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October 19, 2021
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Comparing Skoon Against Other Types of Cat Litter

How Does Skoon Rank Among Other Cat Litters?

When it comes to choosing the best cat litter for your feline friend, the options may be overwhelming. You want the very best for their health and happiness, but you also desperately want to cut down on the smell, cost and overall time it takes to handle all of your cat chores. Is there an option that can reasonably cover all these pain points and make your entire family happy?

We are taking away the guesswork of the kitty litter debate by researching for you! Here we’ll compare several cat litter types on your quest to finding the perfect brand for you– especially when it comes to cat litter subscription services.

We think Skoon is pretty spectacular, but we’ll let the facts speak for themselves.

Meet the competitors

The array of cat litter delivery service companies available to choose from is not a one-size-fits-all kind of shopping situation. There are so many cat litter types that focus on different properties and solutions to everyday household issues. Here are the main competitors for cat litter ingredients that can be delivered straight to your door through a monthly subscription service.

Clay
Silica
Diatom Pebbles

What we are comparing

There are many ways to compare the best kinds of cat litter. Today, we are focusing on the four most important “goods” to consider: Is it good for your cat, good for your house, good for you, and good for the environment?

Here’s how we’ll break down each category:

Good for Your Cat

Not all cat litter types are created equal. We want something that is great for your cat’s health and overall well-being. The main thing we’ll look at here is cat litter ingredients. Are they toxic or safe? Is it clumping or non-clumping, and should you care? All your questions will be answered below.

Good for Your House

Cat litter can be a homeowner hazard. There’s the smell that seeps into every corner of your house somehow, and don’t forget the mess caused by it being tracked by adorable little paws scurrying across the floor. Here, we’ll highlight which cat litter types have the best effect on your overall living space.

Good for You

Just because kitty litter is for your cat, that doesn’t mean it can’t be something you enjoy too. Here we’ll focus on cost and the best low maintenance litter box because your time is valuable (along with getting the most bang for your buck).

Good for the Planet

In 2021, it’s more important than ever before to be environmentally minded and aware of how to reduce your carbon footprint (or, in this case…pawprint!). We’ll examine which cat litter types are environmentally safe and have biodegradable/ composting abilities.

The Lowdown on the Competitors

Introducing the top cat litter types! You may have heard of these materials through various brand marketing and ad pop-ups when conducting your own research. Here’s what they’re all about:

Clay Litters

Clay is a very popular all natural cat litter ingredient with varieties that come in both clumping and non-clumping depending on your preference. This material is so natural, cats instinctively know how to use it! Most cats don’t even have to be trained to use this kind of cat litter because it’s so similar to the great outdoors where cats in the wild enjoy making their deposits in the dirt around them. Clay-based cat litters also effectively neutralize odors.

However, while it may seem like a clear choice since it’s a more natural approach to kitty litter, there still are some risks with clay litters– especially if your cat ingests it.

Breakdown at a Glance:

Pro: Clay-based litters are more natural and reduce the number of chemicals exposed to your cat. They also come in both clumping and non-clumping varieties depending on your own preference.

Con: Clumping litter can make clean-up a mess, and you need to be careful if your kitty overeats from the litter box. It is not the safest cat litter ingredient when ingested, especially for younger cats.

Silica Cat Litter

Silica gel crystal litters are super popular for their absorbent properties. However, it is a hotly debated topic with many conflicting sources on the Internet. While overall, it’s been approved as safe for cats, you still need to be careful and monitor your cat around it. One concern that readily pops up on Internet searches is what happens to your cat if silica litter is ingested or inhaled.

Many of the more popular brands of silica litter clearly claim on their website that it is safe and will pass through cats fine if ingested in small amounts– but that’s the key phrasing to consider: small amounts. Often when you search the websites, you’ll find disclaimers that kittens under six months old should not use silica litter because they may eat too much of it or to closely monitor cats who are notorious for nibbling on litter as a habit.

