Does anyone use crystal cat litter? I'm considering trying it out, but thought I'd see what people thought about it first. If you would rather skip to the relevant questions and not read my story about litter, then go ahead and skip the next paragraph
My problems with litter: We have been using fresh step for years, but ever since I've been living with two cats in a small apartment I've noticed just how dusty it is. Not so much with light-colored Alafair, but with dark colored Stella the dust covering her upon leaving the litter box is fairly extreme. I also don't like the processes associated with acquiring clay litter, so I switched to arm & hammer natural litter. I like how much lighter it is, and the smell didn't initially bother me or the cats. When used alone it does not clump very well though, and I've gotten to the point where I've begun to associate the smell with cat pee/poop. It's gross to say, but I'm not even sure if it's the scent of the litter that I can smell though my living space or if it is the smell of cat waste overpowering the litter. I'm back where I was, using half and half a&h and fresh step. Oh, and it seems to be tracked everywhere. It isn't so much of an issue with my covered box, but it is difficult to keep up with vacuuming the litter out of the carpet by my laundry room!
This brings me to crystal litter. From what I have gathered it is great with odor control. The large particle sizes make it low tracking. It isn't clay. Clumping is not an issue. From a practical standpoint is seems like an ideal solution.
My questions though- how does it work? Am I correct in my assumption that the crystals absorb the urine and you only have to scoop the poop, and replace the litter after a certain period of time? What brand do/did you use, and how do various brands compare? How long with one batch of litter (assuming two litterboxes and two cats) last? Long enough to make it worth spending the extra money to replace it less often than regular clumping litter? Is it really low tracking? How easily did your cats make the transition? My girls have never had any litterbox issues and don't seem to mind sudden litter changes, but I don't want too drastic of a change to upset them. Would this litter be suitable for a covered box in a bathroom, or would moisture from the shower mess the process up? Finally, does anyone know about the environmental impact? I liked that a&h was made of natural corn fibers, and I do not like the processes associated with clay litter. I've read numerous things saying that it's a naturally occuring substance with a relatively low environmental impact, but a few saying otherwise. What do y'all think?
My problems with litter: We have been using fresh step for years, but ever since I've been living with two cats in a small apartment I've noticed just how dusty it is. Not so much with light-colored Alafair, but with dark colored Stella the dust covering her upon leaving the litter box is fairly extreme. I also don't like the processes associated with acquiring clay litter, so I switched to arm & hammer natural litter. I like how much lighter it is, and the smell didn't initially bother me or the cats. When used alone it does not clump very well though, and I've gotten to the point where I've begun to associate the smell with cat pee/poop. It's gross to say, but I'm not even sure if it's the scent of the litter that I can smell though my living space or if it is the smell of cat waste overpowering the litter. I'm back where I was, using half and half a&h and fresh step. Oh, and it seems to be tracked everywhere. It isn't so much of an issue with my covered box, but it is difficult to keep up with vacuuming the litter out of the carpet by my laundry room!
This brings me to crystal litter. From what I have gathered it is great with odor control. The large particle sizes make it low tracking. It isn't clay. Clumping is not an issue. From a practical standpoint is seems like an ideal solution.
My questions though- how does it work? Am I correct in my assumption that the crystals absorb the urine and you only have to scoop the poop, and replace the litter after a certain period of time? What brand do/did you use, and how do various brands compare? How long with one batch of litter (assuming two litterboxes and two cats) last? Long enough to make it worth spending the extra money to replace it less often than regular clumping litter? Is it really low tracking? How easily did your cats make the transition? My girls have never had any litterbox issues and don't seem to mind sudden litter changes, but I don't want too drastic of a change to upset them. Would this litter be suitable for a covered box in a bathroom, or would moisture from the shower mess the process up? Finally, does anyone know about the environmental impact? I liked that a&h was made of natural corn fibers, and I do not like the processes associated with clay litter. I've read numerous things saying that it's a naturally occuring substance with a relatively low environmental impact, but a few saying otherwise. What do y'all think?