Is scented or unscented cat litter better?

[Mollycat]

I think it's to appeal to the humans who make choices about where to spend their money. I'm with you on not liking scented chemical laden litter and avoid it.

[Kay]

Who knows what's in any of them? Personally I favour a litter which doesn't cling to paws to get licked off, and has the least dust to be breathed in

[Ruth B]

I'm sure that the scents are added purely for the human nose, particularly for those humans that are 'too busy' to clean the litter tray every time it is used, but object to the smell. However I won't decry everything that is a 'chemical' there are plenty of good chemicals out there and in the end everything is a chemical. Carbon and Fullers Earth are both very good at odour control and are harmless, you will actually find carbon in a lot of water filters, both for humans and animals, it can remove unwanted chemicals from the water such as chlorine.

A while back I changed from Catsan Clumping litter to Siria, mainly due to the cost of the Catsan. Siria is made from waste corn kernels so uses up a waste product from the food industry, is totally natural and sustainable, is completely biodegradable (although due to the contamination I do put it in the normal waste, which where I live goes for incineration) and has a corny scent which isn't unpleasant when you get use to it. It also tracks less than the clay based Catsan litter and is almost as good at odour control. The only problem is it comes from Italy so who knows what will happen in the future with getting it, I bought an extra 6 bags in October just in case, so i should have enough to see me through to the Spring now. I do appreciate the odour control, mainly first thing in a morning when it has been used over night, but would never buy a scented litter just to please me.

[issiandarchie+68]

I'm sure that the scents are added purely for the human nose, particularly for those humans that are 'too busy' to clean the litter tray every time it is used, but object to the smell. However I won't decry everything that is a 'chemical' there are plenty of good chemicals out there and in the end everything is a chemical. Carbon and Fullers Earth are both very good at odour control and are harmless, you will actually find carbon in a lot of water filters, both for humans and animals, it can remove unwanted chemicals from the water such as chlorine.

Hi Ruth. You sound just like my scientist husband. When first married, I used to say 'look at the chemicals in that!' He would sigh and reply 'everything is made up of chemicals, including you, so just be sensible!' Personally, I can't abide the smell of scented candles, (when we were house hunting, sellers lit the damned things all over their house, gave me terrible headaches) so I would never subject a cat to the overpowering smell of pine/lavender etc whenever it wanted to perform it's ablutions. I used to use a mixture of wood pellets mixed with Bio Catolet (paper). A friend of mine used Catsan, her house stunk, she took the advertising literally and only cleaned it out once a fortnight .. daft bat.

Issi

[issiandarchie+68]

Many litter companies put all kinds of additives, chemical or otherwise, in litter to mask odors (not to eliminate odors, but rather to overpower them).

However, from my perspective as cat lover looking for quality effective and natural cat litter, baking soda, little blue dots, carbon, or special fragrances, are simply not appropriate for use in cat litter.

We do wonder why chemical fragrances are added to cat litters at all? Does anyone have any ideas?

Natural baking soda/crystals is an old fashioned odour collector. A thin layer not only traps odours but helps to 'clump' for easier removal of waste. In the old days, we also used it on floors and carpets to smother fleas,smells and other nasties, leaving it a few minutes then sweeping it up. Mind you, that was a good few years ago now when our cats and other assorted animals mainly lived outdoors. Not sure how it would mix with modern litter pellets.

Issi

[Mollycat]

Don't know about anyone else but I mean unnecessary extra chemicals - like lavender scent. I use P@H own brand ultra clumping for what was 2 now 1 indoor only cats, the dust is acceptable (compared to the non clumping I used to use) and there is very little pong. Her Ladyship will not recognise wood or paper based as suitable for her pretty grey bottom, whereas the well-bred Fluffypants was perfectly happy as long as it was in a tray that he could scatter all over the bathroom floor. But really, there's nothing about lavender or gooseberry or ylang-ylang that says poop here to a cat - if anything they'd be more attracted to ammonia scented, so the fancy niffs are purely for human noses and I personally don't think it works that well anyway.

[Mollycat]

PS the clear gel crystal cat litter with the blue crystals are brilliant for putting a handful in the bottom of a bin under the liner to absorb any smells, and non-clumping clay based absorbs oil spills a treat.

[Ruth B]

Hi Ruth. You sound just like my scientist husband. When first married, I used to say 'look at the chemicals in that!' He would sigh and reply 'everything is made up of chemicals, including you, so just be sensible!' Personally, I can't abide the smell of scented candles, (when we were house hunting, sellers lit the damned things all over their house, gave me terrible headaches) so I would never subject a cat to the overpowering smell of pine/lavender etc whenever it wanted to perform it's ablutions. I used to use a mixture of wood pellets mixed with Bio Catolet (paper). A friend of mine used Catsan, her house stunk, she took the advertising literally and only cleaned it out once a fortnight .. daft bat.

Issi

Maybe I shouldn't admit to having a degree in Environmental Science then, and being married to someone who sat a Chemistry degree. We regularly have the conversation when going around the supermarket about how all food is 'organic' except eggs and shell fish, they are partially inorganic.

[booktigger]

The only 'scented' one I've ever deliberately bought was when I was fostering, the anti-bacterial was that good it could mask unneutered tom cat wee smell. I have tried most on the market, the one Lucy is currently using is crushed walnut shells, so figured that is a byproduct so a good use.

[issiandarchie+68]

Maybe I shouldn't admit to having a degree in Environmental Science then, and being married to someone who sat a Chemistry degree. We regularly have the conversation when going around the supermarket about how all food is 'organic' except eggs and shell fish, they are partially inorganic.
[/quote]

Partially inorganic insofar as the shell on the egg and shellfish is mineral? Same as human bones? Yes, I have listened to my hubby over the years, but not a lot

Issi