Advice Needed!!

[heidiv]

Do any of you use the automated cat litter boxes?? I have found 3 different models I need advice as to which one seems to be better??????

Also wondering do any of you think that scoopable litter is (Less Dusty than the clay disposible litter?) I am drawing a blank when it comes to Chloes hair falling out it doesn't seem to be getting any better. So the litter change is going to be my next step. Only thing I can think of is.... I wonder if she is rolling on the litter and it makes her skin itch???? Just a guess???? Other than that I can't think of anything else the vet said she looks like she is in perfect health. Vital signs are good personality is good eating well so the only thing I can think of is that she is having an allergy to the clay litter. She just loves rolling in it?????? Thank you so much for any advice in advance. -Heidi-

[Freedom]

I don't have an automatice litter box, so I can't help with your first question.

I much prefer the scoopable litter. I have only used the clay rarely as it is more work for ME, ha ha. I have used Tidy Cats Scoopable for all of the 12 years I have owned cats, and they like it. The times I used the clay litter was on travels. I didn't like all the dust so yes, I think there is less dust with scoopable. I didn't like having to change the entire box, either. It could even be that she is rolling in used litter and that is giving her the itchies? Doesn't matter how often you are cleaning the box, no reflection on you. If she is rolling in in, she is going to pick things up, I suppose.



I hope you find something to help Chloe!

[heidiv]

She doesn't usually roll in dirty litter she kicks a ton of litter out on the concrete in the basement and then rolls in it. Shes a dork! Whenever I see her rolling in it I try to get her out of it. But she is just drawn to it....... She is like a chinchilla??????

[rg_girlca]

Oh Chloe, sweetheart, please don't roll in the cat litter.

I also don't know much about the automated litter boxes, but I pray that the change of litter will help precious Chloe.

Please keep us updated on how things turn out with my, oops, I mean, your girl. :)

Hugs and kisses to you Chloe.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I don't know anything about automated litter boxes so I can't help you there. I also use scoopable litter and I've found that the low track litters seem much less dusty. I guess it's because the granules are larger.

Have you tried changing Chloe's diet at all? She may need something for skin allergies or she may need supplements for her skin. Have you heard of Avoderm? Here's the link: Avoderm (http://www.breeders-choice.com/cat_products/avodermcat.htm). Maybe this will help her. Good luck.:)

[smokey the elder]

I use this special litter for my diabetic cat: non-absorbant safflower seeds! The litter can be washed. I found it from a link in www.felinediabetes.org. It's pricey (shipping is a killer) but lasts a long time.

[K & L]

We bought one (can't remember the brand) but gave it up after awhile. I think they're great for 1 to 2 cat households, but anything over that it seems to work too much. Another thing, our motor was loud and even though it was in another room it was always waking us up at night.

[catnapper]

I had an automatic litterbox for a whole day and then gave it to my friend in the rescue. She was thrilled and thought she'd struck gold. I thought it was the biggest flop. I ended up scooping MORE with the automatic box. The smell was a hundred times stronger because the waste was no longer covered by litter, but sitting in a plastic receptacle with airholes along with other un-covered poop and pee. Sure they have a filter on the plastic receptacle.... it doesn't make a difference. The smell was as if you've left an untied plastic bag of litter waste sitting on the floor afternoon, I'm sure you know the stench that makes. Then the poop and pee got stuck in the "fingers" of the rake. Oh what joy that was to remove!

I couldn't get rid of the automatic litterbox fast enough.

[catmandu]

I Have Never Bought The Automated Box As They Are Too Much Money, And I Dont Think They Would Work With 11 Cats.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/catmandu/cats697.jpg

[heidiv]

I have gone to the store to see what kinds of low dust litter is offered along with looking at some reveiws that the automatic litter boxes and I have read a ton of the same things as all of you have said so that idea may take the back burner for awhile till I hear better reviews that is a lot of money for something I won't like or my cats won't like. I am still not totally convinced that its totally safe for my cats either I would be really worried if I was at work and not able to help them if the thing malfunctions or something?????

So I have decided to take a look at the Feline Pine litter it has zero silica dust it all natural and for once it was something that didn't cost a small fortune and it may accomplish the same thing without any of the deoderizers or perfumes so we will see?????????

Another question have any of you tried this type of litter and any reveiws?


Krazyaboutkats:Thanks for the link on the Advoderm I am going to run to the nearest Petco and see if I can find it there its 30 miles from here so I will more than likely have to run next weekend. But I think I will try this also I will do anything to get her hair to come back she is a beautiful kitty and I love her dearly so I will do ANYTHING to get her all fixed up. Thank you so much EVERYONE......

[Catlady711]

I am drawing a blank when it comes to Chloes hair falling out it doesn't seem to be getting any better. So the litter change is going to be my next step. Only thing I can think of is.... I wonder if she is rolling on the litter and it makes her skin itch???? Just a guess???? Other than that I can't think of anything else the vet said she looks like she is in perfect health. Vital signs are good personality is good eating well so the only thing I can think of is that she is having an allergy to the clay litter. She just loves rolling in it?????? Thank you so much for any advice in advance. -Heidi-


Just curious has your vet checked Chloe for dry skin (since heat runs in the winter and dryes out the skin), ringworm, fleas, food allergies, or a skin infection in addition to possible litter allergy?

