# Feline Pine - Methods to clean box ?



## cat1001 (Feb 2, 2010)

I started using Feline Pine (actually Petsmarts brand) about 3 weeks ago. Its VERY effective in removing odors and my cats use it just fine (I did the gradual switch over a week). The problem is cleaning the box. Daily I remove the poop with some tongs, which is fairly easy. The problem comes at the end of the week when there is a lot of sawdust in the box. What ive been doing is sifting the litter with a litter scoop, separating the sawdust from the "good" litter. This is time consuming. Ive seen the Feline Pine litter box, looks like it would work well, but its $20 + $12 s/h. I cant find it at any of my local stores. 

So, does anyone have a better method on removing the sawdust from the litter box? Anyone seen the Feline Pine litter box sold locally or cheaper online?


----------



## swimkris (Jul 17, 2010)

I used to use FP, and I would just keep a small layer of litter in the box at a time so I wouldn't feel bad just dumping the whole thing once a week. I guess that option would depend on your money situation though.


----------



## Time Bandit (Aug 17, 2010)

Yeah, the sawdust was always a pain with that stuff. I did pretty much what yer doing now...I separated the sawdust from the rest and just scooped that out with a gardening trowel...that way I wouldn't have to be too careful with the slots in the litter scoop.

You can get one of their boxes for free, if you have enough _Pine Points_. You get 50 Pine Points per 25 lb bag (not sure how many points come on the smaller bags or boxes). The litter box itself costs 1100 points. It takes a while to save up, but if you can wait, this is the best way to save the money. Here's the link to the Pine Points page, so you can see it yourself: Feline Pine, the healthy, all natural cat litter.

If yer interested, I do have 200 Pine Points laying around that I will never use, as Rochelle refuses to use Feline Pine. I was saving up for the box too, but when Rochelle decided she didn't like it, I moved on to a different litter. I could send them to you to get ya started if you wanted.


----------



## cat1001 (Feb 2, 2010)

Time Bandit said:


> Yeah, the sawdust was always a pain with that stuff. I did pretty much what yer doing now...I separated the sawdust from the rest and just scooped that out with a gardening trowel...that way I wouldn't have to be too careful with the slots in the litter scoop.
> 
> You can get one of their boxes for free, if you have enough _Pine Points_. You get 50 Pine Points per 25 lb bag (not sure how many points come on the smaller bags or boxes). The litter box itself costs 1100 points. It takes a while to save up, but if you can wait, this is the best way to save the money. Here's the link to the Pine Points page, so you can see it yourself: Feline Pine, the healthy, all natural cat litter.
> 
> If yer interested, I do have 200 Pine Points laying around that I will never use, as Rochelle refuses to use Feline Pine. I was saving up for the box too, but when Rochelle decided she didn't like it, I moved on to a different litter. I could send them to you to get ya started if you wanted.


Thanks but Ive been buying the Petsmart brand, $12 for 40lb bag.


So why did you switch, swimkris & Time Bandit?


----------



## Time Bandit (Aug 17, 2010)

I personally liked Feline Pine (both the clumping and the pelleted) but I switched because my Rochelle didn't like the texture of either...and since I want my cats to use their litter boxes, I figured I shouldn't use it anymore. 

I now use World's Best, and while it's expensive, I find I actually save money since I don't have to do full litter changes as often. It also has _great _odor control, probably the best of any litter I've used (and I've tried a LOT of brands because of picky Rochelle!).


----------



## Husky42 (Sep 28, 2008)

I wonder how much pine you are using?

I use the pellets and literally only put in maybe 1/2 a cup of pellets every few days, just enough to add a few to the botton but you can still see the bottom of the litter box. They expand, we actually use wood pellets for my horse shavings which expand when crushed.

Theory is the same with FP, they get wet and expand then absorb the wetness and dry. Poop I just use a scooper, after about 3 days i just dump all the fp and remaining epllets out (they usually are swollen a little by this point)

For 1 cat, 1 bag of Feline pine can and should last well over a month.


----------



## swimkris (Jul 17, 2010)

I switched when I realized that feline pine did nothing for diarrhea. Pumpkin was sick for about a week & I basically had to completely change the litter every time she had a bm. I waited till Simone got to about 3.5 or 4 mo and then I switched to a clumping litter (not the best, but they really like it for some reason). Also, feline pine is only available at certain stores, and I got tired of driving all over town to buy an expensive litter.


----------



## ShadowsRescue (Mar 7, 2011)

Jake used Feline Pine Scoopable for just over 2 years. I thought it did really well with odor and I loved that it was flushable since the litter box was in the bathroom. Yet, it was such a pain to get the pee clumps out without leaving small bits behind. I found that I was having to dump the entire box every other week and it was taking me forever to clean. 

I have been socializing a feral cat for months now and he is in the process of moving into the house. I began to use Dr. Elsey's Litter Attract to get him used to the litter box. The stuff was amazing! No odor at all, great clumping and so much easier to clean. Jake our indoor kitty found this new litter box right away too and didn't mind the litter at all. I decided it was time to change. I am now using Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra. All cats are happy and I am happy too. I don't even miss being able to flush as this is just so easy to clean and absolutely no odor.


----------



## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

I don't have a method with that stuff, I think it's terrible to deal with. I have to sort out the poo, sometimes it's buried which makes even even harder to find, and then make sure I'm not taking pellets with it... and then I try and get in the corners to get the pee out when it's become sawdust, but that doesn't work very well. I only clean the pine pellets for the cats at the sanctuary, and I'm only there once a week, so who knows what the people before me have done to the box. But really, it's a huge pain to deal with when it comes to those boxes. ... and they smell even when there isn't that much sawdust yet.

I'd never use the stuff for my cat unless I was desperate, I buy clumping litter from Costco, 50 pounds of it for under 10 dollars.


----------



## tghsmith (Dec 9, 2010)

I do 4 boxes every evening, take all of 5 minutes(cannot flush I'm on a septic system) I use 2 large scoops and a tidy cat lidded pail..first scoop large holes removes just the turds, second scoop thin slots, sifts out the use litter into the pail , return good pellets to the box, if you skip a day or two it takes longer so the evening ritual works the best.. with multipul cats they like it that way also..


----------

