Product Reviews: Cat Litter. Gross.

There's a reason I chose the handle Bigcatbox, I'm a cat guy. I have been for as long as I can remember. My cats have Facebook pages. I have tattoos dedicated to my cats. I regularly spend hundreds of dollars at the veterinarian. There are cat toys thrown everywhere.

As I'm writing this, there is a video on the television of birds and rabbits and squirrels, made just for cats. 

And of course here's my coffee cup.

Crazy Cat Guy.

With that connotation comes great responsibility, not only to my cats, but to my girlfriend/roomie.

Read: I can't have the apartment smell like cat piss. 

I currently have 2 cat boxes for my cats. And fortunately, I'm able to keep both of them in the master bath.

In an attempt to minimize mess, I keep a catbox in a box.

There has been some controversy on clay litter being unhealthy for your pet. So please do some research to make the best choice for you and your felines.

But all that being said, I'm going to tell you about my cat litter experiences. 

Ya, this blog is pretty much all over the place. 

Very Different.

I honestly have been trying out alternative litters, Non-Clay based, such as the Purina Renew on the left. Prior to that I was using some wheat based. I'm undecided on the feline health controversy, but I figured non-clays at least are easily renewable and open another market for farmers.


The scoopability of Renew was less than ideal. But this I've found true to any non-clay litter. There are some non-clay litters that claim to clump, but the very nature of wood chips, news paper, etc. makes that a hard claim.

My cats are totally fine with non-clay, the problem with the Renew however, is that it STANK. Holy mother of meat, even from thirty feet away, it smelt like a cat had peed on my pillow. Gross gross gross.

After a week of suffering through the stink, I decided to switch back to a clay based litter, the Purina Tidy Cats.

Odor problem gone. Gone gone gone. 
It clumps really well to boot.

Neither product really tracked to bad. The Renew is lighter and although more seemed to stick to kitties feet, it was typically brushed off on the mat under the catbox. The Tidy Cat is heavier and only sticks to fat Doughnut's feet. 

The Renew comes in a nifty recyclable/biodegradable cardboard container. That's a real nice option I wish all litters had. 


So there's your brief summary on a couple different kinds of cat litter.

If you're planning on getting a kitty or perhaps changing litters, there is a bit more to think about than just tossing down a cat box full of litter. Talk with your vet, or find one before even getting a new kitty, about proper catbox training.

Doughnut.

Cats are wonderful pets, but it only takes a mistake or two to make your home stink to high heaven. Finding what works best for you and kitty may take a while, but it's well worth it.