Feline pine scoop

Has anybody tried the new scoopable Feline Pine yet? I love it, but I'm not sure if they furry ones feel the same. I tried the regular Feline Pine with them before, but they won't do #2 in it. The people at my vet's office said it might hurt their paws when they bear down to go #2. The scoopable stuff is really soft, about the texture of sawdust. If anyone wants to know more about Feline Pine Scoop, ask away. I have 2 boxes for them, so I left one box clay and put pine in the other.

Prego has been using it, but last night he pooped in the clay litter box. I hadn't gotten around to scooping the pine box, and he has a pee clump still in there, so I'm not sure if he used to clay box because it was clean or because he doesn't want to poop in the pine. (Prego doesn't believe in burying, so he'd use a totally clean box before he'd use one he's gone in before that hasn't been scooped.)

Polly has not used the pine even once. She is only 4 months old, so I'm wondering if she doesn't know it's litter? Is that possible? She's only ever had clay litter before, so maybe when she smells the pine she's thinking "huh, this doesn't smell like litter to me?" Last night I cleaned out the clay box and put some pine in it with a thin layer of clay on top. She hopped right in and used it and dug up some of the pine in the process. I scooped the box, and the pine and clay got pretty mixed around. Polly does bury, and her pee clumps are only about the size of a ping-pong ball, so I have to go on a treasure hunt. I'm hoping this mixture will give her the idea that the pine is litter too, and that she ought to try it. If mixing doesn't work, I guess I will have to try something else.

The clay litter dust bothers my allergies, so I hope I can find a litter that Prego, Polly and I can all compromise on (preferably flushable).

Though Lucas pretty much pees and poops on whatever I put in his litter box, the tip people give here is to put a layer of the new litter on the bottom of the box and cover with the old litter, so when they bury and mess around the box they'll discover the new litter. Then you should slowly increase the proportions between old and new until you have only the new litter in the box. The cats seem to accept it better if you progress slowly on the change.

I haven't tried it yet, but I'd like to. Where did you find it, and what does the packaging look like?

Thanks,
Tess

Originally Posted by tuxedokitties

I haven't tried it yet, but I'd like to. Where did you find it, and what does the packaging look like?

Thanks,
Tess

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I got it at Petsmart. I only saw the larger size bag 10 lbs. The 10-lb bag says "also available in 3.5 lb bag" but I didn't see the smaller size. It was $9.99. It had a tag saying it was a new item. Wal-Mart sells regular Feline Pine here, but I'm not sure if they sell the scoopable or plan to. I'm not sure what other stores might sell it.

It looks like the regular feline pine bag, except it's purple. A big purple bag with an orange kitty on it. You might want to get a scoop with big slots if you don't have one. The sawdust, although fine, doesn't seem to shake through as easily as the clay. I've been using the scoop made for the orginal feline pine pellets, but any scoop with big holes should work.

Here's a link with a pic of the bag http://www.naturesearth.com/felinepinescoop.html

Originally Posted by CCSR79

Though Lucas pretty much pees and poops on whatever I put in his litter box, the tip people give here is to put a layer of the new litter on the bottom of the box and cover with the old litter, so when they bury and mess around the box they'll discover the new litter. Then you should slowly increase the proportions between old and new until you have only the new litter in the box. The cats seem to accept it better if you progress slowly on the change.

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I did try the mixing with the pellets, but once it was all pine pellets, Prego especially didn't like it. I noticed (TMI alert, TMI alert) that his stool had a little blood and mucus in it, and the conclusion that the vet's office and I came to was that the pellets irritated his paws when he went #2. Once I put the clay back, his stool went back to normal. He had no problem peeing in the pellets though.

I'm thinking with the softer sawdust, this shouldn't be an issue, but it could turn out that they won't like the smell or something about it. If they don't I'll just try something else.

Also, this time around, I have pure pine in one box and mix in the other. I'm kind of anxious to see the boxes when I get home I don't mean to sound disgusting or anything....

Originally Posted by rbrtnfld

I got it at Petsmart. I only saw the larger size bag 10 lbs. The 10-lb bag says "also available in 3.5 lb bag" but I didn't see the smaller size. It was $9.99. It had a tag saying it was a new item. Wal-Mart sells regular Feline Pine here, but I'm not sure if they sell the scoopable or plan to. I'm not sure what other stores might sell it.

It looks like the regular feline pine bag, except it's purple. A big purple bag with an orange kitty on it. You might want to get a scoop with big slots if you don't have one. The sawdust, although fine, doesn't seem to shake through as easily as the clay. I've been using the scoop made for the orginal feline pine pellets, but any scoop with big holes should work.

Here's a link with a pic of the bag http://www.naturesearth.com/felinepinescoop.html

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Thank you!

No problem. I hope your kitties like it.

P.S. Your tuxedo kitty pictures are really cute :-) Their faces look like they're wearing little masks.

Yep, I am trying it right now, and sorry to say, my cats refuse to use it.
I put it in 2 out of 3 litterboxes, and the cats now only use 1 litterbox that has world's best in it. They haven't used the other two with scopable feline pine, so I don't even know if it clumps well, or how it controls the smell. The only thing I know if they still haven't used it by the end of the week, I will have to dump the whole thing out and put world's best back.

Originally Posted by elizwithcat

Yep, I am trying it right now, and sorry to say, my cats refuse to use it.
I put it in 2 out of 3 litterboxes, and the cats now only use 1 litterbox that has world's best in it. They haven't used the other two with scopable feline pine, so I don't even know if it clumps well, or how it controls the smell. The only thing I know if they still haven't used it by the end of the week, I will have to dump the whole thing out and put world's best back.

