Author Topic: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%  (Read 8011 times)

Urchina

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Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« on: April 09, 2016, 10:46:27 AM »
We have 3 indoor-only cats and have chosen, for health and environmental reasons, to not use clay litter. We tried a bunch of other litters snd loved a corn-based brand called "world's best." Turns out, it's long-lasting but really expensive ($43 for 35 lbs; lasts us about a month).

I was researching options and found some online sources that suggested lay crumbles as an alternative.  That's right - chicken feed. It's made from a grain base and has a similar texture.  Our cats don't tend to eat their litter,  so I wasn't too worried about other ingredients, but made sure the feed we got wasn't medicated.  And at $14 for a 50 lb bag, it's waaay cheaper.

We've been using it for a month now and I'm satisfied.  It smells different (like alfalfa) but clumps fine for easy scooping.  The cats haven't had an issue with the change.

And now our cat litter is $0.28/lb, instead of $1.25.




nalor511

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2016, 11:53:49 AM »
Do you know if this is flushable? Thanks!

Orvell

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2016, 01:23:07 PM »
I use World's Best for the reasons you outlined too.
This is intriguing... Thanks for sharing!

cdttmm

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2016, 02:12:17 PM »
Another fan of World's Best. Interesting hack -- will have to check it out to see if it will work for us!

wienerdog

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2016, 02:25:57 PM »
Hmmmm wonder if the two legged pigs will eat it after it is scooped.

nalor511

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #5 on: April 09, 2016, 04:56:59 PM »
Can anyone point to a good price online?

Rosy

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #6 on: April 09, 2016, 09:11:45 PM »
Blessed with a back yard and a cat door and an indoor/outdoor kitty. Mr. R. calls it the feline portal - works for us. Zero cat litter. Currently we just have one kitty - he found us, straggly and starved and definitely considered feral with an ear cut off. He had obviously never been inside a house and arrived about the time our two old kitties were about to cross the rainbow bridge.

Will check into it though - since we need litter for hurricane season - when it really blows the kitties like to hide in the closet.

Thinkum

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #7 on: April 09, 2016, 09:49:34 PM »
We have used Feline Pine or the less expensive version in times past. It is pretty cheap at Target 25# bag for about $9. Never smells and super easy to clean up, flushes fine too. World's Best was always too expensive for my tastes, though I've heard pretty good things about it. Chicken feed sounds interesting.

Urchina

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #8 on: April 09, 2016, 10:05:28 PM »
I have no idea if it's flushable or not, as we don't flush ours now.

Here's an online link to what we're using. I get it in 50 lb bags from our local pet food store. It'd probably be even cheaper at a feed and seed.

http://www.hearnestore.com/lay-crumbles-16-protein-25-lb-for-poultry/

gecko10x

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2016, 06:26:40 PM »
That's a good one that I hadn't heard of.

We switched a couple years ago to Equine Pine horse bedding. $6 or $7 for 40 lbs at Tractor Supply.

Thinkum

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #10 on: April 10, 2016, 07:50:05 PM »
That's a good one that I hadn't heard of.

We switched a couple years ago to Equine Pine horse bedding. $6 or $7 for 40 lbs at Tractor Supply.


Make sure to check out this thread about cat litter. IP Daley points out some issues I had no clue of regarding pine oil and cats. http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/cat-litter-53783/

JoRocka

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #11 on: April 12, 2016, 11:40:46 AM »
Surprised so many voices for "Worlds Best" I tried it- it was easily one of the worst liters I've EVER used. It smelled and did an awful job of clumping- I hated it- I don't even think I finished the container.

I use the arm and hammer one- which is wildly expensive compared to the other standard clay ones.

 I'm intrigued by the idea of chicken feed though- there is a tractor supply not far- I can swing a 50 pound bag for 14$- considering I pay 14 for 25#'s now.

Jack

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #12 on: April 12, 2016, 12:07:46 PM »
We... have chosen, for health and environmental reasons, to not use clay litter.

What reasons are those? I wasn't aware there was anything wrong with normal clay litter.

