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Its clay free, fragrance free, and chemical free. It is made from grass and is a bit pricey. Good review on http://www.thehappylitterbox.com/
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Has anyone tried SmartCat All Natural Cat Litter?
- Thread starter lvmygrdn
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Thanks for posting this. Very interesting! I have not heard of this litter, but I think I will try it!
I've been on the hunt for a truly dust-free litter with no luck so far. I'm currently using Dr. Elsey's Ultra Precious Cat litter, which is supposedly the most dust-free, but it still leaves a white coating all over my glass tops after a couple days. I even tried the Dr. Elsey's Respiratory Relief...same thing.
My only concern with SmartCat is that my Boo has seasonal allergies and I wonder if the grass that it is made out of would bother him. The reviews on Amazon are helpful, especially the one about it staining white fur. Good to know for people with white cats!
One of our litter boxes contains this litter right now. The other box contains Dr. Elsey's Ultra Precious Cat. Both cats strongly prefer Dr. Elsey's. Like to the point they will both do everything in that box and ignore the box with the SmartCat most days.
Other than cat preferences, this is what I observed. The two litters look very similar, though SmartCat is a little more beige in color and less grey. The granules are a bit smaller. It is much lighter in weight, which I like. But it does not clump nearly as well as Dr. Elsey's. So when the cats do use the box to urinate, as they did today, it takes me longer to scoop because the urine clumps break up. It seems to be more dusty than Dr. Elsey's. I do not notice any scent, but who knows what the cats notice.
Other than cat preferences, this is what I observed. The two litters look very similar, though SmartCat is a little more beige in color and less grey. The granules are a bit smaller. It is much lighter in weight, which I like. But it does not clump nearly as well as Dr. Elsey's. So when the cats do use the box to urinate, as they did today, it takes me longer to scoop because the urine clumps break up. It seems to be more dusty than Dr. Elsey's. I do not notice any scent, but who knows what the cats notice.
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I use Dr. Elsey's as well and my cats seem to like it fine. I'm always on the look out for that perfect litter but as we know nothing is perfect.
I ordered SmartCat to give it a try. Thank you for your reply.- Thread Starter Thread Starter
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This is what I was going to do with my two boxes. It will be interesting to see which one they prefer more. Dr. Elsey's has a better price point, is easier to find locally, and was recommended by the rescue organization. Thank you for replying with your thoughts. I love this site.
I decided not to get the SmartCat litter. It's not available locally, and online it's as much as $1.60-ish per pound. Yikes! I really have to draw the line at $1.00 per pound. A lot of potential with all these new non-clay clumping litters out there (did you see the one made out of green tea leaves?!). But the cost....
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I have not seen green tea leaf litter. Wow, what will they think of next. I received the Smartcat today and added some to one of their boxes. We will see once I completely switch the box over comepletely.I decided not to get the SmartCat litter. It's not available locally, and online it's as much as $1.60-ish per pound. Yikes! I really have to draw the line at $1.00 per pound. A lot of potential with all these new non-clay clumping litters out there (did you see the one made out of green tea leaves?!). But the cost....
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Yes, and there is no question that no other litter will enter my house again! I found this comment and it is 100% accurate.
http://www.catnutrition.org/blog/the-cat-litter-of-my-dreams
http://www.catnutrition.org/blog/the-cat-litter-of-my-dreams
This is a great discussion and I have lots of questions being a new timer to cats (had my first cat less than 2 years - but have also brought in a couple others - OOPS! <bg>):
First a statement. I put Tidy Cat (which my cats have always used) in one box and Dr. Elsey's unscented in another box right next to it. My cats went for the Dr. Elsey's 100%! They only used the Tidy Cat box when the Dr. Elsey's got full. I tried the Dr. Elsey's because I hated all the dust with Tidy Cat and was afraid of what it was doing to my cats. I love the Dr. Elsey's as it's heavier (aka, less mess to clean up outside the box) as I'm thinking it's also better for the cats as I don't THINK it clings to their fur as much since there is much less dust - which means they ingest less when cleaning themselves. Same thing happened when I put the box of Dr. Elsey's next to a box of SmartCat - cats went to Dr. Elsey's ONLY - wouldn't use the SmartCat at all. However, after mixing the two and slowly fading out the Dr. Elsey's, they are now beginning to use the SmartCat. However, is it REALLY the best one for cats? My questions/concerns below about litter in general:
Questions:
1) I'm concerned about WBCL. It's corn based and I make sure there is NO CORN in my cat (and dogs) food. So why would I use it in their litterbox? If it can go bad in the food, then I'd think it would be even more likely to go bad when used for a litterbox as it's not suppose to be consumed. However, we all know that in some way, it will be consumed - even if by some clinging to the cats fur and then the cat cleaning himself. I have the same concern with the wheat based litter as well.
