I Need Some Cat Litter Opinions

I saw where a few people were asking about litters so now I'm asking ^_^

I stopped using CLAY litter years ago after I heard that the dust can cause health issues with cats when they breathe it in. And I have been using PINE pellets for the past three years but I'm wanting to change because the cats do not cover their waste.

So I'm guessing they don't like the feel of the hard pellets on their paws, And I just brought 2 rescue kittens into the house and they are doing the same as my two adults. So PINE is still a choice but I have to get the CLUMPING PINE.

I don't want to use CORN or WHEAT based litters because grains and moisture are not a good combination and I don't want the house smelling like mash lol and I saw some scary reviews online about the aflatoxin which causes mold and that's one reason people don't feed their pets GRAIN / CORN based foods.

I saw where they make GRASS, PAPER, WALNUT, CEDAR, COCONUT litters

Sorry about the POLL btw...my cat got on my keyboard

I use a crystal litter - I like it best.

I love Smart Cat, the clumping grass litter. My vet warned me off the wheat and corn because of the aflatoxin issue, and I stopped using clay because of the negative environmental impact.

zanne said:

Sorry about the POLL btw...my cat got on my keyboard

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LOL

I like combining walnut and clay, the walnut helps absorb the dust from the clay, which still gives me the clumping i want.

Furballsmom said:

LOL

I like combining walnut and clay, the walnut helps absorb the dust from the clay, which still gives me the clumping i want.

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Hi,

Which walnut litter do you use and which clay litter do you use? This sounds like a good combination.

Thanks!

Joy

Hi!
I'm using Tidy Cat at the moment, and Littermaids walnut. ( Theres one walmart reasonably close to me that is carrying this, but otherwise it seems like it might be getting a little difficult to find).

Furballsmom said:

Hi!
I'm using Tidy Cat at the moment, and Littermaids walnut. ( Theres one walmart reasonably close to me that is carrying this, but otherwise it seems like it might be getting a little difficult to find).

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Oh do you mean the littermaids walnut is hard to get? I am using world's best and I *think* my cat's eyes are having an allergic reaction to it but I'm not sure. I just ordered Smartcat all natural clumping. I want the perfect litter!

joyrachael said:

Oh do you mean the littermaids walnut is hard to get? I am using world's best and I *think* my cat's eyes are having an allergic reaction to it but I'm not sure. I just ordered Smartcat all natural clumping. I want the perfect litter!

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If your cats haven’t used a super lightweight litter before, they may be freaked out when they try it for the first time because they’ll sink down into it. I slowly incorporated Smart Cat into my clay litter over a period of weeks.

Tobermory said:

If your cats haven’t used a super lightweight litter before, they may be freaked out when they try it for the first time because they’ll sink down into it. I slowly incorporated Smart Cat into my clay litter over a period of weeks.

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Hmm. She's not picky at all. She pees a large quantity each time and with certain litters the pee pile stays on top of the litter and then she ends up stepping in it. If the litter clumps too hard then she gets cement paws. Maybe the Smartcat will be good mixed with a clay litter. I really want something that's not unhealthy for her.

I currently use So Phresh Grass Seed litter, and it works for me. I'm less picky after trying so many litters. All I want is a litter to clump and not cement itself to the bottom of the box, and isn't a dust bomb. For me this litter checks off both boxes.

joyrachael said:

Hmm. She's not picky at all. She pees a large quantity each time and with certain litters the pee pile stays on top of the litter and then she ends up stepping in it. If the litter clumps too hard then she gets cement paws. Maybe the Smartcat will be good mixed with a clay litter. I really want something that's not unhealthy for her.

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One of my cats pees only once a day so the pee clump is huge. Smart Cat clumps well without getting rock hard. You do have to wait about 15 minutes or so before scooping. If you scoop too soon after they pee, it's a bit fragile in terms of hanging together. But after that, it's a nice solid clump. I use 100% Smart Cat now, but the Smart Cat/ Dr. Elsey's clumping clay was a good mix if you don't mind the clay.

The other thing I've found with Smart Cat is that while it may seem expensive, it lasts a long time. I was curious so I checked: One 20-pound bag lasts six weeks using three boxes with three cats.

