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.

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.