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[Ontarkie 14,222]

Ok it seems it might have been good but they change it and now nothing but complaints. 

[Pooky 3,784]

The blurb on the crystals bag lies. it takes a week for our furball to overpower the scent masking properties and start stinking up the mud room. Good thing is, he lets us know when he thinks it should be changed. Bad thing is I don’t make enough money to change it that often.

 

The main problem we have with the crystals is that even with an anti-tracking mat, the furball still manages to get it throughout the house and it hurts almost as bad as legos. it’s not as dust-prone as most clay litters though.

Edited August 4, 2023 by Pooky

[Ontarkie 14,222]

1 minute ago, Pooky said:

The blurb on the crystals bag lies. it takes a week for our furball to overpower the scent masking properties and start stinking up the mud room. Good thing is, he lets us know when he thinks it should be changed. Bad thing is I don’t make enough money to change it that often.

 

The main problem we have with the crystals is that even with an anti-tracking mat, the furball still manages to get it throughout the house and it hurts almost as bad as legos. it’s not as dust-prone as most clay litters though.

I don't like the tracking of the crystals either. I thin they are just as bad as legos. My biggest issue with the clay is the way the clay smells even fresh out of the box. I can't get that smell out of my nose and half the time my nose is stuffed and I can't smell anything. But this dang clay gets in there. 

[mam521 2,062]

Our cats are a bit bougie - they have a Litter Robot.  It was a LR3 upgraded to an LR3 Connect.  Considered the new LR4, but I can't justify $700 for a pooper scooper when my old skool unit still works and the reviews on the new one are hit or miss.  The old one is a bit noisy, but it's been going strong for many moons now.  We had a Smart Scoop litterbox before we got the LR and then got one when we were back in Canada stuck in immigration purgatory for 18mo and couldn't bring LR with us.  We simply missed our LR.  Smart Scoop was inferior and used more litter than LR because LR does a better job of cleaning each cycle and not wasting litter. 

 

Supposedly the crystal litters are better because they have less dust.  I personally can't justify the cost of some of the gimmicks that go along with the crystal litter - pH this and whatever that.  We use the Scoop Away clay litter because it's often on sale at Costco and I like that there are 4 smaller, more manageable bags in the flat pack.  I don't find it smelly and if I do notice the litterbox, it's because some teenaged slacker hasn't cleaned the drawer and added litter and I'm hyper sensitive to the smell.  We have 2 badly behaved boomer kitties (16 & 13.5 years old) so the drawer gets emptied on Wed/Sun, just in time for M/Th trash pickup.  People don't notice a litter smell.  They are informed cats live here when the boomers come out and talk to our guests and demand worshipings.  

 

I have a friend who uses Arm & Hammer clay litter and her whole house WREAKS of that litter.  Back when Hurricane Harvey happened, her house flooded so she came to stay and hubs had to tell her to switch litter because it was too perfumey and it was making him sick.  

 

The other consideration is food.  Cats are obligate carnivores, so feeding them an appropriate food without fillers also helps the 💩 stink less.  The boomers had to be put on wet food because the boy cat has urinary issues otherwise but it's worked out fine because he's also now a diabetic (in remission - thank goodness) and our food choices were good other than the bit of kibble he got in the evenings was more like McD's for cats.  He was annoyed when we switched it, but he's over it.  He gets his "snack" around 10pm.  To alert us, he sits in front of my husband and complains to him.  If ignored, he relocates to the carpet near the edge of the coffee table and sits up on his haunches, rubbing the front paw beans one paw at a time on the edge of the glass because he knows he's not supposed to.  As soon as hubs stands up, boomer cat hops onto his feet and trots over to his bowl to await his reward.  

 

The 16yo cat (Siamese) will come issue a complaint with the Complaints Department if the water fountain isn't to her liking or the litter box isn't quite right.  She's the one you can set your watch to when it comes to dinner time, too.  7am and 7pm, she's up in your face telling you that famine is imminent and she's a 100% poor, starved kitten who's withering away to nothing.  She purrs like a Mack truck and is super noisy when she eats, too.  

[Ontarkie 14,222]

Thanks I will have to save up for it, as I can just imagine the Hillbilly will not be impressed with the price tag. I also like the idea that litter can be found on sale at Costco. I like the Fresh Step crystals because of no dust and no clay smell. But I'm will to test that clay out later before I make a big splurge on the box. 

 

So far the old litter box is working good. 

Edited August 9, 2023 by Ontarkie

[mam521 2,062]

Eh...I figure if they are pottying where they are supposed to an not in an undesired location, it's a win!

[TBoneTX 45,288]

6 hours ago, mam521 said:

Cats are obligate carnivores

Cat T-B. was getting chubby, and the vets kept claiming this.

Switched her to Fancy Feast Petites (grilled, not paté).  Now, she'll eat nothing but.

One twin-pack for breakfast, one for lunch, one for din-din.

Voluminous but not-usually-smelly poop.

[Ontarkie 14,222]

I checked out the price of the smart scoop cat litter at Costco and it doesn't seem to badly priced either. 

[TBoneTX 45,288]

42 minutes ago, Ontarkie said:

I checked out the price of the smart scoop cat litter at Costco and it doesn't seem to badly priced either. 

If you don't like the stuff, you'll have bought quite a bit of it.

[Ontarkie 14,222]

15 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

If you don't like the stuff, you'll have bought quite a bit of it.

Yes that is for sure. I would just use it up and complain the whole time 

[Ontarkie 14,222]

Anyone use this brand? I have a 50% off coupon and I figure it would be a good time to try it out. 

 

[TBoneTX 45,288]

1 hour ago, Ontarkie said:

I have a 50% off coupon

This is all that matters!   

1 hour ago, Ontarkie said:

it would be a good time to try it out

With a 50% coupon, absolutely!     

[mam521 2,062]

Interestingly I was in Walmart yesterday and decided I'd take a quick peruse at the cat litter and grab some if it was reasonable.  Man oh man!  The 38lb pack of Scoop Away was $25!!!  It's cheaper at H-E-B by at least $5 and was on sale when I was in there last week for like $17.  Costco's packs are 42lbs and usually $16, but if it's on sale for $13, we buy the max (usually it's 4 per person).  

 

I should have toilet trained my cats when they were kittens.  I have a friend who's shelter cat came trained - he used to pee on the toilet all on his own.  Shortly after she'd adopted him, he strolled on into the bathroom when she was in there the one day, hopped up, did is business and wandered off.  She was like "what did I just witness...".  No complaints though.  

[TBoneTX 45,288]

2 minutes ago, mam521 said:

pee on the toilet

Peeing "on" the toilet is rather different from peeing in the toilet, mam ma'am.   

[Ontarkie 14,222]

7 hours ago, mam521 said:

Interestingly I was in Walmart yesterday and decided I'd take a quick peruse at the cat litter and grab some if it was reasonable.  Man oh man!  The 38lb pack of Scoop Away was $25!!!  It's cheaper at H-E-B by at least $5 and was on sale when I was in there last week for like $17.  Costco's packs are 42lbs and usually $16, but if it's on sale for $13, we buy the max (usually it's 4 per person).  

 

I should have toilet trained my cats when they were kittens.  I have a friend who's shelter cat came trained - he used to pee on the toilet all on his own.  Shortly after she'd adopted him, he strolled on into the bathroom when she was in there the one day, hopped up, did is business and wandered off.  She was like "what did I just witness...".  No complaints though.  

It's crazy the price of cat litter. 

 

My daughter's old cats was toilet trained.