My natural litter comparison real-world tests have not been going so well — changing so many variables all at once has caused some protesting and a lot of spot-botting. So, in order to really compare apples to apples, I conducted some controlled tests using clean samples and water. Here are my findings:
Arm & Hammer High Performance
The package says that this litter uses “natural clumping ingredients instead of clay,” but it does not specify what it is made from. I did find a mention of the litter in a news release that says it is corn-based. This litter contains Arm & Hammer baking soda to help control odor.
Swheat Scoop
Swheat Scoop is made from naturally processed wheat, which has both natural enzymes for odor control and natural starches for clumping.
World’s Best Cat Litter
World’s Best Cat Litter, or WBCL, is another corn-based litter made from whole kernel corn.
Nature’s Miracle
Nature’s Miracle is also corn-based, however it is made from corn cob granules instead of kernels.
As I poured clean samples into the bowls, I checked each litter for it’s natural scent. The Arm & Hammer litter has a very strong, perfume-y scent that I can’t quite identify. It might be cedar. I find the scent to be a bit overpowering. Swheat Scoop has a very light scent of wheat or wheat flour, as you would expect. WBCL smells like a farm to me. The package says that “the extra strength formula contains a plant derived, natural scent that helps keep litter fresh for multiple cat use,” but I can’t stand the smell and it gets even stronger when wet. Nature’s Miracle has a light pine scent that is not too offensive.
Two other important characteristics are the texture of the litter and the amount of dust that it creates. The texture affects whether or not the cats will like it and how much it will track out of the box and onto the floor. The dust factor affects how much airborne dust is created when pouring fresh litter into the box and when cats dig around in it. Arm & Hammer and Nature’s Miracle have almost exactly the same texture. Both can be described as light and fluffy, meaning that they are more likely to stick to paws and be tracked around. This does also mean that the bag is much lighter to carry, which is a benefit, however if your cats are used to a heavy clay litter, they may need some transition time to get used to this lighter texture. Both of these litters produce very little dust. WBCL is very coarse with large granules, similar in size to many clay litters. It produces a fair amount of dust. Swheat Scoop has a variable mixture of coarse granules with some lighter pieces. Unfortunately, Swheat Scoop produces a ton of dust. I found this to be the worst by far, which worries me since I am gluten intolerant, although I have not been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, but I have read that some people with this problem can get sick if they inhale airborne flour particles, and I imagine that Swheat Scoop dust is similar. I have no concrete information about this, so if you know anything about it, please leave a comment.
Clumping is one of the most important factors in a good litter. You want solid clumps to make scooping easier. If the clumps break apart, you wind-up changing the entire contents of the box more often and scooping is just a pain. Arm & Hammer and Nature’s Miracle performed similarly, with only semi-hard clumping. You can see in the images above that both fell apart when scooped. WBCL had the best clumping ability, with solid, easily scoopable clumps. Swheat Scoop had the worst performance with clumps that fell apart into small pieces, making it very difficult to scoop. Note: I performed these tests with the regular Swheat Scoop. There is a multi-cat strength formula that claims to clump faster and firmer. It may have better results.
All of these litters are made of renewable, natural materials that do not require strip mining like clay litters. Also, all of them are completely biodegradable, meaning if they go into the landfill in a paper bag (not plastic), they will eventually breakdown, unlike clay litters that will stay in the landfills forever. Swheat Scoop and WBCL both say that they are flushable, but please be aware, flushing cat waste is strongly discouraged in order to maintain water quality and protect wildlife.
After looking closely at these four litters, it is clear that there is no perfect litter. In terms of clumping, it appears that Swheat Scoop has the worst performance and WBCL has the best. However, I dislike the farm smell of WBCL. The light and fluffy litters are very low dust, but their clumping is poor. I’m not exactly sure what to do. Perhaps try WBCL with some baking soda or other natural odor control product? Maybe try mixing some of these litters? In addition to these natural litters, there are also several pellet-type litters like Feline Pine and Yesterday’s News, but I have tried these before and they were immediately rejected by my crew. Many people swear by them, though, so I encourage you to try them for yourself. Also, you may feel quite differently about some of the litters tested here, so please feel free to share your comments. There are already quite a few comments on the original post, so be sure to check them out as you decide which litter is best for you.
