Kitty litter for dropping board?

[bills]

Since our great old mouser of 22 years passed away recently, I ended up with a 40lb bag of kitty litter. I had thought about keeping it in the garage for oil spills, etc., but then another idea struck me.

This is the sandy kind of kitty litter that clumps when wet, and very easy to clean. I think it's called Max Cat? Has anybody tried using this stuff for a dropping board. I figured I could put an inch layer of the stuff on the board, and then simply scoop it every few days. I have no idea if this is dangerous to chickens, or if they may try to eat it?

What are the forum members opinions on using this stuff?

 

[patandchickens]

Since pine shavings are way way cheaper I'd use a thin layer of *them* on your droppings board (that's what I do anyway, just scoop up a bit of the floor litter to use each day) and save the cat litter for a more cat-litter-requiring purpose.

If you are not sure you will ever need it I am certain there are local animal shelters or rescues who would genuinely appreciate it!

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Wanda]

I would be concerned with the clumping litter. I have heard of a few cats that have had it clump inside them when they licked it off their paws. I wouldn't take the chance personally.

Wanda

 

[fallenweeble]

i'd avoid it - it can cause breathing problems and/or be a big problem if the bird eats it.

i do work with other bird species and cat litter is always listed as one of those things not to use as litter or substrate.
in fact, i've read you aren't supposed to use it with bunnies, reptiles, birds etc.

maybe you could donate it to a local kitty adoption group. i'm sure they'd be quite grateful for it and i'm also sure they probably need it. when you do rescue stuff even the "small" things are big!

or, hey, you could adopt another mouser! so many kitties need a nice place like yours to catch mice.
that'd be a great use for that cat litter too!

good luck.

(p.s. i'm sorry you lost your good ol' reliable mouser. you must have taken very good care of her if she lived 22 years. that's AWESOME! she's in kitty heaven smilin' down on you right now and, if i know cats, probably sending a new "kitty-in-need" your way!)

 

[bills]

Thanks for the replies, and I think I will take the advice and not use it. My friend uses the pine shavings on the dropping board, and seems to find its a simple clean up, so I will do the same.

As fallanweeble says, there may well be another cat looking for a place to roost and we sure miss the old-timer. Wouldn't hurt to have another mouser around to keep the pests away. I wish I could get the same blood line as our old Kissy, as she was not afraid of rats, moles, bats, coons, dogs, or other cats. She was the runt of the litter but outlived all her brothers, and sisters.