Conference misery::feline_v1

    I have a comment - YUK! Percy and Pookie were incarcerated in a
    cattery that used sawdust. WHAT A SMELL!!!! Don't do it unless you
    have no sense of smell!
    
    
    Lisa plus P&P.
    
    

re .1
..the smell of the wood-based pellets is "pine-fresh" according to the
  blurb in Cat World... Perhaps it's different to just using sawdust?

*DC

    Dave, 
    
    I have started the wood pellets litter, the brand called Tact, and
    I much prefer it to the Fullers earth; clean, easy to use, and no
    smell.  Also, it's biodegradable and you can just put it on the
    garden.
    
    Helen.

    Having 4 cats using litterboxes, I found I 
    was running to the store for litter and spending
    $$$$.  I have a horse, so I started using some 
    of the sawdust for his stall mixed in with the
    cat litter.  It works great and it cut down on
    the $$$ at least 75%.  
    
    (I use the scented type litter, though)
    
    Lynne

re .3
How do you remove the soiled (wet) bits? I have now got some wood-based
(Smart Cat brand), but find that the pellets have a tendency to collapse back
into sawdust when wet. This makes it more difficult to remove than the
clumps of fullers I'm used to.

re .4
I'd wondered about the cost...

Thanks for the inputs
*DC

I find the wood-based litter is fine. You don't need many pellets - just enough 
to cover the bottom. You don't scoop out the damp bits - the pellets break down  
over a few days into a fine sawdust and absorb the wetness with no smell. You 
can't leave it for too long without changing but it is very economical. The 
solid bits you do have to scoop out but the few pellets in the bottom of the 
tray soon swell to a couple of inches in depth. I've never had any problems.

Avril

    Any idea where we can get the wood-based litter to try it out here in
    the UK?  I don't get the magazine Cat World.
    

re .7
�    Any idea where we can get the wood-based litter to try it out here in
�    the UK?  I don't get the magazine Cat World.
    
It seems to be only Pet Shops that sell it (i.e. Supermarkets and Sainsbury's
Homebase etc. don't). 
*DC 

    DAVE,
    We use Philip's wood litter called 'TACT' and find it very economical.
    What we do is when they have used it,we remove the solids with a scoop
    and then shake the wet litter through an ordinary garden sieve.We have
    cut down our usage of litter by 1/3rd.a big saving for us as we breed
    and show.Also the residue is a lot lighter and our dustman takes it for
    us in our black refuse sacks. You can of course use it on the garden or
    on the compost heap.
    One thing we did find they would not use other wood brands.It also
    absorbs the smell of cat urine, which I'm not really partial to,even my
    stud cats.
    To be really honest you will get some transfer on paws but it can be 
    hoovered up quite easily.I have not found a cat litter that doesn't
    travel but then I do have quite a lot of cats and kittens play in
    litter trays what ever you put in them. Personally we would not go back
    to any other litter now.A large sack costs us �7.90 
    Th�r�se 781-5525
    
    
    

Thanks again for the responses. I have now obtained an "Economy" size
bag of Phillips "Tact" (�11.75), and am letting our kittens try it out.
This week they have one litter tray with the usual Fullers Earth, and
another with the wood-based "Tact". So far they have only used the "Tact"
occasionally (despite my having sprinkled a little Fullers Earth on the
top to give them the idea). This weekend when I clean out the trays I'm
planning to refill them both with "Tact".

Does anyone have any suggestions/ horror stories to do with changing
litter types? 
*DC (who has visions of a customised carpet in the near future) �^}

    Horror story:
    
    I attempted to change the litter I use from Johnny Cat to Good Mews
    (sort of recycled newspaper in pellets).  I was shown in terms I was 
    able to understand (a pile left next to the litterbox) that this was 
    unacceptable.  I rushed right out and bought a bag of the regular
    litter and all was fine.  A similar thing occurred when I tried a 
    wood-based (looked sort of like large chunks of sawdust) litter.  I 
    have since learned that if it isn't Johnny Cat it darned well better
    be Tidy Cat or Kitty Litter brand.  Nothing out of the ordinary for 
    my crew.
                                                            
    Jan

Re: changing the litter

I don't know HOW it was done...but when I changed from Tidy Cat to another
litter, I ended up with a pile of the litter on my bed!  The cat box is
across the house from my bedroom!  I changed back and the litter never
reappeared on my bed.  They do communicate well when they have to.

They've now had only wood-based for 36 hours, and so far no horror
stories. Another recommendation from me... it really is better.
*DC