Silica litter is made from “naturally occurring minerals,” so it is an all natural cat litter option. However, safety is still a concern. Cat owners have shared on a Reddit thread with a video of someone scooping a popular silica litter brand to show how significant the dust issue actually is. Owners on the thread noted their cats had irritated eyes since using these particular silica litters. Similarly, a reviewer published on Wired said that their vet suspected the eye issue their cat experienced could be because of the dust from the litter.

Breakdown at a Glance:

Pro: Silica has great absorbent properties.

Con: However, Silica poses numerous potential health risks to be aware of.

Diatom Pebbles

Diatom pebbles are a surprising substance to use in cat litter– but it is significantly effective. Made from large boulders of fossilized diatoms, this cat litter ingredient has an interesting structure. The pebbles replicate a microscopic, sponge-like structure that absorbs urine while trapping and eliminating odors completely– no swelling included. And because it doesn’t change in size when absorbed, this means that if your feline friend accidentally nibbles on some diatom pebble litter, this cat litter ingredient won’t tragically swell inside his intestines like other cat litter types. Instead, it’ll safely pass through. The relief and peace of mind cat owners feel knowing diatom pebbles don’t pose a health risk is substantial.

Diatom pebble cat litter is also easy to maintain. Not only does it not track throughout your house and is low on dust, it’s easy to clean. Now, instead of scooping out messy clumps, solids sit right on top– ready to scoop out. The only maintenance required for diatom pebble litter is stirring it occasionally to maximize absorbency. That’s it!

Diatom pebbles are not only all natural, they’re also inherently biodegradable. This means that this cat litter ingredient is not just good for your kitty– it’s also good for the planet.

This is why Skoon chooses to only offer diatom pebbles in our litters. We believe in this cat litter ingredient because it really is such a win-win for all.

Pro: Diatom pebbles are revolutionary. Not only are they easy to maintain, they don’t pose health risks to your cat and are better for the environment.

Con: No non-clumping variety available if that is your preference.

The findings

Good for your cat?

Most of these cat litter types offer all-natural options, but with silica and clay options on the list, we’re not 100 percent convinced it’s good for your cat. Many seem to pass the standard of safety, but with warnings buried in their FAQs, it certainly is a reason to give pause and do more research.

As science continues to make progress in bettering cat litters, many of these cat litter ingredients have gone through rigorous testing to ensure the safety of these materials. But we encourage you to do your research on the materials you let your cat use in their litter box.

The Skoon Difference:

Diatom pebbles do not swell and pass safely through your cat without harm if accidentally eaten. Our material doesn’t stick to kitty paws to risk being licked later. Diatom pebbles are also natural and don’t expose your feline family members to harmful chemicals.

Good for your house?

All of the brands that use these various cat litter ingredients have great reviews on odor-fighting abilities and claim to be low-tracking.

The Skoon Difference? While they all make similar claims, our loyal customers rave over how easy it is to clean up our diatom pebble litters. Many have even claimed that when friends come over to visit, they can no longer smell the litter box at all because of how amazing our litter is at odor-absorbing.

Good for you?

When it comes to cost, all the main competitors are roughly similar in price. But most of the competitor brands require you to supply your own cat litter box, making changing out the litter more labor-intensive.

The Skoon Difference:

Skoon offers the option of using a disposable cat litter box that comes with your shipment each month. When you’re ready for a refill, you simply close up the used litter in the box and toss! It doesn’t get much easier than that. Our loyal customers love this option when purchasing their monthly litter subscriptions.

Good for the environment?

Overall, clay and silica litters are not considered good for the environment. While many cat litter brands use these materials and show that they help make clean-up easy, these ingredients are doing more harm than good to planet Earth. They are not as biodegradable or compostable as other options on the market.

The Skoon Difference:

Skoon’s diatom pebbles are inherently biodegradable, all-natural and come in a compostable litter box. We make helping the planet a priority.

Why Skoon is the best