OMG! Fresh Step Kitty Litter

[Amelia Peabody]

I just ran out to buy some much needed kitty litter. The cats have always had Fresh Step clumping ... didn't I read they may not be receptive to a brand change? Anyway, at the grocers 28lbs runs about $14.99, the pet store has it for $10.99. So I ran to the pet store. It was $18.99!!!

MOST of the other brands were also $18.99 as well. I managed to dig around and find some Tidy Cat for $11.99, maybe leftovers from a previous shipment.

So did I miss the big news story on CNN that kitty litter was going to cost more than gasoline? Does anyone know why the price jump??

 

[Imzadi]

Did you ask if it was mispriced? Maybe they accidentally marked it the larger size? $8 is a large jump.

 

[Amelia Peabody]

I did ask but the kid at the register said "it's not us, it's them".
Meaning the manufacturer I assume. She wasn't even looking at me, totally bored so I guess it was what she was told to say. But I wasn't the nasty customer, I was just asking in shock.

Update - cats have not touched the new litter. Usually they push each other o get to the cleaned boxes.... uh oh......

 

[Meriweather]

We used to use Fresh Step....but switched quite a while ago to Scoop Away. Get it at Costco for $11.99 for 40 pounds.
Kitty likes it find....but he did not like Tidy Cat.

 

[torinsmom]

I got Fresh Step in 31 lb buckets in May at this warehouse garage sale. I guess they get donations from companies or something, because they had tons of it. They were selling it for $5/bucket and the guy thought I was crazy when I bought 15 buckets. I had to go home and come back, b/c I couldn't fit it all in the car. I saved a TON of money, since that should last me about a year. When they have another sale, I am going back and I hope they have it again!

Marsha

 

[chell]

I got Fresh Step in 31 lb buckets in May at this warehouse garage sale. I guess they get donations from companies or something, because they had tons of it. They were selling it for $5/bucket and the guy thought I was crazy when I bought 15 buckets. I had to go home and come back, b/c I couldn't fit it all in the car. I saved a TON of money, since that should last me about a year. When they have another sale, I am going back and I hope they have it again!

Marsha

I want to know where this place is. It might be worth a drive across the state for litter that cheap.

My cat doesn't care what kind it is as long as it is clean.

That was a huge jump. I haven't heard a thing about litter going up.

 

[ma2jr]

.

So did I miss the big news story on CNN that kitty litter was going to cost more than gasoline? Does anyone know why the price jump??

Lol

I hate it when they raise prices so drastically out of the blue.

I agree about Costco...

 

[torinsmom]

I want to know where this place is. It might be worth a drive across the state for litter that cheap.

My cat doesn't care what kind it is as long as it is clean.

That was a huge jump. I haven't heard a thing about litter going up.

It is called TROSA and it's in Durham. I think they have yard sales 2-3 times a year on Friday/Saturday. They don't have the same things everytime--first time I went to one, I didn't see any litter, but I did get the huge containers of clorox wipes for $1 and Clorox detergent for $1. They have everything from diapers to electronics to clothing and everything in between. Lots of stuff gets donated that is new in the box too. I don't know when the next one if(probably fall) but I will post on the budget board when I hear anything.

Marsha

 

[flying_babyb]

I swicth cat litters as much as I change my undies. My cats dont seem to give a care. right now im on the walmart brand, $8. I hate it, it spreads like wildfire when they kick it all over my floor.

 

[jsmith]

i would love to get kitty litter for 18.99-i was using petsmarts pretty cat brand clumping-but one of my cats has an allergy to dust and it makes her cough terribly-so my vet had me switch to wheat based swheatscoop which is dust free-and 29.99 for 40lbs. it cured her cough tho.

 

[chell]

It is called TROSA and it's in Durham. I think they have yard sales 2-3 times a year on Friday/Saturday. They don't have the same things everytime--first time I went to one, I didn't see any litter, but I did get the huge containers of clorox wipes for $1 and Clorox detergent for $1. They have everything from diapers to electronics to clothing and everything in between. Lots of stuff gets donated that is new in the box too. I don't know when the next one if(probably fall) but I will post on the budget board when I hear anything.

Marsha

Thanks! I don't get over there often but I'll try to remember to keep an eye out for it.

 

[chell]

i would love to get kitty litter for 18.99-i was using petsmarts pretty cat brand clumping-but one of my cats has an allergy to dust and it makes her cough terribly-so my vet had me switch to wheat based swheatscoop which is dust free-and 29.99 for 40lbs. it cured her cough tho.

