When new cat owners look at the litter tray, one valid question is how much cat litter should be used. It’s easy to think that more is better. But it turns out that too much or too little can both cause problems for you and your cat. 

When Using Too Much Cat Litter

Your cat may look shaky or off-balanced when using the litter box, or they only go half way in the litter box with only front half inside. Because the ground shifts under your cat’s feet. It is like walking through deep and loose sand. It is especially challenging for older cats or cats with physical problems.

Cats likes the litter to be deep enough so they can dig in the litter and bury their waste. But if the litter is too deep it leaves the cats impression that the hole they dig is not deep enough, so they dig it harder harder leaving litter scattered outside the litter box and all around the room.

Also it is a waste if you use too much cat litter. Because you still need to clear out their feces if they defecate and you also need to empty and clean up the litter box on a regular basis. The more litter you use, the more you’ll end up throwing away.

When Using Too Little Cat Litter

If your cat refuses to use the litter box, or go to the toilet outside of their litter box, you might have used the wrong cat litter, or you haven’t used enough cat litter.

Cat's digging, eliminating and covering it up in the cat litter is a survival instinct. If there’s not enough litter in the tray, your cat might not want to use it.

Also too thin a layer of litter isn’t enough to absorb cat’s urine. So it sits on the bottom of litter tray and create an odour problem. Cats are hygienic animals. If your cat’s litter tray smells, they’ll be far less likely to use it.

How Much Cat Litter is Just Right?

Typically 2-4 inches of litter in the box is the ideal amount. However each cat is individual. what is right for one cat may not be the case for the other. So keep an eye on your cat’s behavior and adjust the litter amount accordingly.

Maintaining a Consistent Level of Cat Litter

Now you know the right amount of litter to put in your cat’s box, it is best that you keep it consistent. It is recommended that you add some each day or two to replace the litter you’ve scooped out. And always keep the litter clean and free of smell by cleaning it up on a regular basis.

For urine and odor control, we would recommend silica gel cat litter. Silica gel is made from sodium silicate sand. It has rich tiny pores that allows it to absorb around 40 times its weight in liquid. Silica gel cat litter are specifically formulated to be safe for cats.

Silica crystals are effective at odor control.Their porous structure immediately absorb moisture and trap the moisture inside, thus leaving the outer layer dry to the touch. Once the moisture evaporate, the odor-causing molecules are trapped within the inner channels. The absorbency capability of silica gel is continuous, so most litters can work for up to a month for one cat. Also there are clumping silica cat litter, and you can easily scoop the clumps out and keep the litter clean and dry all the time for your cat.

Silica cat litter also contain little to no dust, and is not easy for cat to track around the house.

There is also a new type of health monitoring silica cat litter that can change colors according to the ph value of cat’s urine, this property can give you signs of your cat’s health and an ease of mind.

Every cat litter has its pros and cons, and the final choice really comes down to your cat’s preference.