Cat Litter Question

[lizbud]

I've been noticing new cat litter products lately &
wondered if anyone has used the "recycled paper'
type of litter, or the wood chips stuff ? I've always
used 'tidy cat' or 'jonnie cat' brands. I'd like to get
litter that's not so 'dusty'. I have tried the 'no clump'
litter, but it's also a very fine dusty mix. Any ideas?

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

I have never tried those litters..... I use Fresh Step... Fresh Scoop...(:o sorry I don't remember what it is called.. I remember it by the pic when I am shopping:o ) The only thing I know is DO NOT BUY CLAY LITTER!! I read some where that after so long of breathing in the dust it can cause the kitties to get a type of lung infection that can be deadly :(

[krazyaboutkatz]

I use Pet Gold Plus Scoopable litter. I just read on the package that it contains ground clay. Now you have me worried Sara.:eek: Can you tell me where you read this information Sara?

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

I believe I read it in one of my Cat Fancy magazines.... I am at work now but I will look through them when I get home and PM you when I find it...

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

http://cat.petagonia.com/

Here is something that I just found on the internet.... if I did the link right you can read the whole article but I am gonna paste below the part about clay litter....Clumping clay litter, which forms a hard ball when it gets wet, is one of the most harmful types on the market. Several brands use this clay to make thier litter easier to scoop. What makes it clump? It's a natural clay ingredient called sodium bentonite. In this case, "natural" is not always safe. Here's the problem: When this clay gets wet it expands and forms a hard mass. So when your cat or kitten digs in the litter box it's stirring up clay dust and breathing it in. Once it gets into their lungs, it expands from the moisture, and in time builds up, causing all sorts of lung problems like the ones mentioned above. For the complete kitty litter alert....

[aly]

I've always used the natural litters and the crystals with Shiloh. I HATE any kind of litter with any amount of dust in it at all. I really liked the pine litter and also Yesterday's Mews (I think thats the name). I am using the crystals with her right now.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thank you Sara. I'll be buying a differnet type of litter from now on. The article recommended a biodegradable, dust, and clay free, non-clumping litter. To reduce odor they recommend to sprinkle baking soda on the top of it. Thanks again.:)

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

YOUR VERY WELCOME....
ANYTHING FOR THOSE SWEET KITTIES...
when I read it I changed my litter too the stuff I use Fresh Step Scoop.... it is clay free (some Fresh Step has clay but the kind I buy does not) and never dusts up when I fill up their boxes and DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB at keeping the odors away...

[yorkster]

We use Worlds Best cat litter, made from corn. It works better than anything I have ever tried (which is most)
It's also save for your cats AND TOTALLY flushable :)

[Freckles]

Because of Yorkster's post about World's Best Cat Litter on another thread, I started using it for Freckles (the cat). Freckles accepts it and I love it. I flush the feces and the clinging litter immediately drops away, so I know I could flush the urine clumps. too. They suggest changing completly every month, which I do. I (carefully) sniff tested month old litter and it smelled the same as when it came straight from the bag.
Here is the World's Best Website. They list where to buy. World's Best Cat Litter (http://www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/)

[gini]

I have been using Arm & Hammer's Super Scoop and so far I like it the best. It has been the easiest to clean with no odors and Rascal doesn't get it all over the place. He is a digger and a flinger - so I only put about an inch and a half in the litter box. It seems to stay in the box and not get all over the floor.

I had not heard of "World's Best", but I recently heard about a type of litter that is made out of wheat. It is flushable. Friends live on the third floor of a condo complex and they have to take the trash to the first floor - so they were happy to not have to lug used cat litter down three floors.

[lizbud]

Well, I'm glad I asked the question.:) You all have given
me very good ideas about what to use (or not use). I have
4 indoor kitties & 5 boxes, so I need to get litter that's
not tooo expensive, but I too have a couple boys who are
real diggers & flingers. Bless their little hearts..:D :D
At PetsMart today I did see the wheat kind of litter also.
So many choices....:eek: Thanks again. Liz.

