What Is Cat Litter Made of?

Until the late 1940s, when clay-based cat litters were developed, most cat owners used sand to fill their litter boxes. Now, there are a variety of materials used in cat litter, each with different properties and advantages.

  1. Bentonite

    • Clumping cat litters are made of bentonite clay, which sticks together when wet. The bentonite is usually mixed with quartz and diatomaceous earth, which are absorbent.

    Other Clays

    • Various types of clays are used for non-clumping cat litters. Zeolite, diatomaceous earth and sepiolite are common.

    Pine Pellets

    • Some cat litter comes in the form of pine pellets, which are absorbent, smell nice and have the advantage of being biodegradable.

    Other Natural Materials

    • Less common biodegradable cat litter materials include dried orange peel, pellets of recycled newspaper, sawdust and barley husks.

    Silica Gel

    • The most absorbent cat litter material currently available is silica gel. Silica gel pellets absorb moisture extremely well, and continue to be absorbent for up to thirty days.