2) SmartCat is all natural grass, which I prefer. However, it still has agents in it which causes it to clump. And since it's so lightweight, especially compared to the Dr. Elsey's, it clings to my cats fur and feet much more than the Dr. Elsey's did. So, I'm afraid my cats are ingesting more of this than they would the clay litter. Plus, my cats strongly prefer the Dr. Elsey's over the Smart Cat - I think it's because they have better footing with the clay as they slide down INTO the litter with the SmartCat since it's so lightweight. I've also noticed that the SmartCat doesn't absorb the liquid as quickly as the Dr. Elsey's, so their urine sometimes reaches their back feet while urinating - neither the cats nor I like this.
So, which is really the healthiest for my cats? The clay, which will cling LESS to my cat which means less ingestion of the litter (but it contains ingredients which are bad for my cats) or the grass, which clings MORE and therefore my cats will ingest more of it, but it's not as unhealthy?
So torn and confused!
First a statement. I put Tidy Cat (which my cats have always used) in one box and Dr. Elsey's unscented in another box right next to it. My cats went for the Dr. Elsey's 100%! They only used the Tidy Cat box when the Dr. Elsey's got full. I tried the Dr. Elsey's because I hated all the dust with Tidy Cat and was afraid of what it was doing to my cats. I love the Dr. Elsey's as it's heavier (aka, less mess to clean up outside the box) as I'm thinking it's also better for the cats as I don't THINK it clings to their fur as much since there is much less dust - which means they ingest less when cleaning themselves. Same thing happened when I put the box of Dr. Elsey's next to a box of SmartCat - cats went to Dr. Elsey's ONLY - wouldn't use the SmartCat at all. However, after mixing the two and slowly fading out the Dr. Elsey's, they are now beginning to use the SmartCat. However, is it REALLY the best one for cats? My questions/concerns below about litter in general:
Questions:
1) I'm concerned about WBCL. It's corn based and I make sure there is NO CORN in my cat (and dogs) food. So why would I use it in their litterbox? If it can go bad in the food, then I'd think it would be even more likely to go bad when used for a litterbox as it's not suppose to be consumed. However, we all know that in some way, it will be consumed - even if by some clinging to the cats fur and then the cat cleaning himself. I have the same concern with the wheat based litter as well.
2) SmartCat is all natural grass, which I prefer. However, it still has agents in it which causes it to clump. And since it's so lightweight, especially compared to the Dr. Elsey's, it clings to my cats fur and feet much more than the Dr. Elsey's did. So, I'm afraid my cats are ingesting more of this than they would the clay litter. Plus, my cats strongly prefer the Dr. Elsey's over the Smart Cat - I think it's because they have better footing with the clay as they slide down INTO the litter with the SmartCat since it's so lightweight. I've also noticed that the SmartCat doesn't absorb the liquid as quickly as the Dr. Elsey's, so their urine sometimes reaches their back feet while urinating - neither the cats nor I like this.
So, which is really the healthiest for my cats? The clay, which will cling LESS to my cat which means less ingestion of the litter (but it contains ingredients which are bad for my cats) or the grass, which clings MORE and therefore my cats will ingest more of it, but it's not as unhealthy?
So torn and confused!
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Hi all,
I found SmartCat in Dec 2014. Since then I've eliminated ALL other litters unless it's an emergency. Every other litter is too dusty and clay just sticks to the lungs like, well, clay. Even the other naturals are dusty.
It's not available within 75 miles of me so I did my search for cheapest with no shipping. It is expensive and Amazon is cheapest so far. I have six cats and 5 big boxes so I really understand the $$ issue. However, when used and cleaned properly, the litter lasts twice as long as ANY other litter. I clean daily, of course, and need to find the best for me and mine.
I have a bloodhound nose so the sniff test in the room with the boxes is my guide. I did a "study" here at home using Tidy Cat, World's Best, and SmartCat. SmartCat smells like oatmeal when cleaning, as it should since it's inert grass seed. That's how I eliminated everything but SmartCat, the very clear winner.
