What to use in the cat box

[AmandasMom]

I adopted 2 kittens from the shelter last month, and I just love them to death, however, I don't love what comes out the back end of them! I'm not sure what to put in the cat box. The clay stuff is dusty and I hate the smell. The crystal stuff can't be flushed or put in the garden. I used Swheat brand litter, made from wheat, I liked that because I could take the poo/pee and throw it in the woods behind the house because it was biodegradable. But I couldn't figure out a way to store the poo/pee until I could take it outside. Ideally, I would like a litter that is flushable, has no dust or odor. What could I use to store the poo/pee in between trips outside with it?

[paniscus]

Amandasmom - I know exactly how you feel!! I have used EVERY cat litter out there looking for the perfect one. I finally think I have found it. I have been using it for about 8 months now and still like it every bit as much as when I first started using it. It is called World's Best Cat Litter (I am not sure how to insert a link but you can .com it for the web site). I used swheat scoop before this one and the problem I had with it was it seemed to cement itself to the cat box! It was so hard to scoop it up if their urine touched the floor or sides of the box (I have 2 cats as well). I don't have that problem with wbcl. It is made from corn so it is compostable (that is what we are experimenting with now - not in our regular compost pile because of the germs and stuff) and/or flushable. It also doesn't have a nasty smell and it isn't really dusty. It is also edible in case some dust gets in their fur or if some of the particles get in their paws and they lick it. I clumps perfectly. The only draw back to the litter is it isn't widely available. There are stores listed on the website - usually upscale pet stores. It is expensive but it lasts SO much longer that it works out to be cheaper than other litters. So don't let that scare you.

We use a plastic gallon milk jug with the top cut off - the handle is still in tact for us to use. We just scoop the clumps in there and carry it to our special cat compost container in the yard. We have also used it to carry to the toilet to flush the litter.

HTH!

[rainsmom]

I just adopted a kitty before xmas.......and they gave me a handout on why we shouldnt be using clumping cat litter. Its highly toxic, not something I want around my catshit-eating dogs or my curious toddler.

I use the cheapest litter I can find, regular clay. Beneath that I put a cup (or more if its a bigger box) of baking soda that Ive scented with essential oils. Then I top with litter. It really cuts the odor down substantially.

[ComaWhite]

The issue is not what kind of litter you are using, it is what you are feeding your cats.
Comercial foods are filled with corn fillers and grade D meats that are processed to death.

I started my cat on a raw food diet in July, and have not had a stinky litter box since, and I only scoop it once every week or two.
Plus, now that the cat is actually digesting and using all of its food (cats cant digest or use corn, it is just a filler...) there is usually onle 1 or 2 small poops a week and they don't smell either.
I've noticed huge changes in her disposition as well, also she used to have really bad shedding/dandruff problems that have cleared right up.

Making the food isn't all that expensive, I spend about $20 CDN a month, it is more expensive if you buy it pre-made.

Read this on proper feline nutrition:
http://www.felinefuture.com/nutrition/

They used to post a food recipe there too, but now it seems that they have taken it off the site and are selling it.
I can post it if anone is intrested.

[AdinaL]

I would love a recipe!!! My cat is getting up there in age and we currently have her on Science Diet Senior Hairball Control. She does really well on it, but I am sure it isn't the best for her.

As for littler. I just use Clay. I ahve tried everything else, but clay seems to be the best, and the easiest to clean up!

[AmandasMom]

When I first got them I had them on all raw. Oh how they loved it, and seeing "cat" behavior the growling at each other etc it was great. But I'm vegan, and yes I know cats are carnivors, but I simply couldn't stand to look at, smell MEAT anymore. I bought a package of the freeze-dried raw food from sitstay.com , but they dont seem to like it. I might try the frozen next. I can handle feeding them that. What recipie do you have? Can you email it to me if posting it will violate something or other? Thanks!

[rainsmom]

I used to feed my dogs Dr Pitcairns recipe for dog food......but that was pre-dd........and I simply dont have the time to do it. And I also wasnt a veggie then either.