Beauty and creativity come together in this incredible line of products for living with cats by Dutch designer Marly Gommans. The collection, called ‘Cats in Style,’ includes a scratching post, a covered litter box, a pillow bed, and a concept for a cat door.
Made using natural materials like wool felt and sisal rope, these pieces are eco-conscious in addition to being beautiful and functional.
I’m still working on my natural litter comparison test, but in order to carryout my experiment, I needed to get another litter box, so I finally sprang for the Booda Dome Cleanstep covered cat litter box. If you’ve shopped for covered litter boxes anytime in the past several years, you have no doubt seen the Booda Dome line. I’ve had other covered litter boxes and I’ve always looked right past this one, thinking, “Oh, it’s just another covered litter box.” I had no idea how popular it would be! EVERYONE loves it (all the cats, and me, too.)
I think it has some features that make it a very well-designed product. First, I have a couple of “deep diggers.” The area for the litter is quite deep, allowing you to fill it up with a lot of litter to accommodate the digging, plus the top fits perfectly and prevents flying litter from escaping. Another issue with deep diggers is that they tend to deposit liquids on the very bottom of the box. The inner shape of the box has curved edges and no sharp corners (similar to its cousin, the Booda Swift Scoop) making it very easy to scoop away the deposits on the bottom of the box.
I chose the Cleanstep model which has a covered walkway/ramp leading into the box. The ramp is designed to remove litter from paws and reduce tracking. It does remove some of the litter, but plenty still exits the box trapped between furry toes. I’m not sure if there will ever be a great solution to this problem, but I think the ramp helps.
It does have a built-in air filter which is supposed to remove 99 percent of odor. That may be more like 10 percent. It’s still pretty stinky. I do like the handle on the top and think that it is quite easy to remove and replace the top for cleaning. It is a nice big box, so even my Maine Coon is comfortable using it. The form is actually quite attractive and it comes in some excellent colors, like gold, titanium, and silver.
I got mine at PetSmart, but it is also available at Amazon.
As you may already know, the type of litter that you use can have a significant impact on your cat’s health. There is a great deal of information available about different types of litter. And with all the new “natural” cat litters now on the market, it can be overwhelming. I’ve been wanting to know more about the natural litters and was looking for information on why I should consider switching. In my research, I uncovered some startling facts about traditional litters and why we should stop using them immediately. For those of you who have not looked into this yet, I will summarize for you what I’ve found.
Types of cat litter
Traditional clay-based litter This is the type of litter that absorbs moisture and odors, but does not clump for easy scooping, therefore requiring the entire contents of the litter box to be replaced regularly. Almost all clay-based cat litters contain silica, which is a known carcinogen and can cause health problems for both you and your cat when inhaled.
Scoopable/clumping clay-based litter With clumping litter, the litter forms a solid mass when liquid is deposited, allowing you to scoop the clumps along with the solids, reducing the need to completely replace the litter. In addition to containing silica, scoopable clay-based litters almost always contain the clumping agent sodium bentonite. When liquid is added to sodium bentonite, it expands to 15 times its original volume and forms a completely insoluble mass. And that is exactly what it will do when your cat inevitably ingests litter granules while grooming. To read a very moving story about why clumping clay-based litters are dangerous to your cats, please visit catmom.com to read an article by Marina Michaels.
Silica gel crystal litter These litters consist of small pellets that absorb large amounts of liquid. You simply scoop the solids out regularly and replace the pellets periodically. Because they are made of silica, they pose the same potential threat to humans and pets as the clay-based litters, plus, if the pellets are ingested, they can cause severe health problems for your cat.
