Every cat owner knows how the process of choosing the right cat litter can get to be challenging.
Not only do you have to pick a litter that absorbs both your cat’s pee and feces well and bad smells, too, but the litter you chose should also be approved by your kitty.
There are different types of litter, such as clay, silica gel, pine, corn, and so on. While searching for an ideal type, you could come across some that don’t seem traditional or familiar to you, such as horse bedding pellets.
It can sound strange to use something aimed for horses on your little cat. However, this idea didn’t show up just like that.
Let’s first learn what a horse bedding pellet is exactly and find out more about all the pros and cons of using it as a cat litter.
What Is A Horse Bedding Pellet?
All people who own a horse or know someone who does are well acquainted with horse bedding pellets.
According to Energy Pellets of America, these pellets are a great natural solution for habitats and stalls. They are designed in a way to prevent odor and absorb moisture in places where horses reside.
Horse bedding pellets are made from compressed wood fibers and are entirely chemical additives-free.
They have great absorbency power, are a good hygienic solution, and save time as it’s fairly easy to notice wet patches on them.
These pellets are available on Amazon, such as the super absorbent and dust-free Hemp Animal Bedding.
This all sounds great for horses, but, is it wise to use the same product as a litter solution for your cat?
Well, you may give it a try, but, first, it’s important to learn everything about the pros and cons of using horse bedding pellets for this purpose.
5 Pros Of Using Horse Bedding Pellets For Cat Litter
There are five most important advantages of using a horse bedding pellet like a cat litter.
Let’s check them out.
1. Cost Saving
You certainly want the cat litter to be absorbent and that your cat likes it. Additionally, price is also a factor that most of us consider even as the most important one with any purchase.
In this regard, horse bedding pellets are one of the cheapest options available. For instance, a 40 lb bag of American Wood FIBERS PELLETS PinePellet Bedding costs $31.60.
Just to be clear, 40 lb of horse bedding pellet isn’t equal to 40 lb of traditional cat litter. Due to its lighter weight, this pellet will last significantly longer than a bag of the same weight of any other cat litter.
2. Low Possibility Of Causing Dust
We’ve all been there. We read the label of a cat litter that’s allegedly 99.9% dust-free, but we soon witness that this is far from true.
As the Scientific American explains, many mass-market cat litter contain great amounts of dust which has been linked to upper respiratory distress both in cats and humans.
This is a reason why horse bedding pellets make a great, healthy solution for cat litter. They are unlikely to produce any dust when you pour them into your cat’s litter box.
Both your and your cat’s lungs will be safe with these pellets.
3. Low Tracking
Nobody wants to see a cat’s litter all around their house.
Since horse bedding pellets aren’t that small, it isn’t likely that they will get stuck on your cat’s paws, causing it to make a mess out of your home.
This is a good solution even for cats with long hair, which are usually more likely to have litter stuck on their coats.
4. Great Odor Control
Cleaning your cat’s litter box regularly is one of the main ways to help it smell better. Together with this, it’s also essential you choose a litter that will provide great odor control.
Horse bedding pellets absorb the urine and the bad odor right away. This means you can say goodbye to that specific ammonia smell around your cat’s toilet. The same thing is true with solid waste.
The natural woody smell of this pellet will help you keep your home smelling fresh and clean, without using any harsh chemicals.
5. Eco-friendly
Horse pellets make an eco-friendly option and are biodegradable. Wood is a renewable resource, meaning that you’ll do less harm to the environment by opting for this type of litter.
Unlike some other litter options available on the market, you can use this one without any guilt or remorse.
5 Cons Of Using Horse Bedding Pellets For Cat Litter
Now it’s time to also learn about the potential downsides.
1. High Possibility For Mold
Horse bedding pellets are prone to mold growth, particularly when they aren’t cleaned regularly.
Anasazi Animal Clinic explains mold inhalation can cause serious health problems in pets, like difficulty breathing, lethargy, coughing, and mouth bleeding.
It’s possible to avoid mold in horse pellets, by, of course, cleaning them regularly. For some people, it will be easier to have another type of litter that doesn’t require to be cleaned as often.
2. Challenging To Clean
Not only horse pellets should be cleaned often, but they can also be difficult to clean. These pellets don’t clump moisture like a clumping cat litter.
While a typical cat litter will require to be changed once a month, with this one, you’ll need to change it after just a week or two.
Since time is the most valuable resource for everyone, some people would just prefer to have a litter that’s easier to keep.
3. Not So Easy To Scoop
One of the important characteristics for every cat parent is for litter to be easy to scoop.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the case with horse pellets. Since they are large, they usually don’t go through the slots of typical litter scoops.
While scooping solid waste, most likely, you’ll also remove clean horse bedding pellets.
4. Rough Texture
Together with having all the characteristics we love to see, the litter should feel comfortable for your kitty, too.
Horse pellets may not be the perfect option for cats, especially for the picky ones. All cats are especially delicate about their paws and usually don’t prefer anyone touching them.
The horse bedding pellets have a rough texture and some cats will just prefer a litter with finer texture on their paws.
5. Cannot Be Used With Automatic Cat Litter Boxes
Automatic cat litters present a great option for some cat parents.
They are a serious investment, but have great advantages such as eliminating daily scooping and reducing the bad odor.
With this type of litter box, you can spend time away from your home knowing that you won’t come to see a full and smelly box.
If your cat uses automatic cat litter, I will have to disappoint you with information that horse bedding pellets are incompatible with them.
Final Verdict
Just like with all other types of litter, both traditional and some new ones, horse pellets have certain good and bad sides.
They’re affordable, eco-friendly, dust-free, offer low tracking, and handle the bad odor great. At the same time, they’re a bit high-maintenance, have a high chance of becoming moldy, and their texture may not suit every cat.
I suggest you give it a try, since its price isn’t too high. Who knows, perhaps your cat likes it so much and you even decide to keep it as its standard litter!
Ultimately, it will all depend on the preferences – both yours and of your cat’s.
