# Cat litter type **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 24, 2014, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309 "2014-10-24T00:47:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/1 "2014-10-24T00:47:15Z")
What type of litter do you provide for your cats (or other litter-box using pets)? ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/2 "2014-10-24T01:00:24Z")
[Feline Pine](http://www.felinepine.com/) ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/3 "2014-10-24T01:01:25Z")
[Walnut Non-Clumping Litter](http://www.petco.com/product/117876/Blue-Naturally-Fresh-Pellet-Non-Clumping-Cat-Litter.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch). Petco delivers it to my door every two weeks. I use the whole bag. No smell, no residue, cat loves it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/4 "2014-10-24T01:03:37Z")
> [@LibrarySpy](#): > > [Walnut Non-Clumping Litter](http://www.petco.com/product/117876/Blue-Naturally-Fresh-Pellet-Non-Clumping-Cat-Litter.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch). Petco delivers it to my door every two weeks. I use the whole bag. No smell, no residue, cat loves it. Same here. Good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/5 "2014-10-24T01:04:22Z")
We have 2 cats and use the clumping. It’s a daily chore to go scoop it every day, but I like that I can remove the bad parts and keep using the rest rather than dump out the whole pan. I once bought couple bags of the non-clumping kind because it was on sale, and while it was nice to not have to clean the box for a week, when it did have to be cleaned it was really nasty, and really needed to be scraped down and hosed out. That’s just not for me. I keep a bag of that type in case we’re going to be leaving town for a few days, so whoever we get as a sitter only has to feed them. Never tried the crystals or anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/6 "2014-10-24T01:06:02Z")
We use Swheatscoop Multi-Cat wheat litter. It’s a little dusty, but it works well. Allegedly it’s flushable, but we don’t flush it. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/7 "2014-10-24T01:11:19Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > it was really nasty, and really needed to be scraped down and hosed out. I keep a black trash bag over the litter box, then invert it with the litter to keep it in the bag and not touching the box itself. Makes for easy cleaning. 'Cause yeah, the walnut just… dissolves, with enough pee, into a gross cake. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/8 "2014-10-24T01:17:23Z")
> [@LibrarySpy](#): > > I keep a black trash bag over the litter box, then invert it with the litter to keep it in the bag and not touching the box itself. Makes for easy cleaning. We’ve tried using plastic liners, but our cats are scratchers, one of them likes to clear down to the bare pan for some reason, and the other one is obsessed with chewing on plastic (she’s… not so bright), so liners kind of made a bigger mess than not using them. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/9 "2014-10-24T01:22:40Z")
Fair enough. I’m lucky my cat is neither afraid of, nor interested in, plastic. Toilet paper on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/10 "2014-10-24T01:23:49Z")
If anyone can suggest something better than the lightweight scoop clay that can handle the urine of two male Maine Coons, I’d appreciate it. In my experience they quickly manage to overwhelm the clumping ability of any litter I’ve tried, even with regular cleaning. Ideally it also needs to be relatively cheap per pound, because big cats mean big litter boxes. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/11 "2014-10-24T01:34:48Z")
-I have one box with pine pellets (bought at Tractor Supply for $6/ 40? Lb bag) -I have one box - a Litter Robot actually - with clumping litter in it (Tidy Cats, usually) -I have 2 CatGenie auto washing boxes that use teeny plastic pellets that are a washed and dried each cycle - I also have a fenced cat yard that the herd can go out in at will, and out there I have 2 sand piles for bathroom spots Something for everyone! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/12 "2014-10-24T01:40:44Z")
I’ve had cats for 40 years (different ones, of course), and The World’s Best Cat Litter is the world’s best cat litter. No contest. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/13 "2014-10-24T01:43:05Z")
