Cheap Pellet Cat Litter - Save Big & Breathe Easier - plus a $1 DIY Sifter

Using ordinary wood stove pellets is a dramatically cheaper alternative to 'clumping' clay cat litter. If you're spending heaps on the latter check out my switch to wood pellets. Less gets tracked around the house on little paws, less goes in the bin, and less cash disappears each month. Make a DIY sifter for a buck using 1/4-inch hardware cloth and any old box you have laying around. With special guest appearances by Nigella & Little Bug! Read more about my litter journey at the link in the video.
EDIT 1: Bonus tip - After months of pellets I should add that one of the most perfect tools for grabbing the solids daily is a cheap dollar store pair of kitchen tongs (just don't mix them up with the pair in the kitchen). Since pellet poo can be a little messy, I park them and the scoop I use in the (human) toilet for a couple flush/swirls to clean them after each use.
EDIT 2: Several have asked me about buying an appropriate sifter. Shopping links to a Spork-Approved ready-made sifter coming soon for those of you not into hacking up your own DIY version. I want to get a few and test them before I make a recommendation but in the mean time, get some cheap pellets to test drive with your cats FIRST before spending any money on a sifter. Your old-school manual scoop will work just fine for a few test weeks.
EDIT 3: Someone pointed out to me after the fact that you can see the Canawick brand (and their site) in my video. While they're the brand I buy because that's what's stocked in my local stores, ANY BRAND of wood pellet stoves should work fine and I don't endorse any specific manufacturer over another. I do prefer hardwood over softwood (pine) as I mention in my video. ALSO: Be careful that you're buying cheap fuel pellets, not 'gourmet' wood smoking pellets for food which would be a real waste of money. Should be less than CDN$7 for 18kg. Happy scooping out there!

[@nancysimmer9908]

I've been using this pellets for years now I just put about an inch or so in the litter box and when I think it's ready I just throw the whole thing out and start all over again🤗

[@plejaren1]

"My girl's"... So lovely...you can tell you're an animal lover

[@MrSporksHands]

With the exception of my dear saintly mother, there's no one on the planet I care about more. Even when they try to steal the toast off my table in the morning and sit on my head at 3am "just to say 'hi'". Thanks for watching!

[@plejaren1]

Haha, I know what you mean...

[@christinebuckingham7334]

Mr. Spork's Hands You're a good man - this world needs many more of you! Thanks for the video.

[@MrSporksHands]

You're absolutely welcome. Hope it helps ease the pain of the litter box just a bit. Cheers!

[@darcandelaria]

I know so cute! My husband calls our or more like his dog son 😂 specially when the dog acts up he's like son! 😂 just like he talks to our 6 year old boy 😀

[@dennyj8650]

For switching out litter, don't laugh, but I fished out a "starter turd' to put into the new litter. It works. But my senior kitty's paws didn't like the hard horse-bedding pellets. Next time I'm going to wet the pellets and let them dry before putting them in the box. There really was NO odor when I used them before.

[@FirstnameLastnameoptiona-cz9vj]

Starter turd!!! Love it!! ( 8 kit Kats here)

[@tinaschlindwein9267]

Starter turd 😂 great idea.

[@MrSporksHands]

The copyright for "Starter Turd" is all yours Denny. Well done. LOL Thanks for watching and good luck with the switch. My dearly departed girls were all over 12 years when we switched and continued without issues for another decade. Presoak a few to dissolve and I'll bet your senior adapts in a hurry.

[@marionbylsma1167]

I like to know how that worked wedding the pallets Using them in the letterbox, if you can let me know would be awesome

[@marionbylsma1167]

How did you dry your pellets after you wet them?

[@SkySim]

I have four cats and three large litter boxes made from large flat bottomed clear plastic storage boxes. I use horse bedding pellets, they are made from softer wood and absorbs much faster. $8.99 Canadian for a 40lbs bag, four bags will last almost 1 year. I made a sifter from 1/4" fence wire and a wood frame with handles. Scooper is a Spider Strainer Skimmer Ladle for a deep fryer from the dollar store, works like a charm if the poop is hard, not so good if there is really soft poop or if your cat is a digger, my cats no longer dig, they just leave it on top for me to clean up. You do end up trashing some pellets stuck to the poop but the pellets are so cheap it doesn't matter. The pet industry are bloody crooks, anything you can do to bypass them, do!

