clumping litter Poll

How many of you use clumping litter, and how many of you use the regular non-clumping litter??
How many of you are concerned about the risks of using clumping? I ask because I put clumping litter in a box last week, and have scooped every day. I normally have to change the non-clumping every other week. I've also noticed there is no smell with the clumping, versus the non-clumping.

If I used the regular litter it would be clumping. I use feline pine, which doesn't go into either catagory.

I have to agree that clumping litter holds the odor down a lot more! We had non-clumping for the kitten initially, and the smell was fierce!

We have 15 downstairs boxes, 1 attic box and one computer room box. All are filled with clumping, multi-cat litter. They get scooped twice daily, usually at noon and midnight. No problems with smell!

We use clumping litter because it absorbs more odor
plus it's alot easier

I guess if I were to use clay litter,it would be the clumping kind. I use Yesterdays News, which is almost like Feline Pine, but made from recycled paper. Yesterdays news is great for odor control too.

Don't laugh, litter connosieurs, but I use Fresh Step clay litter and despite their claims of being virtually dust free, the litter reeks of billowy dust fumes.

After reading your messages, I will be switching to Feline Pine or Yesterday's News. Anything has to be better than Fresh Step!

(Fresh Step looks pretty with the aqua colored pieces of clay and it has decent odor control, but that's about the best that can be said about it)

Question for conventional litter users: What makes conventional litter more attractive than clumping?

I've used clumping since I got my first kitty 12 years ago. I LOVE the stuff. Why would you want to use the conventional and let the pee sit around for several days rather than scoop out the pee balls every day? Maybe there is something that I am missing?

(I am such a clumping fan that when I see someone at the store buying the conventional litter, I even will explain to them about clumping. . .which hubby is not too grateful for )

Maui, I don't use the clumping, because it is still made from clay and contains silica. With Yesterdays News, it is made out of recycled paper and is very absorbant. When the cats pee in the box, it doesn't clump, but the urine is absorbed and the wet spots are very easy to clean up. Now, if they could only find a way to make yesterdays news clump, that would be even better.

I called the Fresh Step (Clorox Corp) toll-free number to complain about the dust in their cat litter and to ask about the silica (carcinogenic to mice) content, and I was informed by their consumer rep. that all clay litter brands, whether clumping or non-clumping, contain silica, a naturally occurring mineral.

The crystal form cat litter contains silica-crystalline, a man-made material, and entirely different from silica.

No matter what bag of Fresh Step I buy (I try to select the freshest, best looking bags), I still get plenty of clay dust while dumping the litter into the litter box and while scooping before the kittens have used the fresh litter for several days. Cindy and Lucy share the same litter box and Punky has her own.

I use non-clumping litter because the animal shelter recommended it for kittens and specifically, they recommended Fresh Step. Clumping litter can be dangerous for kittens.

I'll ask the vet about when I can switch to the clumping form of litter, but I intend to try the natural litter like Feline Pine and Yesterday's News first.

With Fresh Step premium clay, you can scoop down into the box where the cats pee, and that keeps the litter from clumping on the bottom of the litter box. Cleaning's easy except for the dust when you dump the litter into a bag. I dislike the idea of depositing all of that used clay litter into the trash and wherever the trash companies dump it.

In addition, I was really disappointed that Fresh Step didn't offer to send me any coupons or special offers after I called their toll-free number.

Thank you for explaining Amber and caterpillar. I thought silica was the same thing as sand? And isn't glass made out of sand?

I dont know, but ever since I switched the one box from clay to the traditional clumping, I seem to like it more. I do agree with the pee thing .. you can scoop it out, and the smell is gone!
I look at it this way: Nothing is ever "safe" anymore. You look at humans, for example, and at one time I thought I had heard peanut butter caused cancer or maybe it was apples.. I dont remember. I will probably continue to use the clumping in the one box and see how it goes. It seems like the others like it more than the clay.

I use clumping litter and crystals as a mix and the smell is better that way . I like the scooping one myself and is easy to scoop all the presents out they make . My cats don't like the crystal by itself and never want to use it and so mix it now . But I keep 2 of my boxes with only clumping litter in , some of my cats don't like the mix and only the clumping ones .

Hedi,

That's very cool!

When you mean crystals you mean those white rock things? I don't know how many different types of crystals there are cuz I've only used clumping litter but I catsat for a neighbor when she was on vacation. She happened to use the crystals and I don't know if it was her particular crystals or she didn't change them often enough, but the crystals were YELLOW and sloshed a bit when I picked out the poops! Sorry to be so graphic, but it really grossed me out and I couldn't believe a cat would really use something like this. This was when crystals were fairly new. I don't know if all of them are designed the same.

I like the idea of mixing the two as you do though, because it would be more like a silica dessicant packet that you get in electronics boxes. . .the clumping clay probably absorbs the majority of the pee, and the crystals just pick up leftover moisture, I am guessing.

Yes Maui you are right when you said it looks a little sloshed . If it was to yellow that means she would have to clean the box . But that also was a reason why I did not want to use it allone by itself any more . I was kind off eek . But I notice when in the beginning I started to mix the regular clumping litter with the crystals the smell was better . I think the crystal take the smell more out . So then I just mix them both . I also buy the crystals from any brand since they don't have it all the time here in the store when I need it . So mine have also a blue colour in the crystal and not only white .

Very cool. Thank you for explaining.

I think I will try that. It's like little deoderizers in the litter My kitties don't have any pee smells but the poo smells are sometimes bad. I think anything that absorbs moisture will help.

I actually like the non-clumping old fashioned litter. I buy it unscented. I usually just scoop out what I can and dump the box at least once a week then scrub it down with hot water and soap. With only two cats, I really don't have an odor problem. I did try world's best litter and liked it, however, Mynx didn't like it and held it all day until I changed back to the other stuff

Anderson's Clump & Flush is the best, it's made of corn cob so there is no dust, it flushes easily, smells pretty (but not too pretty, no dust and there is no health risks like those with the clay/silica clumping. I wish I had found this product years ago.

what brand of non-clumping litter do you use?

Thanks for the tip on Anderson's litter. It's impossible to find some of these litter brands in pet stores! I have yet to see a crystals brand and I have never been able to find the Dust Stoppers litter made by Cat's Pride.

who sells Anderson's Clump & Flush ?

I live in Vancouver canada and I get it at a pet store called Tisol which mostly sells only premium products, Wellness & Royal Canin etc.