Cat litter

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Cat.mama

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I use crystal (silica gel) litter (I have a scoop free automatic litter box). I had to go with a crystal litter because one of my girls would chew her paws so much that you could see pink skin under the white fur. I had tried clay, wood, and corn. Since I've been using the crystal litter there is only minimal paw chewing. It's really expensive but her paws (and an automatic litter box) are worth it.
That’s awesome this is helping for your allergy. I’ve always wanted to try crystal but everything seems to stick to my long hair cat when she is not up on her trim. A long time ago someone in PetSmart told me it would be better for her to eat clay than Crystal so I never tried it.
 

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Cat.mama Cat.mama Oh my goodness yes the smell at first!!!! I don't know how to describe it either. Yes it gets better. I do find that it's worst when you first open the box.

I haven't had any guests comment on the litter smell, so I'm unsure if I'm just sensitive to it.

My litters are enclosed usually so that helps.

I find it absorbs the urine really fast. Like any litter it will smell when dirty, or if a cat has a really strong poo...but no it's pretty good.

My mother in law actually commented a few times that the house doesn't smell like litter when she comes in, even though her favourite chair is next to a box that holds the litter. So that's positive too :) (she says it with love - she's not judgemental!)
 
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Cat.mama Cat.mama Oh my goodness yes the smell at first!!!! I don't know how to describe it either. Yes it gets better. I do find that it's worst when you first open the box.

I haven't had any guests comment on the litter smell, so I'm unsure if I'm just sensitive to it.

My litters are enclosed usually so that helps.

I find it absorbs the urine really fast. Like any litter it will smell when dirty, or if a cat has a really strong poo...but no it's pretty good.

My mother in law actually commented a few times that the house doesn't smell like litter when she comes in, even though her favourite chair is next to a box that holds the litter. So that's positive too :) (she says it with love - she's not judgemental!)
Still waiting for that smell to calm down!! Omg it’s so bad hahah. So I put some poo in the box this morning when i scooped the other boxes. I also put just a tad bit of the other litter and some tiny clumped pee. I just took a peek in the room. Someone hopped in and covered the poo!! This is good news! I really hope I will be able to see when they pee. I just looked back in your picture and it looked very obvious where it was wet. It looks like I put it a bit thicker layered. Hopefully I will be able to tell. I am starting to get very excited about the thought of no more nasty sticky dusty clay all over my cats!! Ahh the little things life…

just an fyi I was reading this morning about paper pellets and the website I was reading said most have zero smell at all because theyare all natural. I wonder what gives this one such a crazy smell..
FeebysOwner FeebysOwner
I’m also testing the simply unscented fresh step as back up! It came in a 42# of 4 bags. It has a little bit of a perfume smell. I am sensitive to smells but it’s not very bad. I don’t know if it’s because it is very humid where I live but the litter has come pre clumping that I had to break up. I did notice when touching it it didn’t leave my hands slimy tacky like the tidy cats does. 2 boxes have tidy cat 1 fresh step and 1 paper pellets. The fresh step had most traffic over night. I’ll give it a couple days before I can say on the dust. I did notice one of the cats licking her lips like crazy while she used the box but it seems like less than the tidy cats. One draw back is the clumps are wet!! The clumps didn’t crumble but they are very wet on the bottom. It is very close to the dr elsey but less dust more fragrance and better odor control. But it’s been lees that 24 hours.

F45EE130-6439-4430-8C10-57EFDE52E07B.jpeg
 

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Cat.mama Cat.mama Yes you can see it well. The younger boys bury it so sometimes there's a layer of dry overtop.

Im not sure how big your place is but I just kind of pre-open the litters in the basement and let it air out. I'm thinking it's the smell of processing the paper. I'm not sure.

But we've grown quite used to it now. I don't think I'll ever switch back. I just love how fast it absorbs so that Nobel doesn't come out of the box with pee all over his feet. Poor old man hates when I clean him and I was having to periodically when he'd trod through his previous pee. The last litter was so slow it would puddle at the bottom.
 
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Cat.mama Cat.mama Yes you can see it well. The younger boys bury it so sometimes there's a layer of dry overtop.

Im not sure how big your place is but I just kind of pre-open the litters in the basement and let it air out. I'm thinking it's the smell of processing the paper. I'm not sure.

But we've grown quite used to it now. I don't think I'll ever switch back. I just love how fast it absorbs so that Nobel doesn't come out of the box with pee all over his feet. Poor old man hates when I clean him and I was having to periodically when he'd trod through his previous pee. The last litter was so slow it would puddle at the bottom.
. I think you are right about being stronger first out of the box. I didn’t really notice it too much this morning. That is a great idea about airing it out first. Thank you!
 

