Shelter Volunteers - Which Litter Does Your Shelter Use?

[Anne]

I'm researching for an article and trying to get information about cat/pet shelters. If you work or volunteer in one, can you please share what type of litter is used? I'm not looking for a particular brand so much as to know whether there's a preference for clumping or non-clumping litter.

The poll has four options, so you can also choose "both" or even "neither" in case you have some magical no-litter system in place

Would love to hear more about what's being used in replies too! Thank you!

 

[marmoset]

We use non-clumping litter for the general population because kittens can ingest clumping litter and have it cause trouble. We also have a few cats with allergies or asthma that use special litters like yesterday's news.

 

[molly92]

The shelter I was with used clumping generally, but individual fosters always had the final say on what litter they used for their cats, so there was some variation. Very young kittens would have nonclumping though.

 

[EmmiTemmi]

The shelter I volunteer at has capacity for around 150 cats, and we get our non-clumping litter in massive bags. The shelter is always aware of how expensive litter is, and we go through it like crazy, so we also limit the amount of litter that goes in the boxes (we have a fantastic turn-over rate, so cats don't have to use the 1/2 inch deep litter for long, poor babies). We do also have a few small containers of yesterday's news for certain situations.

 

[Anne]

Very interesting replies! I somehow assumed shelters would go for clumping, for better odor control with so many cats around.

 

[ashade1]

We are run out of foster homes. We use clumping for our "main population" cats. Nonclumping litter for kittens and isolation sick cats.

 

[jcat]

We use biodegradable clumping litter for all but young kittens (<10 weeks).

 

[Neo_23]

Both shelters I have volunteered at get huge bags of wood non-clumping litter. Like others said, it's cheap and safer for kittens.