#31
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Onster - I have actually only started using it this week so haven't had a lot of experience with it yet. The kitties are using it. The first day they thought it was a new bed for them and spent most of the day playing in it or lying in it. I added some of their ummmm....... waste to it to give them the idea that is what it was for and now they are using it. It clumps with the urine because wet wood shavings (pellets I am assuming are the same) stick together.
I used to use shavings in the bottom of my bird cage and remember when Clyde would give himself a bath. The shavings would all stick together in that area. When I heard about clay litter being bad and read about all of the other kinds and checked prices I wasn't impressed. With all my cats other litters were just too cost prohibitive. I saw the pine stuff in one pet store and figured the shavings were the same except for the shape.
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Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me. We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD! |
#32
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i think ure on to something
I look forward to hearing how it continues to work for u. See if i would get the pine i would get the fine sawdust kind, not the pellets anyway |
#33
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You can get a smaller bag at Walmart if you want to try it out. It's the stuff they use for gerbils and hamsters, etc.... Try starting with maybe half shavings, half litter in one box to see what Onnie and Bunduk think. If they like it increase the shavings, decrease the litter. If they don't like it use it in your flowerbeds as mulch.
but how is Bunduk doing? Back to his normal mischievious self?
__________________
Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me. We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD! |
#34
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yup, my mom was making indian food today and he 'drank' alot of the ghee/oil mixture she had on the table b4 she noticed. * oh please poops have mercy*
Onnie and Bunduk will go in anything really. Right now I have 2 huge swheat scoop bins and one clumping litter bin ( i still have a box of that litter left)....they use the clumping most *shakes fists*. Its not good for me because of my asthma either (all the dust). I dont think ill need to do the 1/2 1/2 thing as Ive changed their litters so many times its crazy, i never mix it in " here this is ure new litter, now poop I say!"....they have just written me off as the new litter obsessed mom Thanks for the tip about the smalle bags at wallmart, ill definately try it out! Last edited by onster; April 10th, 2008 at 08:54 PM. |
#35
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__________________
Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me. We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD! |
#36
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oh yes definately talk to her about that!! Even with just one bin of the clay litter its helped my ashtma Even if she doesnt scoop the cats track it everywhere.
Sorry to the OP we so hijacked this |
#37
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canadian tire
Finally...now I know what to spend my canadian tire money on, I'm anxious to give it a try ....thanks
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#38
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I loathe clumping litter tho I know it is what my cats like that is important. I have been using Yesterday's News and they like that - no complaints or evidence thereof so I'll keep on using it. It is disposable, like paper. My bunny's droppings used to be great fr the garden- cannot say that for the cat's "stuff" tho, lol Yesterday's news itself is made mostly from old telephone directories.
I think the clumping thing for me - other than the fact kittens can eat it and its expansion can kill them (potentially if not not caught soon enuf, cats have such delicate digestive systems, and kittens more so) is that the sodium bentonite, ie the clumping agent can poison a cat through chronic ingestion through their fastidious need to groom. Because sodium bentonite acts like expanding cement—it’s also used as a grouting, sealing, and plugging material—it can swell up to 15 to18 times their dry size and clog up your cat’s insides. It's just not good stuff. It's the biochemist in me I guess. I hate stuff that works as grout but we give to our cats, sigh! Sometimes, I wish I still had my bunny "stuff" (He used Yesterday's News too for litter) to use as mulch, lol
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"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats" Albert Schweitzer |
#39
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no idea about the wood shavings - let us know how that goes long term
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Avoid biting when a simple growl will do The Spirit Lives As Long As Someone Who Lives Remembers You - Navaho Saying |
#40
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Thanks Growler That answers that query. My dear ol' mom would say I have too much of the Scot left in me. Gotta get everything on the cheap.
Will let you know how it works. I am sure it is better than the alternative which was digging in the dirt in the section they use for a toilet.
__________________
Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me. We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD! |
#41
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I had no idea the clay litter could irritate asthma. Kale developed asthma last year, it seems to come and go, I asked Ethel if she thought it was the dust, she said she didn't think so since that is what we have been using since we have had him (5 yrs). Another thing I find scary is the agent they use to make it clump. Question: What do they use in Feline Fresh to make it clump?
I use pine shavings for Daisy's (bunnie) litter box and find it soaks up the urine fine but stays wet underfoot, it doesn't clump and might be a bit messy tracked around the house. I'm definately going to switch after reading this thread. Thanks for the information guys, it is really helpful. Kristin 7 - The green bin is part of our recycling program we have here, you put all kinds of different things in it that will compost. Even baby diapers |
#42
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I know eventually we are going to be able to put cat litter (the wheat, pine,newspaper or corn only) in the green bins here, I believe you already can in toronto... But baby diapers? I was under the impression they were plastic and not green binnable? Or is that another type of diaper?
