Best Litter For Cats With Asthma of 2023 – Why Is It Really Important For Your Cat?
Many people might not know this fact that cats also suffer from chronic diseases such as asthma, just like us. This disease causes a chronic inflammation in the air passage of cats’ lungs. During an asthma attack, this passage contracts to an extent making it difficult to breathe in a cat. The condition can worsen over a period of time.
I know all this because my cat Shirley has asthma. I found about her illness recently when I took her to a vet for a regular checkup. I told him that Shirley is coughing hard from a while and then, he diagnosed her with asthma after a complete evaluation. I could not believe this my three-year kid is suffering from such a chronic disease. Then, I researched thoroughly for Do’s and Don’ts for asthmatic cats. Here, I am writing this blog to tell you all about the best litter for cats with asthma.
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General Symptoms In Cats For Asthma
The most important thing that needs to be done is a proper evaluation of asthma if you are seeing your cat coughing for a while. There are signs that you need to look forward to in case you are sensing that your cat is facing a problem while normal breathing. Look for some of them below:
General symptoms in cats for asthma:
- Persistent coughing
- Wheezing
- Rapid breathing
- Gagging mucus off
- Blue gums and lips
- Lethargy
The symptoms can vary according to the seriousness of the problem. Hence, you need to know what causes asthma and how you can prevent your cats from getting worsen along with the time.
What Is The Cause of Asthma in Cats?
It is really important to know what causes asthma in cats so that you can further prevent the life-threatening damage. It happens due to allergic bronchitis but there are other factors that contribute to the rigorousness of an asthma hit. The eight most common causes that contribute to the seriousness of an asthma attack are:
Pollen
Pollens are tiny particles that fall down from trees, plants, grasses, etc. every fall, spring, and summer. Pollen is the most extensive thing that causes allergies in cats. These particles get trapped inside the air and you cannot evade it easily.
Mold
It is another factor that makes the condition of asthmatic cats worse. The common places where mold broods are indoor plants, dirty laundry, drains, and such other soggy places.
Dust & Smoke
Dust and smoke are the strong triggers of asthma. Dust activates an asthma attack not only in humans but even in cats. Even a clean house contains a lot of dust and dust mites, which reside over mattresses, carpets, stuffed toys, and other fabricated items
Household products
Cats also get affected by vapors resulting from various household products like cleaners, softeners, soaps, fresheners, conditioners, etc.
Food
Some food ingredients prompt asthmatic attacks in cats. Some of the top triggers include fish, gluten, wheat, preservatives, and dairy products such as milk.
Litter
Litters are the first thing that you need to pay attention to if your cats have been diagnosed with a chronic disease like asthma. You should get rid of dust, clay, or scented litters, which are the common irritants for an asthmatic cat.
Stress
Stress is another factor that triggers the asthma attack in cats. Stress in cats happens due to certain changes made to their day to day routines. So, you should not commit something that might stress them out as stress triggers asthma.
Vaccine
After diagnosing with asthma, your veterinarian would advise you not to vaccinate your cats anymore as some yearly vaccinations trigger the commencement of asthma.
Benefits of Buying A New Litter for Cats With Asthma
Undoubtedly, there are various benefits of buying a new litter for cats having an asthma problem. Firstly, getting a dust-free litter is going to reduce coughing in your cats as you might have noticed your cats coming out of the litter coughing and puffing. A new litter such as paper one is going to reduce coughing in your cats while they go to their litter boxes.
In the dust or clay litters, you might have observed dust flowing in the air while pouring litter in the box but gets settled after a while. But when your cats dig into the litter for their purpose, then dust flows again and triggers chances for an attack in asthmatic cats.
Choosing a litter for cats with asthma also helps you in some ways as you have to deal with less dust and odor control. Hence, it tends to improve your health against respiratory problems and cough. Now, you can enjoy a lovely day with your cats without any cough or wheeze.
Why Is It Necessary To Choose The Right Litter For Cats With Asthma?
Cat litters are not going to cause asthma in healthy cats, however, cats those have asthma can experience irritation while breathing from certain kinds of litters. For instance, cat litters with dust and scents can affect asthmatic cats badly.
It is really important to choose the right litter for asthmatic cats in order to make their condition better from worse. You should not go for a clay litter after your cat has been diagnosed with asthma as these litters contain a lot of dust. Dust is not good for your feline friends as it is going to make their airways contract and impossible to breathe.
However, you can opt for litters made from recycled papers, silica, and low-dust materials. These materials are not going to prompt asthma attacks in your cats. If you would not choose the right litter for your cat, then you have to face severe consequences. Not choosing the right litter would make the condition of your cat worse and even worse by each passing day. It is better to choose a litter that is dust-free as well as unscented for your cats.
Best Litter For Cats With Asthma
Product | Image | Our rating | |
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(Alternative Pick) |  | ||
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The best cat litters for cats suffering from respiratory problems are given below:
This litter is made from recycled papers, which make it an awesome eco-friendly product. It is safe for cats suffering from respiratory problems like asthma as this litter does not contain dust or any scent. It has no chemicals, which will not provoke asthma attacks.
