Article Discusses Feline Litter Preferences
A link to an interesting article by Jacqueline C. Neilson, DVM, DACVB showed up in my inbox the other day. Here is a quote.
Litter preferences probably originated with the domestic cat’s evolutionary predecessor, Felis silvestris lybica, the African wildcat. A desert-dwelling creature, the African wildcat used the desert sand as its toilet, establishing a substrate preference that has apparently persisted throughout the domestication process.
In theory, this makes perfect sense. Cats evolved in a sandy desert, so they’ll generally prefer sandy litters to those made from clay, paper, corn, or synthetic materials. It’s a fine theory.
But, as Homer Simpson pointed out, communism works in theory. So, whenever I catch wind of a theory stating that cats evolved to use sandy litter, or dogs and cats evolved to eat raw food, my reply to the theorizer is put your money where your mouth is. Prove it.
I have little patience for those who throw out these sorts theories without bothering to prove them. Because proving these sorts of theories is very simple to do. In the case of feline litter preferences, all one needs to do is gather a group of cats that will yield statistically significant results, control for confounding factors, and quantitatively measure litter use.
Dr. Neilson has enough letters after her name that I would expect her to back up such a theory with hard evidence. And, of course, she does.
The article reports on several studies in which different types of litter were pitted against each other. Cats would have access to litter boxes that were identical except for the aspect under study. And then:
Excrement deposited in the boxes was collected every two hours during the daytime and in the morning, and the excrement was then counted, weighed, and recorded.
The results: cats generally prefer sandy, clumping litters. They generally prefer litters with less dust. For odor control, they generally prefer activated carbon over sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).
I have two final points to make. First, although the article provides information about cats’ general preferences, individual cats may have markedly different preferences. When choosing a litter, pick one that works best for your cat in your circumstances.
Second, next time you meet someone who says he is a research scientist, be sure to wonder to yourself whether his job involves “counting, weighing, and recording” cat feces.
Photo: Hershey analyzes his choices.
You have questions. 
Proving (or disproving) that raw food benefits pet health also would be very easy. Gather two cohorts of pets (the cohorts must be large enough to provide statistically significant results). Feed one group raw food. Feed the other a commercial diet. Control for confounding variables. Measure and compare the incidence of health problems in the groups.
If anyone is aware of such a study published in a reputable source, please bring it to my attention.
After observing my 3 cats over the course of a year, I’ve come to the conclusion, that cats, like people, each have their own bathroom preferences. I only use clumping litter, but 3 different boxes throughout the house.
Cat A (a rescued orphaned feral) prefers to go outside, but in inclement weather will use only an uncovered litter box.
Cat B (a purebred ragdoll who is not allowed outside) will only use a covered litter box. BUT, if there is even a single poop from one of the others, she will quite happily use the sofa ;0(
Cat C (a Siamese x Sneaky Barn Cat) will use any litter box that’s handy, but refuses to use the outside loo.
Dr B….Mommy spent her first career as a research scientist, so she loved this article. She said to tell you….no it is not part of the research scientists job to “collect, weigh and measure the poop”, <b.that is what grad students are for *huge smile*.
I have a friend whose cat will only poop in the bathtub. It’s something about the ceramic. They tried putting the litter box in there, and he went next to it. They tried putting down newspaper and he went on the tile floor. Their other cat has never had a problem with using the litter box.
Dr. Barchas,
I’m a little disconcerted that you would bring such a controversial subject as raw vs. commercial food into the commentary regarding an article about kitty litter.
Even though you were commenting on “studies”, the subjects really should be kept separate, don’t you think?
However, since you’ve opened the can of worms, I’ll bite.
If you’re so confident that such a study doesn’t exist, then that just confirms that YOU DON’T KNOW whether raw is really worse or better than commercial kibble.
If creating a study as you’ve described would be so easy, put your money where your mouth is and put one together. Quit pawning it off on your readers. That just smacks of lazy arrogance.
As for kitty litter… all 4 of my cats are trained to use the toilet. However one of them does prefer to go outside whenever possible. We live in the desert, and our backyard is unlandscaped. The dirt is very fine, but not quite sandy. I certainly couldn’t tell you WHY she likes it, but she definitely has her preference.
I’m surprised that it took so long for a raw food cultist to take the bait! Dyg, you show exactly why so many vets and nutritionists are sceptical about raw food and members of the raw food cult. Instead of coming up with any hard evidence (which the dr suggested he’d read with an open mind), you resort to pathetic ad hominem attacks. It’s the typical response one would expect from someone who feels his cult has been insulted.
