litter boxes

What's your rec? I've been reading the reviews on the automatic ones. And am now turned off. Ithought they would be great. I have just an ordinary one. But need something better. What about those siftin ones? Does that really do better?

What about litter. Should I stick to the clumping kind? I think Ashley hates the crystal kind. I think they are too big for her feet. When I've used the small clumping kind she 100 percent used it. Then I switched to the crystals and she poos in them, but pees in a small box I have infront of her box. Or else she'd pee on the floor. I put the, actually its the lid to a box lol, in front for her and I clean it daily. So I'm going back to clumping.

Also, what's the best tool to catch loose litter from coming out ? I've tried all sorts. But I was wanting to try that one grid looking thing.

Some of the decision is up to you. PART of the decision is up to the cat(s), as you already discovered!

The automatic ones, I have not used. With 7 cats, one wouldn't make a great deal of difference for me, and I can't afford 7. But I was surprised to learn that you have to keep buying things for it, not a one time purchase. And I am sure the "noise" would scare Chestnut, ha ha.

Litter. One of the things always discussed in Cat Fancy magazine is, if you have a litter that your cat likes and uses regularly, DON'T CHANGE. But you already learned this. Smell, feel, the cat is in direct contact with the litter.

I use a scoop to clean all 7 boxes, once per day in the evening. I tend to be a clutz, and the sifting type box doesn't appeal to me, I just KNOW I will have it all on the floor. And when will I have it on the floor? The night I am overtired, or sick with a cold and spending most of my day in bed, in other words, when I absolutely can't deal with it all over the floor!

As for in front of the litter box, I have tried small area rugs (those small sample sizes), newspaper, and now I have the plastic grid mats. I like the mat, because each evening when I scoop, I pick up the mat and dump it all back into the box. Except on those nights when I am a clutz and the edge of the mat hits the front of the box and it all spills on the floor. I keep a small dustbuster hand held vacuum ready for the clean ups in front of and around the litter boxes. That way I don't have to go get the big vacuum (I would feel I have to do more then just around the box!) or the broom and dust pan.

As I have 7 set ups, I have found that I can get good buys at the local church bazaar / flea markets, the SPCA Spring sale (folks donate). I have bought carriers, litter boxes, mats, etc this way.

Waht ever you decide, make sure you consider the cat's opinion!

I have the heavy duty Pet Valu Clumping and when its on sale, I get a dozen bags delivered to the Hotel.
Its a lot less dustless and safer for the Found Cats, and really is a lot easier to pick up than most varities.

I have 6 cats and I used to use 6 litter boxes but have only been using 4 since I painted my condo. I clean them out morning and evening. They are the covered type and 2 of them have the covers and 2 I have taken the covers off. I also use the litterbuster mats in the large size and the litterboxes sit on top of them. This way I can shake them out and put the excess litter back into the boxes. I also use a few small carpet rugs in front of the boxes so I can shake these out too.

I've tried many many different litters and have found that the clumping kind works the best. Right now I'm mixing Ever Clean unscented everfresh low track litter with Petsmarts Odor Eaters advanced scoopable litter which is also low tracking. It keeps the odor under control and clumps well too. I just use the large plastic litter scoopers and they've always worked well for me. I've also noticed that since the low track litter comes in a larger granule that it seems a lot less dusty too. My cats have no complaints either. Good luck.:)