# Kitty Litter....which to choose? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-litter-which-to-choose/322135 "2005-09-17T18:12:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-litter-which-to-choose/322135/41 "2005-09-20T21:32:42Z")
Oooh. Mixing the crystal stuff with the litter. I’ll have to try that if only to save my nose from the pong. I’ve been using SWheat so far, but if I miss ONE day the pong starts gathering. I tried the green pellet stuff, can’t remember what it was called, but the chemical reek when I opened the bag knocked me over. That was a non-starter. ---
**Author:** ![lorinada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@lorinada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorinada)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-litter-which-to-choose/322135/42 "2005-09-20T22:31:57Z")
> [@yBeayf](#): > > non-edible :eek: 😕 We use two of the widest, longest under-bed storage boxes that WalMart sells along with whatever clumping clay that’s on sale at the time for five indoor only cats. ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-litter-which-to-choose/322135/43 "2005-09-25T00:27:25Z")
> [@](#): > > :eek: 😕 _I_ don’t eat the litter, silly. When I first introduced my kittens to litter, they tried to eat it. When I switched to Swheat Scoop several days ago, they again tried to eat it, even though they’re 4 months old now. I’d rather them be eating little pieces of corn or wheat than clay. ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-litter-which-to-choose/322135/44 "2005-09-25T01:37:32Z")
Yes, you have to be careful with young kittens who are just beginning to use the litter box. The little knuckleheads don’t know what it’s for yet and will sometimes eat the litter. Then usually barf it back up of course. I use the Swheat scoop for my foster kittens for this reason. But for my permanent population I love the Feline Pine. One box is in the bathroom and I just scoop and flush the solids whenever I happen to be in there. I dump a whole box when most of the pellets have been used, about every 7 to ten days or so. Great stuff. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-litter-which-to-choose/322135/45 "2005-09-25T02:01:42Z")
I just bought the equine pine bedding. A 40lb bag for $4.99, compared to $3.99 (I think) for 7 lbs of Feling Pine. It looks just the same. I haven’t tried it yet. StG ---
**Author:** ![zeeny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zeeny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zeeny)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-litter-which-to-choose/322135/46 "2005-09-25T03:20:18Z")
I’ve got four “permanent” cats, and three fosters (hopefully temporary). Since I react as if I’m allergic to most kitty litter, I use newspaper for the two boxes I have set up for the fosters (my permanents have been trained to use the toilet I’ve got in my basement). Nothing cheaper than newspaper, but you can’t afford to miss a day (actually, I change them twice a day). I’ve written to one of my cheap local rags (NY Post- only 25 cents!) telling them they’d save money by not bothering to print anything on the useful paper. No reply. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-litter-which-to-choose/322135/47 "2005-09-27T22:15:41Z")
Dropping back in to mention that the crystal stuff seems to be working a treat so far. Thanks a bunch for the suggestion! ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-litter-which-to-choose/322135/48 "2005-09-27T22:37:02Z")
No problem. It worked amazingly well for me. The cat wasn’t picky about a smelly box the way some are, but I sure was. Ewwww. ---
**Author:** ![BoringDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ad7895/32.png) [@BoringDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoringDad)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-litter-which-to-choose/322135/49 "2005-09-27T23:25:21Z")
> [@zeeny](#): > > Since I react as if I’m allergic to most kitty litter, I use newspaper for the two boxes I have set up for the fosters (my permanents have been trained to use the toilet I’ve got in my basement). Not as cheap as news-print, but I’d suggest Swheat Scoop. It works good, keeps down the smell. And no one has yet mentioned a downside to traditional cat litter… Have you seen the humongous strip mines they use to mine clay for cat litter? This sounds like a a joke, but here is a [recent example](http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=15264). Swheat Scoop or pine litter seem to be far more environmentally sound litters. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2005, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-litter-which-to-choose/322135/50 "2005-09-27T23:43:31Z")
Anyone using Feline Pine, hie thee to a feed & seed and get Equine Pine, or Seminole Pine Pellet Stable bedding. It’s the same stuff at less than half the price. I have a old amoire in the cat suite - the “hanging clothes” side will hold 5 40 lb bags. The other side holds cat food and the drawers contain trash bags, toys, harnesses, brushes, etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-litter-which-to-choose/322135.md?page=2)