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Litter
Boxes, Litter Types Compared,
Odour, Diarrhea,
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Cleaning
Litter Boxes
Q. Is Pinesol safe for use in rinsing out litterboxes?? A1. I think the pinesol thing might have to do with its being a poison and cats are attracted to it somehow - I had a roommate that was a clean freak once and her cleaning solution of choice was Pinesol - I had a cat get severely poisoned from it - he got better but had liver damage and it was touch and go for a while - the vet thought it was pinesol. She should wash her car with the stuff and then it would pool up and I guess he drank it.... A2.
I don't think it is the thing to use, but if it is really washed away, and
she doesnt routinely use it, I seriously doubt her cats will be affected.
BUT I would NOT recommend using this product............. A3. I don't think theres a general rule about it for all cats, but way(way) back when I was a kid or teenager I heard that Pinesol can cause serious reactions in some animals. I don't remember whether it was occasional or repeated use or depended upon the animal. I do know that I have heard that something about pinesol can be poisonous to animals. A4. Be very careful of any "sol" cleaner, e.g. PineSol, Lysol, etc. They contain phenol, which is toxic to cats. Cats are deficient in a liver enzyme which breaks down phenol, thus more prone to accumulate the solvent to potentially toxic levels. I personally would not use Lysol as an air-freshner, since the mist settles to the ground and becomes available to paws and tongues...Be careful of Clorox Ultra, the new formulation in the grocery stores. The old Clorox was just bleach; with Ultra, they've added lye (sodium hydroxide), which doesn't completely rinse off as readily as does bleach, and thus can be picked up on kitty paws, then licked off the paws... you get the picture. As already mentioned
in the thread, don't mix bleach and ammonia (including urine) as the reaction
can produce chlorine gas (actually HCl, an acid, I believe). Thoroughly washing
the litter-box with soap and water before rinsing with bleach should be
sufficient. A5. The European Solution: Hearing everybody speak about rabbit pellets in the litterbox made me realise how fortunate we are to have our "Kattengemak". They are a firm that delivers pellets made of compost to our doorstep, in buckets with lid, and picks them up again with the used litter inside. 100% recycled, 100% natural, non-polluting (except for the cat poo of course) and harmless when ingested accidentally. It also soaks up urine odors really well, and poo can be scooped out easily but also dries out so we don't have to scoop litter trays twice a day. Really good stuff! Of course it doesn't prevent spraying!! |
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Q1. I was using feline pine litter, but it seems that the urine turns the pine to saw dust which doesn't seem to hold the odor that well. I went back using a cheap litter and it smells better. What is a good non clumping litter? What about those crystals? A1. The only non-clumping litter I have ever used that I liked was Johnny Cat. I am really stuck on Arm and Hammer's clumping litter however. Since I don't have little kittens to worry about, this litter really does a heck of a good job of keeping odors away. Never tried the crystals. They are probably good, but so expensive! I hear that they track pretty badly too. A2. Do not use the crystals if your cats lick their paws a bit as they clump in their intestines Just is not worth the risk for me ... Clumping litter can have the same effect and it tracks ... after many years of breeding I am using a litter from Australia which is a newspaper pellet product Janelle Lawrence ships it to me you could contact her at korindah@wimberley-tx.com It really keeps odor down without a strong Feline pine type odor which some of my girls objected to and lasts in a multi cat environment ... does not track and can be used as mulch as it is bio degradable Hope this helps Now who to root for I guess the Ravens as there are several large black birds sitting under my bird feeder currently none of them are quoting though as well you just can not have it all. A3. We buy our litter at Walmart in the red bag for $1.97 for a 25lb bag. We do not scoop, but rather just dump the boxes after a few days. The pearls in my opinion are bad because:
These are what we use and has worked well with us. A4. Good point, One lady I met in PetSmart told me that one of the "Litter Pearls" had stuck to her cat's tongue because he played with them and got one in his mouth. She said it wasn't easy getting it out, but at least he didn't swallow it.... A5. I think the most important thing is to clean the litter-box totally every few days. In the Feline Management book by Pederson he commented that it was not so much about what TYPE of litter, as how CLEAN the box itself was kept. Someone recommended a thorough cleaning every few days (with a 10% bleach solution wash) this truly is the key to good management. A6. I tried the pearls about six months ago and didn't like them because they were round and, well, to make a long story short-if you are looking for a fun time for your cats, just get a package of the pearls and put them in a new (covered) litter box and wait for them to have the time of their lives. It's like a kitty ball pit. They dug. They dove. They pawed. They scattered. And scattered. And scattered. Mostly at 3 am. About two weeks ago, I found some that aren't