Switching from Sand Litter to Pellet Litter

bjohnson · 12-19-2004, 07:49 PM

i switched today... and so far it seems like my cats dont know what to do with the pellet litter. I dont want them to start peeing in random places because they dont know what the pellet litter is... so what should i do?

should i put some sand litter on top of the pellet litter until the figure it out, or what?!

plz help thx

coaster · 12-19-2004, 07:53 PM

the directions on the bag of one of the pellet litters says on the first fill to put about an inch of the new litter on the bottom of the pan and cover with the old litter. the cats will discover the new litter while digging and start getting used to it. on the next fill, make the new litter a little deeper, but still on the bottom. continue increasing on each fill until using all new litter.

hope this helps.

Tim

bjohnson · 12-19-2004, 07:53 PM

right on man thanks for the qwick reply

drjean · 12-19-2004, 11:01 PM

In my experience, a lot of cats won't use pelleted litter. Just so you know. You might want to provide an alternative, just in case.

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

bjohnson · 12-20-2004, 03:01 PM

they are using it... but i dont like it myself so far. I think imma dump it out and put regular litter back in there.

what genius thought of pellet litter??!??! this stuff s*cks!!!!

coaster · 12-20-2004, 03:50 PM

pellet litter has some advantages for the humans who have to change the litter box: less dust, less tracking, lighter, easier disposal, more absorbent. I don't know of any advantages for the cats. it's not their natural material, which is sand. maybe one advantage with newly declawed cats in that it's less likely to get stuck in their wounds and hurt them when they dig. but none of us here declaw our cats, right?

Tim

bjohnson · 12-20-2004, 04:35 PM

HECK no!!!!

i dont even clip my cats nails!!! i let them stay as natural as possible.

OsnobunnieO · 12-20-2004, 08:28 PM

I think the only reason to use pellet litter is on recently declawed cats. We use it for the kittens at work because they tend to make a huge mess with clay litter... somehow no matter how much room they have, it turns into a big pool of water/litter. The pellets keep it a little cleaner.

Any reason you switched? Just wondering.

As far as not clipping their nails to keep them natural... you may want to rethink that. If they use scratching posts or something to keep them taken care of, it should be fine, but some cats don't. I've seen quite a few cats with nails that have grown so long they've curved underneath and start to stab into the bed of the food (not good!!)

I'm sure you'd never let that happen though

bjohnson · 12-21-2004, 04:04 AM

I switched to pellet just to try it out. A friend who has a cat said she uses it and loves it so I got a litter box full from her to test it out. I hate it! she loves it for some reason.

about the nails... yeah my cats have 5 different scratching posts to go to... but if i did notice their nails getting tooooooo long i will cut them

12-19-2004, 07:49 PM	#1 (permalink)
bjohnson Cat Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 239	Switching from Sand Litter to Pellet Litter i switched today... and so far it seems like my cats dont know what to do with the pellet litter. I dont want them to start peeing in random places because they dont know what the pellet litter is... so what should i do? should i put some sand litter on top of the pellet litter until the figure it out, or what?! plz help thx __________________ ^^^ my cats Noel, Tony and Bailey

12-19-2004, 07:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
bjohnson Cat Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 239	right on man thanks for the qwick reply __________________ ^^^ my cats Noel, Tony and Bailey

12-19-2004, 11:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
drjean Cat Addict Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 2,428	In my experience, a lot of cats won't use pelleted litter. Just so you know. You might want to provide an alternative, just in case. Cheers, Dr. Jean __________________ Jean Hofve, DVM www.littlebigcat.com www.spiritessence.com Boulder, Colorado

12-20-2004, 03:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
bjohnson Cat Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 239	they are using it... but i dont like it myself so far. I think imma dump it out and put regular litter back in there. what genius thought of pellet litter??!??! this stuff s*cks!!!! __________________ ^^^ my cats Noel, Tony and Bailey

12-20-2004, 04:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
bjohnson Cat Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 239	HECK no!!!! i dont even clip my cats nails!!! i let them stay as natural as possible. __________________ ^^^ my cats Noel, Tony and Bailey

12-19-2004, 07:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	the directions on the bag of one of the pellet litters says on the first fill to put about an inch of the new litter on the bottom of the pan and cover with the old litter. the cats will discover the new litter while digging and start getting used to it. on the next fill, make the new litter a little deeper, but still on the bottom. continue increasing on each fill until using all new litter. hope this helps. Tim

12-20-2004, 03:50 PM	#6 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	pellet litter has some advantages for the humans who have to change the litter box: less dust, less tracking, lighter, easier disposal, more absorbent. I don't know of any advantages for the cats. it's not their natural material, which is sand. maybe one advantage with newly declawed cats in that it's less likely to get stuck in their wounds and hurt them when they dig. but none of us here declaw our cats, right? Tim

12-20-2004, 08:28 PM	#8 (permalink)
OsnobunnieO Premier Cat Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Simpsonville, SC Posts: 4,399	I think the only reason to use pellet litter is on recently declawed cats. We use it for the kittens at work because they tend to make a huge mess with clay litter... somehow no matter how much room they have, it turns into a big pool of water/litter. The pellets keep it a little cleaner. Any reason you switched? Just wondering. As far as not clipping their nails to keep them natural... you may want to rethink that. If they use scratching posts or something to keep them taken care of, it should be fine, but some cats don't. I've seen quite a few cats with nails that have grown so long they've curved underneath and start to stab into the bed of the food (not good!!) I'm sure you'd never let that happen though __________________ Jessie "There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast."

12-21-2004, 04:04 AM	#9 (permalink)
bjohnson Cat Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 239	I switched to pellet just to try it out. A friend who has a cat said she uses it and loves it so I got a litter box full from her to test it out. I hate it! she loves it for some reason. about the nails... yeah my cats have 5 different scratching posts to go to... but if i did notice their nails getting tooooooo long i will cut them __________________ ^^^ my cats Noel, Tony and Bailey

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