Is Hamster Litter the Same as Cat Litter?

No, hamster litter is not the same as cat litter. Hamster litter is developed explicitly for hamsters, while cat litter is developed for cats.

If you use cat litter in your hamster’s litter box, it can cause serious health complications for little animals like the hamsters. It is therefore not recommended to use cat litter for hamsters.

Below are some explanations to help you differentiate between cat litter and hamster litter.

Cat litter

Cat litter ingredients commonly used are wood and paper-based. This cat litter is either not dense or too dense; hence, it cannot allow the hamster to nest or burrow properly.

Other ingredients used for cat litter are clay and sand. Shopped clay and sand cat litter might contain chemicals that might be scented which will be very harmful to your hamster.

Clay cat litter also has airborne particles, which, when used for hamster’s litter box, hamsters can inhale and cause irritation, allergic reaction, or even cause an asthma attack.

The commonly bought material for clay for your cat litter is bentonite clay. Most people prefer this type of clay because it has a clumping formula that appears like little rocks.

The different types of cat litters are explained below;

Clay clumping litter

The best clay clumping litter is bentonite made from bentonite material. This material is very easy to clean, and most cats are always comfortable while using it.

A disadvantage of this type of cat litter is that it is heavy and produces a lot of dust. For this reason, it is not advisable to use it for little animals like kittens and hamsters.

Non-clumping clay

This type of litter is made from clay that is not bentonite. The material is easy to clean. However, it requires diligent and frequent cleaning, for they don’t form good clumps that can easily be scooped.

Recycled wheat, corn and pine

Cat litter can be made from recycled wheat, corn, and pine. This type of litter does not clump up, and the main advantage is that they are biodegradable.

Another advantage is that they are not dusty; hence they cannot affect your cats.

Crystal

This is a type of litter made of silica. They are best in controlling odor, and they can last long compared to clay litter.

They have a disadvantage in that they are more expensive than any other cat litter. When cats take too much of the crystals when cleaning their paws, they can be dangerous.

Hamster litter

The most recommended hamster litter is free from dust and does not have harmful added chemicals that might be harmful to the hamsters.

The most popular hamster litters are paper or paper pellets. These types of litter are softwood products; thus, hamsters can burrow or nest easily.

It is important to note that any wood shavings or sawdust from cedar or pine wood are not suitable for hamster litter because they contain volatile oils. These volatile oils contain good smells to humans but not to hamsters.

Hamsters are tiny animals that need an odorless, non-toxic, fragrance-free, and safe to ingest litter. You should therefore avoid using cat litter in the hamster litter box.

This is because most of them have clumping properties that can block the hamster’s internal organs or the pouch when ingested.

The following are different types of hamster litters that are good to use;

Wood shavings

Wood shavings have an excellent absorbency tendency, and they are not very expensive compared to other hamster litter.

However, you can choose wood shavings that might be dusty if you are not careful when shopping.

The best thing to do when you buy hamster litter is a test with your hamster if it’s sneezing. If it is, then the litter has dust.

Shredded paper or cardboard

The shredded paper includes white tissues or paper towels, which are usually soft and non-toxic.

The disadvantage about these shredded papers is that when a hamster urinates several times on them, they become very wet, which requires changing them more often.

On the other hand, shredded cardboards are non-toxic. But their disadvantage is that, if not well sharpened at the edges, they might affect the feet of tiny hamsters.

Conclusion