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What's the best kitty litter?

post #1 of 44
9/29/09 at 12:38pm
Thread Starter 
I am wondering what the best kitty litter is in terms of value and odour control? Thanks.
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post #2 of 44
9/29/09 at 12:43pm
IMO all the way around Dr Elseys' Precious Cat Litter
But you will hear all kinds of opinions here, as this is highly subjective on the owners likes, and the kitties acceptances too. What I like is not what you like, and what my cats like is not what you cats like either...
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post #3 of 44
9/29/09 at 1:36pm
Thread Starter 
Where can u get that and how much? I live in canada (nova scotia)?
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post #4 of 44
9/29/09 at 10:47pm
I found a good brand that works well on odor for my kitten. Yesterday's News is litter made out of recycled newspaper, thus the name. It is relatively cheap, locks in odor really well, is dust-free and therefore good for people with asthma/allergies or cats with allergies, and doesn't stick to a cat's body, and therefore is good for cats that have just had surgery or are being litter-trained. I think it was around $7.00 USD for a 10 or 15 lb bag [sorry, can't remember the amount of litter, it was in that range though.]

The drawbacks to are: the litter doesn't clump too well, but you can tell where the cat has gone because the pieces swell to 4x normal size and darken; also, urine is soaked from the bottom up. Therefore you have to completely remove all litter and scrub/wash the pan about 2 times a week.
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post #5 of 44
9/30/09 at 3:25am
I don't like clumping litters for health reasons so we use wood pellets, they last much longer than regular litter and the wet pellets turn to saw dust leaving the remaining pellets fresh.
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post #6 of 44
9/30/09 at 9:10am
I used World's Best Cat Litter (available at Pet Valu and Petsmart in Ontario you should be able to find it)
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post #7 of 44
9/30/09 at 10:12am
I also used to use Yesterday's News, when my kittens were really little - I was given the advice that they would be less likely to try to eat it, which turned out to be true. As the previous poster said, it doesn't clump, but the urine spots are very visible.

What we use now are the clumping litters - we've used Fresh Step for a while and I just bought some Scoop Away because it was slightly less expensive and I read somewhere on here that it doesn't have as overwhelming of a fragrance as Fresh Step. This has also turned out to be true. I LOVE the convenience of the clumping litters. The only drawback I've found so far is that they're quite dusty when pouring the dry litter into the box - the smell and feel of it stays in my nose forever and makes me feel dusty.
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post #8 of 44
9/30/09 at 10:27am
While I would prefer to use pine litters, since they are made from a renewable source, I can only afford clay litter right now. My kitty is just fine with Johnny Cat or whatever is cheapest.

I have read too many bad things about clumping litter and refuse to use it. Which is difficult because most of the litter out there seems to be the clumping variety.
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post #9 of 44
10/1/09 at 6:54am
I use Scoop Away it worked best with odor control when Hercules still had his man bits and it smelled like nasty cat pee. I will probably still continue to use it because with three cats it really helps with any smells especially if bf and I leave for a long period of time and when we come home it doesnt smell like pee or poo. The only thing Ive found with no matter what litter you use it all depends on what your cat likes if it likes the clumpiing litter or not. Also what smells you can tolerate.
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post #10 of 44
10/1/09 at 6:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by missymotus View Post
I don't like clumping litters for health reasons so we use wood pellets, they last much longer than regular litter and the wet pellets turn to saw dust leaving the remaining pellets fresh.

Just curious, I don't understand what's wrong with clumping litters? Personally, I use Nature's Miracle, it's 100% natural, so it's safe if the cat ingests it. It's literally dust free. It's flushable, has good odor control and clumps well. My cats have never experienced health problems because of it. So why would a clumping litter be bad? I'm just confused. Thanks!
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post #11 of 44
10/3/09 at 1:09pm
I use Scoop Away because it clumps very well and controls oder perfectly. No smell whatsoever. My father, who likes to carp about everything, would tell me if my home smelled like a cat lived here.

