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.

All of them are clumping, so wet litter forms clumps you can lift out and leave the rest of the tray fresh. We also carry CSI urine 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 for owners who prefer it.

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.

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.

Common questions