Homemade cat litter. An inexpensive and convenient way to fill your litter box. Purchase alternative options

One of the main problems for cat owners is how to equip a toilet for their pet. What to put into the tray and whether to put in at all? Here's what our members of the forum think:

  • I take pressed sawdust (Siberian cat "Forest", for example). You can change it every 3-4 days. There are many advantages: cheap, environmentally friendly, smell of wood, convenient to use, you can throw it down the toilet.
  • Silica gels are distinguished by the fact that they retain 100% odor and can be left unchanged for 3-4 weeks, removing only solid waste. In addition, silica gel does not stick to the paws; due to the shape of the granules, it is poorly ejected from the tray. A five-liter package is enough for a month and a half.
  • And we have been using Clean Paws for 4 years already, clumping together. Like.
  • Of the fillers, pine sawdust is the most popular. Cheap and generally no cat smell. I change the tray every two days. There is enough sawdust. They absorb and smell only of wood. I have a cat and four kittens used to wear them. And it doesn't smell.
  • I am allergic to any, even slightly dusty fillers. Therefore, there are two options: either silica gel, or wood pellets. Because the cats have arrived in the regiment, we will go broke on silica gel. Remains "Ephedra". We use it with a lattice. Only the filler on top of the grill, which makes the sawdust perfectly crumble down, from where it is removed (into the toilet).
  • We used Pee Pee Bend before, the smell started after a week. Now we use WC cats silica gel - there is no smell even after a month.
  • And we keep it simple. A handful of sawdust under the wire rack. The cat's paws are always clean, there is no smell. We change it every 2-3 days, flushing the swollen sawdust down the toilet. What is on top in a big way is easy to collect with toilet paper and into the toilet. And most importantly, they cost a penny!
  • I bought a 5 liter package of sawdust and am not overjoyed. I pour it evenly, and in a thin layer and do not remove it for several days, the sawdust increases three times, there is no smell and it absorbs everything. However, we remove solid waste immediately.
  • I use a Siberian cat - super-clumping, in my opinion, it is better than PI-PI-Bent, absorbs smell better and lasts 5 liters for a month. package.
  • Kittens often try to eat filler, so it is worth buying mineral filler without additives (there are special ones for kittens).
  • We use KAT SANOM, the cat is very happy, there is no smell at all during the first 5-7 days, then we need to change it. When we bought a deeper pot, the cat began to dig much less and quieter. I am very happy with kat san!
  • I tried silica gel cat step, it could not stand it for a month. Two weeks maximum. He became all yellow and the cat refused to walk in it. From what I liked: a clumping cat; I didn’t like it: Siberian cat, but the woody one has to be changed often.
  • I really like "Kotyara" - for 3-4 weeks it keeps quite decently (I pour out a full package of 3 liters at once). And I tried other silica gel - I did not like it
  • I use wood filler - pressed sawdust. There is no smell from the tray, from morning to evening there is enough filler. I tried many fillers. The worst one was - clumping with clay.
  • After a long search for a suitable filler, I found the optimal scheme for my cats (I have two of them). Under the grate I pour wood compressed (for example, whale), and on top of the grate - Brava mineral for long-haired cats (although they are both short-haired, but the granules do not fall into the grate). In general, the woody smell keeps, and in Brava they dig and row. Everyone is happy.

I tried wood filler (I also noted all the above advantages for myself) and with clay (you can't throw it into the toilet), but in both cases, the kitten dumps a third of the contents over the side while burying and spreads it along the map ((I will try silica gel, although it is expensive of course ..

And we have two pots (with and without a lattice). We use the Siberian cat. I do not like it very much. absorbs poorly, but at least it can be flushed down the toilet. And I clean the pots every day. We have a clean cat. If it's dirty, he'll shit on our bed :))

In any pet store today you can buy a wide variety of litters for a cat litter box. But not all pet owners are willing to pay a lot of money and are looking for this or that substitute for their pet.

In order to understand how you can replace cat litter, you first need to figure out what functions it performs.

  1. Absorption of unpleasant odors and moisture - the cat will stop walking in a damp litter box, and its owners naturally do not like toilet smells.
  2. Simplification of the pet care process.
  3. Promoting the animal's natural tendency to "bury" what is left in the tray - nature cannot be changed, all that remains is to help the pet.

Folk options - substitutes for filling the cat's litter box

Conventional lattice

You can also leave the tray empty by placing the wire rack on top. Moisture will drain from the grate to the bottom. One snag - such a toilet should be cleaned more often and more thoroughly, otherwise the smells will be indescribable.

