Since I’m such a science buff, I couldn’t help but try out Pretty Litter color changing kitty litter. Cats have a way of both complaining all the time, yet hiding their feelings on their important things like their health.
Pretty Litter is a new kitty litter designed not just to keep your home odor-free, but also to give you insights into your cat’s well-being. Imagine a cat litter that changes color when your feline friend might be feeling under the weather. You know I had to try it out!
Pretty Litter Overview
Pretty Litter is not your average cat litter. Made from silica gel crystals with unique tester pieces mixed in, it’s designed to alert cat owners to potential health issues by changing color based on the pH level of a cat’s urine. Aimed at the modern, health-conscious cat owner, Pretty Litter promises not just a cleaner litter box experience, but peace of mind.
From urinary tract infections to kidney problems, Pretty Litter color changing cat litter acts as an early warning system. Early detection can lead to timely medical intervention, potentially saving on hefty vet bills. However, It’s still essential to consult a vet for an accurate diagnosis, as the color change is just an indicator.
Pretty Litter Key Features
Color-changing: Pretty Litter changes color to indicate potential health issues. The cat litter contains pH-detecting particles that change color based on the chemical composition of a cat’s urine. When urine comes in contact with the litter, it can turn orange, green, blue, or if there is noticeable blood present in the urine you will see red on the white litter. This can help detect early signs of infections or other health issues.
Odor Control: The silica gel crystals effectively trap and eliminate odor, ensuring a fresh-smelling home. If you’re a person who mixes the wet litter into the dry litter instead of scooping it out, say goodbye to the unpleasant cat urine smell you can have with clay litters. However, remember that any litter over time, if not maintained, all litter will start to smell.
Absorbency: Highly absorbent. Pretty Litter claims one bag will last a month for one cat. However, I suspect you’ll probably use about a bag and a half.
Soft Texture: The kitty litter granules are very small and fine, which creates a soft texture. It has tiny light brown chips, which are the color-changing test pieces. These little pieces make the litter look more like white beach sand compared to the bluish tinge of most grocery store silica gel kitty litter brands like Fresh Step.
Dust-Free (sort of): Pretty Litter promises a virtually dust-free experience, reducing the mess often associated with cat litter boxes. This is great for households with allergy sufferers. But some users will experience minor tracking issues – especially if your cat is a vigorous digger.
Easy to Scoop: Pretty Litter is non-clumping, so when you scoop the cat litter, you can not only see your cat’s poop but also clearly see the urine spots (yellow, if your cat is healthy).If you’re not the type to mix wet spots back into the litter, you’ll really like the Pretty Litter scooping experience. Since the used litter is a different color, it’s super easy to see where the cat has used the box. That makes it easier to scoop some of the wet litter to keep the box cleaner.
Lightweight: Pretty Litter is up to 80% lighter than natural clay and traditional clumping litters.
Subscription Model: Delivered to your doorstep, ensuring you never run out. Subscription is a love it or hate it feature. At Barkytech, we think subscriptions are convenience at its best.
Cost: All silica gel litter is pricier than traditional clay litters. And Pretty Litter is more expensive than grocery store brands offering silica litter.
Can you use Pretty Litter with your Automatic Cat Box?
No! While Pretty Litter boasts a range of impressive features, from its health-monitoring capabilities to its odor control, there’s one limitation to consider: it’s non-clumping and therefore not compatible with automatic litter boxes. Automatic litter boxes are designed to sift and separate waste from clean litter, typically working best with clumping litters. Pretty Litter, on the other hand, absorbs moisture without forming clumps, making it challenging for automatic systems to differentiate between soiled and fresh litter.
If you’re a fan of the convenience offered by automatic litter boxes, this is an essential factor to keep in mind. Pretty Litter offers numerous benefits, but this is one drawback for some folks. Before buying the litter, make sure you’re committed to the idea of a standard cat litter box.
My Pretty Litter Experience
Personally, I have two litter boxes for my two cats. I have a Litter Robot, which Cali my calico cat loves. However, Luna, my black Siamese mix is a finicky girl and has never completely switched over. Cats are particular critters. She’s a creature of habit and doesn’t take kindly to change. So I maintain a second regular box. Pretty Litter is a great solution for my second litter box.
Every once in a while, Cali decides to venture into the regular litter box, and that’s when the chaos ensues. Cali loves to dig. And when I say dig, I mean she goes at it with the enthusiasm of a treasure hunter! The aftermath? While Pretty Litter promises a dust-free experience, I do notice a fine layer of white dust around the litter box area, especially after one of Cali’s enthusiastic sessions. And when the cats prance around the apartment, they leave behind tiny white dusty paw prints, turning my hardwood floors into a canvas of feline art.
Regardless, silica gel litter is still cleaner and less dusty than clay litter. Also, since it doesn’t clump, it’s a bit easier to clean up since it doesn’t turn into glue on my floor like the clumping litter brands.
So far, I’ve mostly seen the yellow color letting me know that my cats are in relative health. It does give me some peace of mind to see that yellow color. Personally, I scoop out the used litter even though Pretty Litter suggests that you only need to scoop the poop. To me, that’s gross and a big reason why people think their cat litter box smells.
So, for my household, one bag of Pretty Litter per cat would not have lasted all month. If Luna was using the standard box every time and not splitting her business between the standard box and the Litter Robot, one bag wouldn’t be enough to last the month.
Are there any Pretty Litter Alternatives?
Pretty Litter is the category leader but there is a lower cost alternative on the market. Genius Litter by Alpha Paw offers better value in terms of quantity per bag.
While both litters offer health-monitoring features, Pretty Litter has the edge in terms of brand recognition and user feedback. Based on reviews, more cat owners are satisfied with their Pretty Litter experience. But if cost is a major factor for you, Genius Litter is a very reasonable alternative.
Fresh Step also recently came out with a copy cat version called Crystals Health Monitoring Litter. We haven’t yet tried the Fresh Step version but we’ve heard two challenges about the brand from our feline-owning fans. Apparently, the colors are harder to decipher on the Fresh Step version and the kitty litter granules might be bigger and less soft.
Pretty Litter Pros and Cons
Pros
- Health monitoring feature for early detection of potential issues
- Effective odor control
- Silica litter provides a mostly dust-free experience
- Convenient subscription model
- The idea of colored litter is weirdly kind of fun
Cons
- Slightly pricier than traditional litters
- Can’t be used with automatic litter boxes
- Over-exuberance about the color changes can lead to unnecessary vet visits
- Some cats don’t like the texture of silica gel litter
- If you have more than one cat, you may not know which cat is producing which color litter
TL;DR
In the ever-evolving world of cat litter boxes, color changing silica litter is a great advancement. It’s not just about keeping your home clean; it’s about ensuring your kitty’s well-being. With its unique health-monitoring feature, combined with effective odor control and a convenient subscription model, we think Pretty Litter is worth the investment.
Ready to make the switch? Check out Pretty Litter color changing cat litter now.