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Bought a few boxes of Arm & Hammer baking soda litter recently, unscented, 28lb box. I use this product all the time, but now it looks like a totally different product... a much darker clay look to it. Are they getting cheap and trying to increase profits, or did they simply forget to put the baking soda in it? I used it anyway and it's definitely not killing odors like it used to. Anyone else here notice this?
 

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Bought a few boxes of Arm & Hammer baking soda litter recently, unscented, 28lb box. I use this product all the time, but now it looks like a totally different product... a much darker clay look to it. Are they getting cheap and trying to increase profits, or did they simply forget to put the baking soda in it? I used it anyway and it's definitely not killing odors like it used to. Anyone else here notice this?
I haven't used clay litter in over a decade. I don't believe it to be good for cats or their humans.

If you're wanting to know about that, you're better of making your own post and people who use the brand might be able to answer you 🐱
 

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I haven't used clay litter in over a decade. I don't believe it to be good for cats or their humans.

If you're wanting to know about that, you're better of making your own post and people who use the brand might be able to answer you 🐱
I'm just trying to get help and opinions here on/about this litter.

Snarkiness is not necessary.
 

Alldara

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I'm just trying to get help and opinions here on/about this litter.

Snarkiness is not necessary.
I wasn't being snarky. Please done read tone into text; its easy to read differently than the author intends.

I was making a suggestion that if you start your own thread you will likely get better answers as more people will see it and it's more likely to be seen by people who use clay litter.

This has become a long thread about alternatives and many of the original posters may have unfollowed because of that.

It's highly unlikely that anyone who uses clay litter will just randomly pop in and see your message...

However, with your own thread, anyone who uses that litter brand will be able to see from the main forum and come to answer your question.
 
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H
Bought a few boxes of Arm & Hammer baking soda litter recently, unscented, 28lb box. I use this product all the time, but now it looks like a totally different product... a much darker clay look to it. Are they getting cheap and trying to increase profits, or did they simply forget to put the baking soda in it? I used it anyway and it's definitely not killing odors like it used to. Anyone else here notice this?
Hi! My mum uses arm and hammer. I’m not sure which one it is but it’s the one that has a very fine texture like sand and has a scent. She mentioned that she has seen changes in the product quality. I saw a huge decline in tidy paws. Over the last several weeks I have been reading heaps of reviews to find a replacement and it looks like many brands are seeing a quality decline based on complaints/ reviews. My thinking is sub par material due to shortage however prices do keep going up??
 
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Happy to help. :)
I am not having much success with the pellets! I have two boxes now. I added a very small amount of the normal litter over part of the top and someone has used it twice but since no one is using. The litter clumped most of the pee but for the pellets that were dirty I found it hard to scoop and not waste the clean ones. I’m using a scoop like you suggested. I know I’m not doing a fabulous job as one cat stops to smell in the box right where the pee was every time she walks in the door! I put a handful of the pellets in the other two boxes, I watched one of the girls walk up to all 4 boxes, smell them and walk away without going potty. I don’t know what to do! Maybe I should fill them more with old litter to get them in there? I see tracks where they have gone in and dug/ walked but not used it.
 

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I have used “ World’s Best Cat Litter “ for many years. I use unscented, but there are scented options. It is made of corn. Lightweight, clumps easily, and most importantly- no dust!
 
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I have used “ World’s Best Cat Litter “ for many years. I use unscented, but there are scented options. It is made of corn. Lightweight, clumps easily, and most importantly- no dust!
Hi! I’ve had such a struggle with finding a new litter. I’m sad to say I’m back with tide paws as of last week in two boxes. I have two stillwith the paper pellets but it rarely gets used. I’ve stopped putting a layer of old litter on top and it has not been used at all this week. It’s been close to a month now in testing and I think I will pick it up next week. They hate walking on it. I would also notice some of the pellets in the bedroom all the way across the house. Not really sure how they are getting stuck in their paws to be able to travel so far!! Maybe that is painful idk. I really wish the pellets would have worked. I was so happy to find fresh step simply unscented by recommendation. I ordered my second case and the smell of febreze/ chemical scent whatever they use is so strong, nothing like my first case I tried. I loved how little dust there was. It did have some gooey clumps that stuck to the bottom and made some messes but I was taking in to account that it’s 3 cats/ 2 boxes. I have 4 box avail but 2 are not currently be used (pellets). Maybe those two are just getting overloaded and can’t take the moister. Do you need anything special for corn? Sifter or special scoop? How long do you go between full clean outs? Is there a smell to it? You mentioned lightweight, do you ever see it sticking to booty hair?
 
