this post was submitted on 28 Nov 2023
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Asklemmy

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (3 children)
  1. wood pellet. if you buy it packaged for horse stall bedding instead of cat litter you can get 40 lb for $6. requires a special litter box because it's different from the clump and scoop type.

  2. if you don't want to change your litter box, you want Naturally Fresh Walnut shell Quick Clumping. please remember not to use clumping litter with small kittens

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Since this horse bedding is made from wood fibers, it’s relatively safe for cats. But keep a couple of things in mind to ensure your cat’s health:

  • Check if the type of wood pellets contains any harmful additives. You want 100 percent natural wood, preferably pine, cedar, or oak.

  • Ask if the equine pellets are kiln-dried to remove phenols. Phenols are dangerous for cats since their livers can’t break them down. In large amounts, they can be deadly.

  • Ensure that the wood is not treated with any chemical additives.

source

(E: personally, though in the UK, I buy Cat's Best pellets. Probably more expensive than horse pellets, but they come in smaller packages I can manage, and are 100% safe for cats so I don't have to worry)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

I treat 'em like kittens but all adults ;)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Pine pellet for horse stalls is definitely the correct answer. It's the most effective, easiest litter AND it's monstrously cheaper.

I've tried maybe 5 or 6 different litters, nothing absorbs as much smell as pine pellets. You can ignore it for a couple of days without issue. It doesn't track or clump. You don't have to scoop pee, although you should give it a quick stir or sift daily. That's easy enough to do when you scoop any poop.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

You can also get pine pellets for cheap by going after wood stove fuel but you need to thoroughly research whether the brand uses accelerants or not.

I'm actually super pissed off that the pellets marketed as litter have such an insane mark up given that other pellets usually just have additives... you're paying a premium for them to not do extra work.