# When to change clay nonscoopable litter?



## BostonMike (May 5, 2010)

High guys,
I use to use scoopable cat litter and changed it out every two months or so with our first family of cats. They are gone now and we have a new family. We have 3 kittens about 2.5 pounds each and their mother. They are using three big tote boxes, with about 10 lbs of non scoopable clay in each box. I have never used non scoopable but that's what they like. It's been about one month and I just threw away 30 pounds of clay. Most of it looked fine.

*So I am wondering how often should regular non scoopable cat litter be changed? *


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

When it stinks. I know that sounds simplistic, but it's really the only thing to go by. And I don't mean stinks so bad you can't stand it, I mean as soon as you can smell urine and/or ammonia then it's time to change it. Remember that cats have a much more developed sense of smell, so it will smell bad to them sooner than it does to you. Scoop the solid stuff daily and stir the litter around. Durascoop makes a litter scoop that will sift or act as a shovel, so you can take the poop out with it on sift and then close the holes so you can remove any soaked clay to help make the litter last longer.

http://www.durascoop.com/original.php?productid=2


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## BostonMike (May 5, 2010)

Thanks for the fast reply. The reason I changed it was because it was stinky. But the clay on top looked perfectly fine. It looked like I was wasting good litter. So I submitted a post. You're reply sounds like the voice of experience. Are you saying I can push the fresh looking litter aside and scoop the black stuff off the bottom and through it away? Is most of the odor coming from the black clay at the bottom?


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## 9catz (Jun 4, 2010)

If the clay is black then it is soaked in urine and that should be removed. So like you said, push the clean stuff aside and try to get all the dark out. Easier if you have a little shovel or the special scoop that was posted.


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## BostonMike (May 5, 2010)

9catz said:


> If the clay is black then it is soaked in urine and that should be removed. So like you said, push the clean stuff aside and try to get all the dark out. Easier if you have a little shovel or the special scoop that was posted.


I haven't seen the special scoop you posted in the store yet. We have a new Petco/Unleashed near our home. They carry all the upscale merchandise and should have it, but they don't. So...I think I'll just use one of the grandchildren's toy beach shovels. That means a new shovel the kids! (I'm talking about the grandchildren getting a new shovel not the kittens in the last sentence in case you're wondering.)


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## BostonMike (May 5, 2010)

Does stirring the cat litter while you're digging for poop make the dark urine soaked particles go down to the bottom or does it just mix it in with the fresh clay?


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## razzle (May 20, 2010)

Hi Mike It sounds like a mess to use non-scoopable clay litter. I tried it once and hated it and never used it again. Since the kittens are very young you should be able to switch them over to scoopable litter very easily. Do it slowly and build up till it's all scoopable litter. This will make it easier to clean and probably not smell as much plus it will cost you less. I think you and your cats will be happier if you switch. 

Kathy


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## BostonMike (May 5, 2010)

Thanks for the advice. I have used scoopable in the past but the vet and the animal shelter both told us not to use scoopable litter with kittens. I may switch back to scoopable when they get older. I do like the fact that Clay has less dust.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

The vet and shelter are correct...you don't want to use clumping litter with kittens that young. They tend to play in it, eat it or get wet playing in water, then go in the box and you get 'breaded' kittens who then try to clean it off. Getting clumping litter in their digestive system can cause serious damage.

If you scoop out the black litter and then stir mixing the remaining soaked particles with the clean ones will help dry out the soaked ones. The other thing I've done with regular clay is to buy some cheap crystal litter and mix in a couple cups. I don't like crystals on their own and cats seem to hate the texture, but mixed with regular clay, they help keep the odor down.


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