By Jennifer Copley (Last Updated April 17, 2010)
Many cat owners have become concerned about the environmental destruction associated with the production and disposal of traditional clay cat litter. Swheat Scoop Natural Wheat Scoopable Cat Litter, an eco-friendly alternative to clay kitty litter, has a number of positive attributes, though there have also been a few problems associated with it.
Benefits of Swheat Scoop Cat Litter
Positive attributes of Swheat Scoop include the following:
- The product is environmentally friendly because it’s made from renewable, biodegradable resources rather than obtained via harmful strip mining like clay litter.
- The material is natural and safe for cats and kittens.
- Many cats with allergies to other litters can tolerate Swheat Scoop.
- Swheat Scoop is less expensive than some of the other eco-friendly cat litters.
- Wheat-based litter produces less dust than many other litter materials.
- The odour of the litter is pleasant and natural, and it absorbs unpleasant odours well.
- The litter has very good clumping action.
- Swheat Scoop cat litter can be flushed in small quantities.
- The material is more lightweight than clay, making bags of litter easier to carry.
Problems Associated with Swheat Scoop Cat Litter
Consumer reviews indicate that a few users have experienced the following problems with Swheat Scoop:
- The wheat clumps into a glue-like substance at the bottom of the box, making it difficult to scoop.
- Tracking is higher than with some other brands of litter.
- Other household pets such as dogs may view the litter as food.
- Because it is made from wheat, a few unfortunate owners have purchased bags infested with meal moths or weavils, which can be difficult to eliminate from the home.
- Some cats dislike the texture of wheat pellets and refuse to use them.
- Swheat Scoop is more expensive than many traditional clay litter products.
- Odour control may fail if the litter is left un-scooped for more than one day.
- The product can be difficult to find in some areas.
Swheat Scoop Cat Litter Reviews
Swheat Scoop, the leading brand of wheat-based cat litter, received the following average ratings (out of 5 stars) on various review sites:
- Viewpoints.com: 5
- PetSmart: 4
- PETCO.com: 4 (71% would recommend the product to a friend)
- Amazon.com: 3.5
- Epinions.com: 3.5
It should be noted that reviews for this product are polarized, with the majority of raters giving it 5 stars but a significant minority rating it 1 or 2.
Cat Country Organic Wheatgrass Litter for Cats
Another wheat-based kitty litter, Cat Country Organic Wheatgrass Litter for Cats, has not been reviewed as extensively as Swheat Scoop, though it did receive an average of 4 stars from 17 consumers on the PETCO website, where 76% of reviewers said that they would recommend the product to a friend. The product also received an average of 4 stars at Epinions.
For more cat product reviews, including reviews of other cat litter types, visit the main Cat Products page. For a full list of cat articles, see the main Cats page.