Where do you find this? Does it last as long as the other kinds of litter? I'm thinking it might be good for me and my dust allergies.

 

[flying_babyb]

I did those paper pellets for rabbits. It was cheap (its litter for rabbits boxes) and the cats loved it. For some odd reason, the cats didnt seem to have sore paws as much.

 

[denisem]

Wow, that is a jump in price. DH is the kitty-litter buyer (usually Publix clumping brand) and he hasn't mentioned it.

While I know cats can be finicky about litter , our two have trained us in a happy medium with the Tidy-Cat's Breeze system (pellets & pads). While it took awhile for the older cat, they both now use that regularly as a urinal. The litterpan with regular litter is still available, but only used for #2.

I haven't crunched the numbers, but it's definitely cut down on the "dust" factor and changing of the regular litter, and the piddle pads in the Breeze only need be changed out maybe once to twice a week for our two "hosers". (The pellets, which are the deodorizing factor, are less often.)

Just a suggestion...

 

[OctMtnWoods]

I get 27 lbs of Tidy Cat clumping (blue lid bucket) for $9.97 at Walmart. I can't imagine paying prices you mentioned.

It does appear the price has gone up by about $1 in the past few weeks.

 

[Imzadi]

Those of you who have non fussy cats are so lucky. You have never had your cat, in mid-poop, realise it's different litter and jump out of the box, walk directly in front of you, squat down, and drag a looooong brown line of the rest of the poo across your carpet that you just shampooed 2 days earlier (and returned the carpet cleaner.)

It's like that carpet cleaner commercial where the woman is screaming, "Toby!!!!" as she's watching her dog wipe his butt across the carpet. At least, in that commercial, you don't see an actual smear.

 

[MichelleVW]

Those of you who have non fussy cats are so lucky. You have never had your cat, in mid-poop, realise it's different litter and jump out of the box, walk directly in front of you, squat down, and drag a looooong brown line of the rest of the poo across your carpet that you just shampooed 2 days earlier (and returned the carpet cleaner.)

It's like that carpet cleaner commercial where the woman is screaming, "Toby!!!!" as she's watching her dog wipe his butt across the carpet. At least, in that commercial, you don't see an actual smear.

My cats are extremely picky about their food, but thankfully not their litter. We use either Non Clumping Tidy Cat or the Walmart brand that is almost the same but cheaper. We got a huge cheap bag of litter from Big Lots a few weeks ago and they didn't have a problem with that either.

 

[chell]

Wow, that is a jump in price. DH is the kitty-litter buyer (usually Publix clumping brand) and he hasn't mentioned it.

While I know cats can be finicky about litter , our two have trained us in a happy medium with the Tidy-Cat's Breeze system (pellets & pads). While it took awhile for the older cat, they both now use that regularly as a urinal. The litterpan with regular litter is still available, but only used for #2.

I haven't crunched the numbers, but it's definitely cut down on the "dust" factor and changing of the regular litter, and the piddle pads in the Breeze only need be changed out maybe once to twice a week for our two "hosers". (The pellets, which are the deodorizing factor, are less often.)

Just a suggestion...

I've never heard of the Breeze system before. I may have to check into this though. Thanks!

 

[Imzadi]

While I know cats can be finicky about litter , our two have trained us in a happy medium with the Tidy-Cat's Breeze system (pellets & pads). While it took awhile for the older cat, they both now use that regularly as a urinal. The litterpan with regular litter is still available, but only used for #2.

I haven't crunched the numbers, but it's definitely cut down on the "dust" factor and changing of the regular litter, and the piddle pads in the Breeze only need be changed out maybe once to twice a week for our two "hosers". (The pellets, which are the deodorizing factor, are less often.)

Just a suggestion...

Denisem, from what I've read about the Breeze, it actually doesn't do much to get rid of really stinky poo smell as the pellets are not absorbant. perhaps your cats figured this out and prefer the regular litter to cover up their poo.

Hmm, I hadn't thought about using both types of litters. I hate the dust all over the place. My carpet smearing kitty ONLY will use the Tidy Cats scoopable. Now that they improved it to be better clumping, it is dustier than ever.

She also has really stinky poo. That's one of the reasons I didn't even bother trying the breeze. She does have two boxes side by side that she likes to alternate using. Maybe I can replace one box with the Breeze system.

 

[chell]

With the Breeze system do they scratch and cover up the #2? My husband does all the scooping now and he would freak out if he had to see it without it being covered.

How expensive is it compared to the other litter systems? I see that you only change the pad once a week and the pellets once a month. How does that compare cost wise to changing regular litter?