Wood, tofu, bamboo or clay? How to choose a cat litter

The best cat litter is the one your cat will actually use. Start with an unscented litter about 3 to 4cm deep in a large, open tray, and make any change gradually. Clumping litters make daily scooping easier. Wood fibre, bamboo and tofu litters suit owners looking for a plant-based option, while bentonite clay is a traditional mineral clumping litter. Every litter we stock at For Pets Sake is clumping.

The cat litters on our shelves

• Cats Best: organic wood fibres, in Original or Pellets.
• Wee Kitty: bamboo and activated charcoal.
• Poo Wee: tofu, or bentonite clay.

We also carry CSI Urine Enzyme Stain & Odour spray for accidents around the house. You’ll find the full list in the Cat Trays & Litter section of our range.

How the materials differ

Wood fibre

Wood fibre litter, like Cats Best, is made from plant fibres rather than clay. It comes in a fine Original style or as pellets, so if your cat is fussy about texture you have two to try.

Bamboo and activated charcoal

Wee Kitty combines bamboo with activated charcoal. Charcoal is often added to litter to help with odour, which can be handy in smaller homes or where the tray sits close to living areas.

Tofu

Tofu litter is made from soybean fibre. Poo Wee’s tofu option is a plant-based alternative to clay.

Bentonite clay

Bentonite is a natural clay that forms firm clumps. Many cats grew up on clay litter, so it can be the easiest option if your cat came from a home that used it.

Each brand has its own instructions for use and disposal, so check the bag, and ask us in store if you’d like to compare a few side by side.

Natural and plant-based cat litter

If you’re looking for a natural or organic-style kitty litter, the plant-based options on our shelves are Cats Best (organic wood fibres), Wee Kitty (bamboo with activated charcoal) and Poo Wee’s tofu litter, made from soybean fibre. Bentonite is a natural clay too, but it’s a mineral rather than a plant product. How you dispose of used litter depends on the brand, so follow the instructions on the bag.

Which cat litter suits a multi-cat household?

With more than one cat, the number of trays matters as much as the litter. The RSPCA recommends at least one tray per cat, plus one, in separate spots. A clumping litter helps, because you can lift out wet clumps every day and keep each tray fresh between full changes. All our litters have also been chosen for their ability to control urine odour. Cats can have strong preferences, so if you’re unsure, fill one tray with a different litter and see which one your cats choose.

Setting up the tray: the RSPCA’s checklist

The RSPCA’s guide to encouraging a cat to use a litter tray has some simple rules:

• More trays than cats. One cat needs at least two trays in physically separate spots. With more than one cat, provide at least one tray per cat, plus one.
• Go big and open. A good starting point is a large, open tray at least one and a half times the length of your cat.
• Enough litter to dig. About 3 to 4cm of an unscented litter.
• Quiet, private, easy to reach. Keep trays away from food and water, and avoid moving them around, which can confuse and stress your cat.
• Keep it clean. Remove faeces and urine every day, and empty and clean the trays regularly.

Switching to a new litter

The RSPCA notes that cats can have strong individual preferences for litter types and trays. Because you should already have at least two trays, an easy way to test a new litter is to put it in one tray and keep the familiar litter in the other, then see which one your cat chooses before switching over completely.

If your cat starts toileting outside the tray, or the problem keeps happening, the RSPCA recommends seeing your vet to rule out a medical cause. We've also found that this can be caused by changes in the household that can be helped by using our natural calming products like Pet Relax Spray.

Common questions