Oh and for **asterion** , I’ve had good luck with the pine pellets used for horse stall bedding I mentioned above. I used a deep Rubbermaid tub and put in a good 3 - 4 inches of pellets. I found that the urine drained to the bottom before it was absorbed by the pellets so it keeps the smell under control. It doesn’t clump like clay litter, but if you pull back the un-expanded pellets it’s pretty easy to scoop out the wet spots. And at 6 bucks or so for a big bag, they are MUCH cheaper than the Feline Pine, though essentially the exact same thing. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/14 "2014-10-24T01:46:50Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Ideally it also needs to be relatively cheap per pound, because big cats mean big litter boxes. Jesus, tell me about it. And now one of the big ones has arthritis, poor guy. I have to try to cut the entryway down so he doesn’t have to step up so high. Anyway, clumping litter here. Three cats, two boxes. I have 35# tubs of the stuff delivered every few weeks. **ThelmaLou** – I need to try The World’s Best Cat Litter. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/15 "2014-10-24T02:40:26Z")
> [@saje](#): > > Oh and for **asterion** , I’ve had good luck with the pine pellets used for horse stall bedding I mentioned above. I used a deep Rubbermaid tub and put in a good 3 - 4 inches of pellets. I found that the urine drained to the bottom before it was absorbed by the pellets so it keeps the smell under control. It doesn’t clump like clay litter, but if you pull back the un-expanded pellets it’s pretty easy to scoop out the wet spots. > > And at 6 bucks or so for a big bag, they are MUCH cheaper than the Feline Pine, though essentially the exact same thing. I’ve been thinking about buying some of that instead of the Feline Pine myself, since as you say it’s the same thing. Actually, when \*\*Rhiannon8404 \*\*had horses a number of years ago, she used to buy wood stove pellets to use as stall bedding, since they again were basically the same thing (the ones she bought, anyway), and even cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/16 "2014-10-24T02:44:19Z")
With my last cat I used Tidy Cats clumping litter with crystals. It did a great job controlling the smell from one cat. I could get away with not scooping for a couple of days. It also wasn’t too bad about tracking through the house, though there was some. I tried World’s Best Cat Litter. Rosie, usually a very agreeable kitty, wouldn’t have it. I caught her balancing on the edge of the litterbox while peeing to avoid stepping in it. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/17 "2014-10-24T06:06:21Z")
> [@Red\_Stilettos](#): > > With my last cat I used Tidy Cats clumping litter with crystals. It did a great job controlling the smell from one cat. I could get away with not scooping for a couple of days. It also wasn’t too bad about tracking through the house, though there was some. This. But I have to be careful about the “not scooping for a couple of days.” One of my cats interprets that to mean it’s ok to poop on the floor. But I will never buy the lightweight version. It’s a total rip-off at the steep price increase. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/18 "2014-10-24T07:25:44Z")
Oops, I selected clumping then googled the cat litter and [it’s non clumping](http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=254960689). We’ve recently moved to a new house where we can’t use a cat flap, so we have to let the cat in and out of the house. Not so bad because my husband works from home. She has a litter tray in the bathroom but she hasn’t used it in a long time. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/19 "2014-10-24T08:04:47Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I’ve had cats for 40 years (different ones, of course), and The World’s Best Cat Litter is the world’s best cat litter. No contest. I also use World’s Best (it’s corn, so marked “other” in the poll), currently with three cats and four litter boxes. I top the boxes off probably monthly (infrequently enough that I’m not sure) with a 14# bag of either the plain multi-cat (red) or lavender scented (purple). It clumps really hard (clumps don’t fall apart), doesn’t track unless one of the boys throws it out of the box, and far less dusty than that clay junk. I’ve tried the Blue Diamond Walnut stuff, and while the scent control and hard clumping was fine, it’s a very dark, dirt brown. So what tracking happened, looked like dirt tracking around the house. Not a nice look. The World’s Best just looks like regular dust. I find them both about the same as far as amount of dust - which is far less than the regular clump clay stuff. No matter what litter I end up using, I prefer not to use any of the strip-mined silica clay stuff, so I stick with corn or walnut or pine. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309/20 "2014-10-24T08:13:49Z")
Wow, I’m the only one that uses crystals? Stuff is great! I usually only scoop once a week, barely smells or anything. Now, of one of them _misses_ then yeah, that’s really bad. But otherwise it’s great. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-litter-type/702309.md?page=2)