Natural litters Several companies have developed alternative litters using natural materials, all without silica or sodium bentonite. Natural litters seem to fall into three categories, 1) plant-based materials like wheat or corn (using either the kernels or the cobs), 2) wood-based made from pine or cedar, and 3) newspaper-based utilizing either virgin newsprint or recycled newspaper. The wood-based and newspaper-based litters are pellet-type litters. The pellets absorb the liquids and allow you to scoop the solids. The plant-based litters have a similar texture to traditional litters, which may make them easier to transition to, and often contain natural clumping materials that make it easy to scoop. Many are even flushable. After her experience, Marina Michaels compiled a comprehensive list of alternative cat litters.
Other considerations
In addition to the health factors mentioned above, your cat litter choice impacts the environment, too. First, consider if the litter is made with renewable resources. Clay comes from strip mining while natural litters come from renewable resources like plants and trees. Second, think about where the litter is going after it is used. Non-biodegradable clay litters go into the landfills where they will remain in an insoluble state indefinitely. All of the natural litters are biodegradable and many can be used as compost (with solids removed and on non-edible plants only, please).
My experiment
I have officialy decided that I will never use clumping or non-clumping clay litters or silica gel litters again. I had clumping clay litter in the boxes this morning and it has all been disposed of and replaced with natural litter. I plan to test several types of natural litters and will report back with my findings. I will be testing litters that are easily available at mass retailers. I currently have three different boxes set-up, one with Swheat Scoop (wheat), another with World’s Best Cat Litter (corn), and a third with Arm & Hammer High Performance (not specified on package, but research uncovered that it is in fact corn-based). I will track the performance of these natural litters plus some others and will post my experience.
A huge thank you to Marina Michaels at catmom.com for taking the time to help spread the word about this important topic.
There are still a few more litter-related finds from the pet expo that I have to share with you. This one is the Kitty A Go-Go designer litter box. I was excited to finally see one of these in person, and was particularly delighted by some of its innovative features. This is not just an ordinary covered litter box, the Kitty A Go-Go has a pullout drawer with a unique sifter rake for pulling waste to the front of the drawer–features that make it easy to access the litter for cleaning and refilling. The litter tray also comes with a replaceable plastic liner.
The cover has hidden handles, as well as air vents. My favorite thing about this litter box is that it comes with a matching scoop that hangs conveniently in its own little spot on the back of the box. That’s always such a problem, what to do with the scoop! Why not make it part of the design? Good thinking!
The Kitty A Go-Go comes in a variety of designer patterns. Available at Amazon
Here’s another litter box innovation that stood out for me at the pet expo. Not as technologically advanced as the Litter-Robot, this is just a simple litter box, but with one really big design feature that you will love–no inside corners! Why didn’t someone think of this sooner? The Booda Swift Scoop (from the makers of the Booda Dome) has a smooth, curved shape so there are no corners to trap waste. I also think it is a beautiful form, and in glossy white, it looks great in a modern setting–it’s almost sculptural. I ran right out and bought one, and I love it, plus it is quite affordable.
It comes with it’s own scoop, which I found to be a bit flimsy. Perhaps the scoop was designed to flex when scooping the curved shape of the box, which would help to make the task a bit easier. You can decide for yourself if you like the scoop. The box is quite sturdy and does not tip, plus the front and back edges serve as handles, making it easy to pick-up.
Overall a very good value and quite attractive, in my opinion. Available at Amazon.
While at the pet expo, I had the opportunity to see, first-hand, several of the newest innovations in litter box technology. One of my particular favorites is the Litter-Robot. This automatic, self-cleaning cat litter box has a unique litter sifting system that will keep you from ever scooping litter again.