To use your own words, put your money where your mouth is. You raw food cult members are the ones making the outrageous health claims and then failing even to try to back them up with any hard evidence.
Why don’t raw food cultists ever run these studies, if their so sure that their canine cool aid works? Why don’t commercial raw food manufacturers run the studies? Probably because they’re too busy enjoying profits.
Hare krishna, hare krishna, hare rama, hare rama . . . life is sublime in the raw food cult.
LOL Jenn.. lol
“Ad Hominem attacks”? YOU are the one throwing around words like “cultists”
For the record, I do not belong to any particular group. I do not have any other “agenda” than to feed my animals a healthy diet of species appropriate food.
You want research?
Here’s a good place to start. . The commentary may be subjective, but the articles do exist.
Now quit being lazy and go do your own research.
Oh, and to answer my own obvious and rhetorical question; the reason there are no “comprehensive” studies comparing raw and commercial food, as of yet, is because it would be INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE to do it properly. And the big pet food companies would fight it tooth and nail. Which means it would NOT be as “simple” as Dr. Barchas would like us to believe.
I would disagree with the addage that RAW feeders are Culitsts. However I do believe that to ADVOCATE row just yet is a bit premature as DYG said it would be incredibly expensive!!! To do the studies but I also believe at this point one of the teaching schools MUST do a study.
There is ONLY one comprehensive study on raw food diet done back in the early ’40’s and it was compared to a “purina type” brand of cat food.
As someone truly interested in thier animals health I have done much reasearch and studying on this and still can not decide what to do.
I can not decide ONLY due to lack of accurate sientific information and because the “big” companines have they accurate scientific information.
Who is wright and who is wrong will ONLY be decided when a NON interested third party does a long term 10 – 20 years large scale 500 + cats study starting from birth, with a “control” group and 2 other groups one on “High quality” cat food and one on RAW. This is the only way to get “accurate scientific” information.
I sometimes wish I “had the grades” to become a vet so I could look at this issue myself.
I would like to point out that I prefer a substraight of plastic bags.
Let me tell you that our human never leaves groceries unpacked for even 2 minutes to answer the phone anymore because of me.
So in our house the “sand” theory is debuncked.
If anything is a cult it is the pet food industry. Raw is the animals natural diet.
You want proof here are 3 vets who have written a book to explain it all. I beg anyone, especially vets to read this book.
http://tedeboy.tripod.com/drmichaelwfox/id102.html
This is my question… For those individuals who call the raw food advocates to be a cult. Let me ask you this, prior to the advent of cheap commercialized pet foods around World War II which initially used grains unfit for human consumption and other animal parts (they still do that). What did dogs and cats eat? Tell me.
Many of them ate table scraps provided by their humans or they ate raw bones with meat on them from the butcher or meat. Cats ate mice or rodents in the barn or outside. Many animals did not spend as much time inside the home as they do now. They did not live as long as they do now due to the modernization and improvement in veterinary medicine and holistic commercial pet foods. Many dogs did not live long but it wasn’t due to raw diets, it was due to the same problems we still experience today! Untreated heartworm disease, untreated Flea and tick infestations, neglect and cruelty by owners or strangers, hit by car or tractor or they just ran away.
There was no Petsmart, no Petco, none of what we have today. We have not learned much. There is still a pet overpopulation problem, we still have heartworm positive dogs despite the availability of medications. Flea infestations still exist. It’s sad but it is not due to raw diets. Our economy is also to blame, many people have lost their jobs and cannot afford these medications that alone dog food. And even with the advent of holistic good quality pet food, people still feed their dogs cheap grain filled food from the grocery store or Walmart and the dogs suffer from allergies and other maladies due to the heavy grain content.
Raw Diets are not to blame. Pet owners are. I commend those who do use raw diets for the improvement of their pets health and I also commend people who use a high quality commercial pet food that is free of soy, corn and wheat and other nasty ingredients such as animal digest, meat and bone meal and so forth. Everyone has an opinion on the subject. But the ones I would personally like to take outside and flog are those who still use a cheap corn filled dog food despite a good socioeconomic status and having a job!
So please don’t criticize the raw diet proponents. I have seen some amazing results in my dogs and other dogs who have used a “prepared safe, raw diet” like Nature’s Variety and Primal Raw Foods. Yes, raw diets are expensive and I understand that but so are veterinary bills for ear infections, skin and coat conditions and food allergies. Think about it. If your dog ran away from home and was left on his own to fend for himself what would he eat?? I can guarantee it wouldn’t be Ole Roy.