Litter Box HORROR

cattypolly

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ARGH! I just had to come here to rant.


So I WAS sleepy, had a million things on my mind, and I decided to clean the kitty litter. Yup, and I *had* to buy the cheapest garbage liners earlier today. Anyway, my new kittens have been having diarrhoea after the worming paste and new diet. So I have had to clean out the litterbox more frequently than usual. I was trying this method of putting crystal litter at the bottom for the urine, and paper litter at the top for poo so the kitties don't lick the crystal, but that makes for a heck of a lot of litter - almost to the brim.

So 5 minutes ago, I was trying to empty the contents of one very heavy litter pan into a tiny flimsy garbage bag I got from this asian grocery store. Some spilled over. No big fuss, got another bag and scooped that up.

After what seemed like eternity, I managed to get ALL the litter (plus poop, lots of it) into the tiny bag. Grinning in success, I strode purposefully towards the front door to chuck it in the garbage bin waiting outside.

As I walked past the shoeracks, the bag EXPLODED. I was taken by shock, so I tripped over my shoe (the kittens were playing with my shoelaces earlier) that was lying on its side, fell and slid on the sharp crystals, and managed to smudge some foul smelling kitten diarrhoea into the floorboards (THANK GOD I DON'T HAVE CARPET). In the meantime, I was still holding the exploding bag which had managed to spew its contents in a nice trajectory all across the hallway.

There is
and urine crystals EVERYWHERE!

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

And the vacuum cleaner is broken.

The kittens watched in amusement as I swept the remains of their breakfast/dinner/lunch/sneks into a corner. I will vaccuum later, borrow beg or steal I will GET THAT MESS OUT OF MY HOUSE. Bath first.


And I'm expecting guests in an hour. The hallway smells TERRIBLE.

Grief.


GROSS!
 
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cattypolly

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twice daily... i have to work too
there might have been hidden poo from before as I usually just scoop out the solid or clumped bits. it makes things more confusing as I'm trying out this new litter that breaks down into dust when it makes contact with liquid (opposite of clumping) and mixing it into the litterbox. I guess I chose the wrong time to empty everything out.

they've just been doing runny poos everywhere (their waterbowl is always being topped up as they are in danger of dehydration, i feed them kitten supplement milk as well because i fostered them from before they were fully weaned) and the large siberian cat comes and does her thing in their litter box from time to time...
 

strange_wings

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Oh no! It sounds like one of those days.
You simply can't win for losing, look out for other ridiculous things to happen....

Do you have anyone to help you when you're doing a complete litter change? I make my husband help because I worry about such accidents (and my back bothers me). They cost a bit more, but I prefer to use the big black trash bags for this - coupons can help make them a little cheaper.
(note, I also have three litter boxes and to finish filling up the bag I collect the trash from the little waste baskets around the house)

Other suggestions - how many boxes do you have? If only one, add at least one more box. If two, maybe a third would help?
Use less litter and/or get bigger boxes. Rubbermaid type containers and bins will give you more height and tend to be a little cheaper.

Another option, if their diarrhea is that bad, is to just use 2-3 inches of plain old non clumping litter for a bit and change it a couple times a day. Unmedicated chicken feed is another cheap alternative.
 
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cattypolly

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I'm only fostering the kitties, may be rehoming them together BUT of course I could always keep them... there has been a lady who has expressed interest in one of them already so we'll see how things go once they reach the 12 week mark.

I have two litter trays... at the moment. Was thinking of getting one of those Pet Loo things with the synthetic grass, or maybe the Litter Kwitter for my Siberian... once the kitty diarrhoea dies down it shouldnt be too bad... but my large cat does large poos and it would help if she did it in the human toilet.


Unfortunately hubby's away in the rural areas on an assignment. Sigh. He's always a help in these situations, both to keep me sane, and to handle the garbage end of things.


Okay, better get off my bum and sort the mess out properly. LOTS of air freshener and Nature's Miracle. Just ordered a truckload off ebay.
 
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cattypolly

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Another option, if their diarrhea is that bad, is to just use 2-3 inches of plain old non clumping litter for a bit and change it a couple times a day. Unmedicated chicken feed is another cheap alternative.
Silly question, where do I get unmedicated chicken feed? Is that grain?
 

strange_wings

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Oh course you can always keep them!


Look at the bright side. Once you get it all cleaned up... it is rather humorous.


Have you tried some probiotics with the kittens, yet? It may help and it certainly won't hurt.

