There are so many cat litters out there to choose from it can sometimes be difficult to figure out which one is going to be the best for both you and your Bengal cat. This is why we decided to check some of them out and come up with our top litter picks for Bengal cats. Here we will cover the following:
- Bengal Cats Attitude About Their Litter and Litter Box
- What to Look for in a Cat Litter and Special Tips
- Our Top Choices for Best Bengal Cat Litter
Bengal Cats Attitude About Their Litter and Litter Box
When it comes to Bengal cats and cat litter the most important thing to remember is that Bengal cats are probably the most fastidious of all cats when it comes to using their litter box. They are very selective about going to the toilet. Most domestic cats don't seem to care very much about the type of litter box or litter you give them neither do they seem to be bothered if you don't get around to cleaning out that box as soon as you should.
When it comes to Bengals, you'll soon realize that they have far less tolerance than other cats when it comes to the litter box, kind of litter and how often it is cleaned. Since Bengals are so intelligent they tend to have an attitude especially when it comes to cleanliness. They not only may be picky about the type of box you provide them, but they also may be picky about the kind of litter you provide them. But most of all, they are very picky when it comes to the cleanliness of their litter boxes. This means that you really need to be aware of this fact. Don't be surprised if your Bengal is so picky that they force you to clean it more than once a day. Otherwise, you might end up finding that your Bengal has found other places to go to the bathroom.
What to Look for in a Cat Litter and Special Tips
When shopping around for a good cat litter for your Bengal cat it's important that you know what to look for. If you fail to find one that is going to be best suited for your cat you could end up with a lot of problems.
One important thing to remember is that the litter should be low dust. This can be a difficult thing to try and find because it's going to vary from litter to litter. However, the lower the dust the better. The only ones that will not have dust will be the crystal varieties, but those are often not popular with some cats.
Another thing that you want is a litter that is low tracking. You know you have a high-quality litter when most of it stays in the litter box and not on your Bengals paws where they can track it out onto your floor making more work for you.
You also don't want a litter that has a scent. You might like the smell of a litter with a nice scent, but studies have shown that most cats, especially Bengals would rather have an unscented litter if they could pick it themselves. Sometimes scents can be so strong for a cat that they will avoid their litter box all together. If you feel you need extra odor control then you will want to find a litter that has carbon or activated charcoal ingredients in it.
Remember that every litter box is a little different. There are the standard ones you scoop from, sifting litter boxes, and automated litter boxes. Each of them work well with different litter types. For example, not all sifting litter boxes will be good to use if you have pine litter that are typically pellets. That said, there are still some options and we have one listed on our partner website that includes a list of the best sifting litter boxes available.
Finally, consider the comfort of your Bengal. It's really important that the litter feels comfortable under your Bengals paws. This is going to be very important when choosing a litter for your cat. Studies have shown that most cats, Bengals included seem to prefer how the clumping clay litter tends to feel on their paws. The more comfortable the litter, the more likely that your Bengal will approve of it.
If you're wondering what the proper way is to clean a cat litter box, this video will help.
Special Tips
- If you find a litter that your Bengal cat seems to really like it’s important that you don’t suddenly switch brands unless there is a very good reason to do so. All cats, especially Bengals, are simple creatures of habit and if they are happy with the litter they already have you should never switch it, even if you don’t like it for some reason.
- Cat experts have discovered that cats tend to prefer the litters that clump whether it is a clay litter or a biodegradable litter. The reason is that this litter has a different texture and is a lot more comfortable feeling to cats. Plus, most of them are much easier for you to clean.
- When shopping for a good litter, don’t judge the litter by its price tag alone. There are some clumping litters that tend to be priced good but they often are still tracked all over the house by your cat’s paws. It’s probably best to avoid the cheapest ones available and stick with moderate to more expensive.
- Always take your cats comfort into consideration first. The more comfortable it is for your cat the higher probability they are going to want to use it. Remember that your Bengals paws are very sensitive to the touch and they may not react very positively to certain types of litters, especially the litters that are crystals or pellets. If you see that your Bengal is using their litter box reluctantly by meowing and fussing around when using it, you should consider trying to find a different litter for them.
- The best way to cut down on odor is to keep the box super clean, besides, like mentioned earlier, your Bengal will more than likely demand that it is always extremely clean. With a clumping litter, you should clean the clumps out once or twice a day at the minimum and make sure that you dump and totally clean the litter box out on a weekly basis.
- Finally, the final judge with the best litter is not the experts, it’s your cat. If your cat likes the litter then they will continue to use their litter box. However, if they don’t like it, you’ll immediately find out. One way to find out quicker is to have several different litter boxes filled with different litters and see which one your cat ends up choosing.
Our Top Choices for the Best Litter
After researching a few of the litters that are out there on the market, we came up with a list of our five top picks that we hope will help you shorten your search for the best cat litter for your Bengal cat.
Below you'll find a list of cat litters that we feel could be good choices for both you and your Bengal cat.
