Rose_P

https://www.quiltingboard.com/person...-cat-litter-ss

Here's an update and heads up on my litter experience. The tutorial mentioned using crushed walnut shell cat litter, and I missed the fact that there are two kinds of walnut shell litter. The one I ordered without reading closely is in the form of pellets, which are not suitable for stuffing pincushions. I have cats, and my intention was to use the remainder of the big bag for its original purpose, but I can't even use the pellets for that because they won't mix evenly with the Fresh Step, and I'm afraid the cats would notice the change. Under no circumstance will I risk offending my cats in that area. I can't return it without paying shipping because it was my own stupid fault for not reading closely. So tomorrow, I'm donating it to the local shelter. This has turned into a costly project, for what it is. I found the right kind of crushed shells at a local pet store and it was much less than the bag of pellets. Wish I'd done that to start with.

Lindaschipper, you are right about it being available for a lizard substrate, but it's also sold as cat litter, possibly not as finely crushed. I don't understand why not use it in a pincushion. I'm not planning to use it after the cats use it , and they can't find their way into the pincushion.

I was surprised to find that it's also sold as a tumbling medium for polishing metal objects. So if anyone doesn't like the idea of using cat litter, that's another option (same stuff I think).

SusieQOH

Our older cat goes up the side of the litterbox but we found a solution by taping up a large piece of plastic from JAF. That solved our problem.

I've never heard of crushed walnut shells cat litter. Is it absorbent? Doesn't sound like it would be. When they invented scoop able litter I thought I died and went to heaven.

Rose_P

Looks like they've moved us to personal diaries, which seems to ignore the fact that I was using litter to stuff pincushions and got the wrong kind and I was trying to let people know there are two kinds and not to make the same mistake I made.

But since we're here, Susie, I have to share what works really well for our cats: I saw an enclosed litter pan with the opening on the top in a video with a bunch of cats doing tricks. Obviously these people are dealing with several cats and even going on the road with them, so they know what's what in litter pans. However, I found the commercially available pans like that to be quite costly and rather small, and one of my cats is big. So I went out and got a Sterilite bin that was big enough and cut a hole in the top about the same size as the hole in the front of the old litter pan, 8". This has been great for keeping everything off the floor. I'm not sure it's a good idea to make a big change for an older cat, but it's been a big improvement over all earlier litter pans.

SusieQOH

Rose, that is so clever!!!! Kinda funny, too but clever indeed!

ByThePiece

I have to put in my 2¢ about cats and cat litter. I remember when "Clumping Cat Litter" first came out, it was sold in plastic gallon jugs in Miami and it was about $ 8 a gallon and I loved it. First cat after lost dog to cancer was in 1980 and still learning about cats, 39 years later. I was paying 40 lbs clumping about $ 12.00. - New This is # 5.99 for 40 lbs and has the advantage that the used sawdust part can go out in the yard or compost. Watch video. They use sifting litterboxes but I just have "multi-purpose trays" from Lowe's 26 x 20 x 6, scoop out poop and replenish until once a week, dump. Saving about half the money. Love the hole in the storage box and wish someone would invent a male cat urinal. About 3 of every 10 males in my estimation don't understand not to pee on things inside. I may just have too many cats. NO, some just don't understand. And some are competitive target shooters. I think that may be why males are abandoned. Maybe a child's pool with a center post of some kind and sand or pelleted pine needles all around. It would take room but half my rescues are in a 2 car garage so there's room. Love this FORUM ♥♥♥ It's Horse Bedding from Tractor Supply. Pee turns pellets into sawdust. Poop sits on top to be scooped out.

Tothill

ByThePiece,

What is the litter that you can get for $5,99 for 40#? I use the Costco Clumping litter and the price just went up again. With three cats I go through quite a bit.

Onebyone

Litter cost is an expense of having an indoor cat so the inexpensive litter is fine if changed every day. It still costs less then buying the expensive one and trying to make it last. Why not use a litter box with the high dome top? It keeps the litter from going everywhere. When I had my cat I had two of them One to clean every day ready for the next day. I always had a clean litter box ready to change out. A litter box smells if not cleaned everyday no matter what type of litter you use. A litter box is basically a chamber pot and those were cleaned every morning.

Rose_P

Onebyone, I have a couple of those high domed covered litter pans in the garage, and I'm not sure why I've saved them. My cats always found a way to toss the litter out the door and have done much better with the top opening. Also, these bins are bigger and more comfortable for my bigger than average cats.