The chicken feed it usually found at farm supply stores. It's the layer crumbles - not whole or cracked corn/grain. Depending on your area, it should cost around $8-$12 for a 40lbs bag. Some brands clump better for some people. The one I'm using does ok (unless all three cats pee in the same spot before I scoop
).
 

mai_kitties

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Ah yes... nasty litter, the bane of every cat owner.

Here is what I did and my life has been so much easier for it.

I bought three large Sterlite 66 gallon tubs. The ones that are the rectangle shape. I cut out a little door on the front for easy kitty access. I don't use liners since all my cats have claws and well that just make the liners useless
. Next I have a kitchen sized trash can with a good shutting lid. I put a normal garbage bag into the can and scoop the waste in the can. This is why you want a good shutting lid cause to not waste bags I just fill up the garbage bag and put a layer of baking soda over each layer of waste. Now if I want to empty the boxes completely for fresh litter I just dump the litter straight from the tubs right into the can. There is very little mess since I scoop it first and then just dump the litter in the can.

Now for the good part. Once the bag in the can is full I take the whole can, bag and all, out to the garbage cans, tie up the bag and place it right from the trash can to the garbage can. No mess and if your bag does explode it has done so outside
.
 

goldenkitty45

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I"m sorry but this is soooo funny. I can picture the entire scene. Bad little kittens!

Anyway clean it up quick then put on a pan with a little water and a LOT of cinnamon and boil it up for a few mins - it will smell like you are baking something good instead of cleaning litter pans.
 

ms cat love

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Im thankful for the day they came out with tidy cat scoopable cat liter... I scoop daily and just ad liter as needed.. I never have to dump the box anymore. Thank goodness because i have 5 for all the cats i have
 
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cattypolly

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Oops i used a naughty word in my original post... heheehhe

Yeah, it is pretty funny now i think back on it- but really not funny when you smell like cat poo and have sharp urine crystals sticking out of your foot (and my face was this close to smashing onto the floor and rubbing into cat poo / crystal - now how do i explain that to my class on Thursday? Thank God for my AHEM cat-like balance...)

I will try the great suggestions on the board for a cleaner, quicker way to dispose of cat waste.

Note to self: For future reference, time to try out LITTER KWITTER!


Or if I'm a millionaire, Cat Genie. http://www.catgenie.com/ There's a sale on now for those interested... :p $300 bucks for a flushing cat toilet... ooo
 

mybabies

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Originally Posted by cattypolly

Silly question, where do I get unmedicated chicken feed? Is that grain?
Usually at a feed store that sells food for chicken. It is the same as worlds best. It is called purina (or another brand) chicken crumbles, but MAKE SURE it is UNMEDICATED!
 

mybabies

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I have had something ALMOST as bad. I filled the plastic sack with pee and poops and am taking it out and I find a small hole I never noticed AND there is litter, pee clumps and poop in trails! <sigh>
 

wingss2fly

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Last week when I did my full litter changes, I had trash bags full of OLD litter about 30 pounds worth, complete with clumps and poop. And when I went in the bathroom to scrub the empty boxes, I returned to all of my bags torn open and mess all over the carpet. Bandit had clawed all of the bags. She picks, and she picks at everything, bags, blankest, boxsprings, anything that hangs on a back of a chair. She just PICKS.
Enjoy your day.
 

shanynne

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So sorry to hear what happened to you, that had to be pretty darn unpleasant
I use Nature's Miracle myself. It is pricey at about $25 for 18lbs, but it's well worth it. I have two litter boxes and I buy 2 18 lb bags for both of them. This is generally enough litter for 3 litter boxes.

I only empty out the boxes once every 4 to 6 weeks, so it lasts a good amount of time. When I empty out the boxes completely, I use *one* garbage bag for each box, that way there is less weight in the bag and less chance of it breaking.

Here's the product description:

Natural Absorption
Natural corncob granules immediately absorb more than twice the volume of traditional clay litter.

Neutralizes
Activates when wet to entrap, neutralize, and destroy harsh odors.

With Natural Enzymes and Natural Fragrances
Pine fragrance combined with natural enzymes act continually to deliver a long lasting scent.

Fast Clumping Formula
Hard clumps form quickly, eliminating sticky, messy cleanup. Litter tray stays cleaner, longer.

Environmentally Friendly
Safe, completely biodegradable formula.

Lightweight Formula
Half the weight of clay litter. Makes it easy to carry, pour, and dispose.

Gentle Corn Cob Formula
Will not irritate cuts and wounds.

Flushable**
Will not harm septic systems.

99.9% Dust Free

Hope this helps.
 
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