[@MrsSoapPeddlersHomestead]

I am going to try this. We have a sanctuary...56 of the little poopers! Thanks!

[@tracischeelk29]

Do make or purchase containers to make a sifter below. I did this without a sifter bottom and had little bugs/gnats everywhere. The wet sawdust sinks to the bottom, and you can't remove it. Then, fewer and fewer pellets. It's worth the trouble. Otherwise, pine pellets are great. So too are ground Walnut Shells, which disolve slower, come in pellets or rough ground, but can't get them in bulk cheap at hardware store.

[@amillia222]

Mrs Soap's Crafty Homestead I’m admiring you! All best to you!

[@nennie4688]

how beautiful

[@rac1equalsbestgame853]

I've never seen wood pellets ANYWHERE. Not in hardware stores or pet stores.

[@hbhhoneybeehoney6028]

use equine pellets, they smell good

[@secretname3897]

Ten seconds in, I love this guy's voice and I love his heckin energy. I'm just ready to be sold on this litter system

[@MrSporksHands]

Ha! Thanks. The old radio voice comes in handy from time to time. Appreciate the view. Cheers!

[@nhgiftbaskets]

@@MrSporksHands ok now you have to tell us when you were on the radio! I love it!

[@raeboyd5596]

i went to tractor supply and got equine pellets 50lb for 6 bucks. i had no transition problems and i love it! i scoop solids and flush and only have to sift every 3 days and even then the sawdust is still dry and lightweight, but i do it because my cat will start to track some. i was going to make a sifter but i went to hobby lobby and found something that works perfect and looks nice hanging on the wall. i love this system. i am most amazed that even 3 or 4 days later there is absolutely no cat piss smell at all! its cleaner, cheaper and smells better! i thankyou so much for posting this video!

[@MrSporksHands]

Welcome to the pellet club. Just try not to chuckle when you go past the clay litter sections at the megamart. They're about ready to kick me out of those stores I think for uhm... "mentioning" there's a better way to people with six boxes in their cart. Cheers!

[@jaimeandres5180]

What did you get from hobby lobby?

[@MrSporksHands]

Hi Jaime. MSHands here. I've seen lots of 'ready made' sifters on the market that you can find online with a search of "garden sifter" or even "gold panning sifter". I'll put an example link in the description. Remember the key factor is that it's 1/4" mesh (at least with the pellets I get here in Canada). Not to big and not too small on the holes. Since it's so picky, I'd suggest anyone out there interested get some cheap pellets locally *first* so you can both measure them before ordering a gizmo and make sure your cats are ok using them.

[@rvbeginnerwinnebagoadventu6786]

no, I MEANT....they have boxes that have a top hole like this to be ready to use for your hardware cloth mount! I've been collecting them for little kittenhouses out in the shed for them to hide in. Also good for your project...

[@kathyheitchue6069]

Rae Boyd THANKS SO MUCH for the info! Just tell me what you purchase from Hobby Lobby

[@jeanniemainzer8551]

Since our pellet stove seems to be on the fritz, I started using wood pellets for litter. Huge savings! I just remove the solid waste, and when the rest has dissolved into dust, I just dump the whole thing. One $8.00 bag lasts about three months-and we have three cats.

[@donnamuller6460]

I have great success with the commercial sifting litter boxes and pine nugget litter. I do my 4 boxes daily (just a couple of shakes) and then scoop through the sawdust to catch any tiny pieces of pine that might have slipped through. All 4 boxes take a couple of minutes - and I have 3 big male cats who use them heavily.

[@Locomaid]

Sifter...buy a second pan and drill holes in it. Use it as a top pan with the pellets and sift into the first pan. Easy, cheap and fairly safe

[@MrSporksHands]

Tried that system first, didn't have good luck. It's the space BETWEEN the holes that made for more cleaning than it was worth in my prototypes so I stick with plan flat-bottomed pans and more frequent changes. Still way ahead on costs since pellets are so cheap. If you've found a system that works for you though I think that's great. I'm all for a good litter hack. Thanks for watching. - MSH

[@stevehaire6324]

@@MrSporksHands I did the same as what is suggested here, but with a cheap bucket.. Peppered the bottom with holes roughly the same diameter as the pellets (very rare that whole ones land perfectly to fall through), and also went an inch or two up the sides. Works an absolute treat. I used to use a bag underneath, but now I use a square plastic storage tub/box with handles which is a similar size to the bucket but a little deeper. This way I just drop the bucket into the box which conveniently rests on its rim leaving clearance below, then I just shake and swirl them both for a few seconds and I'm all done.. Bucket gets tipped back into the litter tray, waste box gets tipped into the compost.. Your way is a great idea and very simple, however my only concern is that the damp waste/dust can get trapped in all the nooks, and you can't wash it out if needed.