How does it work? Seven minutes after your cat leaves the box, the globe portion of the Litter-Robot begins to slowly turn. Solid waste is sifted out of the clean litter and deposited into a drawer in the base of the unit. The globe rotates back into place, leaving the clean litter ready for the next use. You can easily empty the drawer, once a week for one cat, more frequently with multiple cats.
Watch the demo here >>
Why is the Litter-Robot unique? Some of the other automatic litter boxes use a raking mechanism to sift out the clumps. This raking motion can break-up the clumps in the litter, requiring the entire box to be emptied, cleaned, and refilled with fresh litter. One of the big advantages of the Litter-Robot is that the special sifting technology gently removes the clumps without breaking them up. This results in less mess and a lot less wasted litter.
My main concern was, is it safe? I was assured that the Litter-Robot was designed with the cat’s safety as a number one priority. The unit has a safety mechanism that prevents it from moving whenever a cat is in the box. Even if they try to re-enter while it’s moving, the motor will automatically shut off. Also, there are no moving parts or sharp objects inside the globe.
Of all the automatic litter boxes, this is one that I plan to try myself. Not only do I think this is a quality product, but I was very impressed with the gentleman I spoke to at the expo and what he told me about the company. The Litter-Robot is made here in the U.S. and the company definitely stands behind the quality and craftsmanship of their products because they offer a 60-day money back guarantee and an 18-month full warranty.
The Litter-Robot comes in black or beige. Available at Amazon.
I just heard about this extremely modern, molded fiberglass pet product called the Zen Hideaway. The small version is sized perfectly for cats and can serve to conceal the litter box or to provide a private napping spot. The door is removable allowing kitty to come and go as he pleases. With its glass inset top, the Zen Hideaway could easily make a cool modern end table. Available in black, white, mint (shown above), and deep red.
Thanks to moderncat friend Lisa for the heads-up on this great new product.
The designers at Compressed Pattern–the folks behind the chic Kattbank litter box concealing bench–partnered with glass blowing studio esque to create a line of hand-blown glass cat accessories. These exquisite pieces are part art object and part functional item for cats (and their owners) who have the most discerning taste.
Solo (pictured above) is a hand-blown glass cat house. The form provides a comfortable private space while the transparency allows kitty to see her surroundings. With a sheepskin throw on the bottom, it could quickly become her favorite napping spot.
My personal favorite is Ciambella, a blown glass cat bed lined with sheepskin, resting on a walnut base. Shown above in white, it is also available in opaque light blue. This piece would look amazing in any modern home.
To go with your Kattbank, consider Vaso, a blown glass cat litter storage container with a walnut top. Fresh litter doesn’t have to hide in an ugly plastic bin. Make it a natural decorative element by placing it in this beautiful vessel and displaying it as a design object.
All three pieces can be purchased from the Kattbank online store.
Litter box placement is always a challenge, especially in a modern or minimalist interior. One excellent solution is kattbank, a sleek contemporary bench designed to completely conceal the cat litter box. Keeping both human and feline needs in mind, the team at Compressed Pattern (the design firm behind kattbank) went above and beyond when working out the details of this piece.
Features include ventilation to provide adequate airflow inside the bench, soft-close hinges on the bench lid, a plastic grid on the interior floor of the bench to remove litter from paws before cats exit the bench, adjustable interior dividers, and easily removable interior parts to make cleaning a snap. The inside of the bench is finished with high-quality lacquer that prevents odor absorption.
Kattbank can be ordered in a wide variety of finishes including fourteen different lacquer colors and four wood veneers. It is available in 48 and 60 inch lengths. Order online directly from Kattbank.
Litter box duty will never be glamorous, but with the Linda litter scoop and the Vicci cat litter box, you can feel a bit more stylish about it. The scoop comes with its own plastic container to conceal it when not in use. The elliptical Vicci litter box has a removable rim for securing box liners. These two Italian designs are made of polypropylene and are available in thirteen colors. Both can be purchased at Rocco and Jezebel and Target.com.
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