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It does control the pee smell extremely well. I can't smell it at all. Prego hasn't pooped in it yet, so I'm not sure about that. Also, Prego doesn't bury, so I don't know if anything can control his poop smell. I just try to scoop it ASAP.

It also clumps amazingly well. I think it clumps as well (or better) as they clay litter I've been using. No little pieces are breaking off, as usually happens with the clumping clay. It also doesn't stick to the side of the box like wet clay does. Prego kind of stands up and pees into a corner of the box, so I have to dig out a clump stuck to the back corner. (I wish I would've gotten him a Booda Dome.) My other litterbox is a Booda Dome.

It's much lighter to lug over to the loo. I just hope I can get my babies to use it! If they won't use this stuff, I think I might try WBCL next.

If you want, you can try putting the pine in the bottom and the clay on top and let them discover it as they dig down. I'm not sure, but maybe cats don't know it's litter because it smells so different to them. I think this could be the case with my 4-month old, but it's really just a theory. Last night, I put some pine into litterbox #2 with a think layer of clay on top. Polly used it and scratched around a little bit and saw the pine. I'm anxious to see if she'll use the mixture today.

Originally Posted by rbrtnfld

It does control the pee smell extremely well. I can't smell it at all. Prego hasn't pooped in it yet, so I'm not sure about that. Also, Prego doesn't bury, so I don't know if anything can control his poop smell. I just try to scoop it ASAP.

It also clumps amazingly well. I think it clumps as well (or better) as they clay litter I've been using. No little pieces are breaking off, as usually happens with the clumping clay. It also doesn't stick to the side of the box like wet clay does. Prego kind of stands up and pees into a corner of the box, so I have to dig out a clump stuck to the back corner. (I wish I would've gotten him a Booda Dome.) My other litterbox is a Booda Dome.

It's much lighter to lug over to the loo. I just hope I can get my babies to use it! If they won't use this stuff, I think I might try WBCL next.

If you want, you can try putting the pine in the bottom and the clay on top and let them discover it as they dig down. I'm not sure, but maybe cats don't know it's litter because it smells so different to them. I think this could be the case with my 4-month old, but it's really just a theory. Last night, I put some pine into litterbox #2 with a think layer of clay on top. Polly used it and scratched around a little bit and saw the pine. I'm anxious to see if she'll use the mixture today.

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They know it's litter, they go in and dig, but don't use it. Go figure.
I am not using clay, I am using world's best in my other litterbox, and they used that without any problems. But then when I put arm and hammer litter deodorizer on top of world's best, they didn't like the smell so they refused to use it. I mean, there is probably something they don't like about feline pine, maybe it's the texture, maybe its' the smell, who knows?

Polly kind of looks at the box and sniffs it. She won't even go in it. I tried putting her in the box gently and she just stepped right out again. I hope mixing her old litter and the new stuff will give her the right idea.

Here's an update on how things are going with the Feline Pine.

Prego will pee in the box that is all pine, but he still will not poop in it. He has been pooping the the clay/pine mix box. This is the only box Polly will use for pooping and peeing. The pine and clay are pretty thouroughly mixed now. The amount of clay I put in is really quite small. It seems that as long as there's even a little clay, it's ok with them. I only used just enough clay to barely cover up the pine.

Should I keep the mix and keep reducing the amount of clay until the clay is gone? Or should I try another litter? Do they just need to get used to the new stuff or do they hate it? Do I need to give them more time with the mix to adjust to the pine? I'm thinking I'll add more pine tonight, but not add anymore clay and give it a good mix. If I keep doing this, a little at a time, eventually the clay will be gone. Is this a good plan?

I'm thinking of trying World's Best next. I just wish I knew if there is any way they'd accept something besides clay litter.

When I worked for The Cat Hotel in CA that was all they used because they got a good deal on it from the manufacturer, it smelled nice, and was low-dust. The smell that happens when what the cat's have done in the box mixes with the pine has made me throw up on occasion. I don't know what it is, something in the reaction between the cat urine/feces and the pelleted pine.

Mine are still not using it.

Did you try mixing it in with something they do use?

Originally Posted by rbrtnfld

Did you try mixing it in with something they do use?

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I put world's best on top, but that didn't fool them. They still haven't used the litterboxes with feline pine scopable on the bottom. They must hate the smell of it.

Pine has a rather strong odor. When I bring 2x4's into my shop I can smell them even with the garage door open and a breeze blowing through --- it's much worse in the enclosed utility area (where I'm working right now.) Also, for what it's worth, turpentine is made from pine resin, and you know how strong that stuff is!

Originally Posted by elizwithcat

I put world's best on top, but that didn't fool them. They still haven't used the litterboxes with feline pine scopable on the bottom. They must hate the smell of it.

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I would agree. If putting their old litter on top doesn't work, then it must be a smell issue. I don't think your babies will ever use the pine! Hopefully, mine will.

The litter level of the clay/pine mix box was low this morning, so I added some extra pine, but no extra clay and gave it a good mix. We'll see when I get home if they're still using it.

Originally Posted by rbrtnfld

I would agree. If putting their old litter on top doesn't work, then it must be a smell issue. I don't think your babies will ever use the pine! Hopefully, mine will.

The litter level of the clay/pine mix box was low this morning, so I added some extra pine, but no extra clay and gave it a good mix. We'll see when I get home if they're still using it.

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Yes, those cats are a lot more stubborn than I am. I guess I will have to dump the whole thing if they still haven't used it by Sunday.

Originally Posted by rbrtnfld

No problem. I hope your kitties like it.

P.S. Your tuxedo kitty pictures are really cute :-) Their faces look like they're wearing little masks.

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My little bunch of bandits sends you some bumps & purrs.