Michele...question for you about cat litter! LOL!!
#311946 - 07/25/07 09:46 AM
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StephS
Reged: 09/11/03
Posts: 2123
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Hi Michele!
I haven't been on in a long time. Things get pretty busy. Anyhow, I know that you have cats and am wondering what litter you like best. I have 2 indoor kittens now...both 3 mo old. One boy and one girl. I got the girl first and the litter box wasnt too bad. But now the boy has really stunk it up. He is just really smelly and he is so messy. He always drags little out of the box. I'm changing the litter all the time. I do have the clumping kind and I scoop it at least once a day. But he still makes it so yucky! The girl has never been to bad. I could handle it. But now it's just so smelly!! Help!!!
Any suggestions? Also these cats poop A LOT....why is that? I had no idea cats used the bathroom so much!
I hope all is well with you. I haven't been on for a long time so l have no idea whats going on with everyone.
Thanks so much for you help....oh, how are your puppies? I guess their getting big now.
Hugs!
Steph
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Steph,
Not Michele, but with regard to the poops a lot issue, what are you feeding them? It does make a huge difference. Food bought from a vet or specialty store (Pet Smart) is much better. We used Nutro with our cat and it solved the smell problem (for the most part). May want to ask your vet for a suggestion. Our vet said most cats just can't digest all the fillers in most grocery store brand cat food. Kind of like ibs for cats?
HTH
Laura
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Sorry to butt in here, but your post made me laugh! I have two indoor kitties and my boy cat is such a slob and the SMELLIEST poops! My girl cat is so dainty and has such cute little poops (if poop can be considered cute)
I use Arm and Hammer clumping multi-cat litter. I change the thing like twice a day. Seriously! Otherwise it stinks and I don't like stink, but you could definitely get away with changing once a day. That's definitely not excessive.
I also sprinkle Arm and Hammer's powder odor-reducer for litter boxes whenever I change the litter. It helps a lot!
If you don't have a lid on the box, get one so they can't kick the litter and poops out. Also, they sell great mats at Petsmart and other places that you can place outside the box that help trap litter on their paws.
Kitties poop a ton more than grown up kitties. But, I agree with the other post about the food they eat affecting their pooping. Better foods with less icky fillers produce less poopage.
Have fun with your babies!
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Thanks Ladies! That helps. I'll look into some different good. My boy kitty lives up to the typical man...messy!!!! LOL!
Thanks
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If he has problems staying clean "back there" (mine sometimes refuses to bathe his behind...he's so stubborn!) there are great kitty bath wipes you can use. They're like baby wipes and you can find them at pet stores. I also use them to clean their paws off when they get into stuff (i.e. the fireplace). A good thing to have on hand with kittens!
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I may have to disagree on one little thing here... I would recommend NOT putting a lid on your litter box. I have three cats, plus I foster for our local shelter quite a bit. Cats HATE stinky or dirty litter boxes, and putting a lid on it will just trap all the stink in there. It may be enough to discourage them from using the box. Would you use a bathroom that stunk like that???
Amanda, you put fresh litter in your litter boxes EVERY DAY?? You must spend a fortune on cat litter! I use Tidy Cats Crystals for multiple cats, and I only change the litter once a month.
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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No, gosh no! I'd go broke!! I clean it everyday at least once and use the powder daily to eliminate/neutralize the odor. I add litter as needed which is usually once a week. The cats don't seem to mind the lid at all and it keeps my floors clean, so I'm sold on it! Does it matter that my lid has vents on the top? Perhaps that helps the stink dissipate. I saw some lids without the vents and I can understand how that would trap odor. My female Siamese cat also seems to prefer to "privacy" too, which cracks me up. She goes all the way in the back of the box to go and if you happen to glance at her she freezes and stops going until you look away.
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Ah, perhaps the vents DO help. Whatever works!! One of mine especially likes watching me scoop all the boxes in the morning, then as soon as I tie the bag up and leave, she prances right into one of the boxes and POOPS! She just HAS to leave her mark for the other two!! Cats are way smarter than we give them credit for. How many do you have?
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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Hey Girls, sorry I have been mia for a few days!! Just saw this!
I personally do NOT like the clumping litter, I have long hair cats and it gets in there fur and I find it all over the place. I use tidy cat regular old cat little for multiple cats. I have a BIG litter box with a lid and the lid does have a vent and a filter. I change the box every 6-7 days, after I empty it, I spray it with Lysol and than put a coat of baking soda in the bottom before putting the litter in. I also have the box on an old throw rug to catch anything they gets stuck in their feet. My box in right in my kitchen and all m friends are amazed that my house doesn't smell like kitty box!!
I also agree that the food you feed them makes a HUGE difference! I used to feed my kitties the standard cat chow or friskies. My Persian started having same dry skin issues and I switched them to max cat, the orange bag one and there coats are much healthier and they honestly poop about half as much as they did before! The better quality food have a lot less fillers in them and more of the nutrients are absorb and less come out the other end!
-------------------- Taking it one day at a time.....
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I have two cats. My female cat also poops the moment I clean out the box. I think it's definitely a territorial thing! She's the dominant animal in the house with the other animals being the other cat and my pug puppy.
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I totally agree about the food thing. I feed all my cats Wellness brand and they have AMAZING coats!! I also managed to get my calico to shed a few pounds via the "Catkins" diet! Wellness food has no carbs, which cats don't need anyway. And their poops are so small!!
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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After trying just about every brand and type of litter, I have finally fallen in love -- Ever Clean EverFresh litter. It is pretty expensive and I can only find it at PetSmart, but it is AWESOME. It clumps better than any other litter and it doesn't stink. (and, believe me, I am hyper-sensitive to smells.) It has charcoal in it, though I've tried other brands w/ charcoal and it hasn't worked nearly as well.
Anyhow, I've been fighting the stinky litter box battle for years so thought I'd pass that along.
-------------------- jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
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