In a four-room HDB flat, the litter box is never far away. It's usually tucked into a service yard, a bathroom corner, or beside the washing machine, and in Singapore's humidity a tray that isn't pulling its weight makes itself known quickly. The good news: choosing litter doesn't need to be complicated. It mostly comes down to two families, plant-based and bentonite clay, and a few questions about how you live.
Plant-based litter (tofu and pea fibre)
Plant-based litters are made from food-crop fibre pressed into pellets. They've become the default in a lot of Singapore homes, and it's easy to see why for flat living:
- Light to carry. A 7–8L bag is easy to bring home from the lift lobby, and easy to top up.
- Low dust and few tracks. The pellets are larger than clay granules, so less gets carried across the floor on paws.
- Easier disposal. Some are made to be flushed in small amounts. Always follow the pack, and flush a little at a time rather than a whole tray.
We stock two: NurturePro Tofu Cat Litter (7L, in Original, Green Tea, Charcoal and Corn) and Daily Delight HAPPEA Pea Fibre Litter (8L, lightly infused with fruit extract, no added colour). Both clump quickly, which is what makes daily scooping fast.
Bentonite clay litter
Bentonite is a natural clay that swells and forms a firm clump when wet. Its strength is the clump itself: tight, hard, and easy to lift out whole, which many owners find keeps the tray fresher between full changes. It's heavier to carry and should never be flushed, since clay and pipes don't mix.
Nurture Pro Natural Bentonite (Unscented) is 100% sodium bentonite with no added fragrance, a good choice if your cat, or you, dislikes scented litter. If you'd like a light scent, there's a Lavender version too.
So which one?
- You carry bags up yourself, or want to flush small amounts: go plant-based.
- You want the firmest clumps and don't mind the weight: bentonite.
- Your cat is fussy about smell: start unscented. Cats have far sharper noses than we do, and a strong fragrance can put some off the tray entirely.
- Multi-cat home: more trays matter more than the litter type, but NurturePro's Charcoal variant is aimed at exactly this.
Switching litter without a protest
Cats are creatures of habit, and a sudden change can mean "accidents" elsewhere. Mix the new litter into the old over about a week, a quarter at a time, until the tray is fully switched. If your cat starts avoiding the box, slow down.
Keeping the tray fresh in our humidity
- Keep litter about 5cm deep, scoop daily, and top up to that depth.
- Empty and wash the whole tray at least once a month.
- Store opened bags sealed and off the floor of the service yard. Damp air is the enemy of any litter.
- Wipe the area around the tray now and then. Pet-safe wipes are handy for the floor and for any paws that step out a bit messy.
Pro-Tip from That Pet Supply Store: buy two bags when you switch. Running out mid-transition and falling back to the old litter resets the whole process, and your cat will let you know about it.
Browse the full range in Cat Cleaning Supplies. Keeping a cat comfortable in the heat is about more than the litter box, too; see our guide on keeping your cat hydrated in Singapore's heat. Free island-wide delivery on orders over $40.
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