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Posts: 9
From:Londonderry, NH USA
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 10-30-2003 01:15 PM         

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does anyone have any idea how to get a kitty to stop eating and/or playing with the litter without making it seem like the box is a bad place to go? please help, i don't want her to get sick!

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Posts: 473
From:sheridan, wy
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 10-30-2003 02:06 PM         

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Does the cat actually eat the litter or just play in it?

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Posts: 240
From:uk
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 10-30-2003 05:46 PM         

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Hi there, You may find that your kitty isnt actually eating the litter she is playing with it in there mouth most cats and kittens do this some cats even sleep in there litter boxes.. unless you can actually catch her eating and swallowing the litter there is no problem kittens usually grown out of it...

Playing with her with toys giving her things to chase and jump on will keep her occupied and she should hopefully stop playing in the litter..

playing in litter is perfectly normal for kittens

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Posts: 9
From:Londonderry, NH USA
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 10-31-2003 12:09 PM         

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well she plays with it....but it's like she plays with her other toys. she'll pounce and and kick, but bite and lick too, so i konw she must be swallowing some. it worries me, but if she's going to grow out of it i guess it's ok?

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Posts: 87
From:MO, USA
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 11-05-2003 11:15 AM         

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Please make sure you are using clay litter only and no scoopable. If scoopable litter is ingested it could try to "clump" inside her and cause some serious damage.
Otherwise pretty much all kittens play with their litter in time she will grow bored of it.

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Posts: 9
From:Londonderry, NH USA
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 11-07-2003 08:16 AM         

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ok so i'm using clay litter now but is it ok to use litter deoderizer?

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Posts: 473
From:sheridan, wy
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 11-07-2003 12:16 PM         

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I don't think you would have a problem with the scoopable litter unless your cat eats a lot of it. I doubt she swallows enough litter to hurt her.

If you are concerned about the deodorizer, use regular baking soda. It shouldn't hurt her if she does ingest some.

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Posts: 87
From:MO, USA
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 11-07-2003 12:35 PM         

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It dosent take much litter to block a kittens intestines.
I had never thought of this before until I had it happen to one of my bottle feeder babies. I dont think she even ate any of it on purpose I think she ingested it while she was cleaning herself.
She had to have surgery and was very sick. We had no idea what was wrong with her until we did a barium series on the xray and saw the little pebbles of litter.
Ive also seen dogs that have had severe blockage from scrounging in the litter box.
Definately something to be aware of.
Ive also had it cause upper respiratory issues in adults from the dust.
This is something to definately be aware of.
I always use 2 tsp baking soda under the litter and above the litter. Seems to work better when the scratch.

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Posts: 473
From:sheridan, wy
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 11-07-2003 12:59 PM         

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That is interesting. I have had cats play in their litter boxes when they were little and they never had a blockage problem. Maybe they were just lucky. I bet the amount necessary to cause harm has to do with the size of the kitty. I don't like the dust from litter. Hopefully companies will come out with low dust formulas.

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Posts: 87
From:MO, USA
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 11-07-2003 07:13 PM         

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I hope so. I had always used scoopable litter until then. It seemed like I started having all these problems at once. I thought I had something nasty in my house that all my cats and fosters were catching. Then we did the barium series and I was soo shocked!

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Posts: 50
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 11-08-2003 12:27 AM         

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Maydays, What kind of litter do you use now that you switched?

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Posts: 87
From:MO, USA
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 11-08-2003 03:21 PM         

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I use swheat scoop cat litter. Its a wheat based litter. Im not sure how much I like it though. I havent found one that I like yet. I use yesterdays news for kittens and cats that have just had surgery Ive noticed it keeps them cleaner, but litter box clean up is a mess.
Im still on a search for a clay litter I like.

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posted 11-08-2003 05:29 PM           

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My kitten is having the same problem and I was reading today online that if they are eating their litter, it may be a sign of Anemia. Check his gums and if they're not bright pink then you might want to get him to the vet.
-Michael

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Posts: 15
From:Richmond, Virginia
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 11-08-2003 07:41 PM         

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May I ask when the blockage occured was vomiting a symptom? Paula

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Posts: 87
From:MO, USA
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 11-08-2003 10:21 PM         

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Paula-- she had stopped eating and was vomiting a foamy yellow. Her stomach was hard as a rock and she was constantly straining. When she did have a BM it was very liquidy and there was blood in the stool. She was very lethargic was in constant pain the entire time she was there. She had stayed at the vets for 4 days before they did the barium series. It was a major surgery as well.
It was a scary experience. I dont think I would worry so much about older cats, but definately kittens. I am just paranoid now and I would hate to make the same mistake twice.

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Posts: 9
From:Londonderry, NH USA
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 11-12-2003 08:54 AM         

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thanks everybody for replying! i was really worried but she seems to be fine, and actually she plays with it less now that i am using the clay litter. yay!

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Posts: 240
From:uk
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 11-12-2003 03:43 PM         

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Hi, All Cats play with there litter the reason is unknown..

To cause a blockage the kitty would have to eat quite a bit of it my mums cats have all played in there litter and have even swallowed some but never had any problems i have to agree with fleafly it depends on the size of the kitten and how much if any it has eaten...

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Posts: 87
From:MO, USA
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 11-12-2003 11:42 PM         

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Im going to have to disagree. Ive seen lots of problems with clumping cat litter.

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