[@sharonbelieves]

The breeze litter bix works well with the pas tray removed and a litter box underneath

[@zandemallicote6444]

Too time intensive and if you drill the holes close enough to accommodate the wet litter but keep the dry, it weakens the plastic.

[@clararose1795]

You can also get a second box, cut out a rectangle in the bottom, and use this type of mesh. Just have to make sure the mesh is well secured and any sharp edges are throughly covered.

[@MLM111]

I use two tubs and drill small holes in the bottom of the top tub and the sawdust falls to the second container. Works great 😊

[@hanasuminiko6172]

Stop letting everyone know they’ll raise the prices lol

[@jlc670]

Too late they have started to put pictures of cats and horses on the equine pellets at my local feed stores as well as raised the price

[@JFED-xw2tx]

@@jlc670 what kind of cat litter is the most expensive? Is equine bedding more expensive or-

[@autumn8920]

JFED 0206 Just look yourself cuz it might depend on what store or what state or what country you live in

[@shirleynordstrom4909]

I had originally been using tidy breeze pellets and have the grated litter boxes so for my three boxes I just have to scoop out the poop and move the pellets around so the dust goes down the grated floor. Twice a week I empty the trays underneath. It’s so nice using the wood pellets for saving money and it sure smells better 👍🏻

[@1Cruzer4u]

My Goodness I've been spending $20 a week. Fantastic Video

[@MrSporksHands]

I hear ya. I wasn't quite that bad but went from CDN$40 a month to around $3. Hope it works for you and saves you a heap of coin to spend on catnip. Cheers. - MSH

[@joanbaczek2575]

Me too

[@sandragould4]

Me too😡

[@TM-ry6hc]

You will save SO much using this. I did

[@shadowcub5751]

Thanks for actually showing the "dirty" process. I've read plenty of info on the pellets, but no one seems to want to actually show how it works in the real world (which, I think is odd because pet owners are very much aware and used to picking up excrement and cleaning urine; it's not like we'd be weirded out by it). I have a bit of a special needs cat, and I'm trying to find a litter solution that works as best as it can for him and my other overlord. This makes the decision to try pellets a lot easier, knowing exactly how it works and what to expect.

[@abracadeborah7855]

Overlords😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣. I miss my 23yr old overlord / mistressevery day. It’s been 10 years since she crossed the rainbow bridge to wait for me.

[@veraelliott3518]

My cats didnt like the pellets at first, so they would go outside. Savings there, but on rainy or snowy days they would use the pellets. Now they use it with no problem. Besides the savings and reduced smell, I separate the solids out and dump the urine sawdust on my compost pile for added nitrogen. Win win!

[@BadgerBabyBoy]

I love how the cat backed out after the "quick cat cameo" 5:55

[@MrSporksHands]

She is SUCH a show stealer, isn't she? That, for the record, is "Little Bug". Her sister is Nigella. - MSH

[@BadgerBabyBoy]

♡

[@thewife7776]

5:54 what a BEAUTIFUL cat!!

[@ActionBastard88]

I love how it back up out of frame.

[@MrSporksHands]

She is SUCH a stage queen. The moment the camera goes on she's talking up a storm usually. And as you can see she's been practicing her dance moves. She says "thank you" for the compliments and now demands extra tuna for her appearance fee. - MSH

[@toddmanson2901]

I have two cats and use horse bedding wood pellets from Tractor Supply, cost $6.99 for 40 pound bag. Cats like it. Use the Arm and Hammer sifter litter boxes with no problem of pellets falling through, only sawdust. No smell, used sawdust smells like wood shop and covers all cat scent. Poop is removed each day using an ingenious method I devised. Shake the pan briskly and the used wet sawdust falls through. Best and cheapest method for litter. Way better than dusty clay that smells and is so expensive. I used to hate litter box patrol but now it’s a breeze.

