One of the most often used substitutes for clay cat litter is corn litter. Are you unsure about what makes it unique and if it’s the best option for your cat? You’ve arrived at the ideal location. We’ll go over every detail of maize cat litter in this extensive tutorial, including its composition, advantages, and any disadvantages.
Read More: Corn Cat Litter
Cats are our specialty at Gelin Town Pet. We’ve devoted many hours to figuring out which characteristics of litter matter most to cats and cat parents. This article’s content is derived from our own experience as cat parents, internet research, and conversations with a veterinarian and cat behaviorist.
Cattle Litter: What Is It?
A natural substitute for conventional clay or silica-based litters is maize cat litter, commonly known as corn cob cat litter. It is classified as a natural cat litter since it is composed of compressed dried maize rather than minerals like silica or clay that must be mined. Interestingly, cat litter made of maize is completely harmless for cats and their human friends.
The majority of this sort of cat litter clumps, which makes them easy to scoop and extremely absorbent. Additionally, a significant eco-friendly advantage of most maize cat litters is that they are 100% biodegradable and frequently flushable (though the latter characteristic varies depending on the brand’s unique composition).
Advantages of Corn Litter
Environmentally Friendly
Corn-based kitty litter is very environmentally friendly. Corn-based litters are made from renewable crops, as opposed to clay, which is extracted by strip mining and has serious environmental risks. This implies that they are both organic and biodegradable.
More Sanitary Than Clay Detritus
The health risks connected to clay litter are not present with corn cat litter. The prevalence of crystalline silica dust in clay litters is the main health hazard. It is well known that breathing in silica dust can cause cancer and cause respiratory issues in both people and cats. Additionally, sodium bentonite—which can be harmful if consumed—is used as a clumping ingredient in clumping clay litter. The clumps that develop might clog a cat’s digestive tract since they disintegrate in water. If swallowed, clumps of corn litter can pass through since it decomposes in water.
Drier Than Clay Detritus
Corn and other natural cat litters are less dusty than clay, which is known to produce a lot of dust. Corn is still preferable over clay, even if it doesn’t have nearly as little dust as some other natural pellet litters like tofu.
Frequently Flushable
One big benefit of flushable maize cat litter is its ease. It helps both your cat and your living space since it removes the need for cat owners to remove bags of waste from the litter box on a weekly basis, encouraging more regular scooping.
Disclaimer: It is against the law in California to flush cat litter. It is advisable to confirm your local laws before disposing of kitty litter. If your cat consumes commercial food and lives inside, then only then should you flush the litter to reduce the chance of toxoplasmosis spreading.
Less Heavy Than Clay
Clay litter is infamous for being heavy and challenging to move. Because corn cat litter is far less thick and weighs less than clay, even very tiny bags of litter can hold their contents for an unexpectedly long period.
Issues Concerning Corn Cat Litter
Moderate Control of Odor
Although maize cat litters can effectively prevent odors, this is not their primary feature. Additionally, a lot of maize litters have an unpleasant “barnyard smell” that some cat owners find unpleasant.
Not as Cheap as Clay Litter
Generally speaking, corn cat litters are slightly more costly than conventional clay litters. They are still among the more reasonably priced choices among natural litters, though.
A Little Dust & Tracking
Compared to clay litter, corn cat litter is typically less powdery and more prone to tracking. Fine grain corn litters, however, could produce some dust and have some tracking tendencies.
Easily Spoilaged
Because maize cat litter is made of grains, it can easily mold and degrade in warm, humid environments.
Concerns About Aflatoxin
Aflatoxin, a deadly chemical created by some molds that grow on food crops, is a source of concern when it comes to corn-based cat litter. Fortunately, the hazards are minimal unless your cat has a habit of eating their litter—this is only detrimental if consumed.
Recap
To sum up, maize cat litter is a safe, effective, and environmentally friendly substitute for conventional clay litters. It’s definitely something to think about for the environment and your cat’s health, even though it can have some disadvantages. World’s Best Cat Litter is a great option for introducing yourself to the world of natural cat litters because it is a strong pick within this category. To decide if corn litter is the best option for your cat, don’t forget to consider the advantages and disadvantages.
