All things Litter boxes

Part I: Creative Litter Solutions

Sometimes the standard clay litter is just too much- too expensive, too smelly, too much tracking- too much of something! So we set out to try creative solutions to one of the grossest aspects of sharing our home with lots of feline companions. We built this list over years of trial and error in working with dozens of cats and kittens. Each litter has been tested with a minimum of 8 cats or kittens at one time. No single cat household litter here!

If you are looking to try a new litter box material, check out some possibilities below. In Part II, we are going to look at the most common reasons cats urinate outside of the litterbox, and what you can do to help your cats in this situation.

Heating Pellets- PROS: cheap, super absorbent, and zero tracking; good for outdoor litterboxes as it will not attract bugs
CONS: Will need a scoop capable of sifting unused pellets, does not cover solid waste well

Cedar Shavings- PROS: Very aromatic, resistant to fleas and bugs, inexpensive, low tracking (except for long-haired tailed cats), safe for kittens and cats with sensitive paws
CONS: May need a layer of absorbent litter at the bottom of the box to add weight as well as urine if more than 2-3 cats using the box

Pine Shavings- PROS: more absorbent than cedar shavings, much lighter scent, inexpensive, good for kittens
CONS: May need a layer of absorbent litter at the bottom of the box to add weight as well as urine if more than 2-3 cats using the box

Paper Litter- PROS: super absorbent, low tracking, reduces amonia scent, safe for kittens
CONS: May need a layer of absorbent litter at the bottom of the box to add weight as well as urine if more than 2-3 cats using the box

Chicken Feed- PROS: Cheap, low chemical residue compared to clay litter, clumps similar to clay litter
CONS: heaviest of all mentioned litter alternatives, GMO corn contains glyphosate- a known toxin to humans and animals

Coffee Grounds- PROS: smells fantastic, clumps decent, reduces amonia smell
CONS: Seems to be a seasonal product- coffee shops give away free bags but can be hard to find in bulk outside of Tractor Supply in spring time.

If you are merely looking for creative litterbox solutions, then we hope this is helpful! But if you are concerned about your cat or kitten’s litterbox behavior, we have some more information below which may help shed some light on this really common and frustrating problem.

Part II: Litter Box Issues

Ok, different types of litter can be great to try, especially if you are fed up with the conventional clay litter, or don’t want to spend 30.00 on the latest color-coded fare that is completely unnecessary. But we also wanted to address a real problem cat guardians face every day- your cat not using the litterbox, or creating their own litterbox somewhere else in the house. And spoiler alert- they DON’T do this because they are being “bad.”

Hands down, UTI/ Bladder/Kidney Infections and Crystals are the most common issues in kittens (under 2 yrs old) having problems consistently using their litterboxes. We are going to dive in to potential causes, as well as a few things you can do to help your cats and kittens feel better.

Early Spay/Neutering

First of all, we are not advocating for no desexing at all for most cats. We all understand the overpopulation issues. That is really the only need for spaying. The studies about polymetra have been soundly debunked many times. We’ve even seen others counsel to spay early because of the female “yowling.” Is that a compelling reason for undergoing a complete hysterectomy? True, males do tend to “calm down” and stop spraying when neutered. But not every time, and not if they are desexed early. Males are the worst at having “perpetual kitten syndrome” when neutered young. Enter Peter Pan- they truly can never grow up.

The “fix before 5” (months) has led to disastrous results of owner surrender due to severe behavior problems and guardians unable to afford medical treatment for hyper/hypo thyroid problems, etc. There are real risks to spaying and neutering early that need to be weighed carefully when removing hormones before 7-9 months of age.

Also, there are organ-sparing desexing procedures which leave organs inside the body, and therefore leave vital hormones needed for proper development. Please consider looking at Ovary Sparing Spay (OSS) for your female cat, as an example, or an epididymectomy for your male cats. Even though these procedures are safer and have faster recovery rates, US-based veterinarians do not practice them as the rest of the world does. There is a list of US-based veterinarians here as a resource.

