Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Cat Litter Review -- Feline Pine Original Non-Clumping Litter

We’re transitioning from World’s Best clumping litter to a non-clumping dust-free litter.  We’re currently trying Feline Pine Original Non-Clumping Litter.

Please note that an addendum to this review has been posted.  You can find it here:

We like it so far for the following reasons:

Drains Very Quickly
As mentioned before, we have one cat who’s a very Prolific Peer (PP).  His output is so voluminous that he can wet himself in a box full of quick-clumping litter.  As soon as his pee hits the clumping litter, the litter solidifies.  Then as his stream continues (and continues and continues) it forms a puddle that splashes up onto him.  But this non-clumping litter is both very absorbent and drains very quickly, so our PP cat stays dry.

Produces “Friendlier” Dust
The way this works is that when the pellets get soaked with pee, they break down into saw dust, which, as its name implies, is still dust.  So technically, this is not dust-free litter.  However, nearly all the dust particles are fairly large, so they don’t float in the air.  Imagine the saw dust you get by sawing wood with a crosscut saw.  The litter gets no smaller than this.

Compostable
This is made from natural pine and is free of chemicals.  It will eventually decompose, so it can be composted.  I dumped a large bunch of it in our composter, but it’s still somewhat intact.  Then I decided I would try to fertilize the lawn with it, since it seems to be compatible with the broadcast spreader.  I might also sprinkle it in the driveway to improve traction on snowy days.

Ubiquitous – even our favorite grocery store carries it
I usually get this from an online pet store with a Repeat Delivery service.  But if I had to I could pick up a spare bag at the grocery store.

Odor Control
It’s surprisingly effective at suppressing odor.  However, I do sift it at least every two weeks because only the pellets can contain the odor.  The saw dust does smell if it becomes pee-drenched.

Long Lasting
The 20lb bag is lasting longer than I expected.  You need only a one-inch layer in a box.  This makes it easier for our older cats to step into the box as they don’t have to step too high.  As well, this litter seems to be superior to World’s Best and ökocat in terms of monthly cost, provided that I continue to sift it.


What we don’t like:

Heavy / Bulky / Awkward to Carry and Pour
The 20lb bag is flimsy, so it’s awkward to pour with precision.  Pouring gets easier as the bag gets emptier.  The bags usually have puncture holes in them.

Not Our Cats’ First Choice
The “go-to” litter boxes in our home are the ones filled with World’s Best.  I think only our PP cat prefers Feline Pine, and almost never for pooping.  He doesn’t care to bury his business.  My guess is that the other two cats prefer the clumping litter because it’s easier for them to bury their business in it.

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