Natural cat litter evaluation

A few weeks ago, a representative from Feline Pine Cat Litter asked me to evaluate their all natural cat litter product. Since I had used the regular Feline Pine litter (pellets) in the past, I requested the new scoopable formula to evaluate. I received my sample bag very promptly and have been using it for approximately 2 weeks. Here is my evaluation of this all-natural cat litter:

First of all, the bag is nice and light, so it's easy to pour the product into the litter tray. The product itself looks like sawdust, but it's amazing how it stays in place - no dust flies up when poured, with little to no tracking from the cats outside of the tray. The thing that impressed me the most is the odor control. Even when I stir up the litter while scooping out the waste, there is no ammonia or poo smell; all I smell is pine. I've been pretty happy with Sweat Scoop, another all natural litter, but Feline Pine does a better job with odor. Their website says the product absorbs and holds the ammonia, and it does just that. It is also very scoopable, and holds together well.

You may have read previous posts of mine about other all natural cat litters I have used. And I had used Feline Pine's regular pellet formula in the past as well. It is very good at odor control, and the only criticism I had was the pellets themselves, as my cats seemed to have trouble burying their business completely to their liking. I also posted previously about my favorite, World's Best Cat Litter. And I still do, but it is a bit pricey. All in all, Feline Pine Scoop is right up there with World's Best Cat Litter, at a cheaper price. So I think I've found my new favorite cat litter in Feline Pine Scoop. For more information, CLICK HERE.

I had posted previously about the dangers in regular scoopable cat litters. If you'd like to read that post, CLICK HERE.

(this blog has been featured in 1001 Cats at Blog Carnival)

Worlds best cat litter - reviewed

This is a follow-up to my post of 10/12/07 on clay litters containing sodium bentonite.

Recently I ran across another all natural cat litter called Worlds Best Cat Litter, so I thought I'd try a bag. Although it is higher priced than the others, I was very impressed with the product, and my cats all liked it as well.

The litter is made from corn, is flushable, biodegradable, dust-free so there's virtually no tracking, controls odor and clumps very well, works well for multi-cat use, contains no silica or sodium bentonite, and the texture is very much like Arm & Hammer. A 7 pound bag at Amazon.com runs approximately $5 or $6, but you may be able to purchase it cheaper locally at general stores as well as pet stores. So if price isn't an issue for you, this really seems to be the best all natural litter I've tried.

Dangerous cat litter ingredients

Clumping clay kitty litters may cause many cat health problems that don't seem to be related, such as diarrhea, mega-bowel or mega-colon syndrome, unexplained lethargy, vomiting, irritable bowel syndrome, kidney diseases, respiratory and eye problems, general failure to thrive, anemia, and death.

The ingredient you need to be aware of is Sodium Bentonite, which is a clay used in scoopable cat litter. It is a grouting, sealing, and plugging material used to seal dams, ponds, basements etc. Upon exposure to moisture, bentonite swells to fill voids and binds to create an impermeable seal. Sodium Bentonite contains aluminum which is also a health hazard, and is used in some dog foods, so please check your pet food ingredients also.

The problem with it being in clay litter is that particles can stay on the cat's feet, and when they groom themselves, it enters their body. Rabbits are even more susceptible to these litters, since they groom constantly. The House Rabbit Society warns that clumping litters will clump inside the rabbit's digestive and respiratory tracts and cause serious problems and often lead to death.

At least two companies who make clumping litters have said not to use the clumping litters for young kittens, and not allow your cats to eat the material.
The ASPCA of New York also recommends you not use scoopable or clumping clay litters with kittens under two months old. Autopsies have confirmed problems caused by impacted clay litter.

There are all-natural alternatives to using clay clumping cat litter. Two that I have used that contain no chemicals, wheat gluten, or clay are:
Sweat Scoop Cat Litter - made from wheat, it absorbs odor and will clump.
Nature's Earth Feline Pine Cat Litter - made from southern yellow pine; absorbs odor and comes in regular or scoopable (the scoopable variety contains Guar bean to bind particles)

You should be able to find them at a farm feed store, and many general stores are now starting to carry natural products. If not, Only Natural Pet Store sells Sweat Scoop, and Nature's Logic Ponderosa Pine Litter. Amazon.Com sells both Sweat Scoop and Feline Pine litters. Links for both are at right.