Urgent suggestions required please!

bounty_hunter

Hi guys

I've run out of cat litter and can't get to the shops until tomorrow.
My cat is wailing loudly to inform me that his tray is unsatisfactory and he wants to use it. Anybody got any suggestions as to what I can use as an alternative for the time being?

Note: No soil available

BreadBoard

PM me and I can give you some if you want?, we got a new bag today. Seriously.

Strokesfan

roughly shredded newspaper?

bounty_hunter

BreadBoard, where are you?

Too late anyway, he's just left me a present in my bathroom as punishment. Now to sort something out before he needs it again!

Strokesfan, I thought of paper, but chances are he may just eat it. I'm going to attempt that now and see how he reacts. Keep the suggestions coming please!

Ruu_Old

Strokesfan wrote:

roughly shredded newspaper?

That will do the trick alright or wood shavings perhaps?.

Sigma Force

Have you a garden? Soil from the garden works, a bit messy but cats like to use it.

bounty_hunter

As already stated, no soil available This would have been my first choice as he actually prefers it to litter, but as you say it's a bit too messy for general use in the house.

Kippy says: "Naow, paper is not good enough for me. Infact, I'm going to rip it all up and throw it on your floor just to show my disapproval".

bounty_hunter

More ideas please!

The paper has been snubbed.

Nala

Some cats I know, for whatever reason like to "go" on a plastic bag.
Or if you have fish, you might have some spare tank gravel around? Or your driveway might be gravelly?

Garth

is there a local park where you could get some sand?

flynnc

i know this sounds mad but my friend uses corn flakes

feylya

Nip outside and steal some clay from the flowerbeds...

bounty_hunter

Some great suggestions there, thanks!
I'm off out to check the driveway first, I'll leave going digging in the park in my pyjamas as a last resort.

bounty_hunter

feylya wrote:

Nip outside and steal some clay from the flowerbeds...

Again, pyjamas...rain...digging around in the middle of my estate at half past midnight... Might not go down too well with onlooking neighbours.

FranknFurter

Dont use cornflakes, unless you like him ****ting in your breakfast of a morning
(Really not a good idea to confuse him between litter and food or anything else you dont want him to use again, seriously).

If he wont use paper, maybe kill a houseplant by squeezing soil into tray? (Dont need much, just enough to make him think its for crapping in).

Maybe if you have anything stuffed with those bean-bag pellets? (Just make sure to remove it as soon as possible, not good for eating).

I know how u feel, been there many times myself.

Do you have a fireplace? Old (cold) ashes from it might work.

Contents of your hoover bag? (clutching at straws here).

Dampen down a *tiny* bit with a water spray so he wont track "as much" out?

Whatever you do, put some of the old litter in with it so he knows its ok.

b

bounty_hunter

Thanks a million everyone, some very inventive ideas there (especially FranknFurter)!

He ended up using the paper in the end, after a bit of persuasion and plenty of disdainful looks in my direction. He's a good boy really, he knows it was the only option.

I've finally just been out and got some proper stuff, and a nice new cat toilet to boot!

Alun

You're lucky ... one of ours who is extremely picky about the state of her litter tray has found some very, shall we say, 'inventive' places to wee. Possibly the weirdest is in the sugar bowl ... she managed to wee through the little hole in the lid where the sugar spoon pokes out, and not get a drop anywhere to give a clue as to what had happened. First thing we knew was when I went to put a spoon of sugar in my coffee, noticed that it looked rather 'damp' and took a sniff. She has amazing aim! Other places include the toaster (!), a salt pot, my trainers and a laptop case.

No surprise number two's yet though, thank god

bounty_hunter

Ooh, sneaky! Far too coincidental for it not to be deliberate

Fortunately this little fella is extremely clean, so he goes out of his way to explore every other possibility before making a mess somewhere he knows is not allowed. If I happen to be around he'll actually tell me he needs to go and command me to arrange it for him if he can't see any obvious options. Clever or what?

