Trying to cut the cost of cat ownership

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piratesu
piratesu Posts: 73 Forumite
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in Pets & pet care
Sadly both our elderly cats are now using the litter tray rather than going outside to do their business. So I am having to buy quite a lot of cat litter. I'm currently using ASDA or Tesco's cheapest offering which is £1.55 for 10 litres and I can't find cheaper (Has anyone?). The trouble is that it doesn't last long as it doesn't seem that good at soaking up the wee. So I'm wondering if it is false economy, but it is a lot cheaper than anything else. Has anyone else found something better?
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  • Catswhiska
    Catswhiska Posts: 103 Forumite
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    Try Lidl. Same price but lasts so much longer
  • piratesu
    piratesu Posts: 73 Forumite
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    Thanks for the tip. I don't usually go to Lidl (Aldi is closer), but there is one I can take a small detour to pass now and again.
  • redfox
    redfox Posts: 15,338 Forumite
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    we move threads if we think they’ll get more help elsewhere (please read the forum rule) so this post/thread has been moved to Pets and Pet Care board. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com"]forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].
  • OldMotherTucker
    OldMotherTucker Posts: 8,593 Forumite
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    I used to use Stressco's cheapie one the whole time but find that the co -op one clumps better and is easier to spot clean.
  • Carrot007
    Carrot007 Posts: 4,534 Forumite
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    OldMotherTucker wrote: »
    clumps better and is easier to spot clean.

    Spot cleaning is the key. I prefer non clumping myself as I find it wasier to splot clean.

    I have 4 older cats (8/8/12/12) and they still go out so it's not indoor all the time (I have a raised flower bed filled with top soil for them outside).

    For indoors I have found nothing better that catsan hygeine. In 20L bags it is about a tenner. I usually get 2 bags every 2 months from amazon on subscribe and save at 9.20ish. Though I had to pay 10.50 each this month in asda because I am on holiday on the S&S date!

    Under a tenner a month for 4 cats seems reasonable to me.
  • dw85
    dw85 Posts: 179 Forumite
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    Carrot007 wrote: »

    For indoors I have found nothing better that catsan hygeine. In 20L bags it is about a tenner. I usually get 2 bags every 2 months from amazon on subscribe and save at 9.20ish. Though I had to pay 10.50 each this month in asda because I am on holiday on the S&S date!

    Under a tenner a month for 4 cats seems reasonable to me.

    Even cheaper if you have Costco membership...think it was £8 a bag :)

    I use this too and seems to last longer than the cheaper brands with regular 'lump cleaning' :wink:
    Change is inevitable...nothing stays the same forever
    :beer:
  • Trina90
    Trina90 Posts: 541 Forumite
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    Have you thought about investing in a sieve litter tray? A bag of wood pellet litter lasts ages for us - I don't even know when we bought our last it was so long ago. Our 2 boys are strictly house cats (hoping to secure our garden so they can go out in that, but they are Ragdolls so they can't roam completely). I am really sensitive to smells as well. Poo obviously gets scooped out whenever they go but litter never gets wasted with this system. https://www.brit-pet.com/
    Mortgage started 2015: £150,000 2016: £130,000 2017: £116,000 2018: £105,000 2019: £88,000 2020: £69,000 2021: £51,195 2023: MORTGAGE FREE!
  • Ilona
    Ilona Posts: 2,449 Forumite
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    I use the cheapest clumping litter, Tesco, Asda, Aldi etc, and put half an inch in the bottom of the tray. When I see a wet patch I pick up the tray and shake the dry litter to one end, and use a childs seaside spade to remove the wet stuff. I add some dry from the bag to top it up.

    When the time comes to scrub clean the trays I let the litter run really low, then put it to one side while I wash the tray outside and leave it to dry. I put the litter back, and top it up from the bag. Only wet litter gets thrown away here.

    Ilona
    I love skip diving.
    :D
  • jon81uk
    jon81uk Posts: 3,773 Forumite
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    We have two indoor only cats and use Catsan, the tray gets fully changed every 10 days or so but poops are scooped out as needed. We buy Catsan from Costco for about £8.50 for the large bag (20 litres?) which is £2-3 cheaper than supermarkets.
  • LusciousLuce
    LusciousLuce Posts: 89 Forumite
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    I use Catsan. I've tried most brands and types - including cheapo supermarket pen brand 'value' when I've been slightly skint - and yes, it is false economy. Catsan lasts longer and absorbs odours far better than any other I've tried.

    Doesn't stop Nermal fatcat sometimes hanging his bum outside the tray to poop. I think he sees it as a suggestion to deposit in the tray, rather than a rule. Hairy idiot.
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