I've had a lot of visitors lately and they HAVE NO CLUE there are 6 cats and 5 litter boxes in my house (my house isn't big and one story). They are awed when they ask how many cats and I tell them 6. THAT is super important to me.
I recommend SmartCat all the time at shows and adoption events when "cat box smell" comes up.
I hope this adds some info for decision making.
I found SmartCat in Dec 2014. Since then I've eliminated ALL other litters unless it's an emergency. Every other litter is too dusty and clay just sticks to the lungs like, well, clay. Even the other naturals are dusty.
It's not available within 75 miles of me so I did my search for cheapest with no shipping. It is expensive and Amazon is cheapest so far. I have six cats and 5 big boxes so I really understand the $$ issue. However, when used and cleaned properly, the litter lasts twice as long as ANY other litter. I clean daily, of course, and need to find the best for me and mine.
I have a bloodhound nose so the sniff test in the room with the boxes is my guide. I did a "study" here at home using Tidy Cat, World's Best, and SmartCat. SmartCat smells like oatmeal when cleaning, as it should since it's inert grass seed. That's how I eliminated everything but SmartCat, the very clear winner.
I've had a lot of visitors lately and they HAVE NO CLUE there are 6 cats and 5 litter boxes in my house (my house isn't big and one story). They are awed when they ask how many cats and I tell them 6. THAT is super important to me.
I recommend SmartCat all the time at shows and adoption events when "cat box smell" comes up.
I hope this adds some info for decision making.
I bought a bag of this litter thinking it would be good for my cat who needs a dust free litter (he has sores on his paws due to cancer, so dust-free is really important for keeping his feet clean). I like that it's softer than the other dust-free litters I've tried, like Good Mews. Unfortunately, he eats this litter. While I'm sure an occasional nibble won't do any long-term damage, I don't really want him eating used cat litter, so I switched back to Good Mews for him. It works great for my other two cats though.
This looks to be an old thread but Ill post anyway. I have this litter as well. I'm introducing a new cat to my existing brood and she uses smartcat. because she has "pillow foot" aka pododermatitis, we're trying to find out if it's caused by allergies. She was on walnut litter previously. My other cats won't use the smartcat-they just want to eat it. My newest edition missy, didn't take to the smartcat at first. She still prefers Dr elseys precious.I think the smartcat is causing her sneezing fits. In my opinion the smartcat clumps fantastic. You could move the scooper around vigorously and the clump still won't break. I wish my cats liked it as much as I do.
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I have two cats who sneeze a lot, and the woman at Mud Bay recommended my going with something other than Smart Cat - she thought because there is a tiny bit of dust. she recommended the pellets or the paper-based one. I would be astounded were SmartCat to be causing my kitties's congestion and sneezing. I hope it is not. But we've had one on antibiotics and cortisone, trying to get her over the chronic congestion.
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I'm a fan of Smartcat and haven't used anything else for years.
I'd be surprised too if that caused congestion. There is NO 100% dust free but I find Smart cat closer than anything else and the cats are happy with it.
I use it because there is no dust. I pour new litter from a stand, not stooped over and there is no dust. Since I show a cat with high white paws it's critical there be no dust on his feet.
Have food allergies been eliminated? While only potential it is possible. Do the cats sneeze all year long? When the weather is nice (I live in SoCal) my cats go through seasonal sneezing because I leave doors and windows open. No, they don't go outside unsupervised. I'd be more inclined to follow their noses in addition. Your laundry products, cleaning stuff. Like people, animals can develop allergies over time.
Another great resource is The Cat Bible partially written by Lorraine Shelton. The book really is the cat bible and one of my resources. Also, the Winn Foundation and Cornell and Davis might help with researching. My holistic vet (I use conventional and alternative) is amaing, might try that. Make sure they are registered with correct licensing agencies so they meet the right criteria.
I have many resources to share if you need. I show Household Pets (aka kitty, kitty) and volunteer with a no kill adoption group.
I'd be surprised too if that caused congestion. There is NO 100% dust free but I find Smart cat closer than anything else and the cats are happy with it.
I use it because there is no dust. I pour new litter from a stand, not stooped over and there is no dust. Since I show a cat with high white paws it's critical there be no dust on his feet.
Have food allergies been eliminated? While only potential it is possible. Do the cats sneeze all year long? When the weather is nice (I live in SoCal) my cats go through seasonal sneezing because I leave doors and windows open. No, they don't go outside unsupervised. I'd be more inclined to follow their noses in addition. Your laundry products, cleaning stuff. Like people, animals can develop allergies over time.
