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Are you thinking about switching from clay to paper pellet cat litter, but not sure how the scooping works? The main benefits of paper cat litter are that it is hypoallergenic, soft on your kitty’s paws, lightweight and better for the environment than clay.
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These pros mentioned sound pretty great, but could the scooping process be too big of a con for you to make up for it? Find out what it will take to scoop paper based litter.
Step by step guide to scoop paper pellet cat litter
- Use the litter scoop to collect and lift any cat feces.
- Gently shake the scoop to give any fresh pellets a chance to fall through the slits.
- Carefully tilt the scoop down, so some fresh pellets can roll off and fall back into the litter box.
- Empty the contents on the litter scoop into a container you use for cat litter.
- Dig in the litter with the scoop, to find any urine soaked pellets on the bottom.
- Remove pellets that are darker in color, and have fully expanded in size. Paper pellets are 3x more absorbent than clay.
- Add some new pellets if you need to. The depth of the litter should be about 2-3 inches.
- See the How often to change the litter completely-section, for tips on how to maintain the litter box.
Keep reading for more in depth information about the scooping process – or save the infographic below to Pinterest, to keep a short summary.
Using non clumping pellets
Some key things to consider about this cat litter made from paper, is that is shaped as pellets instead of granules, and that it is non-clumping. This will of course affect how you scoop and clean the litter.
Because the pellets are larger than typical clay granules, they will not fall through the holes in the litter scoop in the same way as clay litter.
A scoop with long and wider holes could help with this problem, but you still have to be willing to throw out some fresh pellets when you scoop and remove cat poop. If you can accept this, it is possible that you will be just as happy with your existing litter scoop.
In case you are not sure what will work for you, it can be a good idea to try scooping the paper pellets with your old scooper first. If you think one with wider holes will be better, you can always get one like that later.
You should also note, that since paper cat litter is non clumping, the pellets will not come together in the form of clumps whenever your kitty pees on it.
Cat urine will make its way to the bottom of the litter box, and the bottom layer of paper pellets will soak up the liquid. This is the layer you need to remove when you are cleaning the litter box. Used pellets will have a darker color than the fresh ones.
How often to change the litter completely
It is recommended to empty the contents of the litter box on a weekly basis. However, this will depend on number of cats and usage. If you have more than one cat, you will need to change it more often.
Another way to do this, is to have one litter box per cat, plus one. This is generally recommended anyway. If you choose to do this, you will need more litter initially, but it will cut down on how many times you have to replace all of the litter.
You can use smell, color and size of the pellets to judge if the litter needs to be changed. Remember that it is important to keep a clean litter box for your cat’s health, and to keep your cat from doing their business other places.
The layer paper pellets should cover the entire surface of the litter box, and be 2-3 inches deep. If it is too deep, it will be more difficult to find the used litter when you need to remove it.
Recycled paper litter
Litter producers have devised a means of recycling unwanted paper, rather than allow it to contribute to environmental pollution. Instead, they use what would have bee waste, to make litter for cats.
And the cat litter isn’t merely comprised of tons of newspapers recovered from the dustbin. It includes other paper materials like cardboard, egg cartons, old phone books, and so on, which are to be grounded into tiny particles.
During the manufacturing process, the tiny pieces undergo compression and, voilà! Pellets are produced.
Conclusion
Scooping of paper litters is not as easy as scooping of clumping litters, but it is far from impossible.
If you are mainly interested in paper cat litter because you want to stop using clay, there are some other natural alternatives you should consider before making a decision.
- Wood pellet cat litter is even cheaper than paper litter, and can be easier to clean: How Wood Pellet Cat Litter Works
- Grass seed cat litter is an excellent choice if you really want a clumping cat litter that is natural: Pros And Cons Of Grass Cat Litter
- You can also find other good alternatives in Chewy’s Natural cat litter-section.
Paper cat litter is suitable for cat owners seeking a non clumping cat litter that is environmentally friendly, or need a litter that is hypoallergenic.
If this sounds like a good match for you and your cat, you can read more about Yesterday’s News Original Unscented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter on Chewy.com.
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