Cat eating worlds best litter

[jugen]

(Mods please move this to the correct place as I am not sure where to put it)

I just wanted to share a giggle that is sort of nasty but still kind of interesting..
We bought Worlds Best Cat litter the other day (mostly due to a rebate so if they didn't like it we weren't out anything) and tonight we put it in the box after throughly washing it like we do every Sunday..Ok no big deal. We leave and do our running, come back everything's in order blah blah blah, to make a long story short, I went in to the room with the WBCL in it and what to I see.......??My Calico EATING yes EATING the litter before using it!

Now mind you this has been in the box all day and is well used at this point so her eating any of it is just not right in 101 states!!!

I guess she thinks not only is it good enough to potty in but as a snack too!

It's now in the trash and the Tidy cat is in back in the box. I wish we could've used it for more then 10 hours but I was a little weirded out at the fact of her eating it, used or not that's just a little more then I could handle. Not to mention the fact that I don't want to getting sick from eating to much of it.
The commercial is correct, it's the only cat litter you can eat!

 

[catsallaround]

My first thought is how old and when was last blood work done. I had an older cat eat swheat scoop and thought ok thats odd hes 12/13 not one to do THAT that was before and increased thirst and urinating...
But then again it may just be like my not so bright Tyler got him as a 6 week old kitten...everything is edible in this world...couch shoes...its like a puppy in chewing stage...sadly hes over a year old and still into trouble

 

[jugen]

Originally Posted by catsallaround

My first thought is how old and when was last blood work done. I had an older cat eat swheat scoop and thought ok thats odd hes 12/13 not one to do THAT that was before and increased thirst and urinating...
But then again it may just be like my not so bright Tyler got him as a 6 week old kitten...everything is edible in this world...couch shoes...its like a puppy in chewing stage...sadly hes over a year old and still into trouble

How old is Cali? She's 4. She's been to the vet oh.. I'd say 2 mos ago for her distemper shots and general overall evaluation. No blood work though. She's just not that bright of a kitten. Never thought she'd eat litter, but like I said she's not that bright. Sweet as all get out though, never trade her for all the money in the world..

Cali likes to cause mischief as well... I leave a bowl of water on the floor for her because she just can't fathom the pet well drinking fountains and how to get water from them without putting basically her whole head and chest in the bowl, and well she will paw at the water in the bowl until she spills the whole thing.

 

[kiwideus]

I hate to be a downer but when Stella started eating litter, I took her to the vet right away and it turned out that she is anemic. She still has it and has to be on daily prednisone. It will just take a simple PCV test to check on her blood cell volume.

Eating litter is a sign of something. Please take her to the vet.

 

[missymotus]

I had a kitten years ago that ate the litter when we first switched to worlds best, she soon stopped eating it but apparently it's not too uncommon for cats to eat worlds best at first.

 

[jugen]

Originally Posted by Kiwideus

I hate to be a downer but when Stella started eating litter, I took her to the vet right away and it turned out that she is anemic. She still has it and has to be on daily prednisone. It will just take a simple PCV test to check on her blood cell volume.

Eating litter is a sign of something. Please take her to the vet.

She's been to the vet recently and has never eaten any other litters we've been trying. She just apparently seems to like the taste of WBCL. I guess I can ask the vet when I see him Wed and see if he thinks I need to get her checked. Doesn't sound like a bad idea but she isn't exhibiting signs of anything like thyroid disease or anemia, but it never hurts to be on the safe side.

 

[jugen]

Originally Posted by missymotus

I had a kitten years ago that ate the litter when we first switched to worlds best, she soon stopped eating it but apparently it's not too uncommon for cats to eat worlds best at first.

Did this kitten eat it right after you put it in the box, or did he wait until later in the day to eat it?? Is there something that attracts the cats to it and hence the reason they eat it? None of my others ate it, just Cali..

 

[stephanietx]

Our new little guy was tasting the litter when we first got him, but he's stopped. I think they're a bit confused at first. I don't recall either of the girls eating it or trying to eat it, but they definitely don't now.

