Are there cat litters in Taiwan? If not, where do cats that stay inside the house all the time pee and poop? Also, what do you feed them for food since Purina One (does not?) exist in Taiwan?
-Li Chu
Hundreds of pet shops all over the city all sell litter, boxes, etc. Most branches of Wellcome supermarket also sells it, as does Costco. Not a problem. Better still is if your neighbour, like ours, has a garden. I haven’t bought cat litter for two years and our neighbour’s flowers are all dead. Serves him right for his barking dog!
That Costco litter is cheap, but it’s stinky, so I’m not buying it again.
For $600, the pet store down the way delivers three huge bags and carries them up the steps. AND it’s the good Japanese kind with the blue odor crystals in it.
We get the japanese clumping litter at 90NT/5kg bag delivered to our place but have to order 30 bags each time. Sure wish costco would carry some good quality big bag dry cat food other than that Kirkland junk.
Panda
Cat litter in Chinese is called “mao1 sha1”, “cat sand”, in case you need to use the word.
Terry
I think the Costco litter must have been greatly improved between 2002 and 2008 because in '08 to '09 it had very good odor control.
I think the Costco brand of cat litter (called "back to nature with Litter Purrfect) clumps better, but the Carrefour budget brand reacts “quicker” with a stronger scent to cover up the feces smell. So in order to have the best of both worlds, I buy both and mix it.
I also like the plastic container the costco brand comes in. I save the containers and fill them up. If I leave the bags around the house, the cats will find them and rip them open!
I don’t trust the chemical content of pet products from Japan. And if you do buy something imported from Japan, it’s good to check labels and company websites to see it was actually produced in China.
I did not know cat litter could do such wonderful things. My flatmate has recently decided she loved cats, and got two, and all the stuff that goes with it. But now our apartment smells horrible. From what you guys are saying, I’m guessing she’s cheap (that, I knew already) and got some poor quality litter.
Well, it’s a matter of:
-
Quality of clumping litter - I buy mine at the vet’s, same he uses for his cat (on display, too). The one at Costco used to break and definetively did not have as much odor control.
-
Ratio of cats to litter boxes - Experts recommend # of cats plus one. I have four ctas, so that’s 5 boxes. No, it is not that expensive, thought it is a bit cumbersome to clean but I manage, and there is no unbearable stinkiness. A single cat should have two, separated from each otehr and far, far away from the food and water dishes.
-
Maintenance - clean as often as possible, 2 X day optimum, once at least.
-
Ventilation/position/trailing - My cats’ litter boxes are on the balcony, well ventilated. The ones that have a cover and are in the house, I take off the cover often to let them “breathe”. The other thing, is to keep boxes separated, and with two exits at least, to avoid confrontation between cats or aversion issues. Finally, a mat of some kind should be put to avoid litter residue all over the house.
Plus you do have to empty the whole litter box every couple weeks and wash and dry it, and mop the floor in the litter box area in case any kitty missed a bit. But if you do all the above from Icon’s post plus this, there’s really no objectionable odor. If you get the wrong litter and don’t clean often, it can be overwhelming. HUGE difference.
WOw, I didn’t know all that! That’s great info. I’m gonna talk to my flatmate about all this.
I didn’t know about the quality of clumping litter, and the ratio of cats to litter boxes. You say you have a box with a cover, what does it look like?
They come in all kinds of designs but many look something like this. The purpose IMO is to avoid litter being kicked out when the cats try to bury their gold. A little may get kicked out the doorway, though. Some have swinging doors to prevent this. I find it easier to clean if there’s no lid, and there’s better air circulation.
I use this stuff called “Feline Fresh”. It lasts longer, has far better odour control, and is more absorbent than crystal type cat litter. I was buying some Japanese crystal stuff, but I now save far more money in the long run.
buzzillions.com/reviews/feli … er-reviews
I have those inside mostly because of fussy visitors who are otherwise unnerved by the sight of, well, cats doing what comes naturally. No visitors, no lid. Outside litterboxes have no lid.
The lidded ones are quite dangerous as they trap the fumes, and so the litter might be clean but the cat may think not and hence pee/poop elsewhere. Hence, the lid must be off most of the time. The lid is an esthetic contraption designed for owners in mind, not cats.
Moreover, a cat must approve the kitty litter. Different cats have different preferences. Never change the litter suddenly or you will get a nasty surprise.
How about mixing the old one and the new one, and changing the ration until it’s 100% new?
That approach usually works for food. it sounds reasonable. Of course, the cat has the last word. 
We’ve had NO problems changing food or litter suddenly. We have switched both often while the cats were growing up, so they are accustomed to variety and are not spoiled or picky. But sure, if your cats don’t like the change, go back and try mixing and replacing more gradually.
By the way, if you get a small kitten who has just been weaned and litter trained and you take him or her home, be careful not to buy too tall a litterbox as it may have trouble getting in. THIS ONE (for disintegrating wood pellet litter) is really good for small kittens because after you remove the top cowl, the box is quite low and easy for them to enter and exit. After they get a little bigger and if you start to have any problems with pellets being kicked out of the box, you can then put the cowl back on. Later, when your cat’s an adult you can get a bigger, enclosed type box if you want, and keep this as a backup to use after you wash the big one and it is drying, or if you take in a kitten or need to separate two cats while one is sick or something.
This model runs from $350 online at the above link, to $800 or so if you get the imported Japanese original or buy it at an overpriced pet store.
Also, this model has holes in the grating of the middle section which are large enough for the disintegrated material to fall through easily when you run the scoop around in it, with a minimum of clogging. Some models are similar but have smaller holes and clog badly. 
Can anyone recommend a decent but economical (meaning the litter goes longer even if it’s a little expensive) cat litter?
How are Costco’s litter?
I find ordering kitty litters online or buying them in shops is hit or miss. There are some that will not clump at all, and others that clumps well and that keeps the odor low.
My old room mate /best friend uses those green containers from costco. 2 boxes 2 cats. The entire house was (is) rank!!
Im fine with the smell but all my guests were not. Really doesnt cover up well. Scoops fine though.