Before you switch to cheaper cat litter, check what is in the bag

Litter is a cost that comes round every few weeks, and a bag of pet-shop litter adds up. Some people buy something else: pellets of compressed wood sold in farm and feed stores, usually as bedding for horses, at a fraction of the pet-shop price, they say. They also say it lasts, and that it needs a small change in how you clean the tray. Some of them also warn that not every wood pellet is the same thing.

If you switch to cheaper litter, choose pellets sold as animal bedding or cat litter, not pellets sold to burn in a stove, check the bag, and mix the new litter in slowly.

What people say about pellets

Many people say farm stores sell large bags of absorbent bedding much more cheaply than pet shops, and that buying bigger bags lowers the price per kilogram or pound. Prices change and differ by shop, so work out your own. Some people say wood pellets last longer than clay litter and hold odour well. They break down into sawdust when wet, and the sawdust sifts through to a lower tray, so the way you clean the tray changes. One person says a heavy bag of 40 pounds or more can hurt you if you lift it carelessly; one person says bulk litter needs somewhere to be stored.

The RSPCA, a UK animal charity, says: “We saw wood pellets perform best in our trials; however, some cats may prefer a fine sandy litter.” Cats Protection, another UK charity, says wood pellets can be tidy because they are less likely to stick to paws, and that the downside is texture: the larger, harder pellets may be uncomfortable for some cats, particularly cats used to something softer.

Which pellets

This is where people disagree and where the label matters. Some people warn that pellets made to burn in stoves can contain oils or other additives, and that pellets sold as animal bedding are the ones made for animals. One person says the stove kind has an oily coating that makes it poor at soaking up urine. One person, after reading a product’s information, said the pellet-making process removes oils and resins instead of adding them. Both are accounts, not tests.

What a standard says: the US Pellet Fuels Institute’s 2022 standard for heating fuel pellets defines an additive as any substance other than wood that is deliberately put into the wood mix before the pellets are made, lists a limit of 2.0 percent for additives, and says the materials used “shall exclude chemically treated materials”. It says nothing about animals, and the part read does not say what the additives are. So the words “stove pellets” on a bag do not tell you whether it is plain wood, and this page cannot tell you. A bag sold as animal bedding or cat litter is made for animals, but this page did not find anyone who tested those either; one person says wood pellets are not checked for use as litter, so quality checks cannot be counted on.

Some people also say that softwood such as pine or cedar, if it is not kiln-dried, carries a compound called phenol that is toxic to cats, and that pine and cedar can cause kidney failure; others say kiln-dried pellets are safe. This page found no vet or animal-charity page that tests solid pine or cedar litter in either direction. The US Pet Poison Helpline does say that cats are “very sensitive to phenols and phenolic compounds, which can be found in some essential oils”, that pine oils are among the oils known to cause poisoning in cats, and that the higher the concentration of an oil, the greater the risk. That page is about essential oils, not litter pellets. So the claim is open, not settled.

When authority is silent and the safer choice costs little, the sensible move is the one with the label: pellets sold for animals, with the contents on the bag. If your cat has asthma or another breathing problem, Cats Protection says choosing a low-dust litter can be particularly important, and to ask your vet if you are unsure what suits a cat with a health condition. It says some clay litters are dusty too, so check the product whatever you buy. If you decide to use stove pellets anyway, that is outside what this page can support, and it does not say how to do it more safely.

Changing over

The RSPCA advises “mixing in the new one gradually, over a week, or placing it in a separate litter tray so that your cat can choose”. Cats Protection says to increase the proportion over at least a week. One person says the change can take weeks, and one person says a picky cat that dislikes the litter, or finds the tray less clean, may refuse it or spray, which costs more than the saving. Some people say pellets need a different scoop or a sifting tray, because they do not sift through the holes of a standard one.

Stretching the litter

Many people say sifting out the waste and reusing the clean litter makes a bag last longer. One person says to use a thick layer of clumping litter and add a new layer weekly. International Cat Care says the tray should be scooped at least twice a day and completely cleaned every 2 to 4 weeks with clumping litter, or weekly with non-clumping litter; the RSPCA says if the tray is left to become dirty your cat may prefer to use the floor instead. So there is a floor under the saving, and it comes from the cat, not the bag. There is a floor for you, too. If you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system, the NHS says to avoid cat poo in cat litter if you can, and to wear gloves if you need to empty a litter tray and wash your hands afterwards; it says toxoplasmosis caught while pregnant can cause miscarriage. In the US, the CDC says to change the litter box daily, because the parasite does not become infectious until 1 to 5 days after a cat sheds it: “By cleaning the litter box every day, you remove the feces before they become infectious.” So however you stretch the litter, take the waste out every day. The CDC page read for this does not speak to pregnancy; if you are pregnant, ask your doctor or midwife whether someone else should empty the tray.

Self-cleaning boxes

Some people say a self-cleaning box cuts litter use and pays for itself, and some people say the sums do not work. International Cat Care says self-cleaning trays “often make random movements or noises that can startle cats and disturb their toileting behaviour”, and that many are quite small. Some people say cheap unbranded models from online marketplaces have trapped or killed cats. This page found no authority page that records it, so it carries it as people’s warning. This page does not name a model, and does not carry the box as a way to save money.

Who this page is not for

If you have a kitten, Cats Protection says it is usually best to avoid clumping litter for kittens, because swallowing it could cause a blockage. If you have an older cat, or one with sore paws, hard pellets may be uncomfortable, and a softer litter may suit better. If your cat has already shown breathing trouble, ask your vet before you change anything. If your cat has gone off the tray suddenly, the cause may be a health problem, not the litter: the RSPCA says regular toileting outside the tray may point to a health problem, and to talk to your vet. If you cannot store bulk bags or carry heavy ones, the farm-store route may not fit you.

The cheapest bag is the one your cat uses, and the label is the part you can check.