Cat litter

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mjtrup

mjtrup

Member Since 2014
Good morning,
I am feeding a raw diet with no carbs. Then I realized that I use Sweet Scoop cat litter made of wheat. Does the little that might be ingested by my cat impact her diabetes?
What do others use?
 
Can't give any info on the litter effecting bg (don't think it would since very little is ingested), only that I use Dr. Elsey's litter clumps great and virtually dust free. I've tried wheat, corn, and pine litters and always felt they tracked like crazy. Dr Elseys does track some but there will never be a litter that doesnt lol.
 
I never liked wheat...attracts bugs. Ants especially. The first time I tried it, the litterbox was up against an outside wall and I had a line of ants coming from the floorboards heading for it. I had never had ants in that room before.

Used Dr Elsley's for years. Never really liked the fact it stuck to the box and was like freakin' cement. Always worried about the girls licking it off their feet and fur. But I couldnt find anything else really that passed my scrutiny..lol.

Last year I switched to a new litter, and it is FANTASTIC! I can't believe I am this excited about a litter, but I am. BTW, I know this is going to sound like a commercial, but I do not work for the company or anything, I just really love this litter.

It's called BoxieCat. It's only available online @ http://www.boxiecat.com

or you can also find it on Amazon now also.

It's hand's down the best litter I have used. It's clay, finely ground so it clumps, but without the clumping agents. It's so clean, the clumps stay on top, nothing sticks. It's pricey, partially because it's delivered, not available at retail stores yet. But a bag lasts a long time (normal size box, only a bag a month). You don't' have to scrub the box as often, kitties love it. It's unscented, all natural, forms smaller and lighter clumps, and 99.9% dust free. It's made in the USA and was Cat Fancy's 2012 "Best Product of the Year".

I loved it so much I got a bag for my Mom and when I asked her how she liked it, the first word's out of her mouth were "It's so CLEAN!". She is hooked too. Try one bag, I think you will feel the same way.

Here is a referral link they gave me, you can get 10% off - http://boxiecat.refr.cc/Q4P3SVZ

Like I said, it's kind of pricey, they ship it in a flat rate Priority Mail box, and I know even at a commercial discount, they are paying over $10 just to ship it, so they really aren't making a lot of money on this.
I am encouraging all my friends with cats to try this stuff, cuz I want the company to thrive and grow, I dont ever want to be without this litter! :D Plus it's a family owned and operated company that supports shelters and rescues.
 
May have to give Boxie a try. Amazon has it for $17.99, prime shipping AND a $2.00 coupon. I've read up on it before and I thought about trying it except Elsey has done great. Yes it STICKS but I've found as long as I keep a good amount in the litter box it never hits the bottom. 40 lbs for anywhere from $14-$18 on amazon with free prime shipping, hard to pass up lol. I tried Cats Pride because my parents were so happy with it because its light weight and clumps well, but I didnt like it at all.
 
I have three boxes for 1 cat (she is a diva) and she likes her litter about an inch deep... So I would need more than 1 bag?
 
dirtybirdsoaps said:
I cant get the referral link to work....it takes me to a referral website??? I also googled boxie cat and it seems chewy.com is carrying it now for $17.99 as well, plus free shipping with $49+
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I dont know why that link doesn't work. Sorry....they must have changed their referral program. The price at Amazon looks to be best anyway.
http://www.amazon.com/Boxiecat-Premium-Clumping-Clay-Litter/dp/B005F6EIBG/?tag=felinediabetesfdmb-20
http://www.amazon.com/Boxiecat-Prem...=UTF8&qid=1423514592&sr=8-1&keywords=boxiecat
It's 17.99 w/ $2.00 coupon, so it's only 15.99.
 
I'm going to have to look into the boxiecat litter as well. I've been using the Breeze System for the last few months since Mikey's last bout of bed wetting and have been looking for another litter to supplement the two Breeze boxes I already have (in case Mikey decides he no longer likes the Breeze).
 
Thaiger & Katie said:
I have three boxes for 1 cat (she is a diva) and she likes her litter about an inch deep... So I would need more than 1 bag?
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Are they just normal size boxes? If so, I would one bag would be enough. I am surprised how far a bag goes. I use huge boxes here, 17"x24" and one bag fills it a couple inches.
 