round and don't scatter so badly at WalMart. Thought I would give them another try. They are much better and the cats haven't played with them at all. I scoop it daily just like I do the regular litter. I just isolate the poop and get it out and then scoop the stuff at the bottom where the urine settle. The pearls are stained yellow there and I take them out. They do keep the odor down nicely. I should mention that I am only using it in two of my seven boxes. A7. Just thought I would mention that a breeder friend nearly lost her adult cat to clumping litter, which had clumped inside her. It was touch and go at the vet, but fortunately she survived. I quickly turfed my clumping out and never used it again. I have since read of other similar stories. I am not familiar with Johnny Cat, we don't have that here. I found the crystals to track really bad, as someone else said. They seems to travel quite a distance, especially once the little darlings start playing with these little balls which are rolling around everywhere. A8. I would seriously advise you from using clumping litter as it has been proven to lead to intestinal tract problems that often lead to death. Clumping litter is obviously designed to clump when wet. |
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Bengal cats' paws are often wet from playing in sinks, faucets, toilets and water dishes and then they use the box... what does the litter do it clumps and adheres... then the cat goes to groom itself and ingests the litter and what happens? it clumps in the digestinal tract. Kittens are especially at risk because they actually will ingest litter while "investigating their world tacitly". Stick with regular clay litter and you will have less to worry about though you will have more litter boxes to empty on a regular basis. A9. We use plain clay for kittens and scoop and change it daily. For bigger kittens(12 weeks and up, we use clumping clay and scoop it two or three times daily and change it every other day. I do not work and have time to do this but I know a breeder that works a full time job and changes litter (plain clay) morning and evening. I can't imagine the smell of clay that is not scooped and dumped every two or three days. Our cats and kittens run through our home and sleep in our beds and on our furniture. I think it is the most important thing we can do to ensure our cats and our own health. I remember several people commenting on the use of pearls on the list a few months ago. If I remember correctly the vote was not to use it. A10. We also use the inexpensive Walmart litter. We can buy ten bags for $20.00 We scoop solids daily (six cats/Five boxes) and empty every third day. We do not hand scrub ever time, but we do scrap the bottoms then spray a disinfectant and water mix in the box. I think keeping the boxes clean really helps to keep them from going outside the box and keeps everybody healthy. Just my . 02 worth. A11. WE do the same thing for the 7 yrs we have been breeding/showing Walmart Litter each bag is $1.95 bleach n water to disinfect ,all are healthy. A12. I have to put in my 2 cents worth. For those who live in wood burning fire climates. We buy 40# of oak fuel pellets for about $3.50, depending on seasonal changes. No stink like the pine has, no additives, no tracking, clumps, no smell because urine is absorbed, doesn't stick to litter pans, recyclable so it doesn't fill the landfills. If an emergency comes up and you can't change it for a few days, it continues to degrade into sawdust. I can empty the litter pan, rinse, and spray with chlorhexidrine or clorox water, rinse again and refill with no scrubbing. Cheap enough to change daily if you don't want to scoop. A13. Seeing how litter is just baked clay, we get the "Oil Dry" from Sams Wholesale. It costs around $3.50 for a 40 pound bag, and is relatively dust free, and every few days you just dump it and start with clean. Clumping isn't all that good for cats, because they lick it off their paws and it makes little concrete balls in their intestines. The wheat, pine, newspaper and other fancy-smancy stuff is just too expensive to use. And, not only should you not cast pearls before swine, you should probably think twice before you put them in a big box for cats to poop in. A14. Well, I trained Callie to use the toilet. Used that step-by-step method that you see in magazines. It was good for awhile. No litter to worry about and dispose of, as well as good "odor control." Unfortunately, I could see this was not going to work for long though, as Callie began to monopolize the bathroom. She started spending hours in there, first with back issues of Reader's Digest, and National Geographic, until finally, insisting that I get her subscriptions to (Still) Whole Male Shorthair Pictorial and Soldier of Fortune magazines. Not only did she turn the bathroom into her own personal library, but most infuriatingly, she simply refused to flush, and not once did she lower the lid! Jeeez, cats nowadays. Put a little glitter on 'em and they think they OWN the place . . . A15. We feed Innova dry feed and then they get just a little wet Friskies once a day. I do think that a premium quality dry does make a difference in odor and quantity of both poop and urine. A16. We use Wheat Mids, purchased at the feed store. 