[@MrSporksHands]

When you find your routine, it really is a snap. Pellets are so cheap now (~fifty cents a fill) that I have no qualms about a complete empty and refill every few days with daily scooping of course. And the the cost savings over clay are off the charts. Thanks for the comment and view. Happy scooping!

[@barbaracarroll9304]

We have 2 cats and have used tractor supply wood pellets from the beginning.

[@alohaoh]

Todd manson: Please share your ingenious poop removal method. That's the part I struggle with for my cat's soft poops

[@sherimenelli8892]

@@alohaoh I have the cat box in a shower we don't use in the downstairs bathroom. I grab the poop in a tissue and flush down the toilet. Just don't grab pellets because that could jam up plumbing. But has been working great for me.

[@Watchinthefoolshere]

Tractor Supply. #40 for $5.79. It's called Equine pelletized bedding that is used in horse stalls to absorb and easy clean up. I use the medium concrete mixing tub at Home Depot for $5.75. It's cheap, big, durable and easy to clean. I scoop solids every day, 2x day and sift every 2 days. I put new pellets in with the older ones to keep the pan full and refresh. I had bought two nestling litter boxes one to hold sifted pellets and the other to dump sawdust into then slide it into empty #50 cat food bag for disposal. I dump the sawdust at my local city spot for tree limb burning. For those with a few cats the dust can be composted. After sifting I sprinkle baking soda. #50 at local feed store $23. I have 22 rescues and have tried everything over the years at one time spending $155-$195 a month on Tidy Cat. Now I spend $34 a month! It's a little more effort but the savings are worth it. For those with multiple cats you can build a small sifter from scrap wood and screen.

[@MrSporksHands]

Well done. It was a rescue operation that first tipped me off to the wood stove pellets. Horse bedding (pellets, not 'shavings', and remember to avoid cedar) are a good choice for people that don't live in the colder climates where wood stove pellets might be a bit more seasonal. Up here in the Great White North we don't seem to have that problem and they're the same price. Happy (affordable) scooping!

[@CK7866]

Did all the cats take to the pellets well? My friend rescues also & spends a fortune on Fresh Step.

[@MrSporksHands]

Mine dove in like nothing had changed but spent a bit more time in there at first wondering what it was. "Hmmm. It's in the right place. It smells right (I put a bit of used litter at the bottom as a scent cue). OK... let's poop in it. Human can deal with it." After the first bit turns to sawdust, they don't seems to care what it is they're "covering" with.

[@savedr]

The package I just got from Tractor Supply even mentions that it can be used as cat litter now! And it was still $7 for like a 40 lb bag! I am just transitioning to this stuff from Crystal cat litter, which we liked, but wasn't drying out enough day to day for us, because air movement in our house isn't great. (Ideally using that kind is pretty similar, you scoop solids out every day, then stir the urine-soaked ones on the bottom up with the better ones on top; those sit on top of the box and the moisture evaporates from them, but not the urine or smelly chemicals in it, so they can be used continuously for about a month before you have to change the whole box out.)

[@savedr]

Also, that Crystal litter was $40 plus from Petco, for less quantity than the $7 bag of pellets we just bought ..

[@augusta8901]

You can take a five gallon bucket and cut out the bottom with an inch left at the edges, cut a mesh the full width, then use a common household iron to melt it into the plastic (make sure you are outside or have really good ventilation) Can do with window screening for other projects...

[@gezellige_poes967]

In the U.S.: Not sure why this video ended up in my feed and have not watched the video, so some points may have been addressed: 1. If your cats are using clay litter, *highly* recommend a transition period to avoid litter box avoidance. To do this, put a box with pellets next to the clay litter box and gradually add more and more pellets to the clay litter while monitoring litter box use. Once the cat is clearly using the pellets, remove the clay litter box. The transition period will differ from cat to cat. Consider the feel of clay litter vice pellets on cat feet: it may take the cat some time to get used to, so be patient! 2. Urine smell is completely eliminated unless you allow the pellets to become over saturated. Stool smell, on the other hand, is not eliminated whether the cat buries it or not. I use a scoop with wide slats to allow the pellets to fall through while scooping. If you smell urine, the sawdust resulting from pellets absorbing urine is not removed often enough. Not the cat's fault, or the substrate fault, rather human maintenance negligence! Join your cat in being fastidious about cleanliness of his toileting area! 3. There are boxes available that have a sifter box insert. I found that these sifter inserts eventually get pellet debris stuck to the underside and inside the holes, and the sawdust collecting in the bottom pan was hard to manage, so often becoming super saturated and smelly. This sifter litter box setup made clean up a frustrating and inefficient process I now use about half to one inch of pellets in a regular pan litter box, shake the box from side to side daily, leaving the sawdust to one side and scoop that out, spot cleaning as needed, and cleaning the entire box also only as needed. Regular scooping of both sawdust and stool, and spot cleaning, makes maintenance a breeze and full cleaning is rarely needed. 4. I buy 40# bags, equine pelleted bedding, from my local feed store about about $6-7 per bag, so very economical!!