Those would be some of the more typical things our hospital checks for when a cat comes in with those same problems.

[heidiv]

Just curious has your vet checked Chloe for dry skin (since heat runs in the winter and dryes out the skin), ringworm, fleas, food allergies, or a skin infection in addition to possible litter allergy?

Those would be some of the more typical things our hospital checks for when a cat comes in with those same problems.


Yeah we have had her in to the vet, the strange thing is that all of hair that is thin almost looks as if she is chewing on it and breaking it off. I made sure that the vet did check for all of the above parasites first then we talked about what the next step would be??

She said that she didn't think it was a food allergy because the area where the hair is missing???? Mainly on her tummy and her back legs all areas that she could chew the hair off. She said that their are things that they can give her for anxiety but since cats systems are so sensitive to any little change that we didn't want to have to go there unless she was chewing to the point that she was breaking it open.

I just thought that if we reduced the chance of dust and dirt of any kind getting onto her skin that we might see some change. The vet thought it is an anxiety thing. Like a nail biting or hair twirling in humans. If she doesn't show any signs of change within the next couple of weeks then I will have her tested for allergies. She wanted to see if changing her surrounding due to christmas and many people being around during the holiday that maybe she was stressed out????? We have put everything back to normal but no change so we wanted to exhaust all of our other options before meds if we can....... Pricilla my other siamese was on prednisone for most of her life due to allergies so I want to make sure that its not something little before we proceed..... She only live till the age of 6 I am not sure if it had anything to do with the Predinisone or anything I just get a little scared if we go away from natural things because of all of that....I will make sure that I ask the vet about all this info. also thanks tons.

[Glacier]

I
So I have decided to take a look at the Feline Pine litter it has zero silica dust it all natural and for once it was something that didn't cost a small fortune and it may accomplish the same thing without any of the deoderizers or perfumes so we will see?????????

Another question have any of you tried this type of litter and any reveiws?


......


I use pine litter in a couple boxes. I'm too cheap to buy actual Feline Pine though! I use pine pellets meant for pellet stove. They cost five bucks a bag up here. My vet swears it all comes from the same factory and just goes into different bags! It is almost dust free, lasts quite awhile and seems to trap odor nicely.

You might want to look at Yesterday's News litter too. It's made from recycled newpaper. It has smaller granules than pine litter. Some of my cats don't like the big size of the pine stuff.

I would like to use nothing but scoopable litter, but my cats say otherwise! The most heavily used boxes in the house are the ones with clay litter!

[DrKym]

We have 4 auto boxes, well worth the investment! (and the dogs cannot pilfer kitty poo) We use the Tidy cats premium for multiple cats, we have 5 adults and new babies, so we will be getting a few more auto boxes.
Ours are the Littermaid brand from Petco 84.99 on sale :D

[Catlady711]

Yeah we have had her in to the vet, the strange thing is that all of hair that is thin almost looks as if she is chewing on it and breaking it off. She said that she didn't think it was a food allergy because the area where the hair is missing???? Mainly on her tummy and her back legs all areas that she could chew the hair off. She said that their are things that they can give her for anxiety but since cats systems are so sensitive to any little change that we didn't want to have to go there unless she was chewing to the point that she was breaking it open. The vet thought it is an anxiety thing. Like a nail biting or hair twirling in humans.


How old is Chloe?

I'm curious because Dusty (my oldest at 16 1/2) has hair missing in the same areas. We know for a fact that she overgrooms herself. She started doing it when she was about 14 and has only gotten worse since. We tried the allergy route (elimination of things, not actual testing) and nothing helps. She's now gone on to lick all the hair off her ankles, tip of tail, starting on her front paws and scratching hair off the tips only of her ears. Dusty has always been a rather persnickerty cat and gets stressed out if things don't go her way. She's gotten so that now when she sits, she automatically lifts one hind leg like she's gonna groom, even if she doesn't, or she'll be in a 'zone' when she licks like nothing else is going on in the world. We've tried collars and bitter apple, to no avail. Her skin itself is normal unless she gets really agressive with it then she sometimes gets little red sores but they go away in a day or two. With all of Dusty's other health problems over the years we don't want to medicate her unnecessarily. However I do figure when it's Dusty's time to go that she'll probably be bald.

Although I am told that sometimes spayed cats do suddenly lick off the fur on their tummies but that giving them hormones not only doesn't help but can have side effects. Most cats grow it back again though. Vet doesn't think this is what Dusty's problem is.

Good luck on your litter search.

[kuhio98]

I use pine litter in a couple boxes. I'm too cheap to buy actual Feline Pine though! I use pine pellets meant for pellet stove. They cost five bucks a bag up here. My vet swears it all comes from the same factory and just goes into different bags! It is almost dust free, lasts quite awhile and seems to trap odor nicely. Tamara ~ Thanks for the advice! We compared prices on Feline Pine and the pine pellets. Here in Anchorage, Feline Pine costs 75 cents per pound. The pellets (at Home Depot) cost 20 cents per pound. We bought 3 40-pound sacks of the pellets so we're set for a while! Thanks again. :D