Another great resource is The Cat Bible partially written by Lorraine Shelton. The book really is the cat bible and one of my resources. Also, the Winn Foundation and Cornell and Davis might help with researching. My holistic vet (I use conventional and alternative) is amaing, might try that. Make sure they are registered with correct licensing agencies so they meet the right criteria.
I have many resources to share if you need. I show Household Pets (aka kitty, kitty) and volunteer with a no kill adoption group.
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Thank you so much for your kind and helpful reply. That is very thorough! I agree with you on the SmartCat. I don't think that is the problem.
Lulu had severe exczema problems on her neck and I finally eliminated chicken, which seems to have helped with that, and the dog with her fleas moved out, and I had to not let her go outdoors in the tiny yard (made her very sad). The vet went back and forth with his diagnosis -- chicken allergy or fleas.
But now she has small areas of the exczema and the sneezing and congestion are back.
It's tricky to isolate what might be the causes. You raise good questions and I'll continue to watch and try to figure this out. I will get The Cat Bible - it sounds great. I would love to know your other resources. Soon I'll be retiring and will have a bigger budget to spend on the pets.
As soon as I can afford to take her to a holistic vet, I will, though I love my current man who is from India, as he is so caring, but he relies on the western-based systems of pharmaceuticals and the heavy marketing of the crap pet food industry, which promotes its products as the latest thing to address allergies. I never buy those! My three kitties are on a half raw, half grain-free fish canned foods, and their coats are beautiful!
Thank you so much!!
Shannon
Lulu had severe exczema problems on her neck and I finally eliminated chicken, which seems to have helped with that, and the dog with her fleas moved out, and I had to not let her go outdoors in the tiny yard (made her very sad). The vet went back and forth with his diagnosis -- chicken allergy or fleas.
But now she has small areas of the exczema and the sneezing and congestion are back.
It's tricky to isolate what might be the causes. You raise good questions and I'll continue to watch and try to figure this out. I will get The Cat Bible - it sounds great. I would love to know your other resources. Soon I'll be retiring and will have a bigger budget to spend on the pets.
As soon as I can afford to take her to a holistic vet, I will, though I love my current man who is from India, as he is so caring, but he relies on the western-based systems of pharmaceuticals and the heavy marketing of the crap pet food industry, which promotes its products as the latest thing to address allergies. I never buy those! My three kitties are on a half raw, half grain-free fish canned foods, and their coats are beautiful!
Thank you so much!!
Shannon
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I really like this litter. I have to use a mat in front of the boxes because it sticks to paws like crazy and soon it is all over the floor. Clumps well, never stinks---go through it pretty fast though.
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I do, too, and have a couple of mats in front of the litter boxes, to manage that probably. Nice that they use grass to make it - close to what the cats would use outdoors. An environmentally sound product. No artificial anything in it. Thank you.
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Hi Laura Mae ,I have static issues here in SoCal which seems to be why it gets spread so easily but I have one cat who rolls in the litter box room and then, nicely, spreads it all over the house. Considering it's qualities, I can deal with that. As tiny as the particles are, yup gets around!
You shouldn't be using that much litter but not sure your definition of 'much.' I replenish my litter every 2 weeks or so but that's simply replacing what I've taken out. Considering how tightly it clumps it should last quite a while. Each of my boxes takes about 10 pounds of litter and takes a long time to go down to need filling. I do admit, that I don't keep it at the 3" recommended (I did actually measure once to see what 3" was) all the time but they seem fine with that.
You shouldn't be using that much litter but not sure your definition of 'much.' I replenish my litter every 2 weeks or so but that's simply replacing what I've taken out. Considering how tightly it clumps it should last quite a while. Each of my boxes takes about 10 pounds of litter and takes a long time to go down to need filling. I do admit, that I don't keep it at the 3" recommended (I did actually measure once to see what 3" was) all the time but they seem fine with that.
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I don't have it that full either, but in 3 boxes for 4 cats, it probably lasts me 1.5 weeks. For $30.00 that doesn't seem long but it clumps much better than WBCL
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I have no idea why you go thru so much. I have 5 cats and four jumbo boxes and 20# lasts well over a month. Maybe your scoop? I use the long straight one and excess, unused, just falls back in. Plus what gets tracked out gets vac'd up and dumped back in.
