Pee Wee

Hi all,
Since I don't like the current litter I am using (Litter Secret - the clumping tye) as it develops a peculiar smell which is all over the apartment, I bought a new litter yesterday. One of those pine-based ones. As my litterbox is just a plain old box without that grid underneath where the dust can fall through, I also decided to buy a new litterbox. It all came in a big set called "Pee Wee".
My Singa is only 5 months old so I figured that she wouldn't have a big problem with a litter change, but I guess I was wrong. I have the feeling she hates it!!!
She just went in and you could see that she didn't feel comfortable standing on those little pressed thingies... The new box also has a quite high rim so that the litter finally stays IN the box. She'll only stand on the rim now.
I tried showing her into the box by diggin with my hands in the new litter, but now she thinks its a game and will pick up the litter pieces with her mouth and throw them out of the box and chase them through the bathroom

I now put both boxes side by side and also mixed some of the new with some of the old litter in both boxes.... She still will only go in the old box and look very uncomfortable (with a bit of the new litter inside the box).
AND she will still take out the new litter and play with it!!!


Please help! I spent a bit of money on the new litter and box and really don't want to throw it away!!!!

I would try a different litter and see how Singa goes. Remember, changing the litter AND type of litterbox in one go is a big change for her, so it may just take her a little while to adjust.

I would just go to plain clay litter, no scent and put enough in the box to give her padding on her feet. I had one of those litter pans once and none of my cats even used it. I finally went to walmart and bought an under the bed storage drawer and used that with great success. The pine litter was a flop at my house too. My cat's didn't like it and wouldn't go near it. Stay with the stuff that is plain not scented, and use litter. If there is a feed store in your area, use Stall Dry it works great and is a lot cheaper than regular litter.

Originally Posted by Kumbulu

I would try a different litter and see how Singa goes.

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Do you mean another tye of litter? not the pine one?

I just spent approx 50 EUR on 9 pine-pellets and the box. I really don't want to toss it, just because Singa is picky. Other cats are using teh pine one, why can't mine? I hate it that they are so fussy!

Originally Posted by hissy

I would just go to plain clay litter, no scent and put enough in the box to give her padding on her feet. I had one of those litter pans once and none of my cats even used it.

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If the used litter doesn't fall through, how do you clean it then? Isn't it a waste to have to change the complete litter in the box?

Originally Posted by hissy

If there is a feed store in your area, use Stall Dry it works great and is a lot cheaper than regular litter.

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Nope - here in Signapore we don't have animals of that size
But I heard you could use schredded paper too, but ours in the office is so fine that it's extremely dusty and would be everywhere in the house

Maybe you could mix it with the reg clay litter till it`s gone. It would be worth a try anyhow, so thta you are not wasting it. I buy plain old Tidy Cat clay litter at Walmarts for about $5 for 30 pounds.....but i`d like to check into that Stall Dry that Hissy suggested....or the wood stove pellets that Scamper Farms talks about on this forum.

Originally Posted by x-ta-Z

If the used litter doesn't fall through, how do you clean it then? Isn't it a waste to have to change the complete litter in the box?

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You use a scooper, like a huge spoon with slitted bottom to scoop through the litter in the box. It will pick up the clumps and you can toss them!

If you like the pine smell, Feline Pine recently came out with a scoopable version. It smells the same, but it's more like sawdust, no pellets. A lot of cats don't like the pellets because it hurts their paws. Prego and Polly did not, and they expressed their displeasure by using the bathroom rug and the bathtub.

We use World's Best. I'm not sure if they sell it in Singapore though.....

Also, did you go straight to using the new litter? Try mixing it. Start with 2/3 old litter 1/3 new litter. If they use that then try half and half. This may not work either, but you can try.

I tried one of the pine litters too and only one of my cats ever really liked it. I kept using it in one pan for a long time hoping the others would adjust and try it as it really did control odor well. But the others never did take to it. I ended up giving up and going back to all plain old clumping scoopable litter. I used the last bag of pine as garden mulch. If you have unopened bags maybe they can be returned to the store?

Originally Posted by AshleyNicole

You use a scooper, like a huge spoon with slitted bottom to scoop through the litter in the box. It will pick up the clumps and you can toss them!

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OK guys! I DON'T get it!!!
I thought only the clumping litter produces clumps??!!! und what is the clay-litter? isn't that just one that absorbs the pee and doesn't clump? wouldn't it need something to fall through?

Currently I'm using this grain type which is clumping, but it stinks. I want a non-stinking type which doesn't spread all over the place so I thought the pine pellet thing is ok, but I guess now from what i read, that no cat really likes it.

But I think yesterday she must have gone in it as a bit off the pellets turned to sawdust - I saw that when I came back from the office
Maybe I will just wait and see

I am mixing both litters - the old and new. And I have set up both boxes next to eachother so that she gets used to the new box ... hope I can trick her into it.

Originally Posted by x-ta-Z

OK guys! I DON'T get it!!!
I thought only the clumping litter produces clumps??!!! und what is the clay-litter? isn't that just one that absorbs the pee and doesn't clump? wouldn't it need something to fall through?

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yes, that's clay litter. No, it works fine as the pee filters to the bottom. Cats seem to prefer it best, as long as it's unscented. You scoop the poops out daily, and stir the litter to distribute the pee, so it dries out. Adding baking soda controls the odors; just be sure to keep it deep enough for the kitty to cover everything easily. If you want, add some of the Crystals, for extra odor control. I understand your frustration - you have really gone "all out" to please your cat & make her home a happy one. Good luck and please keep us posted!

sorry for the late update, guys, but i have great news!
Singa has switched over to the pellets and the new box. After i noticed she was using both boxes, I just took the old one away to see what happens... And she has used the new one ever since!!!

Thanks for all your advice!