Our cat’s health is a top priority as pet owners. Fortunately, you can obtain a great deal of health information from a simple urine sample. But detecting a problem can take days to wait for symptoms, take in a urine sample, and get the results. All the while, your precious kitty may be feeling unwell or in pain. PrettyLitter is a brand that’s hoping to help with this in an innovative way, using colors to visually represent urinary tract health.
Imagine being able to know immediately if your cat is getting a UTI by just cleaning the litter box. What if you could keep an eye on your cat’s kidney disease with ease? Have we piqued your interest? Keep reading to find out what this smart PrettyLitter is, how it works, what the colors mean, and its benefits.
Let’s dig in!
What Is PrettyLitter?
PrettyLitter is a color-changing, health-monitoring cat litter. It changes color when your cat urinates to indicate normal acidity levels or potential health concerns. By simply cleaning your cat’s litter box, you can tell if everything is normal or if there is any cause for concern. If your cat is subject to frequent UTIs, listen up!
Unlike a standard clay litter product, PrettyLitter is made of absorbent, lightweight silica gel crystals. And it requires less litter than clay. Since it doesn’t clump, it’s formulated to have less odor and last longer.
Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is silica sand that they heated in oxygen and water. This method creates tiny pores inside the granules and transforms them into amorphous silica gel. The silica gel doesn’t produce the same type of dust that clay litter does, which can be harmful when ingested. Therefore, manufactures tout PrettyLitter or silica gel crystal litters as a safer product.
How Does PrettyLitter Work?
The technology behind the product can help monitor a cat’s health. It shows blood pH levels in urine by changing the color of the litter depending on potential health conditions. So, if your cat is having a health emergency, it could appear in the litter.
The product is a way to keep tabs on your cat’s health and can potentially save trips to the vet. Since cats can’t tell us how they’re feeling, having an in-home monitoring system like PrettyLitter can be helpful and lower vet bills. It can also help prevent your cat peeing outside the litter box due to urinary pain or infections, as you’ll be able to detect the problem at the onset.
What Do the PrettyLitter Colors Mean?
There are approximately five different PrettyLitter colors that can show up after a cat urinates. A dark yellow or olive green indicates that urine is within the typical range for a healthy cat.
Orange is an indicator of acidity or low urinary pH. It could mean there’s metabolic acidosis or kidney tubular acidosis.
Dark green or blue is related to alkaline levels. Bacteria can cause increased urine pH. And the colors may indicate a urinary tract infection or an increased risk of stone formation.
Red can indicate blood in the cat’s urine. It could mean bladder inflammation, bladder stones, a feline lower urinary tract disorder, or certain types of kidney diseases. Or it could possibly indicate bladder cancer or renal hematuria.
If the litter turns orange, dark green, blue, or red after your cat urinates, we recommend calling your veterinarian to describe what’s happening. If you notice symptoms, a professional can help you decipher the cause and determine whether you need a visit to the vet.
It’s important to remember that monitoring your cat’s health from home is a nice-to-have, but even with a tested product like PrettyLitter, we can’t jump to conclusions. In other words, stay calm and don’t panic if your cat’s urine appears red in the litter. While it may indicate blood, you should do more tests at a vet to determine if there’s a serious illness. Having multiple instances of the color also rules out other environmental causes of something chronic, such as getting into some human food or trying out new treats.
Are There Any Other Cat Litters That Do This?
Monitoring your cat’s health from home is becoming a more significant niche within the pet industry. And while PrettyLitter has been getting quite a bit of air time, other brands are making their way into the space.
Fresh Step Crystals is PrettyLitter’s main competitor. Both are made of silica gel crystals. However, Fresh Step Crystals don’t have the litter tracking formula to monitor a cat’s urine for acidity and alkalinity levels.
Alpha Paw Genius Litter is very similar to PrettyLitter, as it’s made with crystals and indicates potential health issues with colors in the litter. However, there’s not as much information available as PrettyLitter, and reviews indicate the expectations of odor reduction are quite low.