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Haha I feel so defeated in my quest for cat litter. I hate having my cats suffer in dust clouds. It shouldn’t be this hard.
 

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Cat.mama Cat.mama , here's an update on the transition from Bentonite Clay Litter to Tofu Cat Litter for my boy.

11 Oct '22 - sprinkle pellet on existing litter (for photos - post #31)
- sat next to the litterbox staring at the pellets on the clay litter which is not a usual sight for him.
- did not like the feel of pellets but treading carefully with much complaining and managed to pee and poo

- 2nd litterbox filled with pellets and corner tucked in with pee clump from current litterbox. Smelled the pee clump but did not use the new box till today.

Everyday filled up with pellets and remove more sand than the usual scooping.

Whenever he needs to use the litterbox, he'll pop in his legs and walked out a few times and while digging, still complaining about the feel of litter everyday for a couple of weeks and have too encourage boy to use litterbox with some coaxing and showed him it’s ok to dig and he went in to dig and pee or poop.
Otherwise, he’ll just sit next to the litterbox and look weary and ponder about going in.

Some 2 weeks later, he complaint less and went in and out less and he went in almost immediately after some coaxing.

The pellet and clay litter now is around 40% Tofu pellet and 60% clay litter. So he’s actually steeping on the pellets first and still weary as he stepped on it and begin to dig. As he digs, he found the clay litter and he keeps on digging but the more he digs, the more pellets fall in and his paw will dig the pellet and eventually he’ll pee.

As the clumps are now a mixture of clay litter and Tofu pellet litter, the clumps are harder than usual as I clear the pee clump almost immediately as compare to before, I clean his litterbox the next day or end of the day and the litter clump will fall apart as I scoop.

One other good thing is now that my house is less dusty or sandy and much much less clay litter is spewed around even on days that I cannot clean him immediately after he pees. Before, after he pee, the clay litter tracked all over the house and onto the bed. The tofu pellet still tracks but its much much much less than the clay litter and it’s easier to see if they are on the floor. I’m very happy with that.

I think he’s weary about stepping on the bigger size tofu litter. I mix more bigger ones than the smaller ones and I’ve already ordered new tofu litter but I ordered the smaller one instead of the bigger size ones.

By 21st Nov, the litter mix is 70% Tofu pellets and 30% clay litter. On 25th Nov, litter mix was around 80% Tofu pellets and 20% clay litter. Before transition, his clay litter is 4 inch deep and throughout the transition, combined litter has dropped slightly below 2 inches.

Today, 28th Nov, I did a complete change of litter. I sieved out the Tofu litter from the clay litter and transferred them over to the 2nd box which contained all Tofu litter which I hope that he'll use it with his used peed clump in it but of course he didn't.
Total depth of the Tofu litter now is 3 inches deep.

After I've finished the task, my boy went to pee and did not complain at all. He dug his way in and then peed. He usually pees a lot and when using Clay Litter, the litter cannot absorb his urine fast enough and therefore form a puddle and my boy's leg will be soaked ankle deep in to and each time he pees, I have to standby tissue paper and wet disposable towels and catch him before he runs off to clean his hind leg/s which is soaked in pee and clay. If I don't catch him to clean, he'll be tracking clay pee all over the house and even up the bed and worse, he'll ingest the clay into his system when he cleans himself :eek:

So today, I let him finish his pee and let him do the covering of his pee without any intervention and i'm very happy and pleased that his leg/s were not soaked in pee at all and he happily covered his pee which he cannot do all the time because I catch him and clean him before he could cover up his pee. He looks like a normal cat now :bliss::banana1::banana2::woohoo:

The transition took almost 2 months and now I'm very glad that he used it for the very first time with 100% Tofu Cat Litter and I'm also happy that he can cover his pee on his own which he could not do for so many years except on days that I'm not around to catch him.
 
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Cat.mama Cat.mama , here's an update on the transition from Bentonite Clay Litter to Tofu Cat Litter for my boy.

11 Oct '22 - sprinkle pellet on existing litter (for photos - post #31)
- sat next to the litterbox staring at the pellets on the clay litter which is not a usual sight for him.
- did not like the feel of pellets but treading carefully with much complaining and managed to pee and poo

- 2nd litterbox filled with pellets and corner tucked in with pee clump from current litterbox. Smelled the pee clump but did not use the new box till today.

Everyday filled up with pellets and remove more sand than the usual scooping.