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Windy~Smoke~Buddy~Palomine~Fagan~Asker~Mickey Blue Eyes Venus “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” -Mahatma Gandhi "We're the renegades, we're the people; With our own philosophies; We change the course of history; Everyday people like you and me"- R A T M |
#43
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Here is a site for Feline Pine. There seems to be mixed reviews about it. http://www.petco.com/product/4364/Fe...at-Litter.aspx
__________________
Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me. We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD! |
#44
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chris once u develop asthma things that never triggered it before may trigger it, especially if it is untreated and scar tissue develops so ure airways become worse for wear. It could be a new agent in your home (cleaner, carpet or something) but for me I just suddenly developed asthma after years of just allergies. I have a multitude of triggers...for Kale the kitty litter may not be a factor but for someone who has 'delicate' airways i wouldnt think its good too breathe the dust in anyway.
Im also curious about the agent that makes the clumping one clump....how come they dont say what it is? 100% pine and .....? I could never switch to non-clumping, the swheat scoop ticks me off cuz it doesnt clump fast enough!! |
#45
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I tried Feline Pine before I tried Swheat Scoop. The Fantastic 4 didn't like it and were very wary of it. So much so, they'd use the litter then run out and not take the time to bury their stuff. It also made the apartment smell like (this is a friends description) a pine forest that had been peed on.
I've found that with the SS I have no issues with them using it, and with anybody coming to my place and smelling anything odd. As a matter of fact, my sister in law stopped in for the first time since I'd moved and she said if she hadn't seen my cats, she'd never know I had cats. LOL, although, I think their play area (which I've dubbed "wicked kittyland") might have clued her in too.
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There are only two rules at my house: House rule #1. Cats rule. House rule #2. See rule #1. http://nuriaandthegang.shutterfly.com/ |
#46
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LOL @ wicked kitty land. My kitties only have kitty corner :sad: I reaaaaly wish we had a target in canada, when i visited michigan i bought my cats cute little things from there but didnt think of getting them bigger things
did u try the clumping pine? or wait...is there a difference between feline pine and feline fresh? See I have no sense of smell anyway, but my mom has a heightened sense of smell and she gets annoyed quicker with swheat scoop. At first she thinks its glorious and then " did u clean the litter!??!" umm ..yes. And its wheat..i mean..its food..i dunno... ud think some genius person would come up with the perfect litter already?!?! *sigh* |
#47
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Found this info: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7124710.html
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"To close your eyes will not ease another's pain." ~ Chinese Proverb “We must not refuse to see with our eyes what they must endure with their bodies.” ~ Gretchen Wyler |
#48
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There are the odd little bits that I've found from a clump breaking up, but that's rare - and now that I've gotten my sense of smell back (probably from quitting smoking ) I've noticed that you can't smell their 'business' at all - the room I have the boxes in kind of smells like sawdust, but it's pleasant..
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Taken over by: Jake - grey DSH (Aug '98) Alley - spazzy grey tabby (Aug '07) |
#49
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14+kitties - The sawdust would be terrible, it would tread all over the place. Maybe the Feline Pine breaks down differently I'm sure that someone will help us with that.
onster - We tried thinking of a change that might have triggered Kale's asthma, I told Ethel that it was Iggy, that he was allergic to him krdahmer - On the list they sent out with the Green Bin, they didn't specify any particular type of diapers, it just says baby diapers, I didn't understand it either unless some kind of bio-degradable plastic is used in them. We can put a whole slew of different things in them. Now we only have one bag of garbage every two weeks and most of that is plastic Last edited by Chris21711; April 11th, 2008 at 12:32 PM. Reason: didn't make sense |
#50
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__________________
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do The Spirit Lives As Long As Someone Who Lives Remembers You - Navaho Saying |
#51
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K growler, you have convinced me!!
I remember last year before we built the catuary when the kitties were using my mulch pile I never ever smelled anything I didn't want to. Had an occasional surprise when I went to spread mulch but that's another story. That's one of the reasons I figured for my intent and purpose the pine shavings would work great. And I must say, I have seen lots of usage of it and can't smell a thing. The litter box I have in their shed with the shavings has been used too and I can't smell a thing. So it's all good. Most definetely a step above the clay litter.