100% natural and safe, and it clumps. A17. I like this product the best too. Also use the chlorhexidrine and dump the wood pellets at least every other day, but as you say, it could go an extra day if necessary. A18. I've been using a mix of wood pellets, pine shavings and cedar shavings and it works well for me. I was told by another breeder that the cedar in the mix could be toxic. I did bring this up to my vet and my vet said she couldn't see why it would be. Haven't had a problem at all with it. I buy it at the local farm supply/feed store which has a drive through and they load it for me in my car. One of the guys who loads it asked me one day what I was doing with it and I told him. He decided to try it for his cats and told me he likes it much better than the clay he was using. I mix it up in a giant, covered garbage can. I scoop at least twice a day and when I scoop the solids I also get to the bottom where the urine is. I dump the entire box when the mix looks like it needs it which is probably twice a week. Cleaning the boxes is done with a bleach solution. The litter does track a bit, but not too bad and it's dust free and has pretty good odor control. The cats seem to like it and it keeps a good cover on their poop. A19. I've been using a mix of wood pellets, pine shavings and cedar shavings and it works well for me. I was told by another breeder that the cedar in the mix could be toxic. I did bring this up to my vet and my vet said she couldn't see why it would be. Haven't had a problem at all with it. I buy it at the local farm supply/feed store which has a drive through and they load it for me in my car. One of the guys who loads it asked me one day what I was doing with it and I told him. He decided to try it for his cats and told me he likes it much better than the clay he was using. I mix it up in a giant, covered garbage can. I scoop at least twice a day and when I scoop the solids I also get to the bottom where the urine is. I dump the entire box when the mix looks like it needs it which is probably twice a week. Cleaning the boxes is done with a bleach solution. |
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The litter does track a bit, but not too bad and it's dust free and has pretty good odor control. The cats seem to like it and it keeps a good cover on their poop. A20. I use plain old clay litter. I usually use Walmarts brand, 25 lb for $2 however, they often run out and I then use Sams. I also add an enzyme called Sweet PDZ. You can get it from feed stores or have it special ordered. 40lb bag cost about $11 and it really assists in smell control. Of coarse, box has to be changed out frequently. Another thing that is good for odor control is an enzyme called Zep. I have been using this for a while now and it really helps. A21. My greatest concerns regarding litter are -
We've over the y e a r s tried them all (with the exception to the pearls and shredded paper - & probably not all but a lot!) There's the wood pellets - fairly nice for absorbency, odor control is good, but the tracking mess and then there are those who just don't want to poop on a pellet! - Now these are fairly easy to dispose of because it can be easily buried, or burned knowing it will decompose - some I have even heard, use it in their gardens but I haven't felt good about cat poop on my veggies - I guess cow poop just sounds ...ummm ?tastier? Then the Alfalfa pellets - same as above but gives of the smell of green Shavings - now what a mess that can be - especially for Bengals! WOW, do they love to play in shavings - shavings everywhere and I didn't particularly like the absorbency quality. The pressed paper ones - didn't like those - absorbency was good - odor control fair to poor besides the fact that I noticed pieces of the paper would stick to paws. Then there's the clumping - besides the fact that it's not safe for kittens (although... I do use it for some of my adults) - it's like giving them a sandbox to play in. Odor control CAN BE good, absorbency is great but getting rid of the stuff - I don't want to fill landfills with this stuff and burying it seems to be rough on the environment - ya I know, it's clay but who wants a whole property that's nothing but clay? I did tell Rick that maybe... it would be good to pour into the holes where fence poles were to go? The crystals - well odor control is good - they are apparently safe (not the same as pearls) absorbency is fantastic but... expensive and I hate that they are white and when a cat urinates or poos in it - it keeps the color - so looks as though the box is dirty even after each cleaning. Just plain clay - can be dusty, can retain odor as well as bacteria, absorbency ranges according to brand as well does the dust level - safe for all but, can be a problem to get rid of again... fence posts? But... one only needs so many fence posts, right? My Garbage man, I am sure goes out on workers comp regularly just from providing us with garbage service - Well, currently, we are using the clay - we mix several different brands so I get what I believe is the best absorbency, best odor control, antibacterial as well but still hate the fact that it's not as environmentally friendly - A22. As of late I have been blending my own litter mixture of clay and clumping. I like clumping for the ease of cleaning the obvious clumps, but don't like it exclusively for kittens and it is too expensive for everything. So the mixture allows me the ease of cleaning and I feel it is safe for kittens as the majority of the mixture is clay and this makes it a more moderate cost. I guess I am trying to get the best of both worlds, cost and cleaning and safety. Works for me so far. A23. I just found a place to request coupons for Nutro Cat food. Go to: http://www.nutroproducts.com/contact.htm and select Coupon request from the drop-down. My F2 has been using their Natural Choice Hairball Management for 6 month and has NOT had a hairball since! And, his coat has never looked better. He even loves the taste.] |