[ComaWhite]

2 lbs ground meat (regular chicken, regular beef, turkey, lamb, do not use lean or pork)
1/2 C liver
1/2 C organ meat (kidney, heart, gizzards...)
1.5 C Spring water
2 egg yolks

2 TBSP Bonemeal
1 TBSP gelatin
1 tsp Kelp
2 tsp psyllium husk powder

2000 mg Salmon Oil
2000 mg Taurine
400 IU Vitamin E
50 mg Complex B vitamin Supplement

Try to match your organ meats to the type of ground meat.
For Example: Use ground beef with beef heart and beef liver. Or use Ground chicken with chicken hearts and gizzards.

Puree liver and organ meats with 1/2 C of water, add to ground meat.
Whisk egg yolk, dry ingredients and supplements into 1 C of water, it will become gelatineous very quickly, so dont let it sit for too long.
Combine all and mix well. (This is the gross part, as there is really no way to do it right, but use your hands!)
Divide into small containers and freeze until you need to use it, it will keep for 2-4 days in the fridge, but will go bad fast because of the organ meats.
If you double this recipe, it will make enough to feed one cat for one month, feed about 1/4 C twice a day, warm it up to room temp. and mix in a little water if it seems to thick.


There are variations of this recipe all over the net, just do a search for "raw cat food diet" or "raw cat food recipe" or "how to make raw cat food"... etc......

It is a little more work than just buying a bag of food at the store, but it makes such a huge difference in your cats health, that IMO, it is truly worth it.

I don't think posting this violates anything, they have the entire recipe up on their site, they just no longer give the measurements/amounts. They have combined all the supplements into a jar and are selling them now instead of giving their recipe away like they used to

[AmandasMom]

Where do you buy the suppliments?

[ComaWhite]

I got everything at the Health food store, bought about 1/2 of it in the bulk section. (cheap.)

[mamamoo]

How could one do this the cheapest? My mom has 4 cats and they are all obese and generally not healthy looking(very bad dandruff). I have offered to make it for her but the cost is daunting with 4 cats...I'm also thinking they would need to eat more than 1/4 cup serving for the first few weeks because they are so used to eating a ton, and they would not be happy to go cold turkey to such a small amount. What do you think?

[ComaWhite]

I don't think that there really is any way to do it cheaply..

You can cut costs by using ground beef, instead of turkey, chicken or lamb. Buy your ground beef in warehouse packs, the grocery stores here have 15% off one day a month so I do my shopping then.
Buy as many of the supplements in bulk as you can, the rest buy in large containers-->The initial purchase $ will be higher, but it will last much longer.


I guess its kind of like when you chose to buy organic products for yourself and you family; it costs twice as much, but you reap the health benefits, so its worth it in the end.

[AmandasMom]

Rubber kitchen gloves to the rescue! I dont have to touch a thing, yay! I bought some ground turkey, they didn't have any turkey organ meats so for now I'm mixing calf liver in with the ground turkey. I can't really buy much more till my husband gets paid at the end of the month (i hate getting paid once a month!) so for now I'm mixing some of their vitamins in with the ground turkey.

Do you flush the regular clay? If not, how do you dispose of it? What about dust?

[AmandasMom]

Thanks andrea88, I've gotten them off of canned/dry food and have been feeding InstinctsTC w/chicken and chicken livers. They absolutely love it, the stinky gas and poo's are GONE. I've also switched to Swheat Scoop cat litter, its made entirely of wheat and is flushable and has no odor at all and absorbs all odors. Know Better Pet Food has stopped using bone meal and has replaced it with their own mixture called Felamin. They were concerned about hormones, lead and any disease causing pathogens in bone meal. The bone meal replacement is a blend of amino acide chelated minerals and organice trace elements.

Feeding raw meat is expensive, i bought a 12 pack of skinless chicken breasts from Sam's for $14, that lasts about 3 weeks. So actually, I guess its not that much after seeing it written down The big tub of InstinctsTC was $45, that should last a few months.