Newspapers, paper

A long-known popular way is to finely chop newsprint. Newspapers are always at hand and there will be no problems with filler.

Sand or earth

Natural river sand or soil from the street absorbs urine well, but the smell can only weaken.

Sawdust

One of the best substitutes is sawdust. They absorb odor with moisture quickly and hold for a long time.

Wood pellets, they are also pellets for heating boilers

Compressed wood pellets are not much different from store-bought fillers. The only difference is in the price. In fact, you have to pay two to three times more for the same thing, but in a beautiful package.

When choosing how to replace cat litter, you should consider a couple of points. First, except for the lattice, all the options are "dirty". In all cases, particles will remain on the cat's paws, which he will shake off throughout the apartment. And the cleaning period - paper and sand will have to be changed almost every day, and sawdust and granules can be poured from above, and completely changed only once a week.

Cat litter is one of the most important accessories for your kittens, or for cats / cats. Such an irreplaceable attribute will be the key to the comfortable coexistence of you and your pet. Cat litter - removes an unpleasant odor and gives the pet an opportunity to crawl around in a place for privacy.
It is very easy to use such a tool, but to come to a decision which of them is the best, it can be very difficult to make a choice in favor of one.

If you don't like the idea of ​​putting your kitten in jeopardy of the urban landscape, which is certainly understandable - you might instead consider creating an outdoor outdoor fencing under your deck or right outside your dog's door in an area with flexible soil.

Kitty train for use in your bathrooms

As completely insane as this idea sounds, do your own internet search and you will be blown away by how many people have successfully turned their felines into a complete washout plan. The basic premise is that by placing a regular cat litter box next to the litter box and slowly but surely lifting it up so that the kitten gets used to taking care of the business a little high up in the sky before you know it, well by positioning chair when desire comes.

In this article, we will present some subjective rating among the best types of such devices.
To begin with, you should figure out what functions the best hygiene products should perform for your, for example, Barsik:
Destroy an unpleasant odor;
Ensure the safety of your animal;
Absorbs moisture and odors very quickly.
In the modern world, quite a few types of cat litter boxes have already been created, so now we will make a small overview of hygiene products for cats in general terms.

Opinions of people regarding the filler

While exploring the great outdoors, cats are completely happy to paw in the soil as they hide evidence of their waste, but this enthusiasm doesn't translate well into the human household. The first problem is who wants them to track dirt across the floors and the countless surfaces they bumped into? Funnily enough, even when our pets use cat litter, they leave a trail of dust.

Filler "Clean feet"

We just can't see it so easily, which somehow helps us cling to the idea that our homes are still miraculously flawless. Barring dirt and clay, what other options are there for household and preferably sustainable cat litter? The sand is noteworthy as shredded newspapers, chicken and even natural wood fiber.

Types of toilet fillers

Not only people suffer from allergies, so you need to carefully select such devices if your pet has similar problems. In such cases, it is better to choose types from sawdust or mineral.

Purchase alternative options

Clay-based cat litter isn't the only game in town, and it's by no means the greenest. The eco-distinction does refer to much more sustainable alternatives, such as recycled shredded newspapers, dried corn, non-edible wheat grains, pressed sawdust, and even sand. An ever-growing array of manufacturers sell these greener versions at natural grocery stores, pet markets, and even large stores - just expecting to pay a premium.

There are also specialized fillers from Japan. They are made from paper and starch, cypress bark and cornstarch, and tofu. These fillers can be difficult to obtain, but they are some of the highest quality, so the money and time will be worth it.

Urination and defecation outside the litter box, also known as “inappropriate disposal,” is one of the most common reasons a cat may be left in a shelter or, in some cases, abused. Unfortunately, most of the time it is the person in charge of the litter box's fault, which makes it a “suitable problem” because who wants to walk in their own urine and feces?

The “bug” usually includes a dirty box or one that is too small, and it is best for the cat to look for cleaner places to fix it. Wouldn't you think to do the same if you weren't offered a clean bathroom? Punishing these cats is not only inhuman but ineffective and often makes the situation worse.

There are also helium, clay, paper and many more types of them, but we will not be able to tell about all of them within the framework of this article.

What can replace cat litter

You can replace it with ordinary sand, or river sand, the latter dries up and can serve for a long time. You can also use finely chopped paper, wood shavings or clay. All these funds will not give the same good effect as ordinary specialized substances, but if there are no other options, then it is better to use them.

When someone is asked how often they wash their toilet, the answer is usually “every time it is used, of course!”. We all know how disgusting port-ports are, and we are not even asked to walk in our own as people often ask their cats!