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A24. Ditto that! Same with my two Bengals (one is long-haired). We've been using Nutro Natural Choice Hairball (dry food) for a few months now and it has significantly reduced the amount of hairballs. I swear by it! A25. Having decided that Johnny Cat was way too dusty for my two kidz, and having tried the round pearls and quickly rejected them [after attempts to consume them ended up with pearls sticking to gums and lips], I got a recommendation from my vet, and am way more pleased to be using World's Best http://www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/ Odor control is fine (as long as they do an adequate job of burying), flushability is good, and I'm comfortable with the safety even if they nibble on it (which, being almost two years old they don't do as much). It's more expensive, but also doesn't have to be completely replaced more than once per month; just top off what's been scooped out each week. Two thumbs up! A26. I use the kitty white also. I love it. I mix it with Petco clumping for the adults. The clumping pellets are larger and don't as readily get stuck in their paw pads. I do about a half and half mix. I works great!! A27. I tried the Mazuri dry food. My cats wouldn't eat it. I think the size of the small pellets and the hardness was too hard. I even tried mixing it up in wet food and water and that couldn't saturate it. Hard stuff. A28. I tried the Mazuri dry food. My cats wouldn't eat it. I think the size of the small pellets and the hardness was too hard. I even tried mixing it up in wet food and water and that couldn't saturate it. Hard stuff. A29. You might want to watch out for those crystals. There've been some horror stories on the list. I believe someone had a kitten who choked on them... speak up folks. We use the cheap stuff (Tidy Cat, whatever) but we also empty and refill all our litter-boxes daily after thoroughly cloroxing. We find that this is the only method that really works as far a fresh-smelling house goes. A30. I've never experienced hard Mazuri. Yes, it is a little larger kibble, but it will break up between the fingers. My Kittens and Cats love it and are thriving on it. I mix it with wet food for the evening meal. Also, it has been my experience that if you add a little water it softens right up. Every bag that I have purchased has basically what amounts to a "born on" date. I check the dates to make sure it is fresh before I purchase it. A31. I once upon a time, just loved the scoopable litter. It was great! I had an old Tom cat who I just loved, and he had no problem with using it. Then he died, and I got my first Bengal baby. After that, the honeymoon was over with the scoopable stuff! Star developed a terrible URI, and would sneeze thick green goop (sorry). I spent hundreds of dollars in blood tests and vet bills to try and figure out what was wrong with her. When all was said and done, she was allergic to the scooping litter. I changed it to clay, and she got better. I do not recommend using scoopable litter, and if I recall correctly, the labels say not to use on an animal under 4 months old. A32. We use Egg Makers chicken crumble for all our cats and kittens. It is made of corn so can't hurt the cats and it clumps pretty well. Best of all it is very cheap - only $7 for a 50lb bag. The chicken crumble can be found at a livestock feed store.
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A1. I
use this fabulous stuff called "Clump N Flush". It is corn
based, smells FANTASTIC, clumps nicely and is virtually dust free. It is
easy to clean up, tracks a little bit and will break down if you soak it in
water (I tried it!) so you know if they ingest it that it won't form a cement
ball in their tummies. Another product like it is SWheat Scoop... and there are spinoffs of it in corn and plant matter based. I keep my babies on plant based litter until they are 3-4 months old... at which time they may try a clay based clumping if they are not water dabblers. If any of the cats, adults included, have a water fetish, they get plant based litter as they could play in their water then visit the litterbox and have it stuck to their paws etc. It is good to consider that high dust clay clumping litters may also play havoc with the lining of the lungs if the cat inhales a bunch of it while rooting around... the swelling and cement reaction you see when they pee in the box can happen within the lungs as well and coat them. The clumping clay I have is very low dust. Clay pellet litter may be a pain as well if the kittens are feeling like crunching something and are still experimenting putting everything in their mouths... I tried newspaper, rabbit food pellets, wood pellets etc and I am most pleased with the corn based out of all of them. It's a little more expensive than your regular litter but is super easy to maintain, clean and is worth it I think! :) http://www.andersonsstore.com/ sells it... in both a 2 gallon and 15 pound bag. I don't get the 15 pound bags here but buy the 2 gallon ones. The white jugs are also handy for other things around the house after you wash them out good like storing dry goods, garage miscellaneous (nails, oil, ice remover, lawn fertilizer, etc), gardening stuff, you name it. Although... I've got a tonne of these jugs now and I'd really rather have the 15 lb bag.