Just ordered BoxieCat litter for the first time on Amazon. With AmazonPrime & $2 coupon I paid $17.43 as we have an almost 10% state tax ($1.44) in California. Had I subscribed to monthly deliveries or whatever other interval I desired, I would have paid 5% less. If I had, at least, 5 items that arrived on the same day, the cost would have been 15% less. Subscriptions can be ended or changed at any time. Please remember that Prime membership costs $99 per year. AmazonFresh membership costs $300 per year but includes Prime - I didn't check it out but I probably could have gotten BoxieCat the same day! I would watch subscriptions carefully because they're charged at current (possibly new & higher) prices.
Best wishes for all the 'fuzzballs',
Sophie
 
Thanks for the litter suggestions in this thread. Edwin had been using the toilet for the past 16 years, but this whole diabetes diagnosis was kicked off by him repeatedly peeing on the bathroom floor. I'm glad he at least agrees to use a litter box, but I remember now how much I hate litter. It gets tracked all over, even into my bed, ick.

My vet had suggested world's best cat litter. Does anyone have any experience with that litter? I'm also hoping that if I can get him feeling better he can go back to using the toilet. Although, pee in the litter box beats pee on the floor any day.

While talking pee on the floor, does anyone have suggestions for grout sealer? The grout in my bathrooms soaks up cat pee better than anything else in the world. The only thing that gets it is almost straight bleach that you have to let soak in and dry. (Wash floor in vinegar, bleach and let dry, wash floor in vinegar again.). I've tried every other cleaner know to man, but bleach is the only way.
 
You may not get the odor out with vinegar or bleach. Do a round of enzyme such as Simple Solution or Nature's Miracle, let it sit, rinse, then do any other bleaching.
Grout sealers - check some places that sell tile for floors what they have for sale.
 
KPassa said:
Mikey's last bout of bed wetting
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@KPassa, I notice you mentioned that Mikey wets his bed. Hannah does that, too, usually when she sleeps very sound for long periods of time. It doesn't happen often, but she gets all mopey when it does. The most recent incident was two days ago. Is it from diabetic neuropathy? I assume it is, but don't really know. Maybe you could fill me in on your experiences?
 
With Mikey, I haven't really been able to get to the bottom of why he's doing it aside from needing a meticulously clean litter box at all all times. He only ever pees in the middle of the night between 3-6 am when both he and Henry have already used up the litter boxes in my room. The Breeze System made it so he'll pee more than once in a box in case I don't "scoop it" in time but he still won't go if there is #2 and will instead go on his bed (my bed). At one point last summer before I found the Breeze System, he was peeing the bed every single night, sometimes twice. Now, it occurs maybe once or twice a month due to already-used litter boxes if they get used after I've already fallen asleep and can't scoop after.

(Luckily, I have this miraculous "bed wetting" cover over my mattress that they gave me for free when I bought my bed a couple of years ago. The mattress has remained pristine through all of his pee episodes.)
 
BJM said:
You may not get the odor out with vinegar or bleach. Do a round of enzyme such as Simple Solution or Nature's Miracle, let it sit, rinse, then do any other bleaching.
Grout sealers - check some places that sell tile for floors what they have for sale.
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Nature's Miracle was the first thing I tried. It works great on carpet. However, whatever this grout is made of, it just laughed at Nature's Miracle. Even after several applications it still smelled strongly of urine.

I tried different enzyme cleaners, coating it in baking soda for days, vinegar, baking soda and vinegar, oxyclean, 409, and on and only. Bleach finally got the smell out once and for all. It's not ideal, but for some reason enzyme cleaners that work on everything else don't work on this grout from hell. I've found the vinegar, bleach, vinegar method to be the quickest solution and I've never smelled even a hint of urine smell after (neither has anyone else).

Who would image that Nature's Miracle wouldn't be able to ditch cat urine odor?
 
Blamethecats and Hannah said:
@KPassa, I notice you mentioned that Mikey wets his bed. Hannah does that, too, usually when she sleeps very sound for long periods of time. It doesn't happen often, but she gets all mopey when it does. The most recent incident was two days ago. Is it from diabetic neuropathy? I assume it is, but don't really know. Maybe you could fill me in on your experiences?
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The kitty I had all while growing up and into my 20s started getting "leaky" when she got older (non-diabetic, but kidney failure). When she would sleep heavily she would leak. I believe it was because she couldn't feel she had to go and that the muscles that hold the pee in get old when you get older. I finally started taking her to the litterbox to go, especially right before bed, and this almost totally eliminated the pee elsewhere. She seemed to know why I was taking her to the litterbox and would go when I took her. This might work with Hannah. With Mikey, I'm afraid I have no advice for his litterbox problems.
 