Orvell

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #13 on: April 12, 2016, 12:15:09 PM »
We... have chosen, for health and environmental reasons, to not use clay litter.

What reasons are those? I wasn't aware there was anything wrong with normal clay litter.
My knowledge is not super high, but the health issues I've seen raised with clay litter is the silica dust and carcinogens. 
From the environmental side, it's probably six of one and a half dozen of the other, but it looks like clay litter is strip mined, which is not so lovely.

El Marinero

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #14 on: April 12, 2016, 01:36:26 PM »
The great Jazz bassist  Charlie Mingus had a particularly mustachian approach to this isse.  He trained his cat to use the toilet, and even to flush.  Really.

And he documented his approach so you can try it , too.

http://mingusmingusmingus.com/mingus/cat-traning-program
« Last Edit: April 12, 2016, 01:38:22 PM by El Marinero »

startingsmall

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #15 on: April 12, 2016, 07:23:44 PM »
If you're changing litters, keep in mind that studies show that most cats prefer an unscented clumping clay litter.

That's not to say that most cats won't tolerate other options, but some cats will develop a litterbox aversion (and start going elsewhere in the house) due to a change in litter.  Sometimes, a switch back to the old litter will fix the problem pretty easily, but that isn't always the case.

Just something to keep in mind.

CodAlmighty

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #16 on: April 14, 2016, 04:58:06 AM »
Unfortunately our cat is deaf which means she has to be an indoor cat. As a result we change the litter tray daily.

I get relatives to save any old newspapers that they no longer require and give them to me. I also collect all of the junk mail that comes through the door, and save the envelopes of any letters that we receive.

I use 2 or 3 sheets of newspaper to line the bottom of the litter tray. I place a layer of glossy junk mail paper on top of the newspaper, followed by some cheap, unscented clumping litter that I buy from the value range of my local supermarket for about $2.50 for a 10kg bag. Along with this, I tear up a couple of old envelopes.

The glossy paper from the junk mail prevents most of the urine that isn't absorbed by the cat litter from leaking through to the newspaper. This means that when I change the litter I can simply roll up the newspaper with everything inside it and discard it in a neat little parcel.

A bag of litter typically lasts 2 weeks using this method, and I change the litter daily (sometimes twice).

Sibley

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #17 on: April 14, 2016, 10:20:40 AM »
I have 2 cats, use the "sand type" of litter, scoop daily, and can go 4-5 months if I really stretch it between emptying and washing litterboxes (winter. hate winter).

So, why are you changing daily? If it's the smell, then you're using the wrong litter.

Arktinkerer

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #18 on: April 15, 2016, 09:10:52 PM »
This thread brought up the issue of composting cat litter in the "cheap gardening" thread.  Anyone here try this--especially with the chicken scratch for litter?
 

RedmondStash

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #19 on: April 15, 2016, 09:51:34 PM »
I never heard of using chicken feed for cat litter. Interesting.

I toilet-trained our cat when she was a kitten. Flush twice a day, and she's good to go. No tracking litter (or other unpleasantness) around, no litterbox stink.

The main downside is that she tends to put all her toys in the toilet. I keep telling her it's not a "toy-let," but she just won't listen. She's fascinated by the way water affects stuffed toys and fabric.

prognastat

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #20 on: April 16, 2016, 08:10:28 AM »
This thread brought up the issue of composting cat litter in the "cheap gardening" thread.  Anyone here try this--especially with the chicken scratch for litter?

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/manures/cat-feces-in-compost.htm

I would be very careful with this since it can spread disease.

Arktinkerer

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Re: Cut our cat litter costs by 80%
« Reply #21 on: April 16, 2016, 10:30:29 AM »
This thread brought up the issue of composting cat litter in the "cheap gardening" thread.  Anyone here try this--especially with the chicken scratch for litter?

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/manures/cat-feces-in-compost.htm

I would be very careful with this since it can spread disease.

Noted.  Usually where fecal mater is concerned there is discussion about extra compost time and/or using only around flowers or fruit trees. What about separating out the fecal matter and just using the urine soaked litter?

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!