Purina’s litter is quite effective in terms of controlling odors. It is even safe for kittens with soft paws as it is very gentle due to 99.7% small pieces. It even comes at a good price. Purina’s litter is the editor’s pick due to its great quality and that too at a reasonable price!
Pros
Cons
This product is well-known for cats suffering from respiratory problems such as asthma. It has really good odor controlling features, which make it a nice choice. Cats are not going to bother out with any kind of scent with this product. Its clumping quality is really good and you can scoop out the ammonia as soon as it hardens. With World’s Best Litter, you do not have to worry about the cleanliness of the litter box frequently.
It is the best alternative pick if you cannot go with the editor’s pick due to its scattering property. This World’s Best Cat Litter is a flushable litter, which is 99% dust free as well as people-pet-planet friendly!
Pros
Cons
This product is one of the best odor controlling litters for cats of all age. It has a pleasant artificial scent that settles down after a while. It has decent clumping capability, which means it does not form hard clumps but it is easier for scooping out. It contains activated carbon in order to extract odors. It might be good for healthy cats but not for asthmatic ones.
I am personally using this product from a while and believe me, I have not faced any problem with dust as of now!
Pros
Cons
It is one of the best litters in terms of neutralizing smells. This product has good controlling features for trapping bad odors. It even forms fast clumping, which makes it easier for dumping out the waste and even helps to keep the litter box clean for a longer period of time.
This product is 100% biodegradable, which can be used for multiple cats. There is only one drawback of this litter that is you cannot flush it out in small toilets. It does not come with any added dye or perfume and hence, most veterinarians recommend this product. It is the best upgrade pick for your cats!
Pros
Cons
This litter is made from a natural material like wood, which makes it better than clay litters. It even has good clumping features, which makes scooping out the waste a lot easier. It controls bad odors effectively for over a period of seven days. You can even flush this litter.
It is a safe litter for cats having asthma as it does not contain dust or other allergens that might prove fatal to your cat. It is a biodegradable litter.
Pros
Cons
Things To Remember While Purchasing The Best Litter For Cats With Asthma
You can go with above-mentioned litter for you cats, whereas you have to keep certain things in mind while choosing a litter for your cats suffering from asthma. The things to remember include:
Dust-free
A litter for cats prone to asthma should be dust-free. If you are using a clay litter for good clumping qualities, then you should avoid using it straightway after your cat has been diagnosed with asthma. Clay litters contain a lot of dust that is really bad for the health of your cats. Dust particles cause coughing in them as their airways narrow down while inhaling dirt particles through it, which makes breathing a lot difficult for them. So, go for a litter that is dust-free!
Odor control
Another factor that should keep in mind while purchasing a new litter for your cat is odor controlling one. It does not mean that you should go with litters that come with scented smells. Generally, most of the cats prefer unscented litters. You should look for a litter that traps odors for a longer period of time.
Allergy-free
Some cats are allergic to corn or wheat, then you cannot choose a litter box made of these natural ingredients for your cats. On the other hand, for cats having asthma, a clay litter is a big NO as it contains dust, which is fatal for you cats. So, look for a litter that would be allergy-free for your cat.
Eco-friendly
You should look for litters those are made from materials like recycled papers. These litters will not harm the environment and will be easy to discard off. So, look for these kinds of litters as these are not only safe for your cats but also for the environment.
Price
Apart from the other qualities, it should also be pocket-friendly. You can go for litters that come with quantity as well as quality at reasonable prices. Now, look for the best litter for your cats with asthma having all these qualities.
How To Keep The Litter Box Clean For Long Durations?
While there is no shortcut for cleaning a litter box but there are some ways that can help you to keep your litter clean for a longer duration. But I have learned some tricks over a while to keep a litter box clean for some time longer than the usual. Let’s move on to those smart tricks!
Keep a separate box for each cat
If you have more than one cat then, it is better to keep a separate litter box for every cat. In case one of your cats has asthma, you can change the litter box straightway for that specific cat only.
Check for enough litter
It is advised to keep a check on the litter box whether it has enough litter or not. You need to ensure this as quantity decides how much it is going to absorb wastes and hide odors at the same time.
Scoop out frequently
You have to scoop the waste frequently out of the box to keep it clean for a longer duration. You can even go for litters those hide odors for a longer period of time.
Wash it weekly
No matter how many times you scoop out the waste but cleaning a litter box is a must. In case, your cat is suffering from asthma, then you should do the cleaning frequently as dirty litter is not good for those cats. You can even watch this video to know about how to clean a litter box!
Conclusion
Now, you know what you have to choose for your lovely cats. It will not be a difficult decision for you to make about getting a new litter for your kitty. As cats with asthma are already dealing with respiratory issues, then surely you will not want to add more to their problems. You have to get a right litter for them having all those qualities mentioned above.
As you might know, you cannot fully treat asthma but can slow down the process a bit. Your cats’ health will deteriorate over a period of time as they age. So, it is advised to make strict changes that would help your cat to breathe in an easier way. However, changing their litter is the most important one out of all. Choose a litter for your cat wisely!
