The best litter for declawed cats is litter in which they can still dig and get some traction in the cat litter, despite the fact they no longer have claws.
Declawed cats have difficulty using cat litter because they no longer have claws to dig in the litter.
What that means for the declawed cat, is that the litter needs to be soft but not too soft.
The cat litters below have been chosen because they are all suitable for cats that have been declawed.
Three of the litters suitable for declawed cats are paper litters and the fourth is a soft wood clumping litter.
Some Of The Best Litters For Declawed Cats Are…
| 1.Fresh News Cat Litter – Recommended By Veterinarians |
| 2.Okocat Natural Cat Litter Paper & Dust Free – Odor Control/Dust Free |
| 3.Okocat Super Soft Clumping Wood Litter – Good For After Surgery |
| 4. So Phresh Odor Control Paper Litter – Works Well And Good Price |
| FAQ – More Information About Litter For Declawed Cats |
| Tips To Coax Declawed Cats To Use The Litter Box |
Two Excellent Cat Litter Choices For declawed Cats
Best Litter For Newly Declawed cats
best litter For Cats that have already been Declawed
litter for declawed cats.
This is not a cat litter to use post operatively because it doesn’t offer the same dust free qualities, of paper litter.
Use as a regular, everyday litter, as it is soft on paws.
This litter is good for litter box refusers.
Here is more information about specific cat litters suitable for declawed cats. See below:
1. Fresh News Cat Litter For declawed Cats
Fresh News is a paper cat litter made from 100% recycled, biodegradable paper. Paper cat litter is low tracking because the pellets retain their form.
This means they are less likely to stick to the cat’s fur or paws as they remain pellet like.
This is great for less tracking but also essential for cats that have been declawed or had any other type of surgery.
The wound site needs to be kept clean to prevent infection.
Paper pelleted cat litter has no fine particles which ultimately makes it the best cat litter for declawed cats.
Fine particles found in other cat litters may work their way into a wound, which may result in infection.
The paper pellets do not form hard clumps like a clumping litter, which could be painful on the paws of a newly declawed cat.
Removing the soiled cat litter paper pellets daily, will also help with preventing infection.
The paper pelleted litter turns a darker color when wet, so you can see when it is time to change the pellets.
Paper cat litter is also an ideal cat litter for cats and cat owners who may have respiratory problems because there is no dust.
Paper cat litter is 99% dust free and 100% non allergenic. Baking soda is used for odor control in this paper based litter, otherwise, it is fragrance free.
Pros
Paper litter is often vet recommended post surgery.
Paper cat litter is low tracking.
This paper litter is non allergenic – good for cats and cat owners with respiratory issues.
Environmentally, this litter, being recycled paper is heading in the right direction.
Cons
This paper litter does not clump, so it is more maintenance intensive than a clumping litter.
The best way to scoop this paper litter is like this – move the litter scoop slowly and gently to locate the darker pellets which indicate wetness and remove those pellets with the scoop. Dispose of those pellets and add fresh pellets.
Specifications Of fresh News paper cat Litter
This paper litter is available in a 4lb, 12lb or 25lb bag. The pellets are made from 100% recycled paper.
2. Okocat Paper Dust – Free Litter
The litter is an eco friendly, non-clumping, pelleted paper cat litter made from recycled paper. The pellets are lightweight and soft and are a clean white paper fiber.
This cat litter is also dust free, so a good litter to use post operatively for cats that have been declawed.
This paper cat litter is an unscented cat litter, there are no chemicals or artificial fragrances. The absorbent natural plant fibers trap waste odors however if you are used to a fragranced product you may notice some odor.
Whilst recovering from surgery it is important to be more diligent than usual to ensure the cat litter box is sparking clean to prevent infection.
Pros
This paper litter absorbs 200% of its weight in liquid
oko means eco or ecological in German. All okocat products are eco friendly.
Cons
This paper litter is an unscented cat litter. You may notice odors.
Specifications Of Okocat Paper Litter
The box sizes of this paper litter are as a 5.1lb, 8.2lb or 12.3 box.
The box of this cat litter has a handy pouring spout and is easy to carry with a handle at the top of the box.
Made with no artificial fragrances, synthetical chemicals, toxic dyes or GMOs.
3. Okocat Super Soft Clumping Wood Litter
This wood litter is eco-friendly, made from reclaimed wood that is 100% renewable organic fiber and chemically untreated. Even the carboard box can be recycled.
It can track a little, so definitely use a cat litter mat and also read here for tips on the best way to cope with taming the spread of litter.
This natural cat litter is not recommended post operatively but a definite recommendation for your declawed cat as this cat owner discovers. There is more information below.
Great product for kitty’s with tender paws. My foster kitty went right in the box and used the new litter with no problems! He had been surrendered because of not using the litter box and had been declawed.
Pros
Okocat wood litter is light in weight. Seven pounds of okocat wood litter would be the equivalent of 20 lbs clay litter.
This wood litter clumps well and is easy to clean up.
Cons
This wood litter does track a little and some cat owners find it dusty.
Specifications Of Okocat Clumping Wood Litter
The box sizes available of this wood litter are: 8.4lb, 11.2lb, 16.7lb or 16.7lb bundle of 2 boxes.
Did you know that tree fiber has a natural capillary system within it that helps to absorb moisture. The moisture is held within the fiber wall. This action gives Okocat cat litter a fast rate of absorption.
A fast rate of absorption is good for the cat as it means no standing in wet cat litter.
Also a fast absorption rate means that the cat litter is efficient, thus less being used and therefore scooped so a win for using less litter.