My_Bed.JPG
bsmith said:
The kitty I had all while growing up and into my 20s started getting "leaky" when she got older (non-diabetic, but kidney failure). When she would sleep heavily she would leak. I believe it was because she couldn't feel she had to go and that the muscles that hold the pee in get old when you get older. I finally started taking her to the litterbox to go, especially right before bed, and this almost totally eliminated the pee elsewhere. She seemed to know why I was taking her to the litterbox and would go when I took her. This might work with Hannah.
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Yep, that sounds just like Hannah. She sleeps mostly on our couch, in her own soft basket. She also sleeps on the back of the couch, on a quilt and under a wall lamp (she loves the heat from it). Under both the basket and the quilt are doggy pee pads. It took me a while before I gave in and took that extra precaution. Let's face it... it's sort of tacky looking and certainly wouldn't make the cover of Country Living Magazine. And guests give it a double look when visiting... I can only imagine what they're thinking. But after numerous shampooings and cleaning with enzymes, it just made better sense. Soooooo, welcome to "This house is maintained entirely for the comfort and convenience of our cat, so get used to it!"
 
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Blamethecats and Hannah said:
View attachment 13976
Yep, that sounds just like Hannah. She sleeps mostly on our couch, in her own soft basket. She also sleeps on the back of the couch, on a quilt and under a wall lamp (she loves the heat from it). Under both the basket and the quilt are doggy pee pads. It took me a while before I gave in and took that extra precaution. Let's face it... it's sort of tacky looking and certainly wouldn't make the cover of Country Living Magazine. And guests give it a double look when visiting... I can only imagine what they're thinking. But after numerous shampooings and cleaning with enzymes, it just made better sense. Soooooo, welcome to "This house is maintained entirely for the comfort and convenience of our cat, so get used to it!"
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Love the picture. That's a happy kitty. I bought a deep cleaner for the upholstery (one of those little Bissell ones) and that helped with clean up. I'm pretty sure that the homes of most people on here are maintained for the comfort and convince of their cats. You probably don't want people who don't understand that visiting for long anyways. ;)
 
I just ordered 3 bags of the Boxie Cat off of Chewy.com. I hope my cats like it. Alska prefers Cat Attract but I have to use a putty knife to scrape the bottom and sides of the box because of how it sticks. Paws crossed that this doesn't stick as bad and that Alska approves. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
bsmith said:
I bought a deep cleaner for the upholstery (one of those little Bissell ones) and that helped with clean up. I'm pretty sure that the homes of most people on here are maintained for the comfort and convince of their cats. You probably don't want people who don't understand that visiting for long anyways. ;)
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I also have one of those Little Green Bissell Machines and I LOVE IT!! It has been a Godsend. And you are absolutely right! If folks can't understand or appreciate the way we care for our fur babies, then we're usually pretty happy to see them make it a short visit. As my DH sometimes says after they leave, "Come again when ya can't stay so long!" LOL!! :rolleyes:
 
I've used World's Best Litter for several years. The only problem was a thin line of ants heading for the litter box when, rather unwisely, I placed it by an outside sliding glass door! I am currently experimenting with all above-recommended litters. Will evaluate when finished. California crawls with ants! Detest them, although I recognize they're very useful creatures when outdoors.
Best wishes, Sophie
 
sophie said:
I've used World's Best Litter for several years. The only problem was a thin line of ants heading for the litter box when, rather unwisely, I placed it by an outside sliding glass door! I am currently experimenting with all above-recommended litters. Will evaluate when finished. California crawls with ants! Detest them, although I recognize they're very useful creatures when outdoors.
Best wishes, Sophie
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Please let me know your thoughts between boxie and elsey. I'm so close to ordering boxie, the only thing holding me back is the initial cost. Right now the litter box my cats use takes about 60 lbs of litter. I only change the box ENTIRELY twice a year unless needed sooner. Elsey clumps so well its not needed except for refills, and even with complete refill all I do with elsey is 2- 40 lb bags (about $35)
 
I'll report back too, @dirtybirdsoaps. I ordered the BoxieCat from Amazon this morning (2 packages). Figure I'll put it in one of the two boxes and leave Dr Elsey's in the other. I'm nervous about the cost since we also use about 60 lbs of Dr. Elsey's between the two boxes, but maybe we'll be able to use less with BC. Even now that he's diet-controlled, Henry is a big boy with big pees (and he pees in the same part of the box every time), so I'm curious if this will prevent some of those sludgy corners.
 
