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This is an eternal topic of discussion among cat owners: What is the best type of litter? Is there a brand better than others? Which one caused the least confusion?

Let's first understand the basics: The FDA regulates many products related to your four-legged family members (such as what they eat), but cat litter is not one of them. In fact, the agency does not specify where your cat urinates or defecates, or where it sleeps, or what it plays. So it all depends on you and your feline preferences.

But if your cat is the same as mine, it will have a very special taste. As far as her trash can is concerned, she used to like her granular trash. Until she didn't, and started shit all over the house.

Therefore, I invited Dr. Carly Fox, a veterinarian at the New York Veterinary Center to learn about weeds in cat litter.

"I think the best type is clumped odorless litter. But it depends on your cat. Most cats prefer clumped, odorless litter," Fox said. "The best litter is what your cat likes. It sounds crazy, but it's true. No matter what your cat is used to."

The benefits of accumulating garbage: "It makes it easier to remove urine and feces. You don't need to dump the entire trash can. It can easily replace the clean trash. You need to reduce the frequency of cleaning the trash can," Fox said.

This is an Amazon bestseller, and our two staff cat owners swear by these things.

Another best seller. "The holy grail of cat litter. It clumps firmly like a rock. It sifts through a shovel like a fine sand beach. It does not raise any cloud of clay dust," one critic wrote.

Another to please the crowd. "So far, I like this kind of garbage, and my cat likes it too," said one critic, whose cat is "very picky."

Benefits of non-clumping litter: “It absorbs orders better. It absorbs the smell of urine. People think it smells better. But I think it’s more difficult to remove urine and feces. You have to change the pad more often. It is expected to clean your box more frequently," Fox said.

"I'm a clean freak and can't stand the unpleasant smell. This particle system is amazing!" wrote a reviewer. \

This is the cat litter we have used for many years until, for some reason, my fickle cat decides that she needs a bigger litter box. It makes zero confusion, no odor, and is easy to clean up.

One reviewer wrote: “Although this kind of stuff is better than any clay or caked stuff. Although I wouldn’t say that the cat box really smells good after use, it can reduce the smell a bit.”

Is one product or brand safer than another? Do not. "Most commercial cat litter is very safe for cats. It is even more worrying for dogs who can eat cat litter. I have never seen cats eat cat litter. As far as toxins are concerned, they are safe," Fox said.

So let's take a look at the details here. "If you have a cat, you should clean it once a week. Most people stretch it. Shovel it twice a day and clean it once a week. This is a good general rule," Fox said.

The best way to clean it is to use "warm water and odorless soap, or enzymatic spray cleaner. Cats are very sensitive to odors," Fox said. "Most people have a normal litter box without a lid. I like the one where cats can jump in and have privacy. I like the look and there is no litter everywhere. Any changes need to be made step by step."

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This article was originally published on January 9, 2019.