So why do we expect our cats to use dirty litter boxes instead of just going elsewhere? People seem to forget that a cat's sense of smell is infinitely more sensitive than ours. Add to that the instinctive nature of a cat to be clean, and it's easy to see how a dirty litter box often causes disaster.

Some cats like hay or dried grass. What to choose is already a matter of possibility.
In such cases, it will be correct to install a mesh in the tray to increase your friend's hygiene and prevent small parts from spreading throughout the house.

Fillers from paper and grain waste

Think about how the wildcat will perform its duties in the bathroom. He would not be limited to a 1 "x 2" bathroom. He would not want to walk in his own waste. He simply selects a different piece of land and that the “piece of land” might be behind your couch or in another area of ​​your home.

You will notice that many key statements are repeated multiple times on this web page. This is because many people can only read isolated sections. Diabetes, kidney disease, cystitis, bladder, or kidney stones are some of the most common medical problems that can lead to box rejection.

Cheap filler - pros and cons

We figured out that there are both expensive and cheap fillers. But the majority do not understand how the expensive ones differ from the cheap ones, they perform their functions for the most part in the same way. To make it clearer, you can outline their pros and cons.

Pros:
Low price.
Normal absorption of moisture and aroma.

You may also notice a blocked cat or someone with cystitis often licking their genitals. A 100 percent high water, low carbohydrate canned diet should be included in the treatment of any cat with cystitis, diabetes, or bladder stones. In fact, all cats should be on 100 percent canned food or a homemade diet. Dry food is an illogical source of food for cats and causes many health problems. Dry food, with its inadequate water content, is not a friend of the urinary tract system, especially the bladder.

Minuses:
Most often they are not hygienic, that is, the pet will carry it on its paws, which is rather unpleasant.
May cause allergies in individual cases.
It often needs to be changed.
May not suit your furry companion for any individual preferences.

As a result, we can say that cheap accessories for a cat litter box are the best option, they normally perform their functions, although they have their own inconveniences, but nothing critical.

After you have ruled out a medical problem, you need to evaluate the cat crate system. Less than 3 titles? Some cats like to urinate in one and defecate in the other. This behavior is usually temporary. Once your cat has been using the soil on the soil on a regular basis for a couple of weeks, you can gradually add a small amount of lumpy litter to see if you can change it.

Mineral filler: pros and cons versus wood filler

You will need to empty the box at least twice a day when using a primer and clean the box each time. It is much easier to prevent an inappropriate elimination problem with proper diet and sound box practice than it is to fix it once it starts. Not all of the problems that cause cats to stop using the litter box are under our control, but many factors are covered in this essay.

Therefore, if it is not possible to buy expensive funds, you can freely use cheap ones, being prepared, of course, for some difficulties that may or may not arise.

Homebodies prefer to buy a large amount of this element at once, but if you have not yet figured out which remedy is best for your cat, you should not do this, it is better to try as many of them as possible, and then choose.

The information on this site is for general informational purposes only and is provided without any warranties or warranties. This site is not intended to replace professional advice from your own veterinarian, and nothing on this site is intended to provide medical diagnosis or treatment. Any questions about your pet's health should be directed to your veterinarian. Some external links may contain partner codes.

99% dust free with no clean, fresh fragrances. It will soak up leaks and spills and keep smelling clean. Let the litter soak up the spill for a few hours, then sweep up. If you get stuck, throw a pound or two of fillers under your drive wheels and walk away slowly. It contains baking soda to absorb liquid and odor and aroma for a fresh scent. Better news: Our low dust formula keeps trash in a box and isn't tracked around your home. Natural clay, baking soda and flavor.

Sometimes the kitten can start defecating in the wrong places, no filler seems to suit him. There may be several reasons for this phenomenon - he may not like the location of the tray, or the reason is that such animals are not inclined to stick to one place for excrement, so it is recommended to install two or three trays.

Do not flush trash down the toilet or septic tank system. Reminder: Cat waste can sometimes carry a disease called toxoplasmosis. Pregnant women and those with suppressed immune systems are especially at risk. Always remember to wash your hands thoroughly after handling used cat box litter. See your doctor for more information.

Pour 3 to 4 inches of Vegmatine clay cat litter into a clean litter box. Do not mix with other litters. Change your cat litter. For best results, a completely empty waste bin once a week. Rinse with a box of warm water and a mild detergent solution. Dry completely before refilling with new litter.

Of course, everything is individual, but under such circumstances, the installation of a second place for bowel movements will be the optimal and only way out.