Tobermory said:

One of my cats pees only once a day so the pee clump is huge. Smart Cat clumps well without getting rock hard. You do have to wait about 15 minutes or so before scooping. If you scoop too soon after they pee, it's a bit fragile in terms of hanging together. But after that, it's a nice solid clump. I use 100% Smart Cat now, but the Smart Cat/ Dr. Elsey's clumping clay was a good mix if you don't mind the clay.

The other thing I've found with Smart Cat is that while it may seem expensive, it lasts a long time. I was curious so I checked: One 20-pound bag lasts six weeks using three boxes with three cats.

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Interesting. Is clay bad for them? Dr. Elsey's is great but it clumps so hard and I end up having to chisel it off the sides of the litter box with a knife. I can't wait to try the Smartcat. Good that it's long lasting!

Show Me Your Kitties said:

I currently use So Phresh Grass Seed litter, and it works for me. I'm less picky after trying so many litters. All I want is a litter to clump and not cement itself to the bottom of the box, and isn't a dust bomb. For me this litter checks off both boxes.

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I have tried maybe 20 different litters in the past few months. I never heard of So Phresh. If I don't like Smartcat I may try!

joyrachael said:

I have tried maybe 20 different litters in the past few months. I never heard of So Phresh. If I don't like Smartcat I may try!

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I bought a small bag off of Amazon to try. It wasn't prime so it took a bit to be delivered. Other than Petco I'm not sure where else you can get it. It's not the cheapest, but it lasts longer than the other litters I've tried IMO, so I'm not constantly buying it.

It tracks alot, but I'd say it's easier on the vacuum than clay. Like I said, I'm less picky now lol

I've tried smart cat and personally didn't like it, but it might be work better for you than it did me. It's hard finding litter that works for everyone (cats and you).

Show Me Your Kitties said:

I bought a small bag off of Amazon to try. It wasn't prime so it took a bit to be delivered. Other than Petco I'm not sure where else you can get it. It's not the cheapest, but it lasts longer than the other litters I've tried IMO, so I'm not constantly buying it.

It tracks alot, but I'd say it's easier on the vacuum than clay. Like I said, I'm less picky now lol

I've tried smart cat and personally didn't like it, but it might be work better for you than it did me. It's hard finding litter that works for everyone (cats and you).

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Yes you're right. I can't seem to find the perfect litter! I should be less picky like you! There is a Petco near me so I can try to find So Fresh there. Thanks for your input!

joyrachael said:

Interesting. Is clay bad for them?

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Most clumping clay litters are made with sodium bentonite. Some people believe that inhaling the dust can increase the risk of lung issues and asthma for both cats and humans. I already have lung issues; I don't need to make them worse! And I'd like to avoid it for my cats. But the main reason I switched was because of the environmental impact. The clay is obtained by strip or surface mining that damages the local environment, displaces wildlife through habitat loss, and can contaminate water tables. It's also not biodegradable so it sits in landfills pretty much forever. So it's just a personal choice for me. It's also nice that I'm not lugging 40-pound bags of clay around!

I've also used Okocat Super Soft clumping wood litter which I like as well. It's a bit less expensive than Smart Cat, and if I see it on sale, I'll snag a box and mix it with the Smart Cat.

joyrachael said:

Oh do you mean the littermaids walnut is hard to get?

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oops, I'm sorry, yes - at least it seems that way.

joyrachael said:

Yes you're right. I can't seem to find the perfect litter! I should be less picky like you! There is a Petco near me so I can try to find So Fresh there. Thanks for your input!

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I have come to find that the perfect litter doesn't exist. At least IMO. I got sick of changing the litter every week or two and decided to just pick one that at least has two qualities I'm looking for: clumps that don't fall apart or cement itself to the box, and little to no dust.

I can always use candles to deal with any odor and I can always vacuum the bits that get out of the box. The odor control for So Phresh is fine. I can't smell pee at all and it's only when my boys drop a turd that I smell anything at all. In which case I light a pet odor eliminating candle (you can find these on chewy.com) and scoop it out.

I hope you find a litter that works for you!

I want to try So Phresh but soon I will stop trying litters and just settle on one. I spend a lot of money on litter and it's not necessary. Thanks so much!