Wheat cat litter is one of the newer types of litter designed to provide odor control and make box cleaning quicker and easier for owners.
How Wheat Litter Is Made
Two different types of wheat-based litters are currently on the market. One uses a wheat blend to create the litter pellets, while the other uses wheat grass as its base.
The first type of litter is manufactured from a blend of different types of wheat. One wheat that’s used for cat litter is waxy wheat. Waxy wheat is not suitable for use in the food market. However, its high starch content makes it ideal for use in the cat litter market. The starch helps the litter both trap liquid and clump. The litter makers process the wheat into tan pellets that are slightly smaller than commercial clay litters. Enzymes in the wheat help control litter box odor. This type of litter has been available in pet supply stores since the mid-1990s.
The second type of litter is made from wheat grasses. It has been on the market since the mid-1980s. This pelleted product uses red winter wheat grass, which can absorb liquid and bond nitrogen to reduce ammonia odors.
Benefits of Wheat Litter
Wheat cat litter offers several benefits to cats and their owners. From the cat’s viewpoint, the wheat litter is softer than a traditional clay litter, and it’s also fully digestible, which is good for kittens that may accidentally ingest some litter as they groom themselves or explore their new surroundings. Cats also transition easily to the wheat litter from other litter box fillers, according to owner reports.
From the owner’s point of view, wheat litters are biodegradable and safe to flush down both septic and sewer systems. The clumps usually fall apart easily after scooping, which results in no blockage of sewer or septic lines. Wheat litters are also well-suited to be used as compost after all solid wastes have been removed. Finally, wheat litters are less dusty than clay-based litters,which makes filling the litter box cleaner.
Drawbacks of Wheat Litter
Although it’s difficult to find many complaints about wheat cat litters, a few complaints have surfaced. The first seems almost like too much of a good thing because some owners report that the wheat husks sometimes harden into cement-like clumps that can be challenging to remove from a litter box.
Other owners report the lightweight wheat litters are more easily tracked through the home than a traditional clay litter, which can result in more time spent cleaning up after your cat.
Another potential drawback is that some owners find the smell created by the combination of wheat litter and cat urine is unpleasant. Adding baking soda to the litter box can help counteract the odor combination.
Finally, some cats may have wheat allergies that may be triggered by the use of wheat cat litters.