LOL I wish thats all I have to deal with! My one, Yuri, is too prissy to squat so he's like a little boy writing his name in the snow. I could deal with that if it was walking his way OUT of the litter box but sometimes its walking into the litter box, or his aims a bit high and still goes out of the litter box all over the walls. I already use a deep storage container thats about a foot, maybe a foot and a half tall lol. I thought mayyyyyybe its because its too dirty for him but it doesnt matter if its freshly filled and none of the others have been near it lol He's just prissy!
 
Blamethecats and Hannah said:
I also have one of those Little Green Bissell Machines and I LOVE IT!! It has been a Godsend. And you are absolutely right! If folks can't understand or appreciate the way we care for our fur babies, then we're usually pretty happy to see them make it a short visit. As my DH sometimes says after they leave, "Come again when ya can't stay so long!" LOL!! :rolleyes:
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Your husband's reply made me laugh. I may have to try that saying out myself.

dirtybirdsoaps said:
LOL I wish thats all I have to deal with! My one, Yuri, is too prissy to squat so he's like a little boy writing his name in the snow. I could deal with that if it was walking his way OUT of the litter box but sometimes its walking into the litter box, or his aims a bit high and still goes out of the litter box all over the walls. I already use a deep storage container thats about a foot, maybe a foot and a half tall lol. I thought mayyyyyybe its because its too dirty for him but it doesnt matter if its freshly filled and none of the others have been near it lol He's just prissy!
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Is he too prissy to squat or does he have some arthritis issues? My cat growing up started doing the same sort of thing so we kept getting bigger and bigger and deeper and deeper boxes, but she would still pee out the edge of the box. I did a lot of floor mopping (linoleum, so much easier than tile.)

One day I happened to see her using her box and realized that she was going into the litterbox as far as she had always gone into the litterbox (when she was younger). However, with her arthritis, she now couldn't squat as much. It was as if her brain told her "this is how far I've always gone in, I'm not going in any further, gosh darn it." Since she couldn't squat, the pee just went over the edge and onto the floor.

This is the kitty I spoke of earlier in this thread. I just started taking her to the litterbox periodically throughout the day and placing her ALL the way into her box. That finally stopped most of the peeing over the edge.

The other solution is a smaller box in the middle of a big tray. The tray will catch the pee that goes over the edge. Then you can just empty and clean the tray instead of the wall and the floor. For the tray I just used the lid from a large Rubbermaid type container.
 
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I'm pretty sure he's just prissy. He's only 5, no health issues from the vet, leaps and runs off everything, and has done this pretty much since he was a kitten lol. As to a box inside a box.....I kinda have that. I have placed the lid underneath it, and it catches some of it (either that or my litter catching mat) but it doesn't eliminate the issue of the wall. Honestly I have no clue how he gets it so high, you'd think he was aiming at something with how high he shoots it lol.
 
It seems more like he's marking his territory if he's aiming high. I know cats can get pretty high up. Henry does this on the outside of my back fence because there was a dog who used to come around and pee right there (it stopped the dog).

(Btw, Henry is fixed and he's not "spraying," just urine marking his territory.)
 
dirtybirdsoaps said:
I'm pretty sure he's just prissy. He's only 5, no health issues from the vet, leaps and runs off everything, and has done this pretty much since he was a kitten lol. As to a box inside a box.....I kinda have that. I have placed the lid underneath it, and it catches some of it (either that or my litter catching mat) but it doesn't eliminate the issue of the wall. Honestly I have no clue how he gets it so high, you'd think he was aiming at something with how high he shoots it lol.
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I guess he's just a prissy (or a pissy, bad pun) kind of cat. Maybe he's planning on trying out for the height peeing event in the Cat Olympics? You could put some targets on the wall for him so he can hopefully reach his Olympic dreams. :joyful:
 
Hello!
Has anyone used Perfect Litter? That's the one that turns pink (or darker) if kitty has a lower urinary infection. It's very light weight, 4 lbs last 1 cat one month. I accidently overbought it, so it will be some time before I test another litter. I did get dr. Elsey's Litter, but have not tried it as yet. One thing about it (Dr. E) that concerns me is its heavy weight. All comments will be appreciated.
Best wishes,
Sophie&Pudge (GA)
 
I have a question about the Boxie Litter. Since density is a major factor and there is a huge difference in volume for even the 40# Cat Attract vs. the 40# Super Premium (both Dr Elsey's) I was wondering if you coule tell me what the volume in the Boxie cat is like compared to Cat Attract or another Dr. Elsey's product. I need a 40# Cat Attract to fill one litter box.
 