[@Lydianon]

I use Feline Pine. I slowly got my cats used to it. I fricking love this stuff. I haven't had to smell cat urine in ages. It's actually easy to use. It's not difficult to pick up the poops without also picking up the litter. I use a regular litter box scoop. For the urine it's not really complicated - after the pellets have gotten wet they will swell up and eventually break down. Not into a rock hard clump (that kind is unhealthy anyway) but it does somewhat stick together. I just move the clean stuff out of the way and use something like a half cup measuring scoop to dig out the rest. Also what works is tilt the whole box- clean stuff rolls down and most of the used stuff sticks together on the bottom. It's totally worth the extra 2 minutes it takes to clean up because I HATE the smell of urine. Oh, and I've done the reverse sift too! Lol You waste less that way, only discarding what's been used. Otherwise there's usually quite a few still good ones that get wasted using the scoop method.

[@MrSporksHands]

Hi Everyone! Wanted to put out HUGE thanks to everyone that's joined the conversation over the past few weeks when this hit 100K. I promise to catch up on the comments when I'm back in front of a proper computer (I'm away during the weekdays). Thanks again and keep on scooping! - MSH

[@rac1equalsbestgame853]

I never seen those where I live in. Not in harware stores, not in pet stores. Maybe I have overlooked them. Also, I'm not dedicated enough to sift every single day. Maybe twice a month at best.

[@MrSporksHands]

Might be a regional thing Wolfgang. Hot climate? Do many people heat with woodstoves in your neighbourhood? You can't walk into any big box store up here in December without having to navigate around a giant pyramid of the bags. Call your local wood stove supplier and ask who in your area might stock the pellets. Good luck on the hunt! - MSH

[@rac1equalsbestgame853]

@@MrSporksHands Hot climate and wood stoves are next to extinct here in Puerto Rico. Places that use wood stoves, use carbon or pieces of chopped wood. I've been in semi popular wood stove cooking place and they used coal.

[@kristarunions4848]

I just found your channel and can't believe I didn't come across it sooner 😊 thanks for making our lives easier

[@naomiquinlivan905]

Wolfgang 847 I got Equine bedding pellets from a store that supplies animal feed for farmers.

[@alexc9571]

GREAT VIDEO! I decided to comment here because it might help other people too, the way I do... We have 16 cats at home! You read it right, 16! We use the same box that you have, same size and everything, but obviously we have several all throughout the apartment. I just found out about the pellets a few months ago and I LOVE THEM! They no only ABSORB the odor and kill it, they don't stick to the box and they are SUPER EASY to use! Considering I have boxes like your all over, when I am ready to change it all I do is dump the old one in a trash can and put 3 scoops of the pellets in the box. Next step I put water on them and kind of drawn them until they dissolve and become like sand. trust 3 scoops is more than enough...This thing will GROW like rice on water... lol

[@BrittMFH]

So you dissolve them before your cats actually pee on them? Does the sawdust then absorb the pee, too?

[@humangeneric777]

I found pine pellets being sold as "equestrian bedding" for almost half the price of those sold for pellet stoves. I have 23 cats. I am saving huge amounts of money by switching to pellets, and it smells better too. The solids go in the trash each day, but the rest goes on my mulch pile when I empty the litter pans. I am very happy that I tried this.

[@daisyreyes4859]

woahh 23 cats? i cant imagine the cost of the neccessities urbuying for them and their litter haha.

[@crazycatlady1988]

You're so lucky, I wish I could have 23 cats. My dream is to one day open a cat rescue for special needs cats.

