Newsflash: Kitty Litter Not Created Equal
March 10, 2010 at 11:50 pm 4 comments
Our cats are outside cats (bring on the calls of those who want to get nasty about how cats don’t belong outside, but I’m telling you up front that I’m too tired to get into a debate). However, Old Fatso is too old to jump out the window at night if he wants to do his business, and Diva is too much of a princess to go outside if it’s rainy and her fur might get wet. So we have a litter tray that gets used occasionally, at night and on rainy days. It’s more like a suite really, their own little room – it is enclosed and has a door flap. It took a long time to find the right one, and they like it. They also like the litter we normally use, which is this grey, rocky sort of stuff. El cheapo brand, you know.
We decided to try buying this biodegradable kind for a change, to be nicer to the environment. We discussed adding it to the compost bin (although I’ve since vetoed that idea cos I think I’ll use the compost on my vege patch and the nitrogen from cat waste isn’t good for edibles). Ultimately, we thought it would be better.
Well, it’s not; for two reasons.
1. It reeks. The stench is something like four-day old instant chicken noodle soup. None of us even like fresh homemade chicken noodle soup, so you can imagine how much we love this.
2. The cats hate it. Diva, in fact, hates it to the point where she decided to dig up my bathroom pot plant (fortunately devoid of plants for the time being; I was thinking about trying some mint in there again) and pee in there instead. Nice. Have a look at the evidence.
The makeshift litter box. Oh, how delightful.
Diva is completely unperturbed by her actions – in fact, she did it again the next day.
Unperturbed kitteh is unperturbed.
The moral of the story? Not all things eco-friendly are good – it pays to try some different options. Also… if your cats hates the new litter you bought, change it on the first day… don’t leave it for a second day…
Entry filed under: Newsflash. Tags: biodegradable, cats, compost, pets, waste.
1.
Jlow | March 15, 2010 at 12:36 pm
diva is a MINX!!! naughty girl fancy peeing in your bathroom pot plant!!! lollollol. how did she even manage to perch herself up on there? tsk.
somehow…..we’ve managed to train hallie so that so long as she goes out in the morning for a couple of hours, she can be locked up at home the rest of the day without needing to go outside! it’s amazing…girl’s got a bladder of iron
2.
Aussie Elv | March 15, 2010 at 8:51 pm
I haven’t the faintest idea how she got herself up there without toppling herself or the pot over… all I can think is that she has very good balance! And maybe she put her front paws on the edge of the bathroom sink?
Hallie is a good kitty with her bladder of steel… like Loodle on the plane flight from America. Over 18 hours without a wee… even when he had the opportunity in a shower stall at Auckland airport! Super-dog.
Fatso, in contrast, has taken to peeing on things again. *sigh*
How are your puppies? They are outside dogs anyway, right?
3.
Jlow | March 16, 2010 at 8:53 am
Hallie prolly just doesn’t realise that she needs to go outside….her iq being so low and all that
o i can’t believe fatty is doing the pee thing again. is it cos he’s getting so old? how old is he now? he’s practically ancient isn’t he?
snoop dog has a bladder of steel too..he can go for 12 hours without having to pee if we keep him inside……..hunter’s prolly not as good..thats why he stays outside more
4.
Aussie Elv | March 16, 2010 at 10:04 am
Fats is too old to jump out the window and land successfully on the fence pole anymore, and sometimes he has an aversion to the litter tray… it has to be exactly to his liking for him to use it. He generally goes outside, but if someone locks him in the house, he’s not terribly bothered about trying to hold it!
Poor Hunter with his wimpy bladder… lol. Not that I could not go for 12 hours – who am I kidding?!