Author Topic: I need a different litter...  (Read 3691 times)

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Offline Amber

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I need a different litter...
« on: February 10, 2012, 05:14:00 AM »
Hello all.

I have tried so many different litters that I think my head is going to explode. Before I started having financial trouble, I tried feline pine (both pellets and scoopable) swheat scoop, yesterday's news, nature's miracle, and corn cobb litter.

She tried to eat the corn cobb litter; swheat scoop, feline pine scoop, and nature's miracle tracked badly and were dusty, and I have decided that it is unsanitary to use a litter that doesn't clump for litter removal. I also decided I won't use any kind of corn litter because of the aflatoxin risk, ants, and the chance she will try to eat it. I was going to try dr. elsey's litter but I lost my job and I cannot afford to pay more than .50 a pound for something she is going to the bathroom in while feeding her acceptable food. I would rather have her eliminate waste in something I don't like than eat something I don't like.

That being said, I am having a difficult time finding an affordable clay based litter that is dust-free, clumps well, and is unscented. At the moment, we are using tidy cat's multiple cats 24/7. It is dust free and it clumps well, but it does not come in unscented. I tried fresh step, which was horribly dusty and smelled like perfume, even though it was supposed to be unscented. I tried some bargain brand that was unscented but there was so much dust in that stuff that when I woke up I had litter dust caking the inside of my nose. I didn't finish that bag, I just tossed it. That was ridiculous. I have breathing issues so when I say I need something with NO dust, I mean NO DUST. The tidy cats is the closest thing to being dust-free that I have found, and I can afford it, but 1. It is made by Purina, who I do not want to support and 2. it is scented, and I worry about amber having to sit in that twice a day with her sensitive nose.

Does anybody have any suggestions for a sanitary (clumping) litter that has absolutely ZERO dust and is completely unscented? Odor control is not an issue, I clean her box twice a day and since she is raw fed, there is very little odor anyway.

Offline Middle Child

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Re: I need a different litter...
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2012, 07:25:26 AM »
Cats Pride "Natural"  is unscented (fragrance free) and has no dust. The jug with the green cap.  There is almost always a coupon for it!  Clumps well.

They also have a new line "fresh and light", but it's more expensive.  I haven't tried it.



Offline Lola

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Re: I need a different litter...
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2012, 08:28:13 AM »
I always have a coupon for Dr. Esley's litter.  http://www.themmrf.org/donate-now-take-action/ways-to-donate/precious-cat.html
The Ultra (blue bag), is comparable, in price, to other brands I have bought.  I pay 12 to 14 bucks (before coupon) for a 40 pound bag.

I am VERY sensitive to smells and dust.  I've probably tried every litter out there, at one time or another.  What sold me on Dr. Esleys was the cats not smelling perfume-y and next to no dust.  I don't sneeze and the cats don't sneeze.  The awesome clumping was an added bonus. 

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Offline Middle Child

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Re: I need a different litter...
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2012, 10:05:43 AM »
Wish I could get the Dr Elsey's Precious cat here.  No where to get it though. The Cats Pride Natural has no perfume or dust, but it has the fine particles.  I don't like them that fine, so I mix the clumping with regular clay, which, while it has no odor, has a ton of dust. :(

Offline Lola

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Re: I need a different litter...
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2012, 11:18:20 AM »
Wish I could get the Dr Elsey's Precious cat here.  No where to get it though. The Cats Pride Natural has no perfume or dust, but it has the fine particles.  I don't like them that fine, so I mix the clumping with regular clay, which, while it has no odor, has a ton of dust. :(

If I win the lottery, I will send you LOTS.  It isn't the litter that is pricey...it is the shipping!   Bumpurr1
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: I need a different litter...
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2012, 12:07:16 PM »
If I win the lottery, I will send you LOTS.  It isn't the litter that is pricey...it is the shipping!   Bumpurr1

Yes, it is the shipping.  If it was available locally I would be able to afford it.  I budget $15 a month for cat litter.