[@nicpic5750]

23 cats!!! The real question is, how are you feeding them and what?? I have 3, one being a diabetic and it’s not only hard to find wet food in a shortage but also expensive. There’s a lot of concerns with making their food as well as my diabetic should only eat wet pate.

[@cherylbradbury4875]

Ive been rescuing cats for over 50 years and I've tried so many litters around have been so disappointed, between price and effectively. I actually recently changed to using Lucerne chaff . I know what you're all thinking but it's more natural and safer for the cats, especially when some cats eat it. I have 35 cats now some are longhaired and they all went straight into it, not only is is soft for them to walk on and dig into they don't track it thru the house like all the others. I used to pay $72 a fortnight , now I only pay $35 for 25 kilos every 3 weeks and my house just smells of fresh cut Lucerne. 😻

[@knittingchick50]

I bought a shallow litter box and a deeper one that could fit inside it into which I drilled some holes for the sawdust to sift through to the bottom box. I use a sifter shovel to remove solid waste and shake the box to drop sawdust below and empty the bottom box every few days. It never smells either.

[@bitsyjackson7789]

I heard from a very helpful video here on YT, that if the pine pellets are kiln-dried, it removes the pine oil which is what is toxic for the cat, so must be kiln-dried. According to the video mentioned, Tractor Supply brand are kiln-dried.

[@MrSporksHands]

Indeed. Several have commented on the kiln drying. Check your local brands to be sure. Thanks for watching! - MSH

[@AndreasvonT]

Just transitioning to the pellets. I bought two of those tubs exactly like yours and drilled a pile of holes in one of them just a tiny bit smaller than the pellets diameter. I stack the holey tub into the solid one and then just stir the litter once a day so the sawdust falls through the holes. It works perfectly. I ordered a metal scoop with wider openings to sift out the feces and let the pellets through. I hope the slots are wide enough to let the litter through. Thanks for making the video. Crazy how it took me ten years to learn about the wood pellet thing.. Makes so much more sense than the clay litter.

[@MrSporksHands]

Took me a while too. I don't even want to think about all the money I spent on clay before I got a wood pellet clue. Thanks for watching!

[@pamelas7042]

I have tried the pellets and I'll tell you it's a lot cheaper and your home smells great. Just imagine having 8 cats. The smell with clay was just so bad and if you have asthma it can get real unbearable but with the wood pellets no more stink or bad smell. I guarantee you won't regret it.

[@MrSporksHands]

Glad it worked for you Pamela. I've been on the pellets for ages now. No looking back. Thanks for watching!

[@barbaracarroll9304]

I've been using wood pellets from Tractor Supply for over 2 yrs.A small kitten came to stay at our home. Started putting the pellets in a bowl added water, when pellets turned into sawdust layed in pan to dry. Put this into a small litter box.Littlebit started using this right away.Smart kitten happy pet mom.

[@MrSporksHands]

Very smart pet mum too. This is one of the reasons why I preach not to use a sifter IN the litterbox itself (drilled holes, ready-made, etc.). The cat's instincts really want something to 'cover' with (sawdust) and I can't imagine a 100% mix of fresh hard pellets is particularly comfortable to walk on. When I load a fresh fill, I pour a quarter cup of water in the middle to start the process. The cats can take it from there naturally. Thanks for watching and tell the kitten hello from my herd.

[@pamelas7042]

I was thinking about the softening of some pellets but wasn't sure. Thanks for the info. I will definitely do this to help my kitties out.

[@barbaracarroll9304]

@@pamelas7042 I am so happy for your choice. Pellets are much cheaper, smell is better, and after a couple of weeks transfered to dry pellets with little trouble. Saw a black kitten walk down our driveway yesterday. I closed the curtains and stayed in my bedroom. I have 2dogs and 2cats all rescues. Can't rescue anymore. Chillicothe used to have a cat rescue society but we don't have one anymore. Our humane society will only take dogs even when I offered to pay for the spay procedure. My only option is close the curtains and stay inside.

[@nachojimenez2420]

Kiln fired pine pellets (equine bedding) have the oils cooked off.

[@tracischeelk29]

Did anyone hear how often he sifts the litter? I LOVE this idea better than making a litter box with sifter for top with holes drilled. The cost, trouble and litter box being so much higher are not as nice as the low litter boxes i have. I w ill not have to buy extra litter boxes, much cheaper and faster!!! So glad I found this.

