Blue Buffalo litter, I thought it was good? I'm going litter crazy.

[ThoroughbredFancy]

I feel as though I’m on an endless and fruitless hunt for a good litter. I cleaned out the boxes recently and added two new litters. Luckily my cats don’t care what’s in their box as long as it’s not World’s Best. I tried the Blue Buffalo Multi Cat in one of them. I know that it is made from walnut shells and a darker color, the associate at the pet store had said it would not stain. Well, my male cat’s mittens/sock markings are red, not a huge deal. The scent control is alright, not great. It tracks like no tomorrow, I found that stuff everywhere. I also don’t know if it is coincidence but there have been a surplus of large spiders around that one box (clean or not). So needless to say, that was money wasted and I’m dumping out a box of mostly unused litter later today.

The Catit Fresh N’ Easy in the other box isn’t bad. A nice pine smell even though it is still a clay litter. Good clumping. Minimal tracking. Dust isn’t bad.

That being said, I’m about ready to just switch back to Tidy Cat. Tracks horribly but does great with everything else. I really don’t know what else to try as I feel as though I’ve exhausted my efforts. I have not tried Ever Clean or Crystals, though.

So, I feel like I’m ruled by cat litter, and mostly wanted to get my frustrations out. I’m just going to pick up something such as Tidy Cat when grocery shopping later as spending a bunch of money at the pet store on other options has proven itself a failure for the most part.

This is mostly just a rant. That is all.

[saje]

Have you tried pelleted horse bedding? I find it works really well in a deep layer in a deep box (a Rubbermaid or Sterilite tote, actually). A deep layer lets the urine filter down, and every couple of days I scoop the entire wet spot. Solid waste seems to dehydrate fast and has little smell - well, except for when someone doesn’t bother to cover anything :rolleyes: But that’d be the same with any litter. Stuff’s pretty cheap at $6 a bag too.

[Limitless]

I’m sorry you are not pleased with the Blue Buffalo. My cat has white paws, and he has no staining at all. I also find it tracks much, much less than anything I’ve ever tried. The tracking, on my hardwood floors, is what drove me crazy. I also have a litter mat that the box sits on which picks up most of anything that would be tracked, but never seemed to make a difference with any other littler I’ve tried.

I know I have the clumping, but I don’t think it is the multi-cat, since I have just one at the moment. Different strokes I guess. Good luck in your search. I feel your pain.

[ThoroughbredFancy]

I did try that and it bothered SO’s allergies/asthma. Whatever it might have been, but he was constantly sneezing and runny around it. I should have know because the stuff at the barn does the same. Even with proper cleaning the cats tracked saw dust like stuff everywhere. I may have stuck with it if it hadn’t bothered SO so much. Which, has been the only litter to do so and I imagine it’s not a common problem so I don’t really hold it against the litter much.

Re the Blue Buffalo: I don’t know if he digs more or something, but he gets stained paws and the other cat doesn’t really. She’s darker gray, though. I did think it tracked a little more but my female jumps out of the box sometimes. I’m hoping the spiders are just coincidental as it is getting warmer and more humid here.

I do have a littler mat that works alright. It’s one made for trapping litter but I thought maybe a larger bath rug type thing may do the same?

[saje]

I find it doesn’t track nearly as badly as clay or clumping litters if I don’t let it get to the sawdust stage at the top level. That’s why I like the deep box and the deep layer.

But if allergies are an issue, I guess that can’t be fixed.

[onyx98]

With regards to the staining, is it actual staining, or just dust that they haven’t cleaned off yet? Both of mine have white paws, and if I look right after they use the litter, their paws have turned tan. However, if I wait 5-10 minutes, they’re spotless again. I think it’s just the dust that they need to clean off.

Hopefully the spiders are unrelated, because that would put me off blue buffalo forever if I got spiders in my bag!

As for another litter, have you tried swheat scoop? I used it before I switched to blue buffalo, and it did a good job. It did track a bit (but it wasn’t nearly as noticeable on hardwood floors), and the odor control is decent.

It’s funny how different people like different litter. I HATE tidy cats, mostly because of the odor and the weight. I feel like I’m digging through concrete when trying to clean it. I hope you find something that works for you.

[ThoroughbredFancy]

I actually like the scent of the Tidy Cat with the light blue label and find it to be a lighter litter. :laugh: It is funny how different people like different litter. I would like to have stuck with the pellets to try them out for longer, but like I said, it’s a no go with SO.

I thought I tried Swheat scoop when I first got our female cat…but I don’t quite remember so that could go on the list. Our female doesn’t get stained paws and hers are clean, just the male? So either because he is white, or just doesn’t clean himself enough lol

But today they won’t touch the BB litter box at all and are using the other, when they normally prefer the one with BB in it (they prefer that actual box and location). But cats can be weird, so I don’t know. I found a cheap brand at a local grocery chain that actually isn’t bad. Kind of has a fresh laundry scent, doesn’t track terribly, and isn’t too dusty. It is a clay litter. Whole Care Pet is the name? I think. Someone also directed me toward Paws and Claws from TSC but I have not tried that.

