Wishful thinking?

steerpike

I have used this method for years and found it really cuts down on cat litter.
Over the last 25 years, I have homed to many rescued and abandoned mogs - I have had up to 6 cats at one time and they have all quickly got used to this type of litter tray.

Hope that I don't gross anyone out with the description!

Buy two large stackable plastic storage boxes, the ones can be put one inside the other with just a small gap between them when not in the stacked position.

With care - Heat the tip of a skewer, thin knitting needle or old thin screwdriver (I use gas flame on cooker) and carefully melt 25-30 small holes in the bottom of one of the boxes.

Once cool, remove any rough edges with either the flat edge of an old knife or a piece of sandpaper. It may be possible to drill small holes but I have always split the plastic when I have tried to do this.

Use the unperforated box as the base and line with an old newspaper - this absorbs the smell of the urine and can be easily and cheaply replaced. I have two cats currently and change the paper daily and wash the base out once a week.

Fit the perforated box inside the base box and put in approx 1 inch cat litter.

When the cat does a number one - the urine runs to the botttom of the tray but instead of pooling there and being absorbed by the litter, it drips down into the lower tray and is soaked up by the newspaper

The cat soon gets used to going in a litter tray with higher sides than the commercial trays, there is a big advantage as the high sides stops the cat litter being scratted out.

Obviously, number two's need removing as usual and the newspaper needs removing and replacing regularly but I have found that the 'little perforations' work well and keep the litter drier and odour free much longer than when using a conventional tray.

The small expense of buying the two storage boxes and the work required in doing the perforating is quickly recouped by the saving in litter

To save money on the litter itself, I buy bales of stable bedding its called something like 'Snowflake' (similiar to wood chippings / shavings) from the local feed stop - £6 for a very large bag of compacted shavings, its dustfree as its used for horses with allergies and copd & lasts my two cats about 4 months. Please don't buy small bags of wood shavings that are sold for hamster bedding, its not compacted and you only get a fraction of what is in the horse bedding. I find that the stable bedding works as well as the wood pellet cat litter and it doesn't track.

As for cat food - if cats will only eat Whiskas or other expensive cats food - my tip would be to stretch it by mixing in small cubes of bread or plain mashed potato or plain boiled rice - this tip was given to me by my vet. Apparently Whiskas is too rich for the average cat and adding bread, potato or rice increases the amount of roughage and is better for the cat...and more economical for the owner! Makes sense really, as in nature the cat would eat the skin, bones, ears, tail and giblets of its prey not just the meat.

For the unsqueamish country dwellers - roadkill rabbits and pheasants make for cheap and tasty cat and dog food but remember to remove the bones after cooking.

Hope these ideas are helpful

tinypawz

wow steerpike.....that is a brilliant idea! I'll give that a go if the cats really refuse to start going outside which is my preference.

My lo has become increasingly interested in the litter box and tries to play in it!!! I have a nervous breakdown after each incident. The poor baby is nearly dipped in dettol!

tinypawz

Well yesterday was a good day. I didn't spend a penny! :j And my mum invited me and lo for dinner (nothing like your mums cooking) so my stocked kitchen was not touched apart from breakfast and snacks.

Long may it continue......:D

tinypawz

Spoke too soon!!!!! Just got a letter from Debt recovery office re: outstanding bill for £18.48. I thought I had paid this already.:mad: :mad: :mad:

January is getting harder and harder.....it is only the 2nd!!! Doesn't bode well for the future.

hypno06

It does sometimes seem as though it is one step forwards and two back, but take a deep breath and deal with what you have to deal with, and then enjoy the free food with your mum.

lynzpower

tinypawz wrote: »

Spoke too soon!!!!! Just got a letter from Debt recovery office re: outstanding bill for £18.48. I thought I had paid this already.:mad: :mad: :mad:

January is getting harder and harder.....it is only the 2nd!!! Doesn't bode well for the future.

have you paid it? Are you sure? The only reason I say this is that when I was DFWing, I found that chasers carried on chasing well after it had been paid? Check through your bank accounts to see if you have paid it!

If its from a DC, why not offer them a fiver or other token amount to close off the account? Might work

tinypawz

lynzpower wrote: »

have you paid it? Are you sure? The only reason I say this is that when I was DFWing, I found that chasers carried on chasing well after it had been paid? Check through your bank accounts to see if you have paid it!

If its from a DC, why not offer them a fiver or other token amount to close off the account? Might work

I've checked through the cheque books and low and behold...no cheque written....I must have dreamed that I had paid it.

It is from the company itself, just their own debt collection section/office.

It'll have to wait until February!!! I just can't get ahead.

determinedtodothis

Keep your chin up hun

If you have trouble sleeping why don't you do reviews on Dooyoo? i've nearly earn't £10 already and only joined this week!

Also the free bingo and scratchcards - it all helps!

and as LO grows out of things pop it on Ebay!

You can get through this - look how far you've come with you being the only provider for you and your baby you should be proud x

tinypawz

determinedtodothis wrote: »

Keep your chin up hun

If you have trouble sleeping why don't you do reviews on Dooyoo? i've nearly earn't £10 already and only joined this week!

Also the free bingo and scratchcards - it all helps!

and as LO grows out of things pop it on Ebay!

You can get through this - look how far you've come with you being the only provider for you and your baby you should be proud x

I've just joined Dooyoo on your advice, so thanks, although not entirely sure how it works.

Same goes for free bingo and scratch cards? what/where are they?

As for LO clothes, although I buy off ebay, I want to hold on to them for a while longer incase I ever have no2.

Fire_Fox

tinypawz wrote: »

I am taking medication citalopram and amtripaline(sp?). My doc isn't too keen on giving me sleeping tablets incase I don't wake up with the lo during the night.

I might mention the Mirtazapine to my doc at my next appointment....Thanks for the advice. I'll let you know how that goes.....

You don't want 'proper' sleeping tablets such as benzodiazepines anyway. They make you sleep in the same way that alcohol does - basically by passing out. Plus they are addictive. At least one of the tablets you take at present may make you drowsy. But it's a shame you are taking two medications: it suggests they aren't working as well for you as they might?

Mirtazepine confers natural sleep by causing you to produce more of your natural sleep hormones. There are three levels of dosage, and you do need to build up as sometimes they really knock you out for the first couple of days! PM me if you don't wish to post anything more personal up here.