[@Contact_Info]

@@purplenpinkeveryday5665 I use that too now. 40 pounds for 6 dollars

[@gyecedyc]

@@Contact_Info where do you buy it at?

[@Tovenaar13]

Gabyy…..I was told "Tractor Supply Co." sells the pellets. Or any good hardware store should sell them.

[@DanWinkler]

@@Tovenaar13 my local tractor supply has hardwood pellets being sold as wood pellet stove fuel and also softwood pellets being sold as horse bedding.

[@helgahaa]

Finally, someone demonstrates how filter pellet litter.

[@MrSporksHands]

It's a snap. For the daily (or more) solid scooping I use TWO hand-held scoopers at the same time like the worst 'arcade claw machine' game ever. Thanks for watching!

[@warthog733]

Tried the pellets....cats simply WOULD NOT have it. Kept looking and found clumping cat litter made from ground up corn cobs. Way cheaper and lighter than clay. Cats loved it.

[@aalemap1]

Equine Bedding at Tractor Supply or Rural King about $6 for 40 lbs My male Persian has Bladder blockages and finally had to have the Perinal Urethrostomy Surgery. Vet said to use yesterday's news a pellet litter, but the store was out so I bought a small bag of pine pellets basically the same thing I have found that I don't have to worry about if he's urinating or not because the proof is in the sawdust Anyone who has a cat with urinary problems or blockages should use this litter as it's a great indicator of whether your cat is urinating or not. No more guessing. My bathroom smells like a new house. I highly recommend.

[@MrSporksHands]

Interesting point but totally true. I never have to wonder when things are 'regular'. Good tip. Hope your Persian is doing well after the surgery. He's lucky to have you. Thanks for watching. - MSH

[@jenGeeJushawshee]

Love your infectious humor and enthusiasm!

[@MrSporksHands]

I try to keep it light where I can. Talking to the internet about cat poop is just made for comedy. Thanks for watching and the kind words. Happy scooping.

[@epizzle9232]

Thank you for talking about pine being toxic!

[@MrSporksHands]

It's something everyone should be aware of for sure and do their own research for peace of mind. Thanks for watching!

[@kimjorgensen3834]

My cat just passed away a few days ago at age 19 years. She would've been 20 in 2 months. I used to use clay litter, but have also used news paper pellets and wood pellets, but had a difficult time figuring out how to get the soiled litter out without making a huge mess, so I stupidly left it, cleaning out only the solids, until I had to change the whole thing. This was back in the early 2000s. Because of my frustrations, I used the wheat and corn based litters that resembled clay. In the last 2 years, I went back to regular clay clumping litter and found that it stunk to high heaven, despite scooping every day. If and when i get another cat, this will be my go-to plan in regards to litter, now that i know how to do it properly. Thank you for the tips.

[@MrSporksHands]

So sorry for your loss. My girls have just turned 17 and I'm assuming I'll have them until they're 40 (this is called denial). I'm a blubbering idiot when I lose one but a dear friend reminded me last time that they've all had good lives. Please remember that as you work through the grief. And when you're ready, get a new PAIR of friends. They always work better with someone their own height around the house. I wish you well in future. Take your time, there will be plenty in need when you're ready. - MSH

[@sarahburton3110]

Kim Jorgensen my heartfelt condolences to you for your tragic loss of your dear girl.... I recently had to make the tortuous decision to put my dear little 11 year old ginger tom cat to sleep due to serious health problems and I’m still grieving and the painful lump in my throat is still here whenever I think about him and look at his pictures... I miss him dreadfully 💛💛⭐️⭐️💕💕🌸🌸

[@sarah-louisefoushi5226]

I have a 10 weeks kitten. He wouldn’t use it. So I close the door and show him the tub. He finally went! 😸😅 I added a just a tad of his old litter litter. Fingers cross he transition smoothly. 🤞🏼🤞🏼

[@melindaadams5383]

Sarah-Louise Foushi I did that and it didn’t work for my cat

[@dianelap67]

Thank you very much, I've been using these with clay litter but am changing to pellets that I can get at Canadian Tire for 6.49. You have saved me lots of money, I have 11 cats and I go through a lot of litter and lots of Costco canned and dry cat food which prices are going up all the time. I'm on a pension and need to save all I can.