I think i will try the lean ground beef and calf liver next time I need meat.

Thanks again! And my kitties thank you too :

[MamaMonica]

We use Care Fresh, which is recycled paper products, in the cat box. We got a big storage tub and put it downstairs so it is huge and the litter doesn't get kicked out and we don't need to scoop every day.

I also use Care Fresh for our house rabbit and compost that with everything else for the garden- but I wouldn't compost cat poop unless you dug a hole for it and didn't use it in the garden.

The flushable stuff plugged out toilet- we tried that long time ago. The stuff that made it easy to scoop- that kind that cemented the pee was very dusty and nasty.

I used to make my cats' food years ago (had the Natural Cat Book) but I was young and energetic then. Now we buy Serengeti natural dry food in a self-feeder, or to be honest, my cat might not get fed!

[mamameg]

I second paniscus' recommendation of The World's Best Cat Litter (the one made from corn). We have been using it for a couple of years now and it really is the best! Flushable, bio-degradable, low/no dust, nuetral order. Awesome!!!!
-Megan

[JeanetteL]

I just came here to post the same problem. We've been using a scoopable kitty litter from Petsmart - but I cannot stand the smell of it. THere is a ton of dust, and whenever I am near it I swear I can feel it getting in my lungs. When I did a deep cleaning before the holidays the kitty litter dust flew up from every surface. GROSS.

I'd like to find something earth friendly - but also something that will do a good job at hiding the smell. WE have three cats, so even though it gets cleaned every few days, it also gets stinky real fast.

I think I can get the wheat brand (forget what it is called) from my co-op, but what about the other brand mentioned - World Best - where is that available. What is the price difference between them?

Jeanette

[veganmamma]

Originally posted by paniscus
Amandasmom - I know exactly how you feel!! I have used EVERY cat litter out there looking for the perfect one. I finally think I have found it. I have been using it for about 8 months now and still like it every bit as much as when I first started using it. It is called World's Best Cat Litter (I am not sure how to insert a link but you can .com it for the web site). I used swheat scoop before this one and the problem I had with it was it seemed to cement itself to the cat box! It was so hard to scoop it up if their urine touched the floor or sides of the box (I have 2 cats as well). I don't have that problem with wbcl. It is made from corn so it is compostable (that is what we are experimenting with now - not in our regular compost pile because of the germs and stuff) and/or flushable. It also doesn't have a nasty smell and it isn't really dusty. It is also edible in case some dust gets in their fur or if some of the particles get in their paws and they lick it. I clumps perfectly. The only draw back to the litter is it isn't widely available. There are stores listed on the website - usually upscale pet stores. It is expensive but it lasts SO much longer that it works out to be cheaper than other litters. So don't let that scare you.

We use a plastic gallon milk jug with the top cut off - the handle is still in tact for us to use. We just scoop the clumps in there and carry it to our special cat compost container in the yard. We have also used it to carry to the toilet to flush the litter.

HTH!

Don't mean to be a pooper (pun intended) but waste, (urine and feces) should never be composted. It's good that it's biodegradable, and probably has less chemicals and stuff, but like I said, excrement really isn't for compost.
L

[Quirky]

I went to a holistic vet recently who recommeded we switch to an all-raw diet for our cats. It makes sense to me that they're not evolved to eat dry food with a lot of corn filler, etc. However, I talked to my best friend who's a vet and she said that studies have shown that something like 60 percent of animals on raw food diets are harboring salmonella, which is just not something I'm willing to fool around with with a toddler at home.

As a compromise, we're feeding our cats Trader Joe's tuna for cats. It's 100 percent tuna (bones included) with vitamins, so it meets AAFCO standards and has no carbs, but it's cooked so no worries about salmonella.

ETA: check out this page of links on the dangers of a raw food diet: http://secondchanceranch.org/rawmeat_links.html

On the litter front, here's the URL for World's Best:

http://www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/

I haven't tried it, but it certainly looks good!