I wanted to give a big thank you to Wendy, a Green Little Cat reader, who sent me this great tip for cheap cheap natural clumping cat litter. Perhaps the more appropriate phrase here would be “cheep cheep” natural litter. If you’re looking for a low cost alternative to the World’s Best Cat Litter, then you might be surprised to learn that chickens have the answer to your search.
Wendy’s two cats have been using non-medicated chicken feed, or more specifically “chick starter” in their litter box. Chick starter, also known as game bird finishing crumbles, is mostly made up of corn, along with soybean meal, whole wheat and alfalfa and vitamins. Chick starter is readily available at all feed stores and usually costs about 20 to 30 cents per pound as compared to $1 or more per pound for the World’s Best Cat Litter.
Wendy was kind enough to go into detail about why chick starter makes a great natural clumping cat litter. She listed the pros and cons:
The Pros:
- Cats like using it
- Inexpensive cat litter alternative, also not taxed in some states
- Clumps instantly and easily sifts through the litter scoop
- Natural, edible
- A little goes a long way
- Helps control odors
The Cons:
- There is a bit of tracking, but it’s not all over the house.
- Puppies have been known to eat it.
- Purchasing it can be awkward if a new store clerk doesn’t know what you need and asks what you are feeding. Wendy tells them, “Cornish game hens,” to keep it simple.
Wendy’s 2 cats are mostly indoor cats. She estimates that a 50 lb bag lasts at least 5-6 months. She sums it up really nicely, “There is no excuse for using clay when this is just as cheap.”
I also did an online search for other cat lovers using chick starter as an alternative natural cat litter. I found two posts from two different people who have used both layer crumbles and the World’s Best Cat Litter. Both found the two products to be very similar with the main difference being the price.