Much Ado About Cat Litter

Just like humans with their toilet rolls, cats have their preference when it comes to cat litter, and yes, they prefer the more expensive ones, too. My cats do, at any rate. And so they protest when I switched to a cost-effective cat litter nearly four months ago. Which brings me to this blog post that should have been titled The Benefits of Pine Wood Pellets if I had been in my right mind, which I hadn't. 

I'm not one of those disciplined writers, who never go off-topic, just focusing on the salient points of the topic title. Rather, I'm more like a little doggie, preferring to amble around, and sniff at every possible trees, tyres, lamp posts and ground before deciding which spot to settle on. Which is why I could never earn a living as a writer....my editors would throw up their hands in despair, if they don't strangle me first.


Back to cat litter, I've never used the sand or crystal type from day one as I don't fancy having soil or bits of sticky crystal tracked all over my home, furniture and beddings. I've only used wood based litter, and the one my cats really love is Cats Best OkoPlus Cat Litter. (Bear with me while I ramble on about the previous cat litter first.)


Although expensive at RM146 for a 40L bag, which lasts two months, it is very effective in covering up the odour, and doesn't track too much. Because my cats sleep with me in my room at night, they do their business there, too, and it's of paramount importance that I do not need to scoop the very minute they poop or pee in the middle of the night. 


I've also tried Breeder's Celect Recycled Paper which my cats didn't like and neither did I for the simple fact that it is not effective in covering the odour and I had to get up to scoop each time they poop or pee (I'm a light sleeper and the slightest smell and sound would wake me up). 


So, when I was first introduced to pine wood pellets, I was hesitant to try. No, I wasn't skeptical, as the people who recommended it are Jimmy and Amanda, two friends whose opinions I value. Just hesitant, because my two kitties are extremely fussy. They have very defined likes and dislikes.


However, the pine wood pellets is only a fraction of OkoPlus, and it seems such a waste to spend RM146 on something that is going to be flushed down the toilet. The money saved from the cat litter could be better used to buy more sashimi treats for them. After much thought, I decided to give it a try.


First, for the pine wood pellets to be effective (no tracking and long lasting), it needs to be used in litter boxes that has a "sieve".

See the holes in the sieve where I pushed the pellets aside? When the cats pee, the pellets will absorb the liquid and break into sawdust. To clean, just lift up the sieve tray and give it a few shakes, and the sawdust will fall through into the tray below. 


For bigger cats like the Maine Coon, the regular litter boxes in the market might be a tad too small. Jimmy said that he gets two large plastic boxes of the same size, drill holes into one of them, and stack them together with the one with the drilled holes on top. 


Initially, I balked at the idea of drilling holes into a plastic box. I'm not the handy type, and drills and I don't go very well together. Amanda, the sweet, kind lady that she is, offered to drill them for me. Thanks, hun, I really appreciate that!  :)  Below is what the top tray with drilled holes look like.


Now, nearly four months later, and I still haven't finished the first bag of pellets. That is one massive saving, as a bag is less than RM30. Although I've passed down the savings to my cats by buying more of the sashimi treats for them, they don't seem to be mollified.


They do not like the feel of the pellets on their paws, and have resorted to doing their business on the edge of the litter box. See how Yin balances herself precariously on the edge with her four paws. 

Sorry for the poor quality of the photos, I did not have the time to rush into my room to get my camera, so the handphone, which was next to me, was the next best thing. The lighting was too strong, too, as the box is beneath the window, which didn't help to improve the photo quality.


Her body would be swaying to and fro as she poohs, and once, the box nearly flipped over. But somehow, the little finicky empress managed to learn to hold her balance. If only I could snap a photo of Blackie, who waves a paw in the air for balance!


Well, while my cats aren't too happy with the pine pellets, I am satisfied with its performance. It doesn't track, nor does it leave a sticky feel to my cats' paws. This is especially important to me, as Yin has a habit of washing her two front paws after using the litter box if I don't catch her in time to clean her. Yes, she washes her 'hands' after using the toilet, in her water bowl. Some cats are just too fastidious about cleanliness. 

The pine wood pellets can be purchased from:
Home Pet Food & Care
41, Jalan 1/149J,
Bandar Baru Seri Petaling,
57000 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: (03) 9059 3191 / 3192
Business hours: Tuesdays to Sundays, 11:00am to 9pm