Kitty Litter

[Kathleen]

My threat to start notifying computer sites if this company did not reply to my query worked wonders!. Here is their response:
       Kathleen,
  I apologize for not responding to your emails.Our staff is limited and at times and we do not get all emails done as promptly as we would like. Our Worlds  Best Cat Litter is made from whole kernel corn, grown in the midwest of the United States. No we do not use China products. We screen for certain varieties of corn and accept the same varieties of corn that the FDA/USDA/EPA and European Union accept.While these varieties meet the requirements for food use, we realize that our customers are using this product for litter and not for food use. But, any litter the cat ingests through normal grooming will pass through their system naturally and not cause a blockage. Our product has been produced through a multi-step propietory process and that process involves washing and high heat drying of the corn.

Best regards,
Nadine Vance
GPC Pet Products Makers of The Worlds Best Cat Litter
Toll-Free  877-367-9225  EXT 4214

 You notice they addressed the comment about China, but never responded to the pesticide usage----Interesting. I am still digesting this,.  They were concerned enough to follow up with yet another email:
         Thank you for your inquiry on the Worlds Best Cat Litter. Our proprietary process analyzes and approves every incoming corn delivery before it enters our production facility.  This corn is processed and used to produce many other fine ingredients, including corn sweeteners, food starches, corn oil which in turn is used in the production of numerous high quality food and pharmaceutical products. Feel free to contact us if youy have any other questions We appreciate your business

Best regards
 Nadine Vance
  etc.

[Cindy Nevarez]

This is great...I'm so glad you got them to respond...I was beginning to worry.
I take this to mean that they are probably using ordinary USA grown corn, probably GMO grown with pesticides, and assume that the statements  about FDA/USDA/EPA (that's the pesticide part), washing" and "high heat drying" is enough to satisfy your concerns.

I would assume then that our cats are still in contact with, and consuming (and the dogs too when they get some cat "snacks") pesticides.

[Caylynn]

BTW, I also use a fantastic, easy to clean litter box from Omega Paw. (Get the large size. Regular size is useless.) You just roll it to one side, roll it back, and all of the clumps and turds are in a pull out drawer. I then dump the draw into a Litter Locker by Petmate. I recommend both.

Gary, I use both of those products too!  (Large sized litter box as well.)  The litter box is SO easy to clean and the Litter Locker is so convenient.    I highly recommend both of these products as well.

[LdyBeret]

Hi - has anyone tried Feline Pine or have any (good or bad) information on it?  I loved the stuff.  It's kind of the opposite of clumping.  You have these pellets that disintegrate when in contact with liquid.  Really easy to clean up, and not waste litter.
Unfortunately, my cat has become rather stubborn and doesn't like the feel of the pellets under his toes, in his old age.  Since he has IBD and getting him to the box before he goes is a challange in itself sometimes, I have to make the box as pleasant as possible for him, so I gave up the pellets a while ago.  I always loved flushable stuff too, until I found out what it was doing to the sea otters.  Cat poop is apparently very toxic to some marine life, and even the sanitation systems don't get rid of whatever toxin or parasite is in there.  I'm back to using a waste can for litter box clean-up.

[Mary K]

Hi, Gang, I found some old notes from last year that I had
scribbled down when researching litters on-line. Unfortunately
 it isn't very thorough, but this is what I had:

Sweatscoop ok
Wonderwheat-ok
Yesterday's News-ok
Organic N Safe-ok
Citrus-based-ok

No wood base (like Feline Pine)
No silica or clay
Avoid corn base
No World's Best (corn genetically modified/pesticides)

I am so bad, here, I don't have resources for what or why.
I think I might have been in a Yahoo group that day.
So none of this is verified; just FYI.

[Calico]

After trying several clumping litters (didn't like the dust, really did not like seeing the cats lick the dust off their paws), and World's Best (poor odor control and made from corn that could have been drenched with pesticides for all I know) I finally settled on Clear Choice silica crystals. Great odor control and no dust. I do have to watch out for stepping on the crystals that do escape the litter box - one of my kits is "enthusiastic" when it comes to burying her litter, but I just sweep around the box now and again.

