Kitty litter

tab · #1 07/15/08, 09:54 AM

I have seven kitties in the house and have been using the clumping cat litter. NOW I am seriously questioning the use of the product and several health issues that the cats are having. I now have two cats who seem to have trouble pooping. My sister made a comment about the litter and I have been researching and have concluded that I think I will change litters. The litter might also explain why my old kitty is losing weight and the vet can't seem to find a reason why. I also had a bad experience many years ago with a kitten who "clogged" and required an enema. The vet told me it was a close call and to never use clumping litters with babies (DUHH!!).

With seven cats, cost and scooping are factors......:

The pans get scooped daily. The co-op sells One Earth, Sweat Scoop and Earth Pine. Does anyone have any experience with these products? Any suggestions? I think after a very preliminary look on the net and I am leaning towards One Earth right now.

Otter · #2 07/15/08, 11:13 AM

I buy the compressed pine pellets made for wood stoves. It is basically the same as feline pine or any similar product but much cheaper. It isn't very scoopable, but pretty oder free as long as some of the pine is sawdust (happens when it gets wet, you can mist a fresh pan so there is some sawdust to stick to the poo) But it composts beautifully. I just dump mine into a short stack of tires and use it on ornamentals.

Janis Sauncy · #3 07/15/08, 11:35 AM

I use "layer crumble." That's right, chicken food.

It's similar in texture as some of your clay litters so the cats have no problem using it (at least mine don't). But, it's biodegradable. I just take it out back and dump it where it quickly decomposes. No need to send more 'stuff' to the landfill.

I used to use the wood pellets, too, but a couple of years ago they got hard to find around here and that's when I switched to the layer crumble. You can also use the "stall bedding," which is like the wood pellets but in smaller form (they break down easier). They also (supposedly) have a natural odor control (zeolytes?). They are also quite a bit more expensive than the stove pellets.

I used to work in a feed store and we had a customer who would only use high quality rabbit pellets for her litter box(es). And, it wasn't your regular, run-of-the-mill rabbit feed; it had to be the most expensive "show rabbit." She claimed that was the only litter her cat(s) would use.

Janis

**mygoat** · #4 07/15/08, 11:48 AM

How does WHAT they're pooing INTO matter? I'm confused - do they ingest it sometimes? Maybe when they lick their paws?

Willowynd · #5 07/15/08, 12:27 PM

I was using Equine pine and was happy with it. It is probably similar as the Earth Pine you mentioned. BUT Earl loved to dig in it and scatter it. So I went with some stuff from walmart that is a bag of blue and white crystals. Works just as well with no tracking. I have since added 2 more cats (and another box) and have the same litter I have been using since 2 weeks before I got them. It scoops out cleanly...but does not clump. I will see yellow spots andthat gets mixed up when I scoop poo. I have noticed no odor at all with this product...where with the equine pine there was lots when he first went poo. I think this pulls the moisture and odor from the stool. And one bag was only $5 and is lasting a long time.

jen74145 · #6 07/15/08, 12:35 PM

I would go for Pine pellets; I love them. We raise bengals so any litter here has to earn it's keep, lol.

For the issues you are talking about, though, I don't see how the litter would be affecting them unless they're eating it, which adults rarely do. What are they eating?

GoldenMom · #7 07/15/08, 03:22 PM

At my clinic we sell a type of litter called "World's Best Cat Litter". It is made of corn and clumps, is flushable, etc. It looks and acts EXACTLY like some layer crumbles and costs several times more. I have found that Kent brand layer crumbles are pretty much the same the thing. I tried Nutrena crumbles and didn't like them nearly as well (the Kent crumbles are smaller, firmer bits and the Nutrena was bigger pieces-it was much harder to sift). I wish one of my cats wasn't a pain in the rear or I'd use crumbles as litter full time (my 2nd oldest just has to have things HER way or she's not happy).

madness · #8 07/15/08, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenMom

At my clinic we sell a type of litter called "World's Best Cat Litter". It is made of corn and clumps, is flushable, etc. It looks and acts EXACTLY like some layer crumbles and costs several times more.

REALLY?!?! I use World's Best and I love it. Didn't know you could just use layer crumbles...hmmm...

tab · #9 07/15/08, 04:35 PM

Thanks for the ideas! I knew about rabbit food and I guess I had forgotten about it.

MyGoat, even the adults ingest some of the clumping litter. It sticks to paws and sometimes a little bit to the fur. Being fastidious, cats lick it off, thus ingesting it. For many cats it does not seem to matter but mega colon and many other problems are being attributed to it. Bentonite (sp?) clay expands fifteen times it's weight with moisture. Plus the silica dust is not good for the kitties or the humans cleaning up after the cats. I did not find a lot of info about it but what I did find hit home as I am having some of these very problems with my cats. I am willing to try a different litter to at least rule out that as a cause.

WhiteChristmas · #10 07/15/08, 05:38 PM

potting soil. All my rescues and currently we've got 7. Love it. So smell and they all line up to use after we change out. I buy a week 3 forty pound bags at Walmart for $1.25 each. works for us.

Naturaldane · #11 07/15/08, 09:26 PM

Im the odd man out, we have 10 cats and i use rock litter, change every day maybe two if its nice outside.
I am going to try that pelleted pine for horse stalls, 40lbs for 6 bucks it will be just as affordable.

Minelson · #12 07/15/08, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteChristmas

potting soil. All my rescues and currently we've got 7. Love it. So smell and they all line up to use after we change out. I buy a week 3 forty pound bags at Walmart for $1.25 each. works for us.

How often do you have to change it? Are they inside cats? thanks!

CarolynRenee · #13 07/15/08, 10:16 PM

I really like the idea of using chicken crumbles & then tossing out into a pit in the woods.....only problem is our beagle.

She absolutely LOVES kitty poop "munchies" AND chicken crumbles. I don't think I'd ever be able to keep her away if I mixed BOTH of those two irresistable "snackies" together. It would be like Old Country Buffet for the dog!!! (ewww, I know)

Beaners · #14 07/15/08, 10:17 PM

I think I would prefer dumping and refilling daily to daily scooping. We only (haha, only.) have four cats, and we use a regular clay non-clumping litter. I pick the pan up, dump it in the trash, and move on to the next pan. Then I just fill the pans back up. I don't fill them too high though, our else the cats spill litter everywhere when they're digging around.

I don't mind dumping the pans, but that much scooping would make me far more intimate with the litterboxes than I want to be.

I have heard conflicting things about pine, but mostly that it doesn't absorb moisture and gets all over, including sticking to the cats. I keep meaning to try layer crumbles, I guess I should.

Kayleigh

River Rest · #15 07/16/08, 05:34 AM

It's absorbant, lightweight, cheap & you can dump it outside. A 10 cu ft bag (it's a big bag) only costs $5-6. Since we also use it in the chicken house I only have to buy 1 thing.

I have used a lot of litters over the years & this, to me, is the best solution. I did use the pellets & would dump it around some trees for mulch. We put our house up for sale & a prospective buyer thought the trees were diseased!

WhiteChristmas · #16 07/16/08, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minelson

How often do you have to change it? Are they inside cats? thanks!

I clean them daily. but do a complete clean out once a week with new soil. It's cheaper for us then cat litter here. and my guys are nuts for it. and no oders either. Down fall is do you have plants inside? I do not. So no kitty digging for gold in the pots. But if you have indoor plants sigh not a good thing.