Hi, PumpkinsMom!
My Boxie Cat, as compared to the 18lb bag of dr. Elsey's Precious Cat, appears to be about 25% less by volume. I have not opened either bag, as yet, so my guesses are great approximations. Will open fairy soon because I have purchased a new litter box (Omega Paw self-cleaning litter box) for which Dr. Elsey's litter appears to be perfect. Omega is the one that's both enclosed and has the side drawer where supposedly litter clumps, as well as, poop can be manually deposited by turning the box sideways. There is simply no way that I could handle a 40# bag. Perhaps, frequent or long-term users could provide more useful comments for PumpkinsMom? She needs volume information.

Still experimenting with litter, though, will probably not use Perfect Litter because I'm not convinced how much I do/ would trust FLUTD guide long-term. Find it scary plus messy.
Best wishes,
Sophie&Pudge(GA)
 
sophie said:
I have purchased a new litter box (Omega Paw self-cleaning litter box) for which Dr. Elsey's litter appears to be perfect. Omega is the one that's both enclosed and has the side drawer where supposedly litter clumps, as well as, poop can be manually deposited by turning the box sideways.
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I recently purchased two of the Omega Paw self cleaning boxes (size large). I'm glad I tried only one of them out first. For the first three days it was like a magic trick. Roll the box over and, tada, all the clumps are in the drawer. Day four, I rolled the box and litter spilled all over the floor, the drawer filled with clean litter, and the majority of the clumps were left in the box itself.

Upon disassembly, I noticed that Edwin has peed close to the screen section and some litter had stuck to the screen. I figured that maybe this caused the problem and cleaned everything out and reassembled. I did notice some cracking on the hinge portion of the screen section (not good for day four of use).

Day five, rolled the box. Same thing, dumping litter, drawer filled with clean litter, and clumps still in box. Took apart again. This time, no clogging of the screen to possibly cause problems. The cracks in the hinge were noticeably larger. I will be returning both boxes and am terribly unhappy with their construction. Even from the disposable litter boxes you at least get a week's use.

I hope your experience is better. Maybe I got a dud, but I'd check the hinged area on the screen regularly if I were you.
 
Hello! Thanks for the hints, bsmith. I plan to spray the entire interior with non-stick cooking spray, let it dry, and use duct tape on the hinges. Sounds defective already! I had some expensive self-cleaning litter boxes that broke in the past. They had to be plugged into electricity. Didn't want anything electrical since shortly l'll have several kittens for about 3 weeks - helping a neighbor. Much appreciate your input!
Best wishes,
Sophie&Pudge (GA)
 
sophie said:
Hello! Thanks for the hints, bsmith. I plan to spray the entire interior with non-stick cooking spray, let it dry, and use duct tape on the hinges. Sounds defective already! I had some expensive self-cleaning litter boxes that broke in the past. They had to be plugged into electricity. Didn't want anything electrical since shortly l'll have several kittens for about 3 weeks - helping a neighbor. Much appreciate your input!
Best wishes,
Sophie&Pudge (GA)
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Goodness, if you're going to do all that you should paint some racing stripes on the sides too. Cats always appreciate racing stripes. I'm hoping that your experience is better than mine and that I just got a dud (the majority of the reviews I saw before buying were good). Even if the screen part breaks, it still works just fine as a regular covered litterbox. Though, when it did work, it was like a fabulous cat waste magic trick.
 
Hi, PomkinsMom! I have just realized that my 2 dr. e's litter bags were of two different weights so, of course, the volumes would be different! I'd say that BoxieCat & Precious Cat litters are the same by volume, if their weight is the same. Sorry for my error.
bsmith: no racing stripe :) because kittens came earlier than I had expected since my neighbor's operation is happening sooner than anticipated. The little sweeties love Boxie Cat litter. Treat it as a sandbox! So much fun for me! I watched them digging around for an hour!Never anticipated such high jinx!
Best wishes,
Sophie&Pudge(GA)
 
sophie said:
bsmith: no racing stripe :) because kittens came earlier than I had expected since my neighbor's operation is happening sooner than anticipated. The little sweeties love Boxie Cat litter. Treat it as a sandbox! So much fun for me! I watched them digging around for an hour!Never anticipated such high jinx!
Best wishes,
Sophie&Pudge(GA)
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There's nothing kittens like quite as much as playing in a litterbox and pooping. And then eating some more for more pooping fun. There's probably some naps and trouble making in there somewhere too. It's always fun to have kittens around for a bit after your own cat has gotten a older and you've forgotten what kittens are like. When I had friends (who were fostering kittens in addition to their own cats) go out of town, I quickly realized that I would have to do litterbox duty twice a day instead of once. All that growing requires a lot more food intake, and output, than grown cats.
 
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