Can You Mix Clumping And Non Clumping Litter? Here’s Our Take

Cat owners often ask this question – “Can You Mix Clumping and Non-clumping Litter?”. In this article, we are going to show you the right answer and explore this topic.

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Primarily there are two types of litter, namely, Clumping litter and Non-clumping litter. Clumping litter forms clumps with cat urine and holds the stench for a lengthy period.

Whereas non-clumping litter holds the waste better. It can absorb the urine and doesn’t let it stick to the sides of the litter box.

So, there are some benefits and drawbacks of each litter, which we will discuss in the following section.

So, we often hear the cat owners asking if it is good to mix the clumping and non-clumping litter. It is quite natural to think that mixing the two cat litters can serve both purposes.

If you are wondering the same, this article is just for you. We will answer the question at hand and help you with the choice in this article.

Can you mix clumping and non-clumping litter?

The simple answer is no. You cannot mix clumping and non-clumping litter. If you think logically, it would seem that it is going to work.

However, the mixture of clumping and non-clumping litter takes the scoopable nature of the clumping litter away.

Hence, the mixture works as if it is only a non-clumping litter. The reason behind mixing the two types of cat litter is forfeited.

That is why we do not recommend you to mix clumping and non-clumping cat litter. You should choose either of the two cat litters and stick to the choice you have made.

Let us look into the properties of both cat litters and decide the best one for you.

Recommended Read : Also, check the required amount of cat litter in the 30 days period.

Clumping Vs. Non-Clumping litter: What are the differences?

Litter is as significant as the litter box when it comes to the cat choosing it or discarding it entirely. So, you have to be extremely cautious about the choice of cat litter.

In the end, the choice boils down to clumping litter and non-clumping variants. We should look at how both of these cat litters work to determine which one is best for you.

Traditional clumping litter consists of sodium bentonite. This molecule’s most desirable property is that it forms clumps when it comes in contact with moisture.

So, a clumping litter will form clumps of urine whenever the cat pisses inside the litter box. Technically, this type of litter should help in the cleaning process as you need to take the clumps out.

It is one of the prime reasons why clumping litters can hold the smell for a longer time.

Whereas the main constituent of traditional non-clumping litter is calcium bentonite. This property is particularly desirable because it does not form clumps and stick to the litter box’s sides.

So, it is simpler to clean a litter box with a non-clumping litter than clumping litter.

However, the smell controlling property of non-clumping litter is worse than clumping litter. For the same reason, you need to clean the non-clumping litter more frequently.

If you are using clumping litter, you have to scoop out the waste daily to ensure that the cat finds the litter box clean every time it decides to use it.

The same schedule works for non-clumping litter as well. But, the litter box cleaning regime is different when you need to clean it entirely.

You can wait two or three weeks before cleaning the litter box entirely because clumps restrict any smell to go out.

However, you have to clean the litter box at least once every week. Otherwise, the litter box will start giving off the stench, and it will become unbearable for you.

So, it is quite natural that you will need more non-clumping litter in comparison to clumping litter. In the case of clumping cat litter, you need to fill the litter box deep enough so that the urine doesn’t reach the bottom.

But, you can keep it relatively shallow, as you need to remove the entire litter in a week anyway.

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals also recommends keeping 2 or 3 inches of non-clumping cat litter in the litter box.

You have to stick to a strict cleaning regime for both types of cat litters. The general rule of thumb is that it is time to clean the litter box whenever giving off a stench.

Conclusion:

By now, you should be well-acquainted with the properties of clumping and non-clumping litters.

However, this does not mean that you can decide the type of cat litter by yourself.

Your utmost importance should be the comfort of the feline. An easy way to determine the type of cat litter is by giving them the options of each variant and check which one it ends up choosing.

You should buy the one it chose and disregard the others. You have to keep the cat’s happiness first, and it will ensure a healthy and stench-free household.