I will say though, that the 1 month between changes that they tout on the package is not realistic in a multi-cat household. I put less in the box than they suggest (about 1 inch deep, roughly), scoop the solids morning and evening, and change the whole box every two weeks.

[Cindy Nevarez]

Thanks for this list. The response Kathleen got yesterday from World's Best pretty much lead me to the same conclusion, so now I have to find something "cleaner" for them.

[eternaljester81]

Has anyone every tried Nature's Miracle corncob litter? It sounds decent, but I'm not sure.

http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Product_R_7455_PC_productlist_Nav_206_N_23+107+30+386_sku_1006070_familyID_12016.aspx

[Cindy Nevarez]

Here's something interesting; on www.onlynaturalpet.com they state that World's Best is organic! I emailed them and asked how they know this to be true. Let's see what they say.

[karatemom2]

I use silica kitty litter too.  I decided to try it when we went camping and loved it because of it's odor control.  (There is no odor)  Now with Holly having her litter box in the back of her 2 room crate (if you don't understand, you need to read my "let me introduce my pets post".  My cat thinks she's a dog and is crate trained)....having her litter box in our general living area means we REALLY need odor control.  So I use it at home now too.  The silica does an excellent job.  I just use a small shovel to stir the crystals daily so they can mix with the moisture so that it will absorb and lock it all up. (very important to disperse moisture across the crystals so they can absorb)  I remove the solid waste 1-2 times a day, depending on what "presents" Holly leaves me.  And the crystals even dehydrate the solids too.  I don't get alot of tracking.  Some manufacturer's make larger crystals than others.  I use a store brand (Meijer).  I noticed that smaller crystals seem to track more easily.  I agree with the one month claim not being the case.  I go with the 2 week change rule and just use less.  It keeps the litter box fresher.  My cats didn't seem to have any problem going from clay based and clumping litter to silica litter and these crystals don't seem to stick to her paws so I'm not worried about her ingesting any.

[Mary K]

Thank you everyone. There is an answer for everyone's litter needs,
here. Good work! I will try some out and let you know.
I have to be a bone-head now and say that I never thought
about using corn-cobs in the litterbox. Wasn't that an ancient precursor
to toilet paper? Not a pretty kitty picture !

   Sorry!!

[Desiree]

Since I have been looking for a new cat litter myself, I came across this link that has a great deal of information on various brands and types of cat litter including corncob litter. I'm beginning to feel about as confused on cat litter as I did pet food. Looking at what goes into the product and the the effects has changed my entire perspective on what I purchase.

http://www.thelighthouseonline.com/articles/natural.html#CornCob

[Mary K]

I just tried Feline Pine and was sold by everything the package said
(organic, great smell, no new trees sacrificed, blah-blah) but one small
problem: my cats wouldn't touch it! The particles look like large
broken pretzel pieces and obviously hurt their paws. They would
stretch out to walk on the edge of the box to avoid walking on the
litter if I put them in it. And the smell- like a barn-full of cow or
horse dung. Awful!! Next.....

[garypen]

Have you tried Nature's Miracle? I liked it. But, one of my cats refused to use it. There was another corn-cob-based one I tried that was similar, but the same deal with that cat. I can't remember the name of that one though.

They were both very very sofy, no dust, smelled good, and clumped fairly well. But, not as well as clay litters.

[Bonkers]

 I have used various cat litters over the years and the Arm & Hammer High Performance was one of my favorites. They have recently changed the name of it to Arm & Hammer Essentials. My one kitty Jasper has always peed outside the litter box for the most part on a daily basis. It was not untill I started using Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat litter that this has ceased to occur. I highly recommend his litter for any cats who may have behaviour or aiming issues. It is also one of the brands recommended by Dr. Lisa Pierson at catinfo.org.   http://www.catinfo.org/litterbox.htm