Offline Amber

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Re: I need a different litter...
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2012, 03:37:02 PM »
Same here MC. I just don't understand some of the prices for litter today... A lot of the more natural litters are $1-2 per pound! I will check AMS and the Petco and see if they have the Dr. Elsey's cat litter.

Thanks guys.

Offline Shadow

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Re: I need a different litter...
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2012, 05:23:49 PM »
We tried the Dr. Elseys, I dont know if we got a bad batch, but it was quite dusty, and it was like cement in the boxes really hard to scoop.  We just finished using Natures Miracle, just does not clump good enough, plus with Ant season coming up, dont want to attract any. Just bought some at Zellars, its owned by Target. It is a clumping clay called Simplicity Plus, clumps well, but its dusty.  Back to the drawing board bangshead.
My fav litter so far has been the one I got at Superstore, it was corn so that is why I stopped using due to aflatoxins.
Also Worlds Best regular was good too, but way too expensive.

Lola are you the one that posted about that one that was used with some sort of seed and it sifted to the bottom?
Now I cant remember what it was called. I would really like to try that, would like to make my own somehow.
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Offline Amber

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Re: I need a different litter...
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2012, 04:35:46 AM »
I thought about trying the safflower seed method, but I worry about bacterial growth on the seeds. I mean, I know that they won't absorb the urine but realistically some type of residue would be left, and withought the wet spots clumping, there would be no way to remove it. I could sanitize the seeds daily, I guess, but to be honest... that would be too much work. If Dr. Elsey's is dusty (if a dust cloud appears in the air when I pour it into the bin) I cannot use it. I guess I will stick to the tidy cats for now, but I feel bad about Hissyfluff having to endure the perfume smell...

Offline Middle Child

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Re: I need a different litter...
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2012, 06:28:19 AM »
I tried the safflower seed method.  I actually purchased one http://www.smartcatbox.com/ system and made two of my own. But one of my cats was unable to adjust to the safflower litter.  The cat with urinary tract problems.  So I abandoned it.  Truly it was a lot more work, and the seeds, while the claim was that they are washable, if you didn't make sure they completely dried, they germinated.

And what it comes down to is, I just don't like using food as litter.

The Cat's Pride Natural clumps well, has no odor and no dust.  The only reason I mix it is because..well actually that reason is gone now, I mixed it with regular clay because my boy cat squatted so low when he peed I worried about those fine particles.  So I guess I could go to completely clumping now, if I really wanted to.  But I still worry about the sodium bentonite, so I guess I will continue with the mix of plain clay with clumping.  I've got one who likes to roll in the litter boxes, which means she is  going to ingest some when it clings to her fur.

And,  I guess it's like with the food, I just don't trust any one product enough to use it exclusively.

Offline CarnivorousCritter

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Re: I need a different litter...
« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2013, 05:23:23 PM »
Yes, it is the shipping.  If it was available locally I would be able to afford it.  I budget $15 a month for cat litter.

MC, I can't get it anywhere locally either.  Amazon isn't even selling it (directly through them) anymore because of the complaints.   Those shipping prices were totally wacked!!  Shocked that Amazon would even pull such a stunt.

Did find a site called www.chewy.com which has flat-rate shipping of $4.99 for anything you order under $49.00 dollars and free shipping if you go over.

The litter costs 18.99 for a 40 lb bag, FWIW.  (Probably a little cheaper through petsmart but I boycott them :<(  )
« Last Edit: September 05, 2013, 05:26:15 PM by CarnivorousCritter »

Offline CarnivorousCritter

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Re: I need a different litter...
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2013, 05:30:54 PM »
Can 40 lbs of litter really fit into one litterbox?   :o
Anyone know the average?  I am sooo clueless....  All I know is to make it thick so the urine doesn't hit the bottom, and to scoop something chronic  Bumpurr1

Offline Middle Child

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Re: I need a different litter...
« Reply #12 on: September 05, 2013, 06:39:51 PM »
I sw that chewy.com hs the Precious ct!  I really like that store. However I really m happy with the Ct's Prie Naturals. There is really NO UST.

Words misspelled re because my spell check won't give me the right word n s you know, my keyboard is broken.  Cut n paste n putting the letters back in takes forever lol

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