Whenever he needs to use the litterbox, he'll pop in his legs and walked out a few times and while digging, still complaining about the feel of litter everyday for a couple of weeks and have too encourage boy to use litterbox with some coaxing and showed him it’s ok to dig and he went in to dig and pee or poop.
Otherwise, he’ll just sit next to the litterbox and look weary and ponder about going in.

Some 2 weeks later, he complaint less and went in and out less and he went in almost immediately after some coaxing.

The pellet and clay litter now is around 40% Tofu pellet and 60% clay litter. So he’s actually steeping on the pellets first and still weary as he stepped on it and begin to dig. As he digs, he found the clay litter and he keeps on digging but the more he digs, the more pellets fall in and his paw will dig the pellet and eventually he’ll pee.

As the clumps are now a mixture of clay litter and Tofu pellet litter, the clumps are harder than usual as I clear the pee clump almost immediately as compare to before, I clean his litterbox the next day or end of the day and the litter clump will fall apart as I scoop.

One other good thing is now that my house is less dusty or sandy and much much less clay litter is spewed around even on days that I cannot clean him immediately after he pees. Before, after he pee, the clay litter tracked all over the house and onto the bed. The tofu pellet still tracks but its much much much less than the clay litter and it’s easier to see if they are on the floor. I’m very happy with that.

I think he’s weary about stepping on the bigger size tofu litter. I mix more bigger ones than the smaller ones and I’ve already ordered new tofu litter but I ordered the smaller one instead of the bigger size ones.

By 21st Nov, the litter mix is 70% Tofu pellets and 30% clay litter. On 25th Nov, litter mix was around 80% Tofu pellets and 20% clay litter. Before transition, his clay litter is 4 inch deep and throughout the transition, combined litter has dropped slightly below 2 inches.

Today, 28th Nov, I did a complete change of litter. I sieved out the Tofu litter from the clay litter and transferred them over to the 2nd box which contained all Tofu litter which I hope that he'll use it with his used peed clump in it but of course he didn't.
Total depth of the Tofu litter now is 3 inches deep.

After I've finished the task, my boy went to pee and did not complain at all. He dug his way in and then peed. He usually pees a lot and when using Clay Litter, the litter cannot absorb his urine fast enough and therefore form a puddle and my boy's leg will be soaked ankle deep in to and each time he pees, I have to standby tissue paper and wet disposable towels and catch him before he runs off to clean his hind leg/s which is soaked in pee and clay. If I don't catch him to clean, he'll be tracking clay pee all over the house and even up the bed and worse, he'll ingest the clay into his system when he cleans himself :eek:

So today, I let him finish his pee and let him do the covering of his pee without any intervention and i'm very happy and pleased that his leg/s were not soaked in pee at all and he happily covered his pee which he cannot do all the time because I catch him and clean him before he could cover up his pee. He looks like a normal cat now :bliss::banana1::banana2::woohoo:

The transition took almost 2 months and now I'm very glad that he used it for the very first time with 100% Tofu Cat Litter and I'm also happy that he can cover his pee on his own which he could not do for so many years except on days that I'm not around to catch him.
That is so great that you guys have been able to make the transition!! I’m so very happy for you!!
I have gone back to clay litter as my cats would hardly use the pellets. Maybe I should try again and go slow like you have done. I still have one box with pellets but it’s not being used, I’ve also switched one other box to a different brand of clay litter. I feel like the cats are very unhappy with their potty room situation. I’m seeing huge clumps of pee. Like they are holding it longer and going less often to avoid going in there.
do You have trouble with scooping the dirty pellets out? Separating the dirty from the clean?
I struggled with that.
 

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do You have trouble with scooping the dirty pellets out? Separating the dirty from the clean?
I struggled with that.
I have no problem scooping the dirty pellets as they are all clumped together and those that fall off are not really stained except for a few which I'll use a spoon to picked those up.

Anyway, I'll be starting a thread on the transition from Clay Litter to Tofu litter for my cat soon. So look out for it. All the details should be in it.
 
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Cat.mama

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I have no problem scooping the dirty pellets as they are all clumped together and those that fall off are not really stained except for a few which I'll use a spoon to picked those up.

Anyway, I'll be starting a thread on the transition from Clay Litter to Tofu litter for my cat soon. So look out for it. All the details should be in it.
Thank you, that makes a big difference, mine did not clump
 

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What kind do you use? I’m using tidy cats free and clear charcoal unscented. Man this stuff is the most fantastic odor control I have ever had
~ I agree. Use TidyCats myself. I add a few cups of pine pellets for a boost — works great ! You may find that adding pine pellets and/or silica crystals help with the dust issue . 🤧
You can also wear a mask when on litter box duty 😷 🐈
 
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