I haven't bought cat litter in years...

[Moontidearts]

With two cats, using the premium scoopable litter, you can end up spending $20 a month or more. Over a hundred dollars a year for cat poop!?! Not in my house! For the last ten years I've been using shredded newspaper (easy to rip by hand) and junk mail (shred with a long cut type...the cheapest kind...paper shredder). I first put a good layer of newspaper in the bottom of the pan and then fill the pan about halfway with the shredded paper. Every morning this gets dumped in the outside trash can.

I live in an area with raccoons and other critters that enjoy raiding trash cans, but I've NEVER had one of those unwelcome visitors make a mess of my trash, since the cat smell (which I don't smell at all except for the few seconds it takes to open the lid and dump in the trash) runs them off...even when the bag is sitting by the curb.

As to the indoor odor, I find that the paper absorbs the odors just fine, except when the cats actually poop (can I say poop here?), and then that odor either goes away relatively quickly, or if I notice it, one or two squirts of an inexpensive odor neutralizing product (I get Renuzit at a dollar store, and a bottle lasts about 4 months or more) takes care of that problem quickly. As long as the shreds are changed every day, there's no odor problem...and on some cold winter, lazy days, I have been known to miss a day and just add another layer of shreds (not advisable if you have more than one cat though), and there's still no odor situation. Let me tell you, dumping a pan once a day is one heck of a lot nicer than going clump fishing several times a day. Who enjoys leaning over a dusty litter pan in search of...well, you know?

Additionally, the cats don't make a mess of the shredded paper, unlike the mess the clay and scoopable litter can make. I actually keep the litter (a covered pan is best) in the bathtub, behind the shower curtain, so there's no risk of litter going down the drain and clogging things, since the worst mess they make is pulling a shred or two out. As to that being sanitary or not, I keep a spray bottle with 2 TBS of bleach mixed with water, and I do a quick misting of the bathtub a couple of minutes before showering.

No problem getting a cat to get used to this. Just add a some shreds on top of the cat's regular litter, allowing him/her to get used to it, and then switch it out. It shouldn't take more than a few days for the cat to understand the new deal.

This is a very healthy thing for cats. No dust, and the ink in the junk mail or newspaper won't hurt the kitties. Their paws even stay cleaner this way. Good all around.

If you don't think you'll generate enough shreds to do this, many offices will gladly give you as many bags as you need, and I find friends more than willing to chip in, with some of my friends even buying shredders to help. Figure it this way...what thief is going to go through THAT kind of trash, layered with cat waste covered paper, in search of things to aid in the theft of your identity?

[ilovechocolate]

I have 6 cats and I will definitely try this!

[YankeeMom]

Oh how I wish I could try this. But one, my oldest cat is a snob. I can't even switch litter brands or he's peeing on beds & pillows. I can't imagine if I tried to switch to paper lol. And two, we only get the Sunday paper. I don't think that would be enough for the four litter boxes (3 cats plus 1 extra) that we have every day.

Good way to save on litter though. It is expensive. I just bought a 35lb box at Target last night that will last us a month. It was $11.50

[Droppedonmyhead]

I've always had cats and never thought about using newspapers. What a great idea!

I use FelinePine for my cat. I really love it. I started using it because at the time I had 2 indoor cats. My cat is over 15 years old so I'll probably just keep using FelinePine since she's so used to it.

[Jaded]

I had to use paper when my cat had surgery, and she would routinely poop on the floor or in the bathtub. No way will she tolerate this. She gets upset if her litter isn't changed every day.

Wish I could, though, although I don't know where I'd get that much paper.

[Marie78]

I've tried this, but my kitties like to eat shredded paper (even from the litter box) gross, I know!

I buy the store brand scoopable litter. I don't use plastic liners. I fill the litter pan, not quite half way and once a day I take a child's plastic sand shovel and scrape the moist clumps from the botton of the pan, then I take my cat pooper scooper and get out any dry clumps (all waste goes in a grocery store bag and tossed out ASAP). The shovel keeps the wet or moist clumps from breaking up and causing odor in the litter. This way I don't ever have to dump the litter out, I can just add more to the litter pan as it gets low. I only spend $5 a month on one large container of store brand scoopable litter and I have two cats that use it .

