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Bugs in the litter box?? - Page 2

post #31 of 47
3/18/10 at 1:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by icklemiss21 View Post
Nasty looking bugs, I would squeal and run away! I would still tell them just in case it was a warehouse issue - do you still have the packaging on the last box to see if they were different lot numbers, one may have been at the store a lot longer as well as in your home a lot longer
Yup, I cut off the proof of purchase seal with a bar code & # on it from the package. So, I'm sure it helps on tracking how the box got bugs in. Out of 3(maybe 4?) boxes I purchased at the same time from the store, this is the only box with bugs in it. I will send both the sample & the code to the manufacturer
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post #32 of 47
3/18/10 at 1:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post
Looks like some sort of four beetle. Hm, apparently the adult beetles can live for up to three years?! Pretty amazing for a tiny little beetle.
Life cycle at it's shortest is ~ 7 weeks. It could have sat in the store warehouse and on the shelf that long.
Ewwww...three years?!?
And the shortest is 7 weeks??
Really sickening me...
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post #33 of 47
3/18/10 at 1:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KKH View Post
Ewwww...three years?!?
And the shortest is 7 weeks??
Really sickening me...
Actually, as far as pests go, they're not that bad. They only like broken down type stuff (flour, meal, etc) and don't carry anything. They're tiny unoffensive looking beetles. I've gained some tolerance to smaller beetles, though, raising what is technically a grain pest.

As for how they got in when the other boxes were fine. All it would take is someone dropping the box heavy enough to break the seal on the glue.
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post #34 of 47
3/19/10 at 12:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post
Actually, as far as pests go, they're not that bad. They only like broken down type stuff (flour, meal, etc) and don't carry anything. They're tiny unoffensive looking beetles. I've gained some tolerance to smaller beetles, though, raising what is technically a grain pest.

As for how they got in when the other boxes were fine. All it would take is someone dropping the box heavy enough to break the seal on the glue.
Actually, I remember I've seen very similar bugs one time. A group of them stuck on inside of brand new pasta box! At this time, I checked all other boxes(I purchased several boxes at the same time) and all got the bugs!! I got really grossed out and throw them all out...so...yeah... you're probably right. The bugs maybe a grain pest.

Hmmm...I don't think I've dropped any of the boxes, or even remember if the particular box had the seal broken either but then again, it could get in from anywhere...
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post #35 of 47
3/19/10 at 12:22am
Hi ..........

Thank you for writing! It is true that sometimes bugs will get into our product. However, the bugs get in from the outside of the packaging – very much like they get into your flour or cornmeal. I have attached a copy of our manufacturing process so that you can get a better understanding of what we do here and be assured that our product is "bug-free" at this end.

I have found some great ideas for keeping your house bug free, including putting the litter in the freezer until you are ready to use it. This will freeze off bugs and larvae that may be in the product. I have also taken to putting a bay leaf by my cats' food dishes because I had gotten some infested food last summer and the little buggers kept coming back. Since putting down the bay leaves I haven't seen them! This website has some great ideas too: http://www.consciouschoice.com/1999/...herbs1208.html. Nothing like using Mother Nature to keep the bugs away! J

I know that when you think about even the possibility of getting bugs, you might be a little leery. But the truth is you will find bugs in your Swheat Scoop about as often as you would find them in your flour, pasta or cornmeal. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. I would be more than happy to help!

Sales Coordinator
Pet Care Systems
www.swheatscoop.com
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post #36 of 47
3/19/10 at 4:37am
Sounds like a fairly human response, and honest. Though at least a coupon offered would have been nice - Swheat Scoop isn't cheap.

Btw, I think it could have been handled roughly anytime in transit to the store or while at the store. 7 weeks ago, at least.
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post #37 of 47
3/20/10 at 12:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post
Sounds like a fairly human response, and honest. Though at least a coupon offered would have been nice - Swheat Scoop isn't cheap.

Btw, I think it could have been handled roughly anytime in transit to the store or while at the store. 7 weeks ago, at least.
I'll be sending them the sample, along with the copy of the response...and starting from there. Ya, I won't mind coupon...but I still feel a bit afraid of opening up the box & seeing something...ugh...

Yeah...I really hope that's the case. Unfortunately I don't have a gigantic freezer(living in a tiny studio apartment). I'll give the bay leaf a try and see how it works.
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post #38 of 47
3/20/10 at 12:47am
I hope you can get somewhere with them. I wouldn't worry about bugs. I've open up boxes with pasta in them that had meal moths, cornmeal with weevils, chicken feed (that I use as litter) with grain mites, and so on. I still use those products and all of those were one time incidents.

Now if you opened up something and it had roaches in it, you have full right to pitch a fit and never buy that brand or from that store again. Those are something that come from dirty environments, where as your grain pests typically don't - they're just something that can get into grain.


On a related note - some of those pests, like meal moths are really really good at getting into things. They do like dry pet food and occasionally people will find them in it. They have a short life cycle (being moths) and the larvae can chew through thin plastic (including ziplock bags). If you get those in a bag, it's probably not the food manufacturers fault.
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post #39 of 47
3/21/10 at 12:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post
I hope you can get somewhere with them. I wouldn't worry about bugs. I've open up boxes with pasta in them that had meal moths, cornmeal with weevils, chicken feed (that I use as litter) with grain mites, and so on. I still use those products and all of those were one time incidents.