A2. There
are actually quite a few of the plant based (corn) litters out there--and some
that aren't so darn expensive either---Fieldfresh and the link is http://www.petwarehouse.com/webstore/webstore.nsf/
(id)/EB66?OpenDocument (granted shipping will be pricey) and then this other
stuff - http://www.luvlitters.com/nobkgrnd/mailord.htm
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A3. Clay
is even more dangerous for kittens-turns to concrete in their gut.Crystals are
dangerous too.Either Feline Pine or other pelleted litter made from digestible
materials is the safest,or wheat litter.I don't put kittens on anything else
until 12 weeks.
A4. I have tried Feline Pine and my cats won't use it. I use World's Best Litter and totally love it. Probably too expensive for big Catteries but great for a small one like mine. A5. I love the corn cob/newspaper and wheat litters. However, they are far too expensive to be practical for me. I don't know how they could work better than the pellets I use. Wood Fuel Pellets are oak, no additives. They become sawdust if allowed to stay in a litterbox over 3 days and can track. However, they are so cheap, it's easier to change daily rather than scoop. Solid waste clumps. The oak absorbs urine so fast, it doesn't have time to hit the air and produce the smell of ammonia. "Where Feline Pine breaks immediately to sawdust, the oak is much longer lasting. It has none of the pine stench that my cats try to bury. I am paying $3.70 for 40 lbs and use only about 1 inch in the bottom of the litter pan. A6. Some clay (clumping) is better than others. Do this test: Take a sample of each clumping litter you like. Drop 1 tablespoon into 1/2 cup of water. You will see IMMEDIATELY why some are "bad" and others are "not".
A7. Your
average clumping litter that is grey and sand-like in texture is actually made
from a variety of clay... here is an excerpt from a website dedicated to
informing the public of the dangers of clumping litter...
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A8. I
tried the Pearls when my two kidz were fairly young. Not a good idea! Both were
in their 'eat anything' phase, and I quickly ended up with the hydroscopic
pearls stuck to their lips, their gums, their tongues, ... you get the idea. Now
that they're older (over 2 yrs) the pearls might work; however, they seem to be
just fine with World's Best, so I've had no motivation to change.
A9. Litter
Crystals don't attract as bad as Pearls,but neither is safe for young kittens. Q. What is the best food to reduce the frequency, consistency and smell of the poop? This what I feed my cats: Zupreme feline diet, AFS Carnivore pet patties, Eukanuba dry kitten food, chicken broth, one egg, milk and raw chicken. Yes my kitten is an sbt. The exact feeding schedule is this: 9:00 a.m. Zupreme canned feline diet, about 3 ounces per kitten, with a bowl of water. I leave the Eukanuba dry kitten food for free choice feeding while I am gone until 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. AFS raw feline carnivore patties 1/3 patty per cat together with a bowl of chicken broth. 10:00 p.m. till 9:00 a.m. Free choice eukanuba dry food over night and water. I may alternate the raw chicken for the AFS Carnivore Patties for variety, and the milk for the chicken broth. I believe that the carnivore feline pet patties contains the digestive enzymes which aids in the digestion and use of the Eukanuba and Zupreme. Answer #1 Quality of diet will play a large part in the smell and consistency of your cat's elimination in many cases... although a visit to the vet to investigate chronic "stinky box" syndrome is a good idea to rule out potential medical related problems. There are cats out there with chronic diarrhea and discussion with other breeders leads me to believe that this tends to happen more so in certain bloodlines than others, therefore a genetic link may be the root of the problem in some cases and few things may help. High quality food will not only encourage your cat to eat less as they won't need to eat as much to feel full or get the nutrients they need, but it will result in less litter-box visits. This makes sense... less intake, less output. Reminds me of a computer programming term, "GIGO"... garbage in, garbage out! To some extent, a particularly nasty smell in the litter-box after defecation can be a sign of diarrhea or digestive upset. To make a long story short, if something isn't agreeing with kitty, their system is likely to try to eliminate it faster... in turn, it will spend less time the intestines where most of the water is removed to form a nice, firm, tootsie roll consistency stool that's easy to pass. The more water content in it when it comes out, the softer the stool. The softer the stool, the stinkier it is. There are many causes of diarrhea and upset... but the majority of ones I've seen personally is when the cat gets into a food that isn't part of it's typical diet such as... too much rich food (ie: scraps or treats fit in here), a sudden change in diet (hey, let's try the dog's food for a