Once a month or so, usually at the beginning of the month I will allow the litter in the pan to get very low, so that I can toss that small amount and wash and scrub their litter pan out (because I don't use a plastic liner). My cats are happy with this arrangement and I am happy on only spending $5 on their pooh/month.

[Neeley]

We buy the Dollar General brand of cat litter. It is only $1 for 10 lbs. We add a little baking soda to it if we remember. My cat plays with shredded paper so I doubt he would pee on it. Plus, we don't subscribe to the paper since we read it for free on the internet everyday.

But, it is a good idea if you already get the paper and your cat will use it.

[pip]

Cool idea! I have three cats and I don't know if they'd go for this, but I might give it a try. I used to use shredded newspaper for our guinea pig and it worked well.

[autumn7]

Great tip.It's what we use to do when I was a kid and would adopt a stray! we didn't have money for litter.i don't even know if it existed back then.lol
not sure i can do this with 3 cats and working,but i'm going to try to with at least one litter pan.thanks!

[Nada.Leona]

We're trying it out now. So far so good -- easier to clean out, I find, and although I notice the smell a little more, that's good -- reminds me to change their paper every day!

[mikandmari]

<---- This is Fester.


I've trained Fester to go to the bathroom outside in the yard. Just like a dog, except of course he covers it up .

If you live in an area where your cats are safe outside, it's simple. I've housebroken every cat I've ever owned, even the ones adopted as adults. But it probably won't work with those of you who have already SPOILED your cats since they're already in a routine (and us cat lovers know how cats love routines).

I litter train them, then briefly start putting the litter box & the cat outside. Then I start making the litter box inaccessible for short periods, and when the cat starts sniffing around looking for it, outside he goes... without the box. It may take a bit at this point, but they soon learn that their little butts prefer going in the shrubs & wildflower beds over the litter box. Now, they meow at the door to go out, do their business in the yard, and come right back in the house. I keep a box in the basement for emergencies, but rarely have to change it. They will sit by the door & wait for me to come home (just like the dog) rather than use that box. Money saved, and the house never smells like I have a cat!

[Dancing Lotus]

I wish, my cats wont even touch the pan if I try to put paper in it. I tried once and lets just say it didnt work. I glade to hear that it does work for someone.

[Critsy]

I tired that Pine stuff once and my kitty hated it. She started to go to the bathroom in the closets and on the kids beds. Right now I'm using the 9 Lives brand from Dollar General. I like how it clumps and it's only $3.50 for 5lbs (I think). I usually go through about 3 of them a month.

[Judi Dial]

Don't know if it's a myth, or not...but the story DH and I heard is that cat litter is some marketing genius's idea. He worked for a company that sold oil absorbant and was trying to find a secondary market.

So, that's what we use, clay oil absorbant. My cat WON'T use the recycled newspaper litter, we found a bag on sale and she wouldn't even stay in her box. The clay stuff has no perfumes (an issue here) is cheap and I dump it in the woods when she's done with it. Nothing is added that nature isn't equipped to deal with so it's no problem. I have a bank I dump in on in the winter. In the spring I pull soil over it. Grows the prettiest daffodils you ever saw! However, I have 1 small cat.

Also, I used to be happy to let her do her stuff outside, but she's developed an enemy she fights with every time she goes out lately, so she's not going out any more.

Judi

[Denvergirlie]

<---- This is Fester.


I've trained Fester to go to the bathroom outside in the yard. Just like a dog, except of course he covers it up .

Were as we are pleading, begging, and bribing our cats not to crap outside. They to, sit at the door waiting to go outside.... in our garden!!! Not acceptable to us that they prefer to crap in the soil that grows our food.

I swear every other cat in the neighborhood then feels obligated to come and crap in our backyard as well in an attempt to make their smell the most dominate. We literally have like 5 cats the use our garden as their kitty litter box, which is so increadibley not cool.


Let's see... buy kitty litter to the cost of maybe $5 a month? Or buy organic veggies at the market for $50- $75 a month... hands down the kitty litter is a much better expense.


As for the OP's paper idea... we tried that a long time ago, didn't work, as the vats then took to the garden at that time and as noted above are trying to break them of that habit still today.