Did you know? You can travel with your cat’s litter box – here’s how!
Is PrettyLitter Biodegradable?
PrettyLitter is not biodegradable. However, silica gel crystal litter is less harmful to the environment than most cat litter brands since it doesn’t release toxic chemicals or dust.
The silica gel crystals litter is made from natural materials. But the heat, oxygen, and moisture added to silica sand to create the silica gel don’t biodegrade due to its composition. It’s also not compostable. Depose of used PrettyLitter in the trash.
Do Vets Recommend Silica Gel Crystal Litters?
PrettyLitter and other silica gel crystal litters are safe and non-toxic for cats. The silica gel found in most of these cat litters is also used in moisture-absorbing packets placed in medications, new shoes, and other products.
Vets seem to consider crystal litter as safe. The lack of dust, as opposed to clay litters, can reduce health risks for cats and humans, particularly those with asthma or dust allergies. And crystal litters are less likely to grow bacteria or mold.
A potential hazard has been concerns of cats eating the crystals. While they should pass through their digestive system without issues, kittens may be tempted to ingest too many and should be monitored.
In addition, older cats may eat the silica gel crystal litter if they have feline pica, a health condition that causes cats to eat inedible things. Feline pica can be due to mineral deficiency or psychological disorders. Again, be sure to monitor your cat’s bathroom behaviors if switching to silica crystals like PrettyLitter.
Pro Tip: Is your cat peeing outside the litter box? Click here to learn why and what to do.
Where Can I Buy PrettyLitter?
You can buy PrettyLitter directly from the company’s website. They offer a monthly subscription model in which you receive new litter delivered to your house automatically. A bag typically lasts one month for one cat. In addition, they provide free shipping within the contiguous United States, and they have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Chewy and Amazon sell the litter online as well. You can also find it at retail stores such as Walmart and Target.
Does PrettyLitter Work Well?
PrettyLitter seems to work well. There are over 27,500 reviews on their website, and it gets an average of 4.9 stars.
Let’s hear what some PrettyLitter customers are saying about the product.
“I have a very sensitive sense of smell. With PrettyLitter, I don’t smell anything and it doesn’t clump together, wasting the cat litter.” – Margie (Amazon Reviewer)
“My cat has had upper respiratory issues since I had her. Her sneezing has almost completely disappeared after one week of switching to PrettyLitter! I’m highly impressed so far.” – Suzi (PrettyLitter Subscription Member)
“It’s very difficult to clean. My cats track it all over the house and furniture. And the urine turned to mold at the bottom of the litter pan. The smell was horrible.” – Damon (Amazon Reviewer)
“It doesn’t smell like cat urine but doesn’t cover up the poop smell. And my cat has managed to get it everywhere, just like regular litter. I do like that there’s less scoping and it’s lighter, but I’m not sure I’m going to continue after I’m through with what I bought.” – Becca (PrettyLitter Subscription Member)
Again, it’s important to remember that the health monitoring system can indicate possible health issues. However, it’s not a replacement for tests done at a vet to diagnose and determine courses of treatment for a sick cat. We recommend letting your vet know you’re making the switch so they are prepared for your phone calls.
One key thing we’re excited about with innovations like this is being able to monitor in-home and partner with your vet for special needs cats in particular. Cats who have known conditions like kidney disease or chronic UTIs may really benefit from visible color changes in the PrettyLitter. Not only will it save you vet visits, but your cat will receive faster care when they need it.
Innovations Like PrettyLitter Will Help Monitor Your Pet’s Health From Home
Monitoring your cat’s health from home can potentially lessen vet visits and medical bills. It might also save your pet’s life if it has a life-threatening illness that’s gone undetected. Innovations like PrettyLitter’s health monitoring technology are changing the game for in-home monitoring and care for your pet.
Have you tried PrettyLitter or a similar product? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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