[toughCookie]

thanks Sara I have used fresh step too, but for a long time now I have used arm&hammer clumping litter, recently changed to tidy cat for multiple cats, it is just like a&h. I notice they are dusty , and after reading your post it makes sense about the dust, it bothers me now thinking of them breathing that in!! :( :eek: I will have to reconsider what kind to use, theres so many out there,and they can be expensive, which would not matter if they work good. I have also used baking soda to help with the oder, a BIG box that I keep with the litter. guess I will have to really look at the different kinds again, and try fresh step again, ...emma and louise have not been covering their*** lately, sometimes, maybe the dust is why...poor things.I just read the article... oh! all this time to make it easier on me I have maybe been hurting my cats, well I am going out and get fresh step or something , no more dust for them.
I feel terrible now, and dumb, I should have thought, if I didnt like the dust from when I poor the litter to the pan, of course they don't like breathing it either. :eek: :( :( :( :(

[sasvermont]

I use the World's Best and yet my cats prefer the cheap clumping litter. I am hoping to stop buying it soon, and just use W.B. I do not flush it. I can't imagine what it would do with and to a septic system and it seems to me it should be going in the ground fills and not the water system, but that's my opinion! It is made of corn and it clumps too - great combo. I am not wild about the aroma but it isn't bad. Like I said, my cats use it but prefer the other for some reason. Maybe just habit.

Its not easy to find World's Best. There is only one store in the Burlington VT area that carries it. Its a tad expensive but goes a long way.

:eek:

[krazyaboutkatz]

I had been using the cheaper clumping clay litter and it worked well but it was dusty and the litter got all over the place. Since I read Sara's post and the article that she provided, I bought a different brand of litter. I bought this at Petco and it's called "Cat Country Organic Premium Litter." I bought two 20 lb. bags and each bag was only $11.99. Here are the benefits:1.it's made of all natural plant fiber 2.there's no dust or tracking 3.it controls cat odor and lasts twice as long as clay 4.it can be flushed down the toilet 5.it's less expensive to use than clay 6.there's 25% more litter per pound than clay. My cats were very interested in it and I think they liked the smell of this litter. It's also much lighter than the clay kind. I think that everyone is going to like this litter better. Thanks again Sara for the info. You may have saved my cats life and maybe mine as well.:)

[Fuzzy317]

I use Tidy Cat Clumping litter. I was using a store brand, but I switched to a brand I could find almost anywhere. The cats do fine with it, so I will leave "well enough alone".

[shais_mom]

I was on the quest for the perfect cat litter also.
I tried EVERTHING!! I really like the OdorLockers and the Worlds' Best was good too. But one day I was almost outta litter and had to buy the cheap stuff. Cat's Pride is what I bought it was on sale 2 - 40# bags for $6. It really took care of the odor! It was large 'grained'. And Kylie covered her poo which she hadn't been doing. So I have been buying Tidy Cat.
I did use the crystal litter but didn't like it as well as I thought I would.
I really didn't like the clumping litter the more I used it. But if you prefer the clumping litter, Arm and Hammer Super clumping or scooping in the blue box worked really well. The clumps were really hard for easier pickup.
Some time had passed since I last changed Kylie's box well she went in there last night and it smell really really really bad! Since it was 3am I didn't feel like lugging everything around so I just poured almost a whole box of baking soda on it and shook it around then changed it this morning. It really helped with the odor. I also use Arm and Hammer litter deoderizor.

[lizbud]

Yes, I think the Arm & Hammer litter deoderizer is
great. I don't sprinkle it on top but put it in the bottom
of the box before adding new litter. Yesterday I bought
a big bag of Tidy Cat AGAIN, but I'll look around more the
next time I shop. Red, Mikey,Blackie & Punkin say Thanks.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I use Walmart's store brand. It's a lot like Tidy Cat. It does have some dust but not bad. I never buy the fine scoopable stuff because I tried it once, got a grain of it in my eye and got an eye infection. I was even wearing glasses. I use baking soda on the botton of the litter box and put the litter on top. That way, they don't get as much baking soda on their feet. I don't know how good it is for them.

[shais_mom]

I usually don't use that much baking soda or deoderizor but it really really stunk! I usually mix it around in the litter also.

:):););)

[moosmom]

I use Pet Supplies Plus brand "Premium Scoopable Clumping Cat Litter" which is $7.13 for a 40 lb bag. It's 99% dust free and clumps just as well as the name brands.

I did try "Feline Pine" and "Love My Kitty" brands. Those brands are pellets of saw dust. The only thing you really have to do is remove the solid waste from it every day. Once the pelletts turn to sawdust and you can begin to smell the odor you simply dump the whole litterbox and start over again.

I guess it's up to the individual cat owner and their pets as to what they prefer.

Good luck.

Donna