Automatic Litterbox Central

I just bought the scoop free litter box and I am weary with using the crystals...and my cat hates the feel of them. I also bought Dr. Elsey's Senior crystal litter and mixed that with my world's best in his regular box before buying the scoop free, and the cat didn't mind that at all.

I am worried about safety of crystal litter if ingested...I read one post from a lady where her cat had blood in its urine and the vet found crystals in the urine! I asked a vet at the Banfield animal hospital about the Dr. Elsey's brand and she seemed to think that they were safe, since it said non-toxic and biodegradable. I loved loved loved my world's best because it was completely safe, but want to use the scoop free...of which the world's best won't work (will it?) Does anyone know of a completely safe crystal litter or if any other type of litter can be used with the scoop free box? I also have a chihuahua that eats EVERYTHING that is on the floor...thus the smaller finer crystals of Dr. Elsey's is better than fresh step, but I would still like to find a completely harmless variety....I am new to crystal litter, so forgive me if I am a little paranoid!

Please answer asap as I don't want to keep my cat exposed to something that might hurt him. Thanks so much!

flutecat

I have used crystal litter after much research. The cyrstal litter that can be put into the garden (biodegradable) is safer for the cats to use.
It will not harm them if they happen to swallow the litter. The other type, especially if it is smaller, can be harmful. That type of cyrstals
are used for packaging to keep products fresh. You see the little packets when you buy shoes, handbags etc. Some companies make litter
from that form of crystal which is the type you DO NOT want to use. Litter Pearls is one brand that is the biodegradable type.
What I did not like about the crystal litter is that it made the cat's paws feel too dry and they would be licking them a lot which made them
uncomfortable. Also you can't tell when to change the litter until it is saturated, then the bottom of the litter box is wet. With two cats I
needed 3 bags a month so it can get costly.

The type of crystal litter I am using right now is the Fresh Step crystal litter that came with the Scoop Free automatic litter box. Is this litter biodegradable and safe for cats? I also have Dr. Elsey's Senior Litter, which is also a crystal litter, but it is very fine particles of crystals. The bag says that it is safe if ingested or inhaled and biodegradeable, but I was only using the Fresh Step crystals because it came with the Scoop Free...and I was afraid that the much smaller crystals wouldn't work with the machine.

Does anyone know if Fresh Step crystals is safe, and if the smaller Dr. Elsey's crystals are ok to use in the Scoop Free machine?

Thanks again! I love this forum!!!


Flutecat

I've been using the Dr. Elsey's Senior litter in my Scoopfree for probably 3-5 months now and it's always worked great. It sometimes requires a bit of 'maintenance' to keep running. IE., since it's not premeasured it's easy to put too little in the box, and after a few uses you need to add some (as it gets pushed into the waste container.). No ill effects so far.