The real cost of having pets

gettingready

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

I don't think the BK was ever quite as good as GG - I think it was always just slightly behind BUT it was a lot cheaper which is where it made up the difference

I'm finding if I'm not too 'vigorous' with shaking the unused litter off the clumps they're fine

Strangely, I changed Archie's tray at the weekend & put the last bag of GG in there and the clumps it's making are awful & totally breaking up - it's also really, really dusty :mad: I really do wonder if the last lot I got was a funny batch as it's been really poor

I think perhaps with Fred's kidney issue (which I am not totally convinced re diagnosis to be honest) perhaps his pee is different and litter reacts differently?

But if that was the case, GG would break too but it never did.

Hmmmmm

Still, as there is really no smell (and with 4 cats and me at work all day I would expect some - with my supersensitive nose I COULD smell it if it existed) - just need to see how long will the bag last...

When did I open a new bag?

Scratching head but surely it is not a week yet?

Got to look back through the thread...

EDIT: I opened a new bag on the 29th late evening so 6 days have just passed. Put in red so can easily find later.

Rising, how are you doing with yours?

rising_from_the_ashes

gettingready wrote: »

Still, as there is really no smell (and with 4 cats and me at work all day I would expect some - with my supersensitive nose I COULD smell it if it existed) - just need to see how long will the bag last...

When did I open a new bag?

Scratching head but surely it is not a week yet?

Got to look back through the thread...

EDIT: I opened a new bag on the 29th late evening so 6 days have just passed. Put in red so can easily find later.

Rising, how are you doing with yours?

I've certainly not needed to top up yet - no smells & clumps fine as long as I'm careful picking them up

Im not expecting it to last quite as long as the GG- but I think if the new lot you got (the £12 one) is nearly 1/2 the price of the GG then ........ (will try to work out cost comparison when we find out how long it lasts!)

paddypaws101

gettingready wrote: »

So far I can already see that Biocat is not as good as GG.

Clumps do break and are not as solid as GG.

Oh No!
Got bloody tons of the stuff in stock now.
Do you think there is any point in mixing it with GG or is that a bad idea?

gettingready

PP - I would not mix. And you are not aloe with tons of that stuff hahahah

Density is different, granules I think are slightly bigger than GG.

GG clumps much better - no question about that, with my lot anyway. Your lot and Rising's lot may pee differently hahhahah.


Week today since I opened a bag and split between 2 trays. From what I see now it may last till Sat/Sunday so not bad really, Especially that there is no smell.

The "even cheaper one" arrived today
Will use this when current one needs complete change.

Will report

22 tins of Classic gone to neighbour as my furry lot complete went on hunger strike, they luvv felix as good as it looks so that is back on the menu.

Fred gets some k/d in the morning - when he is starving he will have a bit but otherwise no way. Won't be buying any more of that stuff for him as if he does not enjoy it - no point.

Will see how his blood tests etc come next time and take it from there.

rising_from_the_ashes

gettingready wrote: »

GG clumps much better - no question about that, with my lot anyway. Your lot and Rising's lot may pee differently hahhahah.

:rotfl:

Well - I am going to totally disagree!

In the interests of research of course -

This is a wee peeble from Mia's tray of Biokats



One solid lump with no bits fallen off


On the other hand - this is from Archie's tray (GG)



It's broken up & if you look really closely you might just be able to make out the small bits that have been left behind in the tray

gettingready

hahahahah so my boys pee differently as have a lot of small broken bits - with GG clumps were very solid, rock hard, with biocat they are much softer and break into very small pieces....

just my luck buuu

dgtazzman

Problem with German Shepherds is the hips (dysplacia), they have a tendency to go when they get older and it's an expensive problem, hence probably the big difference in insurance cost. Cross breeds are far less prone to the problem as it's largely genetic.

Also one of the reasons I got a GSD cross as the pure GSD my father has, has had issues with his hips for a while now, could well be he won't make it through the Winter. They've also found a lump on his tail, which might be cancer...

I don't add up what I spend on my Kobi, seeing him happy makes me happy and whatever I'm spending, it's less than went on my ex-wife ^^

gettingready

Just done a quick calculation re GG

As my boys were using a bag per 2 weeks and I was buying 2 bags for £19.00 so needed to buy 13 lots of 2 bags x£19.99 and that comes to £259.87 per year for cat litter alone (for 4 cats just so we are clear).

At the rate the boys are going with Biocat now, looks like 1 bag will last 10 days max so would need 36.5 lets say 38 bags per year sop 19 lots of 2 bags at £13,48 = £215.68 (at sale price) or 19 lots of 2 bags at normal [price of £17.98 = £341.72 per year

So - if Biocat is not on sale, GG still works out better overall, price wise when calculating yearly....

Hmmmm

rising_from_the_ashes

gettingready wrote: »

Just done a quick calculation re GG

As my boys were using a bag per 2 weeks and I was buying 2 bags for £19.00 so needed to buy 13 lots of 2 bags x£19.99 and that comes to £259.87 per year for cat litter alone (for 4 cats just so we are clear).

At the rate the boys are going with Biocat now, looks like 1 bag will last 10 days max so would need 36.5 lets say 38 bags per year sop 19 lots of 2 bags at £13,48 = £215.68 (at sale price) or 19 lots of 2 bags at normal [price of £17.98 = £341.72 per year

BUT remember Zoo+ is famous for 'being a bit cheeky' with its offers and always bases savings on full prices ie if you bought

2 bags of14kg bags of GG it would cost £22.98 BUT if you buy the 2 bags together it's £19.99

Same with the BK - if you bought 2 bags separately, it would cost £17.98 but you can buy 2 together for £14.99

Their offers are often not quite as good as they seem

So, 19 lots of £14.25 (£14.99 - 5%) = £270

If you used the unscented that would drop to

19 x £11.40 (£12 - 5%) = £216




Not a huge difference added up over a year so probably down to preference / what's on offer

Me ..... I'll be sticking with the BK - the last couple of batches of GG we've had have been awful (poor clumping & really, really dusty)

gettingready

Ok, just done a full change - clean the litter boxes, got rid of whatever was in there and put a brand new bag of Biocat, the cheapest one this time.

So it was 9 days. Could I push it to 10? Perhaps but not home most day tomorrow again so rather do it day early then have Teddy decorating one of the rags with his poo. He hardly ever does it (once every 6-8 weeks when the litter is too low/too messy for his highness) but I hate for this to happen so better safe then sorry.

Will use up all the Biocat I have (12 bags now plus the new one in th trays so quite a while) but then will be going back to GG.