With all the litter choices on the market it’s difficult to determine which one will best suit your needs.There’s organic, wheat-based, corn-based, paper-based, silicon, and clay with options for scoopable, flushable, or biodegradable. So where to start? How can you choose the best litter for you and your cat.

Above all else, you need to determine the best litter for the location of your litter box.Yes, that’s right, the best litter for you starts with your decision on the location of the litter box. Some litters are great if it’s near a toilet because the cat feces can be flushed, but this doesn’t work if your litter box is in the laundry room and your bathroom is up the stairs and down the hall. Is there good ventilation in the room with the litter box or is it relatively closed off? What kind of floor is underneath the box or what have you provided to reduce tracking?

So you’ve determined the best suitable location for your litter box. Look at the litter box. Go ahead. Is it open? Does it have a cover? Does it have a spill guard? Once again, some litter tracks easily while other litter stays put and some carries dust or odors while others stay relatively dust-free.Covered litter boxes provide better tracking and odor control but aren’t always the easiest to fit into spaces or clean. Open boxes need better tracking control unless you want sweep the area four times a day. Pet stores and online pet supply companies usually have a variety of boxes and tracking-control mats to help with this problem.

Price can make a difference, too. Although most cat litters are relatively inexpensive, some, like the silicon-based litter pearls, tend to be more expensive. Find one that fits both your needs and your budget. Here’s the overview:

• Pearl or Crystal (silicon-based) litter - It’s difficult to put a price on odor control, however and pearl litter does a great job of containing odors while providing little tracking and no dust. Easy to clean (the crystals absorb the wetness) and change out.
• Traditional Clay litter (Johnny Cat-type products) – These tend to carry their own smell and can have some chemical odors. They are very inexpensive but also create a lot of dust and tracking. Messy to clean since the clay simply gets saturated with urine.
• Scoopable Clay litter – Still dusty and sometimes have a chemical odor, but they are very easy to clean. Some even come in flushable form. Very high tracking.
• Pine Pellet litter (Feline Pine-type products) – biodegradable and very little tracking. Great odor control, too. The pellets break down into sawdust from the urine and neutralize odor. This is also flushable, but usually all you need to do is flush the feces. Once it is all broken down, it can be used as compost. Since it is a different texture than most cats are used to, it’s recommended to gradually introduce this to the cat – or cats.
• Wheat and corn litter (SwheatScoop, Nature’s Miracle) – again, biodegradable with pretty good odor control and some tracking. Usually flushable and scoopable. They have a different smell than traditional litter and most smell like grain or wheat.Finding the best cat litter can take some time. The right litter depends on the number of cats, the location of the litter box, the type of litter box, and the amount of time you spend cleaning it. Online sites such as Greg Robert Quality Pet Supplies carry lots of different litters and can deliver to your door.