Changing Kitty Litter
 

I'm a new cat owner so i don't really know too much about kitty litter. I know that you are supposed to completely change the kitty litter and pour in a new batch. I just have some questions about that.

1. How should i dispose of the old kitty litter?

2. How often should i change it?

I'm currently using a clay kitty litter but i'm planning on switching to a more environmentally and cat friendly litter soon.

I use pine pellets for my kitties. It's cheap (about 9$ for a big bag); it smells great; it's healthy. We dump it on a weekly basis and simply put it out with the garbage. [IMG]http://www.equinepine.com/images/EQUINE.JPG[/IMG]

A while back we had a thread going about litters. Which one was best, etc. This is the link. It should give you lots of ideas. I am not sure what the disposal laws are in your area. Some towns allow litter in their green bins. Others don't. It's great you are so commited to this. It's one more plus for keeping Karlton inside. :thumbs up

[url]http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=51119&highlight=zztopp[/url]

[QUOTE=14+kitties;761980]A while back we had a thread going about litters. Which one was best, etc. This is the link. It should give you lots of ideas. I am not sure what the disposal laws are in your area. Some towns allow litter in their green bins. Others don't. It's great you are so commited to this. It's one more plus for keeping Karlton inside. :thumbs up

[url]http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=51119&highlight=zztopp[/url][/QUOTE]

Yep, i read that thread. I was thinking i would try the regular wood shavings. How did that work for you in the end, 14+?

I still use it for my catuary cats when they are outside (they are fenced and can't get out of their area) but in the house I prefer either Feline Pine or Swheat Scoop. Swheat Scoop is the only one that hubby doesn't complain about the smell. Of course with 5 kitties in the house and the boxes on the main floor I am scooping every chance I get. It lasts pretty long. If you scoop a couple of times a day, stay on top of it, then you only have to completely change it out once a month. The only thing I don't like about it is that it tends to track but a small mat in front of the litter boxes help that problem.
You could always try the Equine Pine. I haven't been able to find it here. :shrug:

Great. :thumbs up I will try to make a trip down to the pet store this weekend. I live outside a small rural town that doesn't have a pet supply store. The hardware store, grocery store, and vet office all carry a small amount of pet stuff, but they don't have much of a selection. They just carry clay litter. Crossing my fingers that the roads will clear up soon. :fingerscr

Try the hardware store. You may have better luck with the pine ones there. Maybe if they don't have it they would be willing to order it in?

I tried the Feline Fresh pine litter and after the two got finished rolling around it and spreading it around the house, I found it hard to clean...the urine would just spread around and I would have to change the whole box instead of just scooping it out...was I missing something? I usually clean at night and in the morning...not home during the day.

[QUOTE=14+kitties;761994]Try the hardware store. You may have better luck with the pine ones there. Maybe if they don't have it they would be willing to order it in?[/QUOTE]

The hardware store actually had a pet survey going on for a little while. I guess whenever someone purchased pet supplies they would ask them to fill out the survey form. One of the questions on the form was "what would you like us to carry?" I wrote down "environmentally friendly kitty litter" but they will probably still only have clay because a lot of clay litters are marketed as environmentally friendly and it's also the most common type people use.

The nearest city from where i live is 30 minutes away and my mom and i usually make regular trips down there to stock up on pet food (we buy wellness) and other things that are needed. I'll go down there and stock up on pet supplies this weekend if i can.

I'll also check if the hardware store can order some litter for me.

What about the newspaper litter, Yesterday's News? Is that stuff any good?

I used Yesterday's News for a while. I didn't mind it. Kitties didn't really like the feel of it under their feet for a while because it is little pellets. Not like the clay litters. I mixed it half and half for a while. They did use it. Hubby hated it. He said it didn't do anything to mask the smells. The man has a nose that seems to sniff things that aren't there. :rolleyes:
The clay litters are the cheapest but don't last long. The pine litters I didn't mind. I didn't have the problem that TacoGrl had though. Kitties rolling in it!! :eek: But the Swheat Scoop will probably be the one I stick with. It is the most expensive ($35.00 a large bag) but the boxes only have to be completely changed once a month and just topped off when it gets down with cleaning during that month so it is very cost effective.
Maybe you could get a few different smaller bags and see which one works the best for you and Karlton. :shrug:

[QUOTE=claw;762077]
What about the newspaper litter, Yesterday's News? Is that stuff any good?[/QUOTE]

I like it (the softer textured one - without any added scent). I mix about half Yesterday's News with half pine pellets. Never had a problem with odours, and I keep the litter boxes on the main floor, but I only have one cat. I'm a fanatic scooper, every time I see something in there I scoop it and put it in a biodegradable bag which then goes in the garbage. You could also put it in a composter as long as you don't use the compost for a vegetable garden. I completely change out the litter about once a month.

Not all cats go for the pellet texture. My guy prefers it, I think because with the clumping litters, he used to get pee on his feet when he was urinating tons from unregulated diabetes. It's a good idea to either very slowing mix new litter with old when transitioning, or else offer a buffet of litters in a few different boxes and see if your cat consistently picks one over the others.

Good luck!

I went to the hardware store this morning to see if their variety in kitty litter had changed and i was actually impressed. I found a brand of corn cob litter called LM Animal Farms.

I dumped the old kitty litter out into a garbage bag. I washed the cat pan too. I poured in one inch of corn cob litter and poured two inches of clay litter on top. We'll see what he thinks of it. The clay litter i have says 99% dust free on the box, what a crock of bull. The amount of dust that came out of that box was out rageous. :yuck:

[QUOTE=claw;762207]I went to the hardware store this morning to see if their variety in kitty litter had changed and i was actually impressed. I found a brand of corn cob litter called LM Animal Farms.
[/QUOTE]

Excellent! I've been looking for a corn-cob litter but haven't found any yet. It's very environmental, and you're less likely to have a problem with kitties eating the litter like some do with the regular corn or wheat based ones. Good luck with the transition.