We need to understand the numerous protective aspects of sex hormones, for bones, for metabolism, bladder, kidney, ureters, and behavioral aspects of any mammal’s life. Why most veterinarians don’t address this subject is a topic of another discussion. Remove these hormones too early, and you have a kitten who may possibly:
1. Never “grow up” aka- persistent and aggressive scratching, biting, chasing
2. Brittle bones
3. Bladder crystals and stones
4. Kidney
5. Ureters staying too small
6. Slow metabolism leading to obesity and early onset CKD
7. Bone plates that never close properly, leading to injury

Why does this happen? Testosterone especially is critical to the proper development of ureters and therefore urine elimination, and traditional western forms of desexing removes all organs responsible for hormone production from the body. Poof- ureters are too small to properly move the waste, and the backup of urine begins. Kittens as young as 6 months old are now facing these issues.

Dr. Villalobos, a well-respected veterinary oncologist states, "It is earth-shattering to consider that some of the cancers we have been battling may have been enhanced by early neutering instead of the reverse." Based on the research available, it is clear there are a number of health benefits of the sex steroid hormones.

So, What Can I do if my cat/kitten is already desexed?

Glad you asked. We will go in to depth about how to tackle bacterial and viral infections that may come from an obstructed bladder or kidneys, but for now, we have a great product to recommend (for cats and dogs) by Dr. Mercola to help balance hormones and restore calmness. We are using this adrenal support formula for our Beauchon puppy who was neutered at 3 months old from the shelter- it has dramatically improved his mental state. Our current cats were all desexed over 1 yr old, so we don’t worry too much about them.

UTI/ Bladder/Kidney Infections and Crystals

Urinary tract infections, bladder issues, bladder crystals and stones- the minerals that make up crystals in a cat’s urine are naturally occurring. Some urine crystals and stones are fairly common, especially in a cat eating dry food. (It is best for a cat with urinary issues to eat as little kibble as possible.) While crystals can be microscopic and pass easily through the urinary tract, they can also grow large enough to cause pain and block the passage of urine. The inability to eliminate toxic waste can be fatal if not treated. These crystals become stones and gradually block elimination and lead to secondary bacterial infections.
Concerned your cat or kitten may have urination problems? Look out for these
symptoms:

• Uses the litter box with increasing frequency

• Refuses to use the litterbox or suddenly stops using it

• Strains to urinate

• Urinates outside of the litter box

• Experiences painful urination (listen for crying meows)

• Licks genitals excessively

• Has bloody urine

• Has a poor appetite

• Seems lethargic and depressed

It’s been noted that urine crystals and struvite stones occur more often in male cats, since their urethras are narrower than female cats and they take longer to mature sexually, and their ureters are simply longer. Siamese, Himalayan and Persian cats also seem more likely to develop struvite stones, which leads some animal health experts to believe the cause can be genetic. This makes it even more important to allow these breeds and mixes to develop longer before desexing.  

Vaccine Injury

We have covered this issue in another newsletter here. The idea is- certain “routine” vaccines conventional veterinarians recommend for even the smallest of kittens are made from cat kidney cells. FCVRP is the worst offender.
What happens after this shot?
As the immune system mounts an antibody defense against the injected virus, it also mounts a defense against the foreign kidney cells- along with kitten’s own kidney cells- unable to tell the difference between the two. This is called “immune confusion.” Over time, this will destroy the kitten’s kidneys, which is leading to epidemic levels of CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) in kittens- something never seen in cats under the age of 7 just 20 years ago. CKD can easily lead to pain which a cat associates with the litterbox, so they stop using it.
Need help detoxing from vaccines?
Once again, we cannot recommend FeLife by Doc Clemens Remedies enough! Thuja’s primary ingredient- has been used safely by humans and animals for thousands of years, and we are never without it in our home. It saved our Roberto’s life when he was vaccinated for rabies without our consent and nearly died. Use twice daily for a week to two weeks to clear out toxins from any vaccines, then one week a month for maintenance for any lingering issues.

Behavior-Related Litterbox Concerns

Julie-Anne Thorne of Naturally Cats made a lovely video recently where she discusses the issues concerning her own Leo’s issues with the litterbox. It is an inspired message from him, and how she was able to help him through the problem, simply by tuning in to him and learning that he wanted the box moved to a different location. She also talks about how you can connect with your own cats and kittens in this way too.
Sometimes, the most simple remedies can be the most impactful.

We hope this gives you some ideas to consider and talk over with your cat, as well as your cat’s care team. We can’t cover every single issue here in one newsletter, but we desire to bring things to your attention that mainstream cat forums and groups don’t discuss openly enough. If you have ideas or suggestions that have helped your loved ones, we’d love to hear them! Hit “REPLY” to this email and let us know your thoughts!

Until next time, Always Be Curious!