[@MrSporksHands]

With 11 in your herd, I imagine every scoop adds up. I genuinely hope this helps. It certainly improved my budget. I don't even want to think how much I wasted on clay over the years. Thanks for watching and happy scooping!

[@angelagrant5318]

Thanks for the video I am going to try this because I've been spending like $30 a week on cat litter

[@MrSporksHands]

I went from about $30 a month to $3. Well worth the switch even if there are a few transition pains. Good luck and thanks for watching.

[@Martiniization]

Very glad to have come across this video of yours. After listening to just a bit, it was easy to see how much you enjoy communicating, informing, sharing. I sent this video to myself and have subscribed. You are a communicator, Sir, and clearly a humanitarian. As someone else pointed out, you are an animal lover, as well. Thank you very much for the helpful, useful and much thriftier way of servicing and serving our cats. Very best wishes and, again, very glad to have discovered your video and you.

[@MrSporksHands]

Thank you so much for the kinds words and so sorry for the lag in reply. Work has kept me behind in catching up on the channel this summer but I plan to get back to it as winter sets in. Comments like these make me WANT to create more videos. It is greatly appreciated. And I suspect the cats will sneak into every one. LOL Thanks again for watching and sharing. - MSH

[@gabrielleb74]

Thank you for this. I had put wholes in the bottom of one litter box and it took forever and I of course only made one. This will help me immensely thank you.

[@MicheIIePucca]

We have six cats... and seven litter boxes. We only use pine pellets and have for at least 9 years. They absolutely kick butt on keeping urine smell down. and work great with poop. You scoop out the poop, and sift out the broken down pine pellets (we built a sifter). We've never had any issues with pine.. and go through this stuff like no tomorrow.. (by it at a farm feed store for about $6 for a 35 lb bag) and love it!

[@MrSporksHands]

Agreed completely. The trick is getting a system and never letting the used build up too much. At these rates, you CAN go through the stuff like there's no tomorrow. Thanks for watching! - MSH

[@albieoval1657]

Nevermind transitioning the cats, what about me? I'm so used to scooping out clumped litter and leaving behind the sandy litter. Now it's backwards? I throw away the sawdust?!? How will I cope?!?! I'm not ready for this.

[@Master_Blackthorne]

Be brave, child, be brave.

[@marybishop9928]

Albie Oval Do what I do: skip the sifting altogether. You will still want to remove solids, but here is my technique: Use only a thin layer of pellets-about 2 to 3 pellets deep; you will still see the bottom peeking through in many places. The cat(s) will move the pellets around as needed, and at first may leave some areas completely void of litter between uses. Do not panic! You will see that the cats manage where the litter is needed, and as the pellets disintegrate into sawdust the bottom of the box will eventually be completely covered. When all or most of the pellets have distintegrated, simply toss out all of the used litter! Refill with a thin layer of fresh pellets, and you’re good to go. There is something about the wood that does such an amazing job of both absorbing and destroying odors. The only time odor becomes a problem is if the sawdust becomes visibly saturated with urine-indicating I’ve waited too long to dump the lot. Even then, a quick wipe of the empty box with a safe spray cleaner and a couple of paper towels, let the box dry for a few minutes, and refill with the thin layer of pellets. This method using wood pellets is the easiest, freshest, cheapest I’ve ever had in 25 years of cat husbandry. Give up the sifter! Go thin and toss.

[@savannahslays1286]

If your in the us Lowe's has 40lbs of wood pellets for 6 ish dollars

[@MrSporksHands]

That's about the going rate up here in Canada too. Thanks for watching!

[@savannahslays1286]

@@MrSporksHands Thank you for making helpful videos

[@BelleZee1]

Thank you Savannah!!!

[@AdrianBorum]

When i search for it on lowes website the only thing that pops up is the wood pellets for bbq. Is that the same thing? I know cats cant have a lot of oils bc its toxic to them....

[@Snow-chi]

Thanks girl! ❤️

[@fly69doc]

Started doing that 6 month ago and its amazing! Besides having one of my cat being stuborn about it,its awesome!

[@purrrrson]

I switched a few months ago and love it. One of my girls had the clumping litter stuck to her paws all the time and I worried about her ingesting all that litter....almost daily. Best decision I ever made. They didn't have any issues switching. I just scooped up a few poops and put it in with the pellets and no problem. The smell is cut down by 100. What I did was buy some inexpensive litter boxes and drