Frugal Alternative Cat Litter

I can't take credit for this. I'm just so happy that we found out about an alternate odor eliminating bedding for horses to use in place of cat litter.

We have a new rescue cat that let's say has just been nothing but hell in his litter box. It was getting to the point we were considering taking him back to the pound because we were starting to spend a considerable amount time and money on changing out the cat litter to try and stay ahead of the odors. We tried adding baking soda, and everything under the sun to keep the smell down.

He was also tracking the clay litter from the enclosed litter box out on to our wooden floors, which were also starting to develop scratches.

We have been using only horse bedding pine pellets that we bought at TSC in place of the clay litter. We were a bit skeptical because they look very much like wood heating stove pellets. We were also concerned with saw dust being tracked through the house as we have tried to use saw dust in the past as an alternative litter and ended up with the mess.

The bag says that they absorb odors and boy does it. We've had no strong urine odors like we were having with the clay. As soon as the urine hits the pellets they absorb and break down into saw dust but it stays odor free and moist enough not to track.

The 40 lb bag was only a $1 cheaper than the 40 lb bags of clay litter. The real value comes in not having to change it as often, lasting us at least twice to three times as long. We have also discovered that it doesn't take as much since it seems to expand when it breaks down.

Best of all since it is totally bio degradable we have sectioned off a separate composting area just to dump the litter box. That's something that we couldn't do with the clay litter as we would of ended up in a mound of gravel. Yea we were adding the other to the trash and felt bad about sending something else off to the land fill. We will just use this compost around the flower beds and not in the vegetable garden for sure.

During the first week, we did mix the new pellets with the old clay litter to be sure the cat would take to it, but he did and has been using the pure pellets for the full two weeks now.

We are now going to try and find these pellets in bulk supply as we feel we could probably save even more money.

We first tried pine wood pellets back in '95 or '96. They were actually marketed as a cat litter at the pet store (Feline Pine). I had good results from them. I use clay litter now because I don't want the cats using the chicken coops as litter boxes. (I use horse bedding pellets in there). I don't think it matters anymore for me. I caught the cats going in some of the pellets that had been knocked out onto the ground a couple days ago. So I may be switching to pellets since they are much cheaper and lighter. AND they don't get tracked everywhere. I'm sick of the clay all over in the laundry room.

I buy the bedding pellets on sale when I can. I'd much prefer spending $4 bucks for 40 pounds of them than $8 bucks for the clay. So I'm probably going to switch.

I think I'm going to have to try this. I hate buying kitty litter.

hummh...I haven't seen this before...but if I could find something cheaper..and well absorbant..I am all in...
I must say...I am really peeved at the high priced commercial cost on litter...just ridiculous..and seems like when I do buy the boxes seem to be getting smaller...
as much as I do love my kitty...I am all for animals like rabbits..where the poop value...pays for itself in the garden ...

I know this is an old post, but I will throw in my two cents. When I had indoor cats I would take bags of shredded paper home from work and use it in the litter box. Everyday I would dump it at the edge of my property near a large tree. The leaves from the tree mixed and it composted down. Since I emptied the box everyday it never smelled, it was compostable (not for gardens !), and it was FREE which was my favorite thing about it.

I was thinking along similar lines... but we don't have cats, lol

I think I'm gonna try this.

I don't have a cat any more, so I don't need to buy anything.

Well I don't either actually, technically, but my boyfriend does, and he stinks...the cat, not the boyfriend. The boyfriend actually smells quite nice.

Posting for posterity, cats can be trained to potty outside just like dogs. I did it when I lived in the city with an indoor cat. Now we have a barn cat. She comes inside in the morning for up to 8 hours and back outside. 2 years, no messes in the house. Last week we forgot her inside all day while we went shopping and she was fine! Good kitty!