# Cat in small apartment - Litter choices



## feel-line (Sep 9, 2009)

Hey all,

I'm a college student (don't worry, I don't live on campus) and I will be getting a kitten soon. I'm studying abroad so I don't have all the choices for litter that are available in the US.

I'm trying to figure out what [type of] litter to get, and I guess due to my circumstances, my priorities are:

1. Odor control
2. Price
3. Tracking 


I've searched the forum and read a bit into the issue but it just made me more confused, really... lol. It seems like everyone has a different experience. 

BTW this is my first cat...

Thanks for the help.


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## dweamgoil (Feb 3, 2010)

Having used several brands, my favorite is Fresh Step Clumping Litter. I have tried pine based litter, crystals, etc. The Feline Pine was good but the tracking was just awful once the litter turns to sawdust. The crystals I put in the box one day and observed my cat did not like the feel of the crystals on her feet so I decided to test this for myself and took a fistful of crystals and placed them on the floor so I could walk on them myself. After this, I immediately took the crystals in the box and the entire bag and just tossed it in the garbage. It was painful to step on these pebble-like crystals...no way...not for my furry little diva!

Now with the Fresh Step, we never have an issue with odor, but I do scoop out anything I see in the litter box several times a day. I keep one box in the bathroom and another in the bedroom for when we have the A/C on in the Summer. The price is good and it works very well. It's not the best at not tracking outside the box, but the mess is minimal if you keep a little mat outside the box and just put the tracked litter back inside the box every other day or so.

Hope this helps!


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## txjammer (Jun 20, 2010)

I also live in a small apartment and I have stuck with the Tidy cat clumping litter. I've tired out a few other litters but so far its great for the price. what I've noticed is they sell different tidy cat clumping litter and they all seem the same to me. I've used the 24/7 performance and Instant action. I think they might add a little more fragrance to the instant action but that the only difference I can see. I don't think the cats would like that because it was strong even to me. So I stick with the 24/7 performance. its about 10 dollars for a 30 pound container. 

My cats do track a little litter but not more than 1 ft outside the litter box. Its hard to keep them from tracking but since all cat owners should own a vacuum cleaner. You can use that if you have carpet.

As for odor control just mix some baking soda with the litter and pick up poop if your cat just pooped because it will smell no matter what. Unless you have a closed box.

I don't recommend a closed box because its more a convenience for you and not for the cat. But I guess all cats are different.


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## Kattt (Dec 20, 2008)

I agree with the previous comment about crystals. My cats absolutley hated the crystals, and would try to find creative ways to stand on the edge of the litterbox to go to the bathroom, so they didn't have to step on the crystals. So needless to say, the crystals had to go just as fast as they came.

I too have tried just about every litter on the market, and the winner that I have stuck with for nearly 6 years now is Arm & Hammer Unscented Super Scoop Clumping Litter. I get the 20lb box, and it goes pretty far with 2 litterboxes and 2 cats. It works great. Extremely low tracking and good clumping. And I never have any odor. But again, as the previous person posted.. I also scoop it multiple times a day, so theres never any waste sitting in their litterbox. Scooping multiple times a day is the key to keeping odor away. If you leave waste sitting in there, it will smell.. regardless of what litter you use. 

I've found that scented litters will intensify the smell when they urinate. Also, cats have a strong sense of smell.. and often don't like the scented brands. At least my 2 didn't anyways. So try to stick with unscented brands.


Heres the litter I use: http://www.petfooddirect.com/Product/60 ... cented-Cat


Good luck with your new kitty!


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

I am using Swheat Scoop for now, until it's used up. I have a 50# bag of laying mash crumbles chicken feed I got for only $8.95, waiting for the wheat litter to get used up.
Swheat Scoop clumps well, has great odor control, but it's kinda dusty, and tracks a lot.


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## faithless (Dec 4, 2009)

I guess each country has its own brands and you have to go through a couple to find your favorite. I hate dusty ones. Ive been using several clumping litters, but just recently found one where the clumps actually go rock hard which we prefer at the moment.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

The only way to have effective odor control (for you AND the cats, who have to get a lot closer to it than you do and who have more sensitive noses!) is to scoop often. Depending on # of cats and # of boxes, that is at LEAST once a day but may be more often. I scoop 2 boxes twice a day for 3 cats, but then, I'm super-finicky.  They have almost smell-free poops anyway thanks to eating raw, but even so I'm pretty anal about it. It takes 30 seconds and is well worth that tiny time expenditure!

I use Dr. Elsey's Precious cat (clay clumping litter) which has no scents added and clumps nice and hard.


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

I've got to second the frequent scooping. Do it first thing when you get home if you're out all day. I use World's Best, corn based clumping. I'm not sure if there's tracking because Zenobi was a, and Missy is a big cat who chuck the litter over the side in great scoopfulls. While that is rather annoying, I get a bit of a charge from their complete disregard of the mess they make.


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## whiteghost (Apr 24, 2005)

We use Tidy Cats.

My favorite types are:
Small Spaces
Instant Action
Power Blend


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## razzle (May 20, 2010)

I use Special Kitty from Wal Mart and I have never had an odor problem. It's cheap too-about $7.00 for 28 pounds. I had to use World's Best Cat Litter when my Razzle had radioactive iodine treatment for his hyperthyroidism and I loved it but it's way to expensive. I read that chicken feed is the same as World's Best because they are both made of corn. I heard the crumbly kind is better but you'd have to experiment to find the best one for your cats.

Kathy


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I like Special Kitty, too. Much less dust than Fresh Step.


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

Yea, as far as oder control goes, I honestly think that really depends on how clean you keep the box and has very little to do with the type of litter. It's just marketing.
I use Feline Pine but, as someone else said, once it starts to break down, it does track. However, now I use it with the FP box and that's not a problem anymore. All the sawdust gets sifted to the bottom container and there's virtually no tracking at all. So far, it's the only thing I've found that doesn't track and I believe I've tried them all! Hahaha!
I won't use scented litters or very dusty litters as I don't think they are good for the cats or for us.
More than the litter though (and I hope you won't be offended by my saying this) since you say you're a college student and abroad, I hope you've taken other things into consideration. Getting a kitten is a 15-20 year commitment. Will you be able to move back home with him/her? Can you afford the vet bills? There are often surprise illnesses that crop up and it can get very expensive, very fast. Do you have the time to devote to a kitten? They are a lot of work and need a lot of attention...are you prepared for sleepless nights! They may be little but they are a big responsibility.
Again, I hope you're not offended but it's important that people are prepared before they take the plunge into kittydom...especially kittendom!


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