Outcome

In the end, I would like to say that you should treat your pet very anxiously, because often we do not have enough knowledge about their preferences and desires. Therefore, it is worth spending time on a thorough study of it, the choice of hygiene products, food, etc. All this should be done in order to avoid sad consequences, because we all love them and wish a long life next to us.

In the days gone by, before commercial cat varieties were introduced, cat owners used large flat cardboard boxes filled with garden soil, river sand, or ash. While this was sufficient, there was obviously a need for a more hygienic waste bin, requiring less frequent changes.

Cats are thoroughly cleaned, so a litter box of this size will satisfy their hygiene needs as well as disguise their location in other curious cats. So, in our opinion, this is the best garbage wallet. The discovery came entirely by accident when a customer asked if their industrial absorbent company had anything to use for a waste bin.

Since cats are special animals, they are treated in a special way. Those who live in a city apartment and have intelligence learn to relieve themselves on the toilet. The villagers, accustomed to fresh air, ask to go outside even in winter.

There are many brands today. We intend to provide you with sufficient information about feline products and let you know what is best for your kitten. We have spoken to many cat owners and veterinarians on the subject and combined with our own experience, we can provide you with valuable information to help you choose the best litter box litter.

Before making a choice, you should consider the following.

  • The effect the product has on your cat's health.
  • Your choice of cats.
  • The effect that a product has on the environment.
  • Impact on your health and the health of your family.
As we studied the subject, we realized that every cat lover should have criteria for evaluating and choosing cat litter.

Most of those who spend most of their time within the walls of an apartment are very picky about the choice of a place for a toilet, a litter box and filler. It's a shame that cats can't tell us about their tastes. Therefore, determining which cat litter is the best is often a matter of trial and error.

Trying to please cats and at the same time help their owners in their maintenance, manufacturers offer us a huge selection of these products. Fillers are produced absorbent and caking, from different materials, different in size and, accordingly, in price. You have to choose from a large number of companies and packages. Sometimes it turns out that expensive cat litter is not always the best.

Safe and will not cause adverse health problems for the cat or family. Easily available and available in trial packages so you can experiment and find the right product for your cat.

  • The texture and consistency should mimic natural sand as closely as possible.
  • No artificial colors.
  • Easy to maintain and clean.
  • From a reputable company that labels their brand and lists the ingredients.
  • Accessible.
How much filler should you use? Maintain a depth of about three inches in adult drawers.

The choice of filler - which is better?

Mineral litters are ideal for litter-trained cats. Based on innovative technologies, they quickly absorb moisture and odor. Granules of such filler can be very small, slightly larger than sand, or rather coarse (5–7 mm). Perhaps cats love him precisely because of the external resemblance to sand.

Kittens will need less. Switching litters Your cat may reject any litter brand change at first because it smells and tastes differently. To reduce stress and confusion, slowly relax your cat in the new brand. Start by mixing one third of the new litter with two thirds of the old. Then gradually increase the number of the new brand until the switch is completed. What is the difference between regular and sauced products? Check the product label to determine if the product is regular or scooped.

Such a filler is made of materials of mineral origin, such as zeolite, clays, bentonite, aerated concrete, porous concrete, when wet, it forms a rather dense substance that in no case should be thrown into the toilet. Mineral filler forms dust. If your cat enjoys digging holes, he will have to breathe this dust. Therefore, such a filler is not recommended to be poured into closed-type litter boxes. After your cat is litter trained, you can gradually replace the mineral litter with a different litter.

The best cat litter in terms of economy, ecology and health safety is considered to be organic litter. The most popular is woody absorbent and clumping with various sizes of pellets from pressed coniferous wood or sawdust. The cat may not like it at first, but gradually it will get used to it. It is ideal for those owners who have several pets.

For those who do not like to change the filler often, manufacturers offer silicone gel products. Balls or crystals of this filler absorb odor and moisture better than other analogues and, unlike others, do not spread on their paws around the house. However, this filler also has disadvantages. And one of them is the crackle at the moment when the cat wants to work with its paws in the tray. A very subtle feline nature does not always welcome this phenomenon.

Not every owner can afford this litter for pets with kidney disease, since its frequent replacement will significantly hit the pocket.

Which litter is best for a kitten?

So that the filler does not harm the health of the kitten, for any reason, getting into its stomach, it is not recommended to use fillers, especially mineral and silica gel, until the age of four months.

For older kittens, fine-grained litter is suitable. You may need to experiment a bit to find out which litter is best for your tray. Or maybe your kitten doesn't mind going to the toilet without filler? In this case, it is advisable to buy a lot with

mesh so that the pads of his feet are always dry.

