What's Your Opinion Regarding Clumping Litter?

kittkatt · Aug 9, 2008

I've heard that clumping litter isn't safe to use, and can possibly cause health issues with your cats. I myself have been using it for years, and have never had any problems with it. Have any of you ever had any problems, and what's your opinion regarding it?

~KK~

sharky · Aug 9, 2008

Clay ??

natural ??

GoldyCat · Aug 9, 2008

The only things I've heard are in regard to new mommy cats and new baby kittens. At least one book I read mentioned that some cats will choose to deliver in the litter box. If it's clumping litter she may not lick her babies clean. Kittens have a tendency to try to eat everything, including litter. If they get enough of the clumping type it can clump in their stomachs and cause a blockage.

This is all hearsay since I haven't had either a new mom or a kitten that is just learning.

I have switched to the non-clumping type just as a precaution because I have one cat who is going to deliver any day now.

white cat lover · Aug 9, 2008

Clay clumping kitty litter can be harmful if ingested. Think about it...what happens when they peed in it? If they ate it?

I do not use clay, as it was causing breathing issues for me....as well as for some of my kitties.

I use Swheat Scoop litter.

And GoldyCat is right on the mother/kittens thing. Kittens will try to eat the litter & it's best that it is either non-scoopable clay or a "natural" type litter. I've litter trained kittens on Feline Pine pellets or Yesterday's News pellets.

kittkatt · Aug 9, 2008

Originally Posted by sharky

Clay ??

natural ??

I didn't know there was a choice, so I just went to check the bag: it's clay. Is there a difference?

I've been using it all along with the kittens, and haven't had any problems. I didn't know that there could be problems till just recently, when I clicked on a TCS link regarding cats not using the litterbox.

I've been trying to find ways of potty training Cassidy (one of the kittens) and that's when I came across the litter issue....

sharky · Aug 9, 2008

How old is she ?? they make a cat attract formula for kittens which I would assume is safe

blaise · Aug 9, 2008

The real dangers - for kitty AND you are explained here, and some alternatives listed.

Methinks "Cat Attract" is actually a brand name - but, think twice if it's silica-based.

sharky · Aug 9, 2008

Originally Posted by BLAISE

The real dangers - for kitty AND you are explained here, and some alternatives listed.

Methinks "Cat Attract" is actually a brand name - but, think twice if it's silica-based.

yes cat attract is a brand

kitytize · Aug 10, 2008

I have been using clay litter and have never had any problems with it.

mews2much · Aug 10, 2008

I quit using clumping litter years ago because I was told its not safe. My Cats would eat it and it could clump inside them. These were the clay litters. The corn based clumping litters are ok.

kittkatt · Aug 10, 2008

Originally Posted by sharky

How old is she ?? they make a cat attract formula for kittens which I would assume is safe

The kittens are now 4 months old.

I've tried the Cat Attract stuff, and it made no difference.

kittkatt · Aug 10, 2008

Originally Posted by mews2much

The corn based clumping litters are ok.

Someone else recommended using the corn-based litter also. Where can you but it?

I had my s/o check to see if they sold it at Wal-Mart (he works there), but he said they don't carry it.

white cat lover · Aug 10, 2008

There are several kinds of non-clay based kitty litters that I can think of.

Yesterday's News
http://www.yesterdaysnews.com/?D=862493&T=4528524

Feline Pine (Pellets or Scoopable)
http://www.naturesearth.com/

World's Best Cat Litter (corn based)
http://www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/

Swheat Scoop (wheat based)
http://swheatscoop.com/

You can use Chicken feed you get from a feed store. Hopefully, all those links provide you with a "Where to Buy" page.

ashro · Aug 10, 2008

I like clumping litter because it picks everything up better, it's a lot easier and quicker

GoldyCat · Aug 10, 2008

How can you tell if a litter is clay-based, other than just looking at it? I don't see any description on the bag.

I tried the corn-based World's Best litter when Shareena was about 3 months old, and she hated it. Of course, I didn't know anything at the time about changing it over gradually. I just cleaned out the litter box and put the new kind in. Then I dumped the kitten in the box hoping she would know what to do with it. Would you believe it? She hopped right back out, turned around, and scraped her paws off on the edge of the litter box.

Five hours later I had a desperate little kitten on my hands. I had to go out to the dumpster and retrieve the old litter. Poor kitty was trying to crawl into the plastic bag before I even got it open.

kittkatt · Aug 10, 2008

Originally Posted by GoldyCat

She hopped right back out, turned around, and scraped her paws off on the edge of the litter box.

Five hours later I had a desperate little kitten on my hands. I had to go out to the dumpster and retrieve the old litter. Poor kitty was trying to crawl into the plastic bag before I even got it open.

That's funny!

It reminds me of the time I bought one of those "self-cleaning" litterboxes when I had to have back surgery, and I knew I would be laid up for quite awhile. I figured having one would help me out tremendously: boy, was I wrong!

The thing had an electronic "rake" that was supposed to scoop the waste into a tray after the cat was finished using it - but it didn't work that way. The stupid thing would go off before the cat was even finished going - thereby scaring the you-know-what out of them before they were even done!

By the time I gave up on the darn thing and replaced it with the old litterbox, my poor furbies all had to go so badly that they all piled in the litterbox at once!

How can you tell if a litter is clay-based, other than just looking at it? I don't see any description on the bag

I just looked on the bag. There should be a list of ingredients on the bag somewhere..

kittkatt · Aug 10, 2008

Originally Posted by white cat lover

There are several kinds of non-clay based kitty litters that I can think of.

Yesterday's News
http://www.yesterdaysnews.com/?D=862493&T=4528524

Feline Pine (Pellets or Scoopable)
http://www.naturesearth.com/

World's Best Cat Litter (corn based)
http://www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/

Swheat Scoop (wheat based)
http://swheatscoop.com/

You can use Chicken feed you get from a feed store. Hopefully, all those links provide you with a "Where to Buy" page.

Thanks for posting all those links!

I'm sure they'll help..

cc12 · Aug 10, 2008

I use cat attract and kitten attract all of the time. I like how hard it clumps and it is low tracking. I have never had an issue.

seaturtle · Aug 10, 2008

I have used the ordinary WalMart clumping litter for 10 years and never had a problem with it. Only when somebody has had surgery, of course, then it's shredded newspaper.

meezer · Aug 10, 2008

I used to use Scwheat Scoop and I found it incredibly dusty. It was so dusty my cats kept getting dust faces and I thought they were going some place in the house that had a lot of dust or something (they liked to get up over the kitchen cabinets). It was the litter.

World's best is my favorite but it's also very expensive so I couldn't continue to use it.

What's Your Opinion Regarding Clumping Litter?

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