This is my secret to spending just $3 per month on cat litter while prioritizing my cat’s well-being. Optimize your cat care routine with this single ingredient, eco-friendly solution for a happy home and a healthy cat.
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I’ve been a proud cat mom for most of my life, caring for felines since I was about 8 years old.
Just like human babies, fur babies need healthy food & lifestyles to maintain longevity and wellness.
The less ingredients, the better.
^^ That’s the motto 🙂
I discovered this amazing life hack from the power of TikTok! I came across this tutorial on how to basically source your pine cat litter to the farm & feed store for a fraction of the price you see online for the same exact material, minus the cat tax!
If you’ve never heard of the “cat tax,” it is the common markup of pet products branded for cats. Too often, cats and dogs will share the same treats but the ones for cats cost significantly more for less than what the dog equivalent would be.
Prime Example of Cat Tax:
Take this Single-Ingredient Pet Treat: Dried Chicken Hearts
Take note, the same branded freeze-dried chicken hearts for Dogs vs Cats.
Too often, treats for dogs will be marked much cheaper than the same exact ones for cats, given the size of the package. This brand, Vital Essentials, offers dog treats for double the quantity of cat treats for just a few dollars more in the dog treat version.
No shade to the brand at all. They offer amazing quality all natural pet treats!
Just saying: I always buy the Dog version for my cats since it’s literally the same single ingredient freeze-dried chicken heart pet treats.
Sorry for the side tangent!
Back to the Good Part:
@lisasandia0 #stitch with @Raja and David Loca approves 🐈⬛️💕 #cat #fyp #ecofriendly ♬ original sound – lisa.sandia
Save Money Every Month in Just 3 Easy Steps
Step 1: Ditch the Clay Cat Litter
About 3 years ago, I made the switch to pine pellet cat litter when a lifechanging Tiktok came across my feed.
I can’t find the exact one, but it described how clay litter bad for the environment and expensive for what you are actually getting:
Strip-mined clay that is treated with harmful chemicals such as clumping agents and added fragrances.
Despite the “Fresh Scent” packaging claims, clay litter reeks and hardly controls odor.
What stinks even more is that these additives are considered carcinogens, linked to digestive and respiratory problems when ingested. Cats are very clean animals, frequently licking themselves and their paws that have been digging around in their litterbox.
It scared me to think of my previous cats who unfortunately succumbed to complications of their internal organs.
RIP to Timmy, Smitty, & Maurice
It is impossible to pinpoint cat litter as their causes of illness, but learning this information was enough for me to make the change for my current and future cats.
My cats: Murphy (Siamese Mix) & Loca (Black). Special Guest Star: Maggie (Chihuahua Mix)
Step 2: Switch to All Natural Cat Litter
There are several types of natural cat litter, often made from corn, grass, or pine pellets.
For years, I was loyal to Feline Pine Pellet Cat Litter. This is the exact bag that I purchased rougly every month either online or at Target.
I love pine litter because it is great at absorbing odor. Even if the poops aren’t fully buried, the odor is naturally masked with its single ingredient: Pine.
I have had several houseguests make the switch after they noted how my apartment doesn’t have that familiar ammonia smell that clay litter emits.
Plus it’s cheaper in the long run, as this 20lb bag lasts weeks longer than 20lbs of clay litter.
Cleanup is easy, as the urine dissolves it into basically saw dust. The solid waste can be scooped out normally. Ideally, a sifting litterbox is preferred for separating the soiled litter from the pellets.
This is the Sifting Litter Box that my cats have been using since February 2021.
It’s much more affordable than the ones that are sold in pet stores. I was initially hesitant to change litters since the ones in store were upwards of $40. This Sifting Litter Box won’t break the bank, making it easier than ever to make the switch.
It’s okay if you opt to keep the same litter box. You can regularly scoop out the solids for up to a week, replacing the soiled pine dust with fresh pellets.
Step 3: Check Out the Farm & Feed Store
My secret in 2 words:
Horse Bedding
Yes, horse bedding. Believe it or not, it’s the same exact material used in premium pine cat litter, costing anywhere between $11 and $30 depending on the size and brand.
20 lb bag vs 40 lb bag
The 40 lb horse pellet bag only costs about $7, and lasts me around 3 months with 2 cats – even with fully dumping the whole smelly litter box.
How is it so cheap?
My guesses are that it comes in a bulk size, no “cat tax” since it’s for horses, and I buy it from Farm & Fleet.
Either way, I am never going back to traditional cat litter.
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