change!), sudden change in water source (like shipping a kitten over a big distance, montezuma's revenge!), and/or eating a food with too much non-meat based filler in the food (hmmm, let's toss some corn in here so the cat feels full.. they won't know the difference!). Other causes are potentially medically related (giardia, coccidia, IBD, stress, pregnancy, etc). Other than the above, I have no personal experience with really stinky cats. Most visits to the box make you wrinkle your nose but nothing that makes you gag or makes your eyes water... or worse yet, peels the paint off the walls! ;) As for litters, I'm experimenting with the regular clay right now. Clumping has been used for the moggies upstairs and for the non-water playing Bengals... but I am changing that regiment very shortly. This discussion is great and will help me choose the best product for my needs. Thanks! A2. We had a problem with loose stools in our cattery and thought it might be due to the corn content in most dry cat foods. We have recently switched to Premium Edge Kitten food which we order from http://www.petfoodexpress.com and all the queens and kittens love it. Their stools are all firm now. Petfoodexpress.com always sells one bag free when 4you buy three. If you call them and tell them you are a cat breeder, you will get 10% off all orders. There is a shipping fee but the free bag and 10% discount offset the cost and still make it cheaper than buying the food in a pet store. A3. This is true...not only because they will feel the need to eat less, but also because the food is more "usable"... the cheaper foods, and even some of the "better" foods have lots of fillers. These fillers are essentially not digestible and just pass through the cat into the litter box. When this happens you are paying good $$$ for waste. It's soooooooooo important to read the understand the ingredients in the foods that you are using. They may all look alike at the stores, but there is a vast difference. A4. I find that baking soda is a very effective aid. I sprinkle and mix in a little each time I scoop. A5. Interesting. I had not heard this danger. Of course I sprinkle a VERY small amount and mix it well. It does not appear to contribute dust. I find that clay litter itself alone is quite dusty. Also, some of the big name brands advertise that they have baking soda in them. Anyone else have problems with baking soda? Or even use it? A6. I can't comment on the baking soda question as I use plain straight clay litter and have never researched whether baking soda might be dangerous... but I did pick up on the fact that you (like all of us, including our cats) find that there is a lot of dust associated with straight clay. I have tried to get the cats to use the pine and/or rabbit pellets (but they hated it and started using the carpet) and I experimented with the crystal like balls (but as mentioned it was a great source of entertainment for the cats to roll them about the house -- though I still like it for the shows). Eventually, because I was always smelling dust (even over cat smell) and the cats seemed to be wheezing with no outward symptoms of an URI I purchased an air filter for the house. Instantly, I do mean instantly, there was a noticeable decrease in the amount of dust in the air. I ended up purchasing a second filter for the first story and at our annual Christmas party this year I came right out and asked the guests if they could smell the litterboxes or the dust (thought I might be deluding myself). They all agreed (and some are good enough friends that I know they would not tell me otherwise because they know how much I value honest communication) that they could not smell the boxes. I think that says something. Add to that the the dry noses and wheezes seem to have diminished and I believe I am on the right track. If you would like the name of the distributor that I worked with please e-mail me privately. A7. I use the crystals, not the pearls and find that they work great for odor control, no dust and only some tracking. But I would rather have clear crystals scattered about then other litter. And since the crystals don't roll, the cats don't play with them. There is no doubt when one of my two is using the litterbox however - they are LOUD. Sounds like walking on snow, magnified many times over. The drawback: expense. Also several people on the list said that these should not be used with kittens. A8. I use scented baking soda in my litter-boxes. It has multi uses - carpet, litterboxes . . . Have never had a problem. A9. What generation are your cats? How old? This makes a difference in what usually works best diet wise I'm told. |
