Can Sand Be Used in Cat Litter Boxes?

Sand, while being a natural base for cats to use when relieving themselves, is not the best option. Cats can naturally use any type of fine material such as sand or dirt but can be trained to use a more hygienic and more effective substrate.

  1. Substrate

    • Cats need a scratchable surface to bury their feces and urine and to hide the odor of these from predators; this is called a substrate. Sand and soil were readily available to cats in the wild, which is why they were used originally.

    Clumping

    • Cats prefer a sandy-type litter, which clumps and compacts into a solid form, but the litter must be wetted to work; solid waste will not clump with sand-type litter. This also helps in cleaning the litter box.

    Smell

    • Sand has no smell to it but is absorbent. Because of these facts, sand picks up the odor of any cat feces and urine, usually taking on a strong bleach-like odor.

    Bacteria

    • Sand does not kill bacteria but rather acts as a gathering point for bacteria. Because of this, the risk of illness can increase.

    Disposal

    • Sand alone can settle on the bottom of a body of water or be mixed with soil. Sand mixed with cat waste can cause the nutrients in the surrounding soil to be destroyed.