Precious Cat Ultra-Premium Clumping Cat Litter
ABOUT: This is a cat litter made by the brand called Dr. Elseys, perhaps a brand many haven't heard of but, they tend to offer a high-quality litter that a lot of cats seem to have a preference for. It doesn't contain any deodorants nor perfumes and is 100% natural making it gentle for your cat. It comes in 18-pound bags and 40-pound bags.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$$
FEATURES: This litter is an all-natural clumping litter that contains no plant proteins and uses heavy granules that are almost 100% dust free for a far less mess when it comes to tracking litter onto the floor. If you own a self-cleaning litter box this litter is supposed to be ideal for sifting. This liter is made from a medium grain clay and helps to keep the moisture from penetrating all the way to the bottom of the litter box.
PROS: It's a good one for multi-cat families, contains no deodorant or perfume and the clay is a medium grain which helps keep down the dust and tracking of litter onto the floor. Clumps well making it easy to clean daily with no mess.
CONS: The main complaint has been that the clumps seem to be harder than other litter brand clumps.
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Multi-Cat Litter
ABOUT: This is a cat litter that is specifically made for those homes that have more than one cat. It seems to be quite effective in keeping down the odor of litter boxes with its ingredients that include baking soda, which is often used by people to keep down odors in places like a refrigerator that tends to collect a variety of odors. It comes in 14 pounds, 27.5 pounds, 38 pounds, and 40 pounds.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$$
FEATURES: This litter seals and destroys odor with the help of the baking soda that is in it. Comes with a seven-day guarantee and is labeled to be very low in dust. The clumps that form don't crumble like other brands and is strong enough to handle multiple cats.
PROS: This litter clumps well and don't crumble on you when trying to clean the litter box out. Contains baking soda which cuts down on odors immensely and produces very little dust so there tends to be less mess on the floor.
CONS: Some complaints have been that it doesn't keep the odors away as long as the product claims.
Purina Yesterday's News Unscented Cat Litter
ABOUT: This is a brand of cat litter that is highly recommended by a lot of vets. This is a non-clay litter that takes into consideration the sensitivity of a cat’s paws. The litter is made from almost 100% dust free soft pellets made of recycled paper.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$$
FEATURES: This litter is low tracking due to it's being made of soft recycled paper. It tends to be pretty effective when it comes to controlling odor control. It is extremely lightweight so it makes for easier dumping of the litter box when cleaning.
PROS: It produces very little dust and is extremely lightweight. It's gentle for the paws of cats and has no odor to turn cats off. There are no artificial chemicals in this litter and is highly recommended for kittens.
CONS: There is some concern that urine makes the litter a little too mushy.
Purina Tidy Cats Lightweight 24/7 Performance Clumping Cat Litter
ABOUT: This cat litter has an exclusive bi-component system that specifically targets the odor to absorb it along with absorbing the urine by clumping tightly. This litter is supposed to be able to fight and neutralize odors both from urine and feces.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$$
FEATURES: This litter is one that is about 50% lighter than most other litters on the market and it forms strong and tight clumps for easier scooping. It is also specifically designed to accommodate more than one cat. This litter also absorbs urine quite well and keeps the bottom of the litter box relatively dry.
PROS: Absorbs relatively well and does create strong and easy to remove clumps. It contains odor fighting ingredients that help to neutralize the odors and the lightness of the litter makes it extremely easy to dump cat litter boxes.
CONS: There are concerns that because of the lightweight nature of the litter it tends to track more onto the floor around the litter box.
okocat Natural Wood Cat Litter, Clumping
ABOUT: This is a different kind of cat litter that is both biodegradable and can be flushed. It also is a clumping style litter that is anti-bacterial. Has no chemicals or dyes making it safer for cats than some other litters on the market.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$
FEATURES: Uses renewable wood fibers which is very biodegradable and safe for cats and the environment. It has seven-day odor control and traps urine and odors without using additives or scents that could be unhealthy. It has a fresh wood scent that is natural and not man-made. This litter fights off bacterial growth and helps keep litter boxes clean. Absorbs well and clumps for easy clean up.
PROS: There are no chemicals or artificial perfumes included in this litter, just natural wood. It also can be flushed down your toilet without clogging it for easy and quick clean up. The wood fibers absorb the smells of the litter box and clumps pretty good which makes it easier to clean up.
CONS: The main concern here is that this litter does tend to be easily tracked out of the litter box.
After reviewing all of these cat litters, we've decided that the one that makes the top of the list for us would be Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Multi-Cat Litter. The reason we have chosen this particular litter is because we feel that it seems to fit most of the criteria for a good quality cat litter that Bengal cat owners are looking for.
Even though all of these litters have their own good qualities, the Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Multi-Cat Litter seemed to have nearly all the qualities that make for a good litter for a cat as picky as Bengals can be. It has no odor, it neutralizes odors quite well, it doesn't track much onto the floor and it is relatively easy to clean up.