Feline Pine - Yes or No?

[RevCheesehead]

It's supposedly better for cats. The big plus I see is that it's flushable. Any cat-moms or cat-dads care to share their thoughts?

[youthere]

1. I don't have cats but Feline Pine is biodegradable..

so I'm a fan.

[City Lights]

2. It's great if your cats adjust to it.

It's very absorbent, both with odors and liquid. The problem we had was that not all of our cats (we have 7) adjusted to it. We mixed it for months, and some of our cats refused to use the box with pine litter. We've experimented with lots of litter, and we've had the best results with this:

[Clintmax]

3. Naw...

I use "Tidy Cat Scoopable for multiple cats" now. Even though I only have one. Does great on odor, and I just have to scoop and dispose and the box is cleaned!

[enlightenment]

4. Our cats won't use it.

They don't like the size of the pellets (too big) or the smell. We use "Oder Lockers" -- which is made from paper and is biodegradable and flushable, if you must flush. Personally, I think flushing any sort of litter is an invitation to a backed up toilet, "flushable" or not!

There is also a litter made from corn that's pretty good, but pretty pricey. Sorry, I can't recall the name (but it's in a yellow bag).

[bertha katzenengel]

5. YES

I don't know if it's better for cats, but it's better for your house. Because if you keep up with it there is extremely little - if any - odor.

All you have to do is scoop out the poop and flush it. Stir up the pellets & sawdust after scooping. It takes about a month for one cat to turn one inch of pellets into sawdust. After that time dump the dust and start over w/ new pellets. If your cat resists the pellets pour some of the old dust on top of the new pellets to get her started.

It sometimes helps get a cat used to pellets if you follow the instructions on the pine litter bag about beginning by mixing w/ clay.

Good luck making your decision. :hi:

[RevCheesehead]

6. Pardon me for asking,

but what happens to the pee?

I use TidyCats scoopable now, and there's a LOT to scoop. Does the pee clump in the pine, or just get absorbed by it? And how often do you have to change it?

[bertha katzenengel]

7. The pee turns the pellets into dust. The dust absorbs it. With no odor.

It's really amazing. There are no clumps. When a cat pees on new pellets, she leaves behind this little raised lump of sawdust, kinda looks like an anthill. It's just where the pellets have absorbed the pee and broken down into dust. :shrug: You just stir it up when you scoop out the poop.

Now, like with any litter box, if you neglect it, it will stink. But even when you keep up w/ clumping litter, after a while the odor builds. Not with this stuff.

I change ours when all the pellets are broken down. Sometimes I add more pellets to buy a couple more days.

Until you change the box, there is NOTHING to flush or dispose of but the poop. When you change it all you do is dump the sawdust and put in new pellets. And you can use the sawdust in your soil, or mulch, or add it to compost. :7

[RevCheesehead]

8. Thanks, Bertha.

It sounds like it works well. I bought a bag tonight, along with a new litterbox. They recommend mixing it with clay until they adjust. Do you think that would be a problem?

Right now, I'm tired of bagging it all and throwing it in the trash. Around here, we pay for our garbage by the bag (you have to put a sticker on it, or they won't haul it). I'm thinking this will greatly reduce the amount of garbage... and it's environmentally friendly, too. :)

[bertha katzenengel]

9. No, I think it'll work. Follow the directions on the bag

You'll still have to throw the clumps away, of course, until you're using 100% pine. Good luck - ever have any questions, you know who to "call!" :hi:

time for beddy-by - 'night, Rev

'night, all