Almost all fillers will spread out of the tray if it is not deep enough. You can avoid such a nuisance if you use one of its views at the bottom of the tray, for example, wood, and the other, mineral, from above.

Which cat litter is best depends on both you and your pet.

Cat litter has several functions at once:
- absorbs moisture (dampness in the tray can cause the cat to stop using it);
- absorbs unpleasant odors;
- allows the animal to realize its natural desire to "bury" excrement;
- Simplifies cat grooming by making litter box cleaning less frequent.

If the cat or cat does not seek to "hide" the traces of their vital activity, you can do without filler at all by installing a tray with a grate: all moisture will drain to the bottom. True, in this case, you need to constantly monitor the condition of the tray, try to rinse it after each use and wash it thoroughly at least once a day - otherwise the stench cannot be avoided. If such a careful control of the tray is not possible, you will have to resort to one of the "popular" options for fillers.

Sand


The sand absorbs moisture well enough. It copes with the smell a little worse: it weakens it, but does not completely absorb it. Therefore, if you use sand as a filler, you will have to come to terms with the fact that the smell of cat urine will almost always be felt in the toilet. In addition, the grains of sand are very light - therefore, when the animal bury the traces of its vital activity, the floor next to the tray will be covered with sand. However, this trouble can be avoided by using high trays with sides. Changing the sand in the litter box is done every 2-4 days.

Newspapers


Newspapers torn into small pieces are an old "folk" way of arranging a cat litter box, very popular, but at the same time quite troublesome. In order for the cat to be comfortable using the tray, it is necessary to tear the paper finely enough, and it gets soaked very quickly. You have to change the paper in the tray every day, in extreme cases - every other day, and it does not cope with the smell very well.

You can buy a tray with a grate - then moisture will drain down, and newspapers will get wet more slowly. To avoid smell, you need to empty such a tray several times a day.

Sawdust


Wood sawdust is a good alternative to factory fillers. They are convenient to dig, they retain moisture and smell well - such a tray begins to smell only when all the sawdust becomes wet. Therefore, sawdust is one of the best types of "folk" fillers. If you use a tray with high sides and sprinkle sawdust in a layer of 8-10 centimeters, you can clean the litter box every 5-7 days. True, there are some inconveniences: sawdust "dust", in addition, the smallest particles of wood "stick" to the cat's paws and are carried throughout the apartment.

On top of the sawdust, you can place a thin layer of pieces of newspaper - then there will be less dirt on the floor. Replace wet paper daily.

Fuel granules (pellets)


Wood pellets intended for solid fuel boilers are woodworking waste compressed into granules and practically do not differ from wood litter for cat litters. When wet, they crumble into small sawdust, and absorb moisture and odor no less effectively. Pellets are poured into the tray in a thin layer, as they are used, their volume increases 4-5 times. If you use pellets, you can clean the tray once every 7-10 days.

cat house


and everything that comes with it

In other words, let's see-evaluate-make an interior cat toilet, a dry treat for a pet, and ... one more thing.

Let's start with crispy food. Here they suggest using natural tuna, for example, from a can (canned food). They are salt-free and packaged in liquids. You do not need to pour out the liquid, it may come in handy. Add to the contents of the jar (for convenience, put in a bowl) a cup of oatmeal (flour is easy to make in a coffee grinder from oatmeal), a large egg, a tablespoon of olive (sunflower) oil and a heaped tablespoon of chopped dry food for kittens. And ... where this kitty treat was invented, a little more catnip is added.It is better to mix everything in a mixer, but if it is not there, you will have to mix thoroughly with a spoon-fork. Form small balls, press down with something for a flat look. Lay out on a sheet on baking paper. We heat the oven, set the sheet for 10-15 minutes. The crisps should not be thick and sticky on the inside. Cool and you can treat pussies. If the fussy pussy doesn't like it, the dog will be happy to eat the food for her.


Yes, these sweets are stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator for 7 days

Found on designsponge.com


But he is an interior house. How do you like? Made from a bedside table, serves as a toilet. Don't be alarmed, the tray is inside


Found on decoratingyoursmallspace.com

Another view inside.


Found on feedfloyd.com

Well, the adapted version - from a plastic container


Found on buzzfeed.com

As you know, the litter is supposed to be in the litter box. Will do.According to the author of the idea, most cats will accept this novelty pretty quickly.


And we take the gloves to work. And yes, you need to change the filler every week. And about everything else, you yourself know.

We tear newspapers into some container


Soak the paper in warm water mixed with a little dishwashing liquid. Soak the paper until the consistency of oatmeal.


We drain the water and soak again, without soap.


Sprinkle soda on wet paper and stir.