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+--- Thread: I have a new kitty and have a question for cat servants (/showthread.php?tid=2241)
I have a new kitty and have a question for cat servants - RobertH - 06-30-2023
My feline master's name is Thomas.
He comes from Longmont Humane, and is 12 years of age.
He's a perfect kitty - not trauamtized, playful (in age-appropriate ways)
and doesn't hit the catnip too hard.
Question:
At Longmont, they use pine pellet litter, so that's what I got for him.
What are the advantages?
I don't like it, as I find that even with daily scooping, it's smelly.
Is there anything that I can do to make it better?
Is there some super-ecological advantage?
I've always used unscented litter that you bring your own container to,
from PetCo (PetSmart doesn't carry it).
There's something about this that I don't like, it's heavy, kinda
hard to dispose of, and it seems that a lot of resources went into making it.
Still, it's a lot nicer than the old fashioned clay type.
If you have any great thoughts on this topic, email me rhastings2004@gmail.com
As the graphic shows, I have no doubt that if Earth were invaded by horrid aliens, we'd be safe.
RE: I have a new kitty and have a question for cat servants - Julia - 06-30-2023
Congratulations on your new friend!
I found that the wood stove pellets are cheap, in the 40lb bag, but our kitties preferred the World’s Best cat litter. It’s softer and great for odors. Made from corn and alfalfa or something. The bunny thought it was delicious.
RE: I have a new kitty and have a question for cat servants - CheyenneWills - 06-30-2023
In ancient Egypt, cats were worshiped as gods. Cats would like to remind everyone that they still are.
We had a long haired cat and the problem with the clay based cat litter was that it would get stuck in his feet. We tried a bunch of different litters till settling on the SWheat brand. For us it had the least amount of dust, clumped fairly well and didn't have an odor, and didn't get stuck in the cat's paws.
RE: I have a new kitty and have a question for cat servants - Steven B in PV - 06-30-2023
I tried and tried but couldn't get Sushi & Kobe to use the pine pellets. Experimented by topping the pine with a little clay, and there was some brief use but nothing afterward. They didn't like it, and the pine pellets were a mess to deal with. Seemed like a good idea but the baked clay absorbs better, is easier to use, and it too, is natural. It comes from the ground and goes back into the ground.
I've used the spent clay litter to backfill low areas and topped it with composted wood chips and soil. Given a couple years, the earthworms mix it all in with the peaty duff. A result is great growth for the moose rhubarb, aspen, raspberry, Rocky Mountain Bee Plant, various penstemons, and other desirable native hummingbird plants. Thanks to the earthworms and voles, it has provided a surprisingly nice soil balance. The remaining pine pellets are being mixed in with transplant soil.
I hope you do well with the new cat, but I'd be very suspicious of any 12 year/64 year old cat that didn't hit the cat nip enthusiastically.
And Btw, non native domestic cats are the aliens, so keeping them indoors-only is the super-ecological choice.
Steve
RE: I have a new kitty and have a question for cat servants - Julia - 06-30-2023
Gorgeous kitties and lovely photo!
A head’s up, spent kitty litter can spread toxoplasmosis and can even infect groundwater, unfortunately.
RE: I have a new kitty and have a question for cat servants - Steven B in PV - 06-30-2023
(06-30-2023, 06:49 PM)Julia Wrote:(06-30-2023, 06:49 PM)Julia Wrote: Gorgeous kitties and lovely photo!
A head’s up, spent kitty litter can spread toxoplasmosis and can even infect groundwater, unfortunately.
Thanks, Julia. Sushi is gleaming and Kobe is grinning. They are my 3rd generation of long-lived Siamese since 1972, and 11.8 years old now.
As I understand, an advantage to keeping cats indoors-only is that they are unlikely to be exposed to toxoplasmosis, other parasites, and infections like hantavirus, so their people don't get exposed either.
RE: I have a new kitty and have a question for cat servants - Julia - 06-30-2023
I had a beloved Siamese live for 25 years. They are wonderful and interesting companions!
It is my understanding that most kittens arrive with toxoplasmosis, but I could be wrong. Definitely worth researching.
You are so right that keeping your kitties inside is the best for the outside. They are mighty hunters and cause a lot of damage outside. Inside, they keep the deer mice at bay
RE: I have a new kitty and have a question for cat servants - RobertH - 07-01-2023
What my cursory research shows is that toxoplasmosis incidence is reported internationally,
and it's hard to tell how many deaths occur in US from it - I saw as low as 30 per year, and as high as 300.
Since it's not nationally reportable to CDC, it's hard to tell.
Most cases resolve spontaneously, but pregnant women seem to be at risk.
The economic damage may be $7.7Bn, excluding predations caused by hedge fund managers and investment bankers
who become psychopaths and misallocate resources.
For my part, I'm gonna become vegan and lay off the raw goat's milk.
Seriously - it seems low risk in a mountain setting.
See excerpt below from:
https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/154/4/357/62015#google_vignette
However, owning a cat was not shown to be a risk factor for T. gondii infection in two studies of pregnant women (8, 9) or in a study of persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (10). Protective factors include adhering to a meat-free diet (11), living at a high altitude or in an arid climate (12, 13), and living in a climate with frequent freezing and thawing (14). Outbreaks of toxoplasmosis have been attributed to ingestion of raw or undercooked ground beef, lamb, pork, or venison (15–20); consumption of unpasteurized goat's milk (21); and exposure to contaminated water (22, 23), soil (24), or aerosolized soil
RE: I have a new kitty and have a question for cat servants - Julia - 07-01-2023
You are right, toxoplasmosis and other kitty pathogens pose very little risk for most people. The question is rather whether you want to potentially introduce a concentrated source of pathogens into our mountain soil and water supplies, which could harm vulnerable people as well as wildlife. It might be fine but it might not.
RE: I have a new kitty and have a question for cat servants - RobertH - 07-01-2023
(07-01-2023, 12:44 PM)Julia Wrote: You are right, toxoplasmosis and other kitty pathogens pose very little risk for most people. The question is rather whether you want to potentially introduce a concentrated source of pathogens into our mountain soil and water supplies, which could harm vulnerable people as well as wildlife. It might be fine but it might not.
I agree that for my situation, it should go into Western Disposal.
Dog poop too.
Before this research, I thought that my neighbor's 3 dogs were a nusiance only
because of roaming free, packing, barking at odd hours of the night, disturbing wildlife,
causing cars to swerve off the road, possibly biting cyclists -
but the poop was innocuous.
Did you know that dog poop can introduce pathogens into the water table?
I recently heard of a well in the JT area sickening their owner from dog poop!
I and others have been complaining about these dogs near my house at 764 James Canyon Dr.
with BoCo Animal Control Sheriff Sarah Spensieri - Animal Control - Direct Line 303 441 1360
If you see them on the road, please get photos, and let me know about it.