 

[ldg]

Originally Posted by jugen

She's been to the vet recently and has never eaten any other litters we've been trying. She just apparently seems to like the taste of WBCL. I guess I can ask the vet when I see him Wed and see if he thinks I need to get her checked. Doesn't sound like a bad idea but she isn't exhibiting signs of anything like thyroid disease or anemia, but it never hurts to be on the safe side.

Hi Barb! While it could well be just tasting the new corn cob litter, the problem with anemia is that you can't tell it's a problem until it's difficult to deal with. The main symptom is lethargy - and that happens when the number of red blood cells really falls and can be difficult to get back up. The only way to know is a blood test that includes a PCV ("hematocrit" or "packed cell volume"). Our vet told us to not worry about Tuxie eating litter, it didn't mean anything. He wound up at a cat specialist, needed a blood transfusion, daily vet visits for months (new vet!), weekly vet visits for months, bi-weekly vet visits for months &etc. We fought for four years to get him out of the woods.

it was just the litter.

 

[jugen]

Originally Posted by LDG

Hi Barb! While it could well be just tasting the new corn cob litter, the problem with anemia is that you can't tell it's a problem until it's difficult to deal with. The main symptom is lethargy - and that happens when the number of red blood cells really falls and can be difficult to get back up. The only way to know is a blood test that includes a PCV ("hematocrit" or "packed cell volume"). Our vet told us to not worry about Tuxie eating litter, it didn't mean anything. He wound up at a cat specialist, needed a blood transfusion, daily vet visits for months (new vet!), weekly vet visits for months, bi-weekly vet visits for months &etc. We fought for four years to get him out of the woods.

it was just the litter.

Thanks Laurie! I hope it's just a litter thing too. She isn't lethargic in the least. She is as energic as all get out! Plays non stop! Sounds like an elephant herd running through the house too!

I am taking Isis to the Vets tomorrow (rabies shot) and will be asking him his opinion on what just happened with Cali and her litter eating episode..

 

[kiwideus]

Stella was never lethargic - we wouldn't have known she had issues with blood until she started eating the litter. It was very confusing for the vet.

 

[ldg]

Barb, I'm just cautioning that not all vets know the sign that eating litter is associated with anemia. And my point was that once a cat gets to the point of being lethargic, the anemia has already progressed to the point that it is difficult to treat and can be life threatening.

While it's probably the litter, personally, I wouldn't want to take the chance. The bummer is that blood work wasn't done when you were recently there.

 

[mikehong]

Not to ignore the health suggestions given but could it have something to do with the ingredients of the litter and the food that they're fed? World's Best Cat Litter is made from corn... Isn't that one of the filler ingredients that some cat foods use?

When my gf and I first got our cats they had a clean bill of health but needed to lose weight so we fed them what the vet recommended. It's got corn and wheat as well as some other stuff. We use Swheat Scoop cat litter and at first they were a little confused so they were taking tastes of it. Once they figured out what it was they stopped eating it and started doing their #1s and #2s in it.

 

[jugen]

I talked to the vet Wed( sorry hard to type with a cat bouncing her head off your hands!

) And told him about the litter eating and the concerns I had, he told me that unless it continues, it shouldn't be a concern. Since it was only a few licks of it, and never touching the other litter, he told me to keep an eye on her and if something changes, to bring her right in.

 

[catnovice]

My calico kitten also eats The World's Best Litter. We started out fine for a week or more and suddenly she started leaving deposits outside the litter box. I tried another supper soft white litter but she also tried eating it. I believe they are both made of corn. I have tried mixing in some Dr. Elseys Cat attract litter which works sometimes but not always. I am considering changing to a clay based litter. It is not recommended to change litter cold turkey but I am beside myself trying to get this kitten to go in the litter box. I have had her checked for a urinary tract infection. Any recommendations?

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

I would change litter.  I wouldn't want my cat eating any kind of litter.  Also I would make sure nothing is wrong with the cat. 

 

[leclau]

My cats did this too with WBCL! Right after I poured it in the box. I think it has to do wtih the walnuts in the litter. After the initial taste test, it took some coaxing then they started using the litter for its intended purpose :-)