I never was a fan of the dust though. I will follow this thread closely to see if I can make an improvement. My Sasha seems to like it fine.
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post #12 of 44
10/3/09 at 10:30pm
What litter is "best" is highly subjective. It depends what you and your cat prefer. I've found the unscented Arm & Hammer to be a very nice litter (the scented variety is far to strongly scented for my preference), and also the Wal-Mart store brand, Special Kitty (but only the clumping litter, the regular clay litter has NO odor control). I mix the 2 brands to attain my preferred litter consistency. You'll probably have to try a few brands before you decide on your (and your cat's) favorite.
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post #13 of 44
10/9/09 at 1:31pm
Thread Starter 
I just realized that i should have asked what is the best litter that one can buy at walmart or the grocery store. I'm using Arm and Hammers Essentials litter now and dislike it.
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post #14 of 44
10/9/09 at 2:08pm
If you have access to WalMart, purchase Special Kitty litter. It is clumping litter, and it's inexpensive - and is basically dust-free.

To answer someone else's question, the problem many people have with clumping litters is the silicates in them. They are kind of like smoking menthol cigarettes. It's terrible for the lungs. Many people who use clumping litters won't use lids on the boxes because of the dust.

The low-dust litters are thus important if using a clumping litter - lid or no lid on the box.
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post #15 of 44
10/9/09 at 2:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by carolinalima View Post
IMO all the way around Dr Elseys' Precious Cat Litter
But you will hear all kinds of opinions here, as this is highly subjective on the owners likes, and the kitties acceptances too. What I like is not what you like, and what my cats like is not what you cats like either...

I have to agree! This is what we use and it's really cheap. Even if I had the money I wouldn't switch to anything else. It's all natural and also basically dust free.
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post #16 of 44
10/15/09 at 6:01am
If your on a budget I would use the Special Kitty litter also...I had to cut back this month so I could afford to switch their cat food over to TOTW. I got the Special Kitty litter with the odor absorbing crystals and it works great and I think the cat really like it too because when I dumped and filled their litter boxes all three were in attendance..lol...I even got yelled at when Herc told me his box didnt have enough litter in it...I also havent had a problem with any smells so IMO it works great and Ill probably stick with it until I find a second job!
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post #17 of 44
10/15/09 at 12:31pm
I really like the Cat Attract litter, but in a pinch I find that the Arm & Hammer with the scent crystals (they turn blue when they need to be changed) works well.
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post #18 of 44
10/17/09 at 5:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 3CatsN1Dog View Post
I got the Special Kitty litter with the odor absorbing crystals and it works great and I think the cat really like it too because when I dumped and filled their litter boxes all three were in attendance.
My cats seem to prefer Special Kitty, too. I have several different brands currently in the litterboxes (I like to experiment), and the litterboxes with Special Kitty seem to see more use. No matter which kind---the regular (clumping), the one with crystals, and even the orange-scented one (I thought cats didn't like citrus smells?).

I've been buying Arm & Hammer lately, and I discovered that the regular scented one is WAY too stongly scented for me. Ugh, it stinks. So I got the unscented one and that seems OK, although it is NOT entirely UNscented; it's just a milder scent than the regular stuff. I'm going to try Fresh Step unscented next...their regular stuff is too strongly perfumed for me as well.
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post #19 of 44
10/18/09 at 6:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by kittymama2000 View Post
Where can u get that and how much? I live in canada (nova scotia)?
FYI - Dr. Elsey's and Wal-Mart Special Kitty clay clumping are very similar with the Special Kitty being cheaper.
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post #20 of 44
10/18/09 at 6:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by carolinalima View Post
IMO all the way around Dr Elseys' Precious Cat Litter
Quote:
Originally Posted by LDG View Post

To answer someone else's question, the problem many people have with clumping litters is the silicates in them. They are kind of like smoking menthol cigarettes. It's terrible for the lungs. Many people who use clumping litters won't use lids on the boxes because of the dust.

