Let's Talk Kitty Litter!?

[zztopp]

We live on a small farm (9 acres) and do our best to be environmentally friendly, which also helps with our land management.

We use a straw-based bedding for the horses that breaks down fully in two weeks. Meaning, after 2 weeks we can spread it on our fields, which helps with space constraints, etc.

The barn cats and the house cats each have kitty litter boxes .. and we use a clay based litter. Bad me, bad me ... I know!!

We can't dispose of the kitty litter on the horsey manure pile, since they don't break down at the same rate. And I DON'T want to be spreading kitty litter on the fields that the horses eat from ... ick. Plus, our garbage bag limit is two bags a week ... and all that kitty litter takes up alot of space!!

So, what are my choices for both economical and environmental kitty litters?

Thanks everyone!

-- zztopp

[SARAH]

Before the store I got it from closed (without warning!) I would get wood-chip/sawdust litter. It clumped and was flushable. Frankly, I wish I could find it again, because the clay, although scoopable is easier to clean than the non scoopable, does smell more and takes space in the garbage can (don't use a full bag/week though, and no limit here, so that's not the issue).

See if you can find the wood stuff, it's worth it.

[phoozles]

Thanks to growler I was recently introduced to Feline Fresh - it's a pine litter that comes in either pellet or scoopable form - it's a lot like sawdust, it clumps and is flushable..

It's also the same price as the clay stuff, which works well in my books!

Here's their website: http://www.planetwiseproducts.com/feline.htm - they even have a rebate for a free first bag!

Thanks again growler for the tip!

[Kristin7]

I have used a pine litter before, called Feline Pine. It was pretty good, flushable and I think clumpable too, though this was several years back. Now I use a wheat based litter called Sweat Scoop, which is clumping and flushable too. The cats like it and so do I

[sugarcatmom]

There's pine litter, which you can get in both pellet form (but not every cat likes it, although mine does) and in clumping format. Brands would be Feline Pine, Feline Fresh, Exquisicat, etc. There's also recycled newspaper pellets, like Yesterday's News (which also comes in a softer texture pellet that some cats might take to easier than the harder pine pellets).

Then there's clumping wheat litter like Swheat Scoop, and clumping corn litter like World's Best Cat litter. I've also heard of corn cob litter (by One Earth). Here's an article on cat litter with links to many of the brands I mentioned: http://www.greenlivingonline.com/Hom...ty-litter-bad/

What I do is mix half pine pellets with half Yesterday's News. My cat loves this combo so much that he'll even come in from outside (where he has access to a gynormous dirt vegetable garden), to use the litter box. But then he's kinda weird.

[Chris21711]

We can put cat litter in our Green Bin along with the dog poop.

[ancientgirl]

I use Swheat Scoop which is wheat based, as you may have guessed.

It's clumping and flushable.

Swheat Scoop

[sugarcatmom]

Depending on where you live, it may not be a good idea to flush cat litter:

Although most of these green litters are septic- and sewer-safe, it’s best not to flush them into our waterways. Cat feces contains the Toxoplasmosis gondii (TG) parasite, dangerous to pregnant women and marine life, particularly sea otters. Unfortunately TG is not filtered out in most water treatment plants, so don’t flush your used litter.

[duttypaws]

Originally Posted by SARAH

Before the store I got it from closed (without warning!) I would get wood-chip/sawdust litter. It clumped and was flushable. Frankly, I wish I could find it again, because the clay, although scoopable is easier to clean than the non scoopable, does smell more and takes space in the garbage can (don't use a full bag/week though, and no limit here, so that's not the issue).

See if you can find the wood stuff, it's worth it.

you can buy Felinefresh in Canadian Tire its clumpable and flushable

[clm]

I use the Max cat multi cat litter. Non clumping. The boxes get totally changed out every week.
We have a 2 bag limit here as well. We have to pay $1.00 apiece for tags for any additional bags. Now I'm forever cleaning out something in this house, and normally I'm over the 2 bag limit anyway.

Cindy

[baberuth1ca]

Originally Posted by duttypaws

you can buy Felinefresh in Canadian Tire its clumpable and flushable

Finally...now I know what to spend my canadian tire money on, I'm anxious to give it a try ....thanks

[duttypaws]

Originally Posted by baberuth1ca

Finally...now I know what to spend my canadian tire money on, I'm anxious to give it a try ....thanks

its great depending where in Montreal you are... as for the tracking around her tray... i bought a little mat that catches it all... ok lola thinks its a play mat but i only get the odd bit of sawdust around the house which has got stuck to her long hair .... its much neater!

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!