Indoor Cat?? Advise Please!!!

So that's why there's cat poop all in my yard! And you say your outside cats don't wander... :lol-sign:

I'm just kidding.

I've actually never changed a litterbox before in my life, so I don't know how much waste the average cat produces.

I'd say it all depends on the food and the cat. Mine poop once a day each. They get dry Cal. natural in the morning and wet EVO at night. On the yahoo rawcat group the people who feed raw say their cats poop every other or every 3rd day. Usually dry food poop is the worst, though it might be better than LOW quality wet food poop. High quality wet food poop is just fine It all depends on how much of what's in their food is actually being absorbed (MEAT) and what is just going in and getting dumped right back out (grains and veggies and fruits). Cats should be fed a food with as few grains, veggies and fruits as possible (like EVO).

I have one on raw, one on kibble/wet/whatever else he'll eat and the third on primarily wet with a bit of kibble. The raw-fed cat has the best poops, easy - they are teensie and don't smell nearly as foul. Mine have about 1 BM a day each, occasionally two. They pee more than that, though I'm not sure how much. I try to clean it every day, but I'm forgetful... and with three cats and two large litterboxes, plus a small covered one, it's a lot. =/ I hate litterboxes. If you improve the quality of food it should get better.

I'd like to ask... how large are your cats approximately? How large are your litter boxes - approximate measurements would be good.

:hail:

Wet is expensive, though, so if you feed them dry I fully understand. Raw is cheaper than wet, however, so if you want to go that route, it'd be awesome for the cats if they take to it!

eating in a poop thread is disgusting. :yikes:

There is no difference in the amount indoor and outdoor cats poop, outdoor cats are just doing it in the street, or other peoples yards, in the woods, or any number of other places so you dont notice it as much.

Am I the only one who completely cleans the litter box every day? I throw out all litter then scrub the box out.

^^^yes.

I don't clean out the litter every day, if I did I'd be poor. I scoop everyday though. Clean out about once a week.

Tiki Cat IS awesome! My Mom's cat eats it, and so does my friend's cat... both cats love it and do very well on it. It isn't too expensive, but it's super high quality, and the seafood sources are very reputable. They even have calamari in some of the formulas. If you can't find that locally, Innova Evo canned food or kibble would also be a huge upgrade.

My friend's cat used to eat Meow Mix or whatev, and she used to constantly vomit and have lots of poops, for all of her life. Ever since she switched her to a premium wet food (at 12 years old) she has been healthier than ever and no longer has bathroom problems. It makes sense... what goes in is going to come out! Tons of fillers = tons of waste.

I did that with my bunnies. I scrubbed them out with vinegar, even! I think we're just weirdo cleanfreaks.

^^ that.

Do you know how much litter costs?! :yikes:

I agree there, I use a litter called "Swheat Scoop" and it is quite pricey.....




Thanks for all the advise!!! I am really, seriously considering RAW for them if they'll eat it. Anyone have a guideline for RAW for cats? I will have to do some looking. If not RAW I am thinking about Orijen for cats, I had them on that before and they liked it, I was not doing the boxes then so not sure if it was better.

I did find a really cool litter box today that will really help prevent any *litter crunchie* thefts by the K9 crew... LOL

I usually do premade raw with my cats, it's easier and the most reliable way I've found they'd eat raw.

If you wouldn't mind the trip, my former employers in Cobourg can really help you get started.

I know. I think I spend more monthly on cat litter than I do on cat food.

It's rediculous how much cat litter costs. I wish my cats would just use the toilet and then flush. Ah, how much easier life would be.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=I1edDfzluXE

this cat goes.. and almost flushes afterwards....

Oh I did a lot of research on this method of training cats and did consider it for awhile... it would be nice, very very nice... I dont even mind flushing for them :lol-sign:

I have two indoor cats, and two litter boxes. I have a scoopable litter, and the boxes get scooped out 1-2 times a day. If its twice a day then i can use one sandwich bag for both boxes and fill it. Two bags if i only do it once a day. Id say it takes about 2 minutes for two boxes with a good strong scooper. No problem. I dont like nonclumping litter as you cant just scoop out the bad. I dont remember the last time i empties teh entire box. I just scoop out the mess.

most clumping litters however are bad for the cats digestive system, as well as the dog if they happen to get in there.

I would not reccomend a clumping litter unless you are using something like Cats Pride.

Cat's Pride doesn't work for my cats at all. Spot makes enormous urine clumps when he goes, and with Cat's Pride, it didn't clump - it just made a big gooey mess out of the litter box. I have tried so many different kinds of litter and the only kind that can withstand his huge clumps is Tidy Cat or Arm N Hammer. I even tried the Yesterdays News stuff but it wasn't much of a success either.

I've never really put much thought into them ingesting it. No one has ever been sick here - is it because of them getting it on their feet and then possibly ingesting it when they groom themselves?

Yes... and if it clumps in the box, it can clump in their stomach.



Honestly, we used clumping litter for a long time and no one was ever sick from it either... but there was a former poster who explained how bad it was and what it could do to the cats... so we ended up switching as a precaution.

My cats don't poop much but they pee SO MUCH. Arrrrgh! I feed Kirkland's Lamb & Rice cat food.

I use Arm & Hammer litter, I love it. I did use nonclumping when they were kittens because they would pee on their feet and get litter stuck there, but now that they're adults it's not a problem. They just shake the excess off their feet as they exit the litterbox (right onto the bathroom floor, of course), they don't like it off.

Tiger poops maybe once or twice a day.. very small poops. She eats mostly cans of wet Innova Evo, with Horizon adult dry kibble available. I scoop it out every day, sometimes twice, and change/clean it out every two weeks.

I use feline fresh, best litter in my opinion. The clumping is awesome, and it's safe for their respiratory system and won't clump in their stomachs. And it's flushable!
http://www.planetwiseproducts.com/felineSc.htm