FranknFurter

Ours is similiar, she will only use it at MOST for one day (even with scooping), any longer than 12 hours and she will drag me over to the tray then sit at it looking up to me as if to say "you expect me to use THAT!?"
Would be understandable except most times she will have only peed in it ONCE that day.
The card we got with her (vacc records etc) mentioned in passing she is "fastidious about her litter tray", they was not kidding, more obsessive really.

I go through more litter in one week with this one cat than I ever did when I had three cats!!!!

B

bounty_hunter

Typical female
I have the same problem with any of the cheaper brands of litter, but I find Catsan to be particularly good for fooling my cat into complacence. It costs an arm and a leg in comparison, but if you think of it in terms of a per-month basis, rather than a once-off purchase, it actually works out cheaper. For example, Tesco brand litter is cheap as chips, but needs to be replaced at least once a day or it's just disgusting (therefore you're going to need to buy five or six bags throughout the month), whereas Catsan is three times the price, but only needs to be fully replaced every week or two. Tada, cat luxuries justified!

BreadBoard

The car litter we get is from Aldi or Lidl I think it costs about €3. It's a 10KG bag, it's called Otto.

bounty_hunter

That would be sweet if I had a car, but unfortunately I have to carry whatever shopping I buy so Lidl or Aldi isn't a viable option (Too far away.)

BreadBoard

You not near the a Luas line? There's usually one along that.

bounty_hunter

Nope, not close enough to walk with a load of shopping. It's about a 40 minute walk with a load of stuff. I've done it, it's not pleasant.

cotton

Over the years I've tried every type of cat litter out there & always revert back to sanicat. Nothing beats it when you've a lot of trays imo. Use about 80 litres a month, should have shares in the company at this stage.:p

FranknFurter

Im back to using "Thomas" litter. Basically coz it was the only one the local store had. tis very dusty for my liking.
Tried sanicat for several weeks, discovered somthing about it.
Unless you scoop daily and agitate (sp?) it, when you empty it it will be like CEMENT!
I forgot for one single day and I swear, when I tipped that tray it had to be scraped off (the sanicat).

I found if you put a sheet of newspaper on the bottom of the tray that dose'nt happen. But our gal will only use a tray once no matter the litter
Having to empty daily to avoid floor land-mines.

B

Larry David

bounty_hunter wrote:

As already stated, no soil available This would have been my first choice as he actually prefers it to litter, but as you say it's a bit too messy for general use in the house.

Kippy says: "Naow, paper is not good enough for me. Infact, I'm going to rip it all up and throw it on your floor just to show my disapproval".

I guess beggers can be choosers.....

For someone who has very limited options, you're certainly being very picky. How can you not be near any soil? And why dismiss the newspaper option? Since you're not being very receptive to people's suggestions who are trying to help you, can I suggest you just buy more when the bag starts running out? What exactly went through your head when it was NEARLY empty? "I'll wait until it's completely empty before attempting to buy more"? Yeah - makes total sense.... :rolleyes:

bounty_hunter

Larry David wrote:

I guess beggers can be choosers.....

For someone who has very limited options, you're certainly being very picky. How can you not be near any soil? And why dismiss the newspaper option? Since you're not being very receptive to people's suggestions who are trying to help you, can I suggest you just buy more when the bag starts running out? What exactly went through your head when it was NEARLY empty? "I'll wait until it's completely empty before attempting to buy more"? Yeah - makes total sense.... :rolleyes:

Hi Larry.
How about you actually try reading the rest of the thread, and then come back and edit that post once you realise how much of a prat it makes you sound.

FranknFurter

Larry David wrote:

I guess beggers can be choosers.....

For someone who has very limited options, you're certainly being very picky. How can you not be near any soil? And why dismiss the newspaper option? Since you're not being very receptive to people's suggestions who are trying to help you, can I suggest you just buy more when the bag starts running out? What exactly went through your head when it was NEARLY empty? "I'll wait until it's completely empty before attempting to buy more"? Yeah - makes total sense.... :rolleyes:

Larry David, at least Bounty hunter has been polite, unlike yourself.
Your agressive tone and tendency to call other people "idiots" who do not share your opinions in other forums has not gone unnoticed. So tone down the aggression matey.

B