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In my personal estimation, the diet you've mentioned for an SBT Bengal is overdoing it depending on the quantities served and feeding schedule. As a disclaimer, I am a new breeder and am not an expert in nutrition... and I don't want to get into another list argument over raw diet vs. processed... but I think the majority of this menu is unnecessary and could be the root of your problems. As recently mentioned on this list, raw eggs and raw chicken can be a big source of salmonella due to improper handling (both in factory and in home) and can be potentially dangerous to your cat. Many zoos are no longer feeding raw chicken to their wild cats for this reason in itself. Patty of Spot O Luck Bengals did quite a bit of researching on this subject after losing a beloved feline friend, but that's pretty much a summary of what she found out... Patty, want to elaborate? Milk isn't good for most cats... everything I have read suggests that the majority of cats after weaning age are lactose intolerant, resulting in stomach cramps, diarrhea and upset stomach... much like what a human experiences. I don't see a nutritional perk to this supplement... a high quality label cat food should supply all the nutrients and minerals needed by your cats. Haven't heard anything about Zupreme... have heard mixed opinions about Eukanuba... not even going to touch the AFS subject (cringe in corner after the last discussion)... some chicken broth can be very high in salt and may have onion powder mixed in which isn't good for cats as it is suggested by some that onions are mildly toxic to cats. These are, of course, only my opinions... based on what works for me for my SBT Bengals and from the experiences of other breeders. If your cat is an F-gen, I really can't say much as I have no experience with them as of yet. Good luck in pinpointing what works best for your kitties... from listening to a bunch of other folks, it's usually trial and error to find what suits you and your cat the most. Some prefer holistic or natural diets with herbal supplements... for my cats, we are doing well on Royal Canin and Nutro with the odd treat here and there of select wet foods. (cross fingers, knock wood) Often times, the breeder you purchased your cat from may be of a benefit to suggest the best diet... they are often familiar with the cats lines and possible sensitivities. I currently feed Mazuri feline dry exclusively and have since August...Everyone LOVES it...Kittens and adults all fat and healthy...stools perfect since making the switch. I have also heard very good things about the Zupreem canned food. I am paying $25 for a 25# bag of the Mazuri. If you go to their website ewww.mazuri.com there is a 'dealer locator' to find someone who carries or who can order it for you I do use Mazuri in a dry mix with Eukanuba, Max kitten and Innova. Most of the cats readily accept the Mazuri and I find it is usually the first thing gone. If you visit their web site ( www.mazuri.com ) request the free video I found it very interesting. We have switched to Mazuri also. All cats and kittens seem to really love it. Honestly, at $24.00 a 25# bag as opposed to $13.00 to $16.00 for a 6.5 bag of Eukanuba, we can actually afford steak once in a while....LOL The free video that they will sent to you is very informative and interesting. Hi! Just wanted to add my $.02 worth on this one.... there is an incredible clay litter available...it's called "Kitty White"...it's "manufactured" in Fla. I buy it at "Pet Supplies Plus" in Pa. It had been off the market for awhile but has returned here about 6 months ago. It's cheap, which is nice..... but it is VERY low on dust....stays WHITE ( not uggy gray) and really lasts better then any other one that I have ever used. I just thought that I would mention it, because it's so cheap that you might be hesitant to use it, if you see it. It was ecstatic when it came back to the stores. |
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Don't know as I am a poop expert <GGG> However, Ash had this problem. My vet checked him for all manner of parasites (tests came up inconclusive but he was treated for them anyway). Still occasionally happened. Decided he was possibly allergic to corn. Changed him to a dry food that had no corn in it (Sensible Choice Kitten and now have him on Innova). That was the end of any mucous that I ever saw. A10. We
have one Bengal who came to us as an older kitten who ate nothing but Iams
for the dry food. We tried to change her to the kind we use without
success. She didn't like it and developed severe runs even though we
added it ever so gradually. She is back on Iams and she is the only
one who does not have very odoriferous movements. |
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AAA. A quick temporary fix is to add charcoal to the cat's current food. This absorbs the gas and bacteria in the tummy to stop reduce the diarrhea but a proper solution should also be sort. I get charcoal capsules from the health store and break open a cap and put just a pinch in with the food and some in with the water too. (It's good for human tummy problems too). A1. On one of the health lists it recently was discussed that a semi-moist grocery store food, Tender Vittles, is useful for some cats with chronic diarrhea that doesn't react to other treatment methods. While we think of Tender Vittles as junk food, for some reason it seems to help ... perhaps it is easy to digest. A2.