I feel like I should start some sort of litter blog or documentary. Ha!

[dalpal]

Pricey…but we use the Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract Litter. It is by far the best one that I’ve personally used

[Hippolyta]

I use Dr Elsey’s litter in the blue bag (looked it up: Precious Cat Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Scoopable Multi-Cat Cat Litter). It clumps like mad, no ick scent, etc. Tracking seems to be less. It has medium size granules so there isn’t a lot of dust. It is made of the same stuff as Cat Attract version, without the “attract” mixed in, and is cheaper.

I get a 40# bag for about $16. There is perpetual coupon for a $1 off that I keep printing.

When I had one cat I loved the pine pelleted litter, but with three huge beasts it didn’t work out.

[Beethoven]

I like the Fresh Step clumping with carbon control. It does track out of the box, but it works well in my opinion. I have gone the route of using non clay but came back to it.

[JumpQH]

[QUOTE=ThoroughbredFancy;6981270]
I also don’t know if it is coincidence but there have been a surplus of large spiders around that one box (clean or not). [/QUOTE]

EEEEEWWWWWWWW!!! That litter would be gone the second I discovered that!

I use Costco’s Litter Purrfect. It’s cheap, not as dusty as some, and doesn’t have that nasty, over-cloying scent of trying to hide cat odor. It also clumps really well.

[ThoroughbredFancy]

Alright folks, I have seen no more spiders. I think that was a strange coincidence. The cats aren’t a fan of the litter it appears, but it’s not bad. It has been tracking less, and the cat with the white paws has white paws again. The odor control is alright. The litter kind of has a sour smell to it, a bit? Not potent or terrible.

I really want to go with the Pellets again, but don’t think that will work with SO.

OTOH, Catit Fresh N’ Easy works pretty good in one of the boxes. Has a cedar/wood scent, doesn’t track much, clumps, and offers good odor control. It’s harder to find and is clay though.

I don’t hate the BB as much anymore, but I don’t love it. If I put it in all the boxes the cats would use it, and I feel as though it lasts longer. Which is a plus.

[SouthernYankee]

This is dissapointing as I was considering trying the BB cat litter. I feed BB food to my 3 house cats and have seen an improvement in all 3 over feeding other grain based food…

I use Fresh Step clumping cat litter, in 2 large litter boxes. I used to be a Tidy Cats person but found it dusty and overly scented… I don’t want to be able to smell any part of the cat box… Fresh step does track, although not as much as Tidy cats. The fiance used the non-clumping fresh step prior to me, I wouldn’t use that stuff if it was free… As far as tracking goes I’d like to not have any but I track mud and alfalfa leaves into the house so I’m constantly sweeping anyways…

[ThoroughbredFancy]

[QUOTE=SouthernYankee;6985584]
This is dissapointing as I was considering trying the BB cat litter. I feed BB food to my 3 house cats and have seen an improvement in all 3 over feeding other grain based food…

I use Fresh Step clumping cat litter, in 2 large litter boxes. I used to be a Tidy Cats person but found it dusty and overly scented… I don’t want to be able to smell any part of the cat box… Fresh step does track, although not as much as Tidy cats. The fiance used the non-clumping fresh step prior to me, I wouldn’t use that stuff if it was free… As far as tracking goes I’d like to not have any but I track mud and alfalfa leaves into the house so I’m constantly sweeping anyways…[/QUOTE]

The funny thing is that I rather Tidy Cat over Fresh Step :lol:

The Tidy Cat (with the light blue label) has a nice mild smell and no dust. It did track a lot and that was really its only weakness. I couldn’t stand Fresh Step as I found it to be dusty and my cat constantly smelt like litter. I may have used one that was too heavily scented? I really can’t remember which one it was. The Fresh N’ Easy is hard to find, but so far proving to be the best clay based litter.

[rememberthenight]

Tidy cat puts me into a full blown allergy attack, but I am very sensitive to perfumes. I love arm and hammers multi cat. I have tried most of the other ones and either had to switch because of lack of odor control or too much perfume. I could t find that happy balance.

[JB]

I am 100% in love with A&H Double Duty litter. We have 5 cats who, despite living outside for some hours a day, still do a number on 4 boxes in the basement. There is never, ever a smell, and it all stays clumped unless someone gets REALLY vigorous digging a hole or covering up.

The ONLY complaint I have is that because it’s not used quite as often now as when everyone was using it all the time, it doesn’t change over as often as it used to (as attested to by the lack of seemingly constant litter-buying), and it can get a bit dusty. But then again, I have the same problem with stall bedding, no matter what I use, so I just stick with what works best for its job and live with side effects LOL

[leilatigress]

We use the Arm & Hammer Extreme. (Three male cats) I have an OCDer who covers everyone’s mess, one who is the messiest cat I have ever had (He requires a dome) http://www.petco.com/product/9965/Booda-Dome-Covered-Litter-Box-in-Titanium.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch but bigger and then there is the little boy. He doesn’t cover and since he’s not fixed yet (appt is next friday) STINKS!!! Arm & Hammer is the only one we’ve been happy with. Blue Buffalo was rejected and the OCD cat doesn’t like the crystals.