Now if you opened up something and it had roaches in it, you have full right to pitch a fit and never buy that brand or from that store again. Those are something that come from dirty environments, where as your grain pests typically don't - they're just something that can get into grain.


On a related note - some of those pests, like meal moths are really really good at getting into things. They do like dry pet food and occasionally people will find them in it. They have a short life cycle (being moths) and the larvae can chew through thin plastic (including ziplock bags). If you get those in a bag, it's probably not the food manufacturers fault.
I hope both the manufacturer & the store(Target) would take really good precautions. I'm still in disbelief as Target is usually maintaining products they sell at stores in good conditions unlike other corporate giant retail stores. Regardless, that may well be their warehouse, during transportations...could be anywhere other than store.

One question is, though...are products with bugs in it safe to use for my cat? I am extremely concerning letting Ku Ku use litters with bugs in it whether they are dead or alive. She may ingest or inhale those bugs...
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post #40 of 47
3/21/10 at 1:01pm
I don't know about the bugs, but I do recommend not using bleach to clean out the litter box. Bleach is a very harsh chemical and even if you rinse it out well, it will still leave a "smell" behind. It also really changes the ph of the litter box and the cats may be reluctant to use it for a while. Just stick with the hot soapy water. It is more than sufficient.
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post #41 of 47
3/24/10 at 2:55pm
Ewww...they look very much like sawtooth beetles,which are a type of flour beetle.

I hate those things.I have never dealt with them in litter or pet food/any other food since being on my own,but several years ago when I still lived home with my parents/sisters we got an infestation of them.Not sure how it started,but they ended up infecting all of our cupboards and getting into all of the food in the cupboards.It was disgusting and still gives me willies to this day.I am getting willies now.

Mom would clean the cupboards out and we threw all infected food away and stored other food in containers,but the bugs were always there...*shudder*.Mom cleaned the cupboards out with bleach a few times every month and eventually we got rid of all the bugs and never had them again.
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post #42 of 47
3/24/10 at 9:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KKH View Post
One question is, though...are products with bugs in it safe to use for my cat? I am extremely concerning letting Ku Ku use litters with bugs in it whether they are dead or alive. She may ingest or inhale those bugs...
Do you know that a good portion of a feral cat and small wild cats diets are insects? Sounds gross, but if a cat can catch it they'll usually eat it.. Mine love eating moths, unlucky beetles (sometimes my mealworm beetles get out), flies, crickets - and occasionally I'll bring them a grasshopper to play with and eat. Tanna begs for mealworms and absolutely loves them. Boo, one of my outdoor kitties, loves the huge green grasshoppers here and cicada... I feel sorry for the cicada, but watching Boo with a large buzzing bug in his mouth is funny.

The beetles and larvae pose no danger to your cat. BUT if they infest that litter long enough their poop can build up in it and that can irritate some people's airways - maybe it could with a cat, too? Your main worry isn't to your cat, though, it's if these insects get into YOUR food.
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post #43 of 47
3/25/10 at 6:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post
Your main worry isn't to your cat, though, it's if these insects get into YOUR food.
I have to agree with this right here! Since we dealt with it and it was not fun.
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post #44 of 47
1/7/12 at 12:42pm

I have a similar problem but I am pretty sure it's gnats(fruit flies). I get them every time the idiots above me clog the line pouring grease down the sink. I manage to get rid of them, the clog happens again, and here we go. But they are usually not around the litter because it isn't near a sink. I don't feed wet food at all because it gets covered with them. I have been using a combination of Raid and apple vinegar(set in cups with funnels so they go in but not out) and it was working well but this last time it is not. I use Tidy Cat scoopable litter. Any suggestions?

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post #45 of 47
1/7/12 at 12:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by catlady60 View Post

I have a similar problem but I am pretty sure it's gnats(fruit flies). I get them every time the idiots above me clog the line pouring grease down the sink. I manage to get rid of them, the clog happens again, and here we go. But they are usually not around the litter because it isn't near a sink. I don't feed wet food at all because it gets covered with them. I have been using a combination of Raid and apple vinegar(set in cups with funnels so they go in but not out) and it was working well but this last time it is not. I use Tidy Cat scoopable litter. Any suggestions?

HELLO Catlady - and Welcome to TCS clap.gifclap.gifclap.gifclap.gifclap.gif This thread is an old thread from a year ago... Please make yourself at home here on the site. You can post a new thread in the "Care and Grooming" forum regarding the above issue. You will be able to get great support and suggestions in this forum agree.gif http://www.thecatsite.com/f/6/care-grooming

Glad you found the site - you can also introduce yourself in the New Cat's forum here. http://www.thecatsite.com/f/20/new-cats-on-the-block
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post #46 of 47
1/7/12 at 6:04pm

I've never seen bugs in my litter box or my cat litter.  Reading this thread with great interest.

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post #47 of 47
4/16/12 at 10:56am

I have the same issues with my 2 cats. They are indoors and never go out, so I'm puzzeled how one gets bugs and ear mites. They both have been treated with the revolution stuff and I even buy often over the counter stuff for fleas and ear mites. My house is clean, wash their bedding once a week if not more often, so what??? 

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