How Often to Change Wood Pellet Cat Litter?

How Often to Change Wood Pellet Cat Litter?

Cat litter is a necessity if you have a cat at home.  Some cats adapt to any litter type easily, while others tend to become uncomfortable with certain ones that they did not use when they were still young. Wood pellet cat litter is a good option, although some cats take a while to get comfortable with it due to the texture and scent. Environmentally-conscious cat owners prefer this type of cat litter as it is natural and cost-effective. 

How often should I change wood pellet cat litter?

You should change the wood pellet cat litter every two weeks. Timing also will depend on how many cats you have and how much litter they use. In two weeks, all the pellets should already have dissolved. Most cat owners only completely change the pellets every three weeks after regularly sifting out the used portion; they attest that there is no noticeable odor in the litter box. 

Wood pellet cat litter absorbs the liquid and the smell and crumbles into sawdust, which settles at the bottom of the litter box. The fresh wood pellets remain on the top portion.  

You need to scoop the cat poop and some of the sawdust daily when cleaning the litter box. There are also special sifting litter boxes that remove the sawdust automatically.

Pros and cons of wood pellet cat litter 

Pros 

  • It is affordable and one of the cheapest cat litters on the market. 
  • It is eco-friendly since it is made from wood, which is renewable and biodegradable. It is also a recycled product from wood wastes. 
  • It does not get spread around as much as other types of litter because it is too large to get stuck in a cat’s paws
  • Most wood pellet brands do not contain synthetic chemicals. 
  • It has less dust compared to other litter types. 
  • It is highly absorbent and can take more than 500% of its weight, allowing it to last longer since you don’t need as much. The high absorbency also helps with the smell since it neutralizes the odor upon soaking up the urine. 
  • It smells good because it has the natural scent of wood.

Cons 

  • Not all cats favor this litter type because it has a different texture compared to what they are used to. 
  • It is non-clumping so you may have difficulty cleaning it. 
  • Some cats and cat owners are allergic to this litter type. 
  • The manner of cleaning is different compared to other litter types.

How to use wood pellet cat litter 

When using wood pellet cat litter, be sure not to overfill the litter box since the pellets expand and swell up when they become wet. They should cover the entire surface and should be about an inch in depth. 

Scooping wood pellet cat litter:

  1. Remove the solids such as those with urine and excrement.
  2. Scoop and collect the sawdust. 
  3. Shake the scoop so the sawdust falls into the separate container with the excrement. The scoop should have holes that are large enough for sawdust to fall through and small enough for fresh pellets to stay on top. You may also opt for a built-in sifter.
  4. Place the dry pellets back in the litter box.
  5. Add some fresh wood pellets to the litter box.

You need to scoop the used sawdust regularly and add more fresh wood pellets to allow the box to stay cleaner longer. Tilt the pellets to one side and quickly wash the bottom side instead of emptying all the contents of the litter box.

How to dispose of wood pellet cat litter 

The standard way to dispose of cat litter is to transfer it to containers and place them in trash bins. Since wood pellet cat litter is biodegradable, you can dispose of it by composting. By doing so, you can use it later as a fertilizer in your garden and for indoor plants. Do not use it to fertilize edible plants and vegetables since cat feces may contain parasites.

More about Wood Pellet Cat Litter

Wood pellet cat litter is made by grinding raw wood. It is then heat-treated and compressed into pellet form. It is made from excess wood from the timber industry or recycled materials. Common types are pine, cedar, and mixed wood types. Plant-based ingredients may also be added for clumping ability. Softwood pellets are made from cedar, cypress, and pine while hardwood pellets are made from applewood, aspen, and oak. 

Other types of eco-friendly cat litter:

  • Wheat litter 
  • Grass litter 
  • Corn litter 
  • Walnut shell litter 
  • Paper litter 

You may also check out our earlier article on emergency cat litter for some insightful details on how to make homemade cat litter that is natural and inexpensive. 

Conclusion 

Wood pellet cat litter is a fairly popular choice among cat owners because it is cost-effective and eco-friendly. It has to be freshened up regularly. Most cat owners will change it completely every three weeks once they have regularly sifted out the used portion. 

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