I
had a kitten once...purchased, and in similar
condition. After our vet TRIED everything,
testing, meds, etc...a couple months with very
little improvement. He too assessed possible IBD and
his next 'option' was a biopsy. HOWEVER, at the
suggestion of several others, we completely took
away all commercial dry cat/kitten food and fed an
exclusive 'raw meat' diet (we used a commercially
formulated raw meat diet at the time). Within
24 hours the kitten had normal stools...From that
point on however, this particular kitten was never
able to eat commercial dry without breaking with a
loose stool. I would be more than happy to send some to the kitten owner, as it often times takes distributors a week or two to get it in... As well, on a side note...in times gone by whenever we had a kitten break with a loose stool, that our vet was unable to make a diagnosis .. we treated w/ a combination of Flagyl and Clavamox (tried once using one and not the other, with no change in stool) and it worked each time...We treated 5 days on, 5 days off and 5 days on again per our vets instructions. A3.
Diarrhea
results from excessive fecal water. There are four
pathophysiological types of diarrhea: osmotic,
secretory, altered permeability (exudative), and
altered motility. Determining
the pathophysiologic mechanism causing the diarrhea helps to determine the best
initial supportive care for the patient. |
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I
don't completely understand the reasoning for the Flagyl. I would have thought
deworming (even if negative) with Fenbendazole would be appropriate since it is
effective against both nematodes and Giardia. I have also heard of using
metronidazole since it has anti-inflammatory gastrointestinal properties. Hhmmmm.
A4. I would take a fecal sample in to be tested and see what you need to be treating him for. it might be an organism or a reaction to something. young kittens have weak immune systems and anything contagious spreads like wildfire through litters. if you waste time giving the wrong medication, you could end up in a mess. A5. I just want to inform the whole list, because I think some cats may benefit from this. My bengal alter had suffered from the same parasite, called Gardia Lambia. It's a parasite which is seldom seen in Western European countries and the US. It causes diarrhoea, which can very from mild to very severe. Sometimes even bloody stool is seen in these cats. A cat that is infected for a long time can have periods with diarrhoea and periods with a normal stool. Apart from these syptoms it can cause loss of appetite. After I found out what was the problem in my bengal, I have been asking around. And found out that a lot more bengals suffered from this illness. I also found out that the problem must have been there for a very long time, because it was imported out of tropical areas ( like India). Which would make a lot of sense, because Giardiasis is endemic in tropical countries. This parasite is very easy to treat with Metranidazol for at least 10-14 days.
So, if you have a bengal with similar
symptoms, consult your vet. Point him to the possibility of giardiasis.
Because a lot of vets will not consider this possibility, because they
seldom see it in there practice. If you first want to check the stool of the
cat in order to see if the cat is infected, one should know this parasite is
diificult to detect. In humans one many times have to check the stool for
Gardia Lambia for many weeks before the parasite is detected in the stool.
So, a negative stool does not clear the cat from not having the infection.
A6. Giardiasis
is a cause of diarrhoea in bengals. A7. This parasite is becoming common all over North America. Even as far north as the Yukon and Alaska complete watersheds are contaminated. People who hike with their dogs are filtering all drinking water, and trying to prevent the animals from drinking from streams or lakes. That must be really difficult. At one time they thought that the long winters would freeze out this parasite. Not so. Once they are in any part of a watershed, the whole system is considered contaminated.
You are absolutely right, the treatment is
reliable once the parasite is diagnosed. Symptoms...cycles of extreme
diarrhea, say a week on and then 10 days off then a bad week again, over and
over. I have seen it several times in people. Not my cats as yet, thank
goodness. One of my Bengals is long-haired. The Bengal fur is very very soft and his hair is no exception (it's just long) so it being long and soft can really get stuck in his air passage-way. My other Bengal (short-haired) loves to groom him so they both end up with nasty hairballs. Since I switched the foods it's worked out really well for us. The switch was extremely easy since the dry food of Nutro Natural in any of it's formulas is the same consistency. The Iams formula was way too rich for my cats. They had quite a bit of soft-stool problems on it. Hope this helps! The ingredients on a bag of
feed are listed in such a way so that you can determine what exactly is in
the feed and in relative amounts. The first ingredients are in the
largest amounts and down from there. The terms that they use to name
the ingredients are important and specific definitions are listed at http://www.malteseonly.com/food2.html Grass
For Your Cat I bought big frozen turkey breasts, nuked them until cooked, ground it up with the included gravy packet and mixed that with good canned food. My Queen loved it. you can include some fat or butter in the mix. I continued when the kittens started eating, and spoon-fed that to everybody every morning. For her, you can add some dry soaked in warm water, increasing the amount of dry gradually and adding less and less warm water, until she is eating dry. |