The low-dust litters are thus important if using a clumping litter - lid or no lid on the box.
I think that Dr Elsey's PreciousCat, is the best clumping clay litter.
It's unscented, a great texture for sensitive paws, it has almost no dust and clumps well.
I have not tried Special Kitty.

Unfortunately, my cat Dexter gets severe asthma from clay litter...
probably the silicate in it, so we use corn....Worlds Best Cat Litter.
It's dusty but for us corn is the best option since we cannot use clay.
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post #21 of 44
10/25/09 at 6:20pm
I use Swheat clumping litter, since I refuse to use clay because of carcinogens that could be present and common sense that Amadeus will have his face right in it and the dust will eventually lead to respiratory problems (in my mind at least) Clay litter also does not decompose.

A big bag of Swheat is pretty cheap. Sorry that I don't know how much it cost since I bought it a few months ago and still have a bunch left.
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post #22 of 44
11/10/09 at 7:59am
The volunteer from Human Society told me not to use clumping litter for kittens younger than 6 months. It is because they can lick the litter and the litter may clump inside their stomach and cause blockage.

While I asked the vet about it, he said he have never heard of that, and he hasn't seen even 1 case of digestive blockage of a kitten due to eating litter.

Any opinions?
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post #23 of 44
11/10/09 at 9:00am
I used to use Tidy Cats Small Spaces, but the scent was overpowering, and caused respiratory issues for my rats (their cage is very close to the bathroom). Someone on a rat forum recommended the Dr Elsey's Precious Cat, and I really like it. It's cheaper, clumps better, unscented, doesn't seem to track as much, and has less dust than Tidy Cats.
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post #24 of 44
11/10/09 at 10:27am
I personally do not like clay litters so use WBCL. I've tried a number of different ones and this is the one that wins out for clumping, odor control and less dust.
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post #25 of 44
11/10/09 at 1:10pm
Litter is alot like food.. Lots of LEGIT options and opnions .. but it comes down to what you and the cats can agree on.. in my house it is benonite clay and chicken feed
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post #26 of 44
11/10/09 at 8:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yosemite View Post
I personally do not like clay litters so use WBCL. I've tried a number of different ones and this is the one that wins out for clumping, odor control and less dust.
As soon as I switch to WBCL, Merlin stopped wheezing!!!!!! Love it!
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post #27 of 44
11/10/09 at 10:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Willowy View Post
What litter is "best" is highly subjective. It depends what you and your cat prefer. I've found the unscented Arm & Hammer to be a very nice litter (the scented variety is far to strongly scented for my preference), and also the Wal-Mart store brand, Special Kitty (but only the clumping litter, the regular clay litter has NO odor control). I mix the 2 brands to attain my preferred litter consistency. You'll probably have to try a few brands before you decide on your (and your cat's) favorite.
Yes! I also use the unscented arm & hammer and it works very well esp. for odor control.
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post #28 of 44
11/12/09 at 7:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kittymama2000 View Post
I am wondering what the best kitty litter is in terms of value and odour control? Thanks.
World's Best Cat Litter! It may cost a little more but it goes a long way! Once I tried it I never went back. (And NO! I don't own any shares or interest in the company...)
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post #29 of 44
11/13/09 at 6:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by temperpolk View Post
World's Best Cat Litter! It may cost a little more but it goes a long way! Once I tried it I never went back. (And NO! I don't own any shares or interest in the company...)
I agree. I used to spend a lot of money on clay litters, now I buy about 4 large bags of WBCL per year.
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post #30 of 44
11/23/09 at 9:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by missymotus View Post
I don't like clumping litters for health reasons so we use wood pellets, they last much longer than regular litter and the wet pellets turn to saw dust leaving the remaining pellets fresh.
So are you able to scoop the sawdust out then?
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