Goodbye Feline Pine?

We've had a good run.

I absolutely love feline pine. It has been the perfect solution for all of my litter fears. I use the FP box, so the sawdust falls through the grate and if I keep a deep enough layer of pellets the kitties cover their poop just fine. I don't waste much litter, it's pretty easy to clean, never smells bad at all, is dust free, no tracking, it's just perfect. Or it was, until a week ago.

My male cat has suddenly decided he's over it. He started pooping right next to the box. The first time it was after I hadn't cleaned it for a day, so I assumed he just was mad that I had missed a cleaning. But even after thorough cleaning he is refusing to use it.

I assume it's one of two problems:
1) He needs a 2nd box. He either doesn't want to use the same box his sister is using all of the sudden or he doesn't want to pee and poop in the same box (he doesn't seem to be peeing outside the box, only pooping) or
2) He's getting heavier and the feline pellets are hurting his little paws. Or he just doesn't like it anymore.

I've ordered a 2nd feline pine box, so that will be my first try, but if he won't use the new box with feline pine in it I'll be looking to switch litters. Bleh.

Any advice? Do you think just the new litterbox will work or I'll have to switch?

You're just going to have to experiment on this one. If the second FP box isn't working, get a 2nd box with a different litter and see which one he prefers. I've done the side by side litter test with mine. Put 2 litters in 2 boxes next to each other and see which one they prefer.

I tried FP for a short time. 1 of my cats used it and the rest avoided that box like the plague. Cats are just finicky sometimes.

Getting a second litterbox is the first step. You could even put some of the litter in a regular box while you're waiting for the special one to arrive. The only time I ever had cats going outside the box was when I didn't have enough boxes for the number of cats. It stopped immediately when I added another box. General recommendation says one box for each cat + one, so for two cats you should have three boxes. That said, 4 boxes for 6 cats worked just fine for me.

I wish I could use Feline Pine, but my cats will barely touch it. I put it in one litterbox and left their regular litter in all the others. It sat there for two weeks and I saw a total of two deposits in that time. I just had to scoop the other litterboxes more often.

We use the wood stove pellets and use normal litter boxes. So yes I have to scoop it out and then dump the pellets in one pan and the rest in paper bags for the trash (only takes me about 5-10 mins at the most to do two pans).

Our cats love it. But I think its more to do with needing another litter pan (deeper or larger). Try that before you have to go back to other litters.

GoldyCat - you have to add the pellets into the regular litter at first. They don't know its litter if you are just putting it in the pan by itself. I added a cup of pellets to litter and then gradually (over 2 weeks time) more and more pellets and less litter. They are using all pellets now.

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

GoldyCat - you have to add the pellets into the regular litter at first. They don't know its litter if you are just putting it in the pan by itself. I added a cup of pellets to litter and then gradually (over 2 weeks time) more and more pellets and less litter. They are using all pellets now.

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I didn't try that because I know it doesn't work to mix regular clay litter and clumping litter. Will the litter still clump when you add the feline pine?

It will till their is more pellets then litter. Maybe try it again. I love the wood pellets now and best news is that Jack's breeder is using it, so we will not have to be using normal litter while he's confined for a few weeks.

That's how we did the switchover from regular clay when we got them. It's kind of gross for the week or two while switching (the clay will sort of clump up, but when it mixes with sawdust it breaks apart and it's a little harder to clean.)

But it's worth it if you can get them to switch!

I hav etwo cats, and one box is huge, deep, and tall. the other is yiny, buy Holly can use it. i think a secong box is neccesary even if its not a great box.

we use WBCL, if your thinking of switching to a new healthy litter. mine were using fresh step, and switched so easy!

Thank you guys so much for the great advice!!
You were all right, the second box solved matters immediately! Since the new FP box hadn't arrived yet, I just put some feline pine in a plastic washtub we had laying around, and set it next to the original box. We brought him in and set him in it, and he bolted, but a few hours later, he used it!
He has both peed and pooped in it, so I think he just got tired of sharing with sister. Not one problem since we added the second box.

We got the new FP box last night, so we'll get that all set up and life is good again