Adventures In Cat Litter

So after several weeks & a few different tries at types of litter, I think we finally have a winner.

I first thought that scoopable wheat litter was a good replacement for the clumping clay I’d started her off with, as per what I’d been told by her rescue organization as to what she preferred. Clumping clay produces a lot of dust, and since the cat began her time in Chez Wagstaff with some breathing problems, I assumed the litter dust was making them worse. So, I switched her to wheat, which was less dusty, smelled better, and was certainly better for you environmental types since it’s renewable and not mined.

But then the cat developed an allergy to it, something my vet warned me to look out for. After a few weeks of the stuff, it began to make her eyes water like crazy – like little faucets. She’d tear up after grooming her face or after using the box – so a quick experiment of waving a cup of the stuff fresh from the bag under her nose once she’d dried out proved the allergy when she had an immediate reaction.

Bah! I ran out that night to get more clumping clay & changed her entire box after vacuuming the hell out of the bathroom & surrounding area.

I knew she’d still use the box with the clay – Job 1 was keeping her using the box – but I didn’t want to let her breathe that clay dust too long.

So, as per the suggestion from the manager at a local pet supply store, I decided to try to switch her to Green Tea cat litter, a Japanese product made from recycled wood, mixed with green tea leaves to naturally kill bacteria & fight odor. Since the stuff is pellet form and not sandy, I slowly mixed it in with the clay as I scooped clay out, over a week or so.

And it worked! The cat got used to digging around in it, and then I replaced the entire box with Green Tea litter only. The stuff clumps well, smells much better, and produces far less dust. When she tracks a little around the house, the pellets are easy to spot & pick up. And perhaps best of all, the stuff weighs about 1/3 as much as clay, so changing the entire box will no longer be a weightlifting exercise.

I can’t recommend this stuff highly enough if you’ve got a cat! I figured I’d post this review since I was going nuts trying to find the best match for my cat’s health, and it seemed to happen almost by accident. If you landed here on an internet search & this helps you out, great! But I’ll warn ya – it’s a little pricey… even if it lasts longer, it still works out to a higher cost than the clay (though about the same as the wheat, I think). Amazon sells the stuff, but I’ve found it at a few different pet supply stores and managed to find a 10 liter bag (about 6 pounds, basically enough to fill an extra large litter box) for about $11.

But my kitty is worth it! Look how adorable she is, napping on my blankie! Awwww!

Yes, cats reduce me to brain-scrambled moron in nothing flat. It must be that parasite in my brain.

Now all I need is a product that translates from English to Cat and back again. That way, I can explain the concept of “4AM is NOT playtime” much more easily.