Do you think litter dust can contribute to kitty colds?

I've found the folks here knowledgeable about health issues so I thought I'd toss this question out there.  I know colds are caused by viruses.  But do you think irritation caused by litter dust could make a cat more susceptible to the virus?

We use Fresh Step Multi-Cat unscented scoopable.  We love everything about it, but there is some dust.  I've seen a cat sneeze a couple of times after getting out of the box but it is not a regular thing. 

We've tried Dr. Elsey's precious cat (which has a good reputation for low dust) before but were not happy with the odor control.  The boxes didn't smell terrible but there was a whiff of barn when you got close to them.  I also didn't like the way the clumps stuck to the sides like cement.  With Fresh Step there is no odor ever....period....it's amazing (of course we are good about keeping the boxes clean too.)  We also had no odor with Tidy Cat 24/7 clumping but changed brands because they didn't offer unscented.  The cats have liked all 3 brands, the unscented being their favorites.

We are dealing with a kitty cold right now (I think my boy cats struggle with the herpes virus...no official diagnosis of that though) and I need to buy litter in the next couple of days.  I might give Dr. Elsey's another try.  Any thoughts about the original question?

I haven't seen this discussed before in this context. :scratch: But I'm pretty sure the sneezing from the dust would be unrelated to an increased susceptibility to colds. The issue there is most likely the herpes virus, not litter dust. :nod:

Do you already give him Lysine? This may help prevent the number of "colds" he gets - these are probably herpes flares. :nod: If you're not already using it, IMO the best is to use loose powder. A lot of us use the NOW L-Lysine powder (no additives in loose powder). Use 250mg ( 1/8 of a teaspoon) daily for a maintenance supplement. When he has a flare-up, use 500 to 1,000mg (500mg is about 1/4 teaspoon :nod: ). Start small, slowly increase the amount (initially). It causes gastric upset in some kitties (gas or diarrhea). We can't give it to Chumley at all, it gives him diarrhea.

I agree with Laurie on the Lysine!! And for the litter dust - nope - would not contribute to the virus at all. BUT the dust could be very aggravating to sensitive and sore nasal passages and throats. I use two different types of litter. Dr. Elsey's Precious cat and since I scoop so much, I never notice a smell at all. Practically no dust what-so-ever and my cats prefer that litter over any other I have tried. I also just started using in a couple of pans - Cat's Pride Fresh and Light. New on the market. AND WOW there is NO dust at all and clumping is pretty good. I have also used Tidy Cats 24/7 but the dust drove me away and I noticed that the pan was hardly ever used. So my cats told me in no uncertain terms - NO on that one. :lol3: Good luck and hope your kitties feel better soon!

We JUST bought the Cats Pride fresh and light unscented - and there is NO DUST! We just swapped out all the litter, and I am loving this!

But Lauren - was there no smell before you switched to raw? Is that what you used then? Because your cats' poop has no smell now!

LDG said:

We JUST bought the Cats Pride fresh and light unscented - and there is NO DUST! We just swapped out all the litter, and I am loving this!
But Lauren - was there no smell before you switched to raw? Is that what you used then? Because your cats' poop has no smell now!

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OH yeah - of course there was a smell before raw and that is why I ran and scooped so much. Come to think of it - I don't scoop as much as I used too because of the raw diet and the petrofied poops YEAH!!! Isn't Fresh and Light AWESOME! Petsmart has the large box on sale for $9.99. I cleaned them out :lol3: GREAT GREAT LITTER!!!! :bigthumb: Great minds think alike too :sun: :sun: :sun:

Yeah, they do use the lysine powder, thanks. 

So Cat's Pride fresh and light, unscented?  I might try it.  I asked about it once on another forum and got so confused by people saying "Buy the one in the jug, it is different than the one in the box."  But the jugs are way too small to meet our needs.  (I'd have to buy too many and it wouldn't be economical.)  Could any of the fresh and light fans spell out exactly what you buy, box size, color, etc... 

The box is 21 pounds and here is a picture of the box http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12166931 (click on the picture that shows the box and it will appear so you can view it instead of the jug) I also used the jug and the box, there was NO difference in either. I think it is a great litter!!!

Lauren, that's a link to the scented one. I buy unscented, it's in a 21-pound box. I can't find a picture of it, but it is in a green box. This is all I could find - this is the product, but I buy a 21-pound box of it. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Cat-s-Pri...ance-Free-Scoopable-Cat-Litter-15-lb/17352507

Thanks for spelling it out for me, guys.  I've seen it at Wal-mart.  I think I'll buy some and try it in one of the boxes.

Let us know how it goes.