__________________
Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me. We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD! |
#52
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Got me convinced too Growler. The litter box is upstairs but I find it scattered all over the room and maybe it does contribute to Kale's asthma
Thanks everyone for the feedback |
#53
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Growler, how much do you put in the box? I usually put 3 inches or more of the Swheat Scoop in their boxs which lasts about 2 weeks for them. Do you find you need less? How often do you change up the litter?
__________________
There are only two rules at my house: House rule #1. Cats rule. House rule #2. See rule #1. http://nuriaandthegang.shutterfly.com/ |
#54
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Not Growler, but since I also use pine pellets (mixed with paper pellets), I thought I'd describe my scenario: I put probably no more than 2 inches of litter in the box (too much makes it awkward for walking on - at least for my guy) and thoroughly scoop every time I see stuff in there (2 boxes are on my main level next to my bathroom, so it's pretty obvious). I know lots of people only scoop the poop and just stir the urine-soaked sawdust back into the mix, but I prefer to remove all traces. I then top it up with a few scoops of fresh litter. I seriously don't dump out the whole lot more than once a month, but you'd never know it. My boxes are immaculate, if I do say so myself . I've mentioned before how Aztec will come in from outside just to use his litter box, then go back out (he has supervised outdoor time in my yard with an enormous vegetable garden - lots of fresh dirt to poop in if he wanted). To me, that says it all.
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"To close your eyes will not ease another's pain." ~ Chinese Proverb “We must not refuse to see with our eyes what they must endure with their bodies.” ~ Gretchen Wyler |
#55
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Thanks, that helps. So my understanding is when they pee it turns to a sawdust consistency and you just take that out right? I tried Feline Pine once and my guys didn't like it, and the smell of pine was way over powering. They don't sell Feline Fresh anywhere around here so I'd have to order it online. I'd like to give this a try. The good thing is it seems fairly inexpensive and you get a good bit for your money.
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There are only two rules at my house: House rule #1. Cats rule. House rule #2. See rule #1. http://nuriaandthegang.shutterfly.com/ |
#56
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Jazoo petstore also sells it (right next to pre-fontaine metro).. i bought lola another type of clumping/flushable litter which is like grain/dust... and man its DUSTY!! the felinefresh is like sawdust and i think lola and I both prefer it.... she will have to wait till the poop (no pun intended) litter is finished! I bought the little bag to try is as I know cats can be fussy... and it lasted 2 weeks..... that was keeping it at 2-3 inches in the tray....and there is no smell at all....except for a little sawdusty smell.. which is better than cat poop!
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(>'.'<) "Princess" Lola ~ 5yrs black and white long hair (>'.'<) PoppyCat ~ 6 yrs grey and white short hair (>'.'<) Buffy ~ 14 yrs Calico (>'.'<) Zena ~ 14 yrs Calico long hair & Hugo ~ 10 yrs GBGV Last edited by duttypaws; April 12th, 2008 at 06:18 PM. Reason: i thought of more to say! |
#57
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__________________
"To close your eyes will not ease another's pain." ~ Chinese Proverb “We must not refuse to see with our eyes what they must endure with their bodies.” ~ Gretchen Wyler |
#58
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I don't find the Feline Fresh pine scent to be strong @ all, but then I love the smell of pine & grew up w/2 huge pine trees in my backyard When I was using clay there were times when I literally had to put the bathroom exhaust fan on when filling the box the smell seemed to linger as long as the dust did in the air. No such issues with Feline Fresh. If you click on this link to Feline Fresh it is a pdf mail-in form for the 1st 7lbs bag free of either the pellets or the scoopable - & the offer is also valid in Canada - I asked them.
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Avoid biting when a simple growl will do The Spirit Lives As Long As Someone Who Lives Remembers You - Navaho Saying |
#59
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Wow!
I haven't been on this BB for awhile, but it's great to see everyone's experiences and opinions again
Our Enviro-Litter is still going strong ... the only problem is when Putty (our male cat) goes into ground hog mode and tries to dig a hole through the bottom of the litter box Then copious amounts of litter go flying all over the floor -- LOL. Aside from that, I haven't found any on the floor!! Before our wood floor had little clay-kitty prints all over it -- YUUCK! Good luck!
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"Say what you mean, mean what you say, do what you said you were going to do!" -- DJ, the best dog trainer ever <3 Owned by a very cute golden retriever; Kassie!! <3 |
#60
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zztopp Glad the pine based litter is working well for you
__________________
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do The Spirit Lives As Long As Someone Who Lives Remembers You - Navaho Saying |
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