4. So phresh odor Control paper Litter
This litter is recycled paper litter. The paper litter neutralizes odors with the use of baking soda and zeolite. What is zeolite? For more information about zeolite click here.
The positives of this paper litter are the softness and absorbency of using paper pellets and also the fact that this litter also has odor control properties.
There are no dust issues with this paper litter. It doesn’t get stuck on paws like clumping litter can. This means there is no concerns that the cat will be licking litter from his paws or tracking litter through the house.
If there is a downside to this paper litter, it is that it can be difficult to distinguish between the soiled and clean litter when scooping.
This is a terrific litter for not only declawed cats and cats that have had surgery, but also for people who have allergies or insensitivities to chemical fragrances.
Why use Paper Cat Litter After Surgery?
Paper litter after declawing, is the recommendation by veterinarians as the best cat litter to use for at least a week after returning home.
Here are two reasons for using paper litter.
1. The reason for using paper pelleted litter rather than a traditional litter, like clumping clay, is to lessen the chance of getting an infection.
Litter that is dusty, can stick to paws and may result in infection.
Dusty litter must be avoided in this instance.
Paper litter is dust free.
2. Another very good reason to use paper litter is because litter box avoidance is a common problem in cats that have been declawed.
If the cat associates the litter box with pain it is quite likely that the cat will not use the litter box.
It is worth considering any expense in purchasing paper pelleted litter as part of the cost allocated for having surgery.
While the paws are still in the healing process it is important to change the litter daily to prevent contamination.
FAQ – Litter For declawed Cats
My Cat Is Already Declawed – What Litter is Best?
If your cat has been already declawed and there are no wounds to heal, it is quite safe to use any litter. However, as declawed cats notoriously have problems digging in litter, a softer clumping litter is always recommended.
The Okocat Soft Clumping Wood Litter reviewed is a good choice and one of the best cat litter options for declawed cats.
Do Declawed Cats Need Special Cat Litter?
Declawed cats need a litter that will make it easy for them to dig in the litter. As they don’t have claws it can be difficult and frustrating for them to get traction in the litter. It can also be painful.
Litter box rejection is a common problem with declawed cats. For this reason softer but not too soft, cat litters are recommended. Paper litter is often recommended. The softer litters in the Okocat range are also a very good choice.
Once the wounds are healed, a regular cat litter can be used.
To make the adjustment to the regular litter easier, some of the new or regular litter can be gradually added to the paper litter before changing to the regular cat litter completely.
This will give the cat a chance to adapt to the regular litter. Bookmark this page just in case the cat does not adjust and you can re read the pros and cons of other litters suggested.
What Kind Of Litter Do You Use After Declawing?
Immediately after the declawing operation paper litter is veterinarian recommended to avoid infection. Clay litters or dusty litters are not recommended after declawing as the risk of infection is greatly increased.
Can Declawed Cats Use A Cat Litter Box?
One reason why declawed cats may reject the litter box is because of pain. There are some suggestions below if your cat is rejecting the litter box and tips to enourage your cat to use the litter box.
Choosing an appropriate cat litter will help to solve this problem.
Our cat did scratch the leather couch. We did solve the problem. No declawing considered. We just took the extremely, almost distorted, long way round.
When I read this article now, it seems quite ridiculous that we didn’t solve the problem sooner. Oh well, live and learn.
Tips To Coax Declawed Cats To Use The Litter Box
If your declawed cat is refusing to use the litter box, u need to find a solution.
Below are some practical suggestions to help coax your declawed cat back to the litter box.
- If your declawed cat is sharing a litter box with other cats, try giving the cat its own litter box.
If practical, try changing the location of the litter box where there are no obstructions.
Obstruction to the cat, may mean that the cat has to pass by somewhere he doesn’t really want to. It may be the dog’s bowl or something that is scary to the cat.
Put yourself in your cat’s shoes (please no meowing) and check out the navigation to the litter box. Does it seem okay? - Use a soft cat litter. A declawed cat doesn’t have claws to dig in the litter, so it stands to reason that the litter needs to be nice and soft. Try to avoid the cat associating the litter box with pain.
Your cat may have sensitive paws, so ideally provide a soft litter that still has enough substance for your cat to get some traction when digging. - Consider using a litter attractant if rejection of the litter box continues and you have tried other methods. The attractant has a scent that attracts cats and can be used with any sort of litter. It is easy to apply by just sprinkling over existing litter.
- One way to help determine if it is the actual litter that is causing a problem is to use an absorbent pee pad by itself (no litter) in the litter box. If this is successful and your cat uses the litter box, it may indicate that the litter you were using was the problem. Start by trying a soft litter that will be gentle on the paws.
All of the points mentioned above to coax a declawed cat into using the litter box, can be implemented easily at home.
However, there is no substitute for paying a visit to the vet to identify if there is a medical issue contributing to litter box avoidance.
Using cat nail caps are a popular alternative to declawing. Cat nail caps will stop the cat from using sharp claws which damage soft furnishings and furniture.
The nail caps fit over the nail of the cat and fall off as the cat’s nail grows.
Do you feel unsure about the idea of cat nail caps? I did too in the beginning.
There are lots of questions around cat nail caps.
The pros and cons of cat nail caps are discussed in this article and a review of the best nail caps is found here.
Cat’s claws do need trimming from time to time.
Follow these instructions from The Humane Society which explains exactly how to trim the claws of a cat. If you do not feel comfortable with this and most people don’t, take your cat to the vet for a claw trim.
we use zeolite sand for cat bedding deodorizer