Litter/allergy question

squirtle

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I was just reading the thread about clumping/non clumping litter and noticed someone had mentioned that litter effects their allergies. Is that really true? If so, could it bother a cats allergies? I use Fresh Step clumping litter with the fresh scent, it is really dusty. Maybe that has been bothering Dori. Is there another kind of clumping litter that anyone can recommend that isn't dusty?
O my other question, does that Yesterday's News litter smell bad? I have heard that it works well, I know you can scoop out the poops but doesn't the kitty pee stink? I have absolutely no problems with litter smelling now, and I can't use something that will stink. (agreement I made with my b/f when he let me have Dori).... Also, where do you buy it?
 

weatherlight

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I don't have experience with allergies, but silica dust (found in all clay litters) isn't good for any cat's or human's lungs. Sodium bentonite, in particular, can swell up to 15 times its normal volume when liquid is added, and there IS moisture in intestines and lungs.

However, there is only anecdotal evidence of clay being harmful to cats. But you know, if kittens die while passing stool that smells like clay, has the texture of clay, and even retains the grey with blue flecks of the litter product, that will scare me regardless of whether an autopsy is done.

It seems most cats don't have problems that are confirmed to be caused by clay litters. Your average vet probably has never had a case that they linked to litter. If a cat has health problems that clear up with the only change being switching to another litter, that's not proof...but it's not nothing, either. If a kitten has a severe respiratory problem and the vet found that its lungs were coated with litter dust...perhaps, but there's no statement from the vet available that I can see, only a statement from someone who talked to the kitten's owner.

I know of two clumping nonclay litters on the market: World's Best (whole kernel corn) and SWheat Scoop (wheat). They may have some dust, but it's organic dust that won't affect health like silica dust would. I use World's Best; it clumps very well and has great odor control, and it certainly has far less dust than the clumping clay we used to use. I heard SWheat Scoop clumps fall apart, but then someone said it works well and the company said they changed their product to clump better. As for other litters, like the newspaper ones, I'm not sure.

In her book "250 Things You Can Do to Make Your Cat Adore You," Ingrid Newkirk says you should dump out all the litter every day so the urine doesn't stay in there. If humans can smell the urine, the cats sure can.

Most pet supply stores will have non-clay litters of some sort (stuff like Feline Pine seems to be common). We order our World's Best from PetFoodDirect now. They sometimes have special offers of up to 30 pounds of free shipping, which is nice when ordering a lot of litter.

I hope this helps!
 

iluvcandy

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I read that fragrance-free litter is better for cats than scented. I use Arm and Hammer unscented litter, and they recently changed the look of their boxes. And there's alot more dust in it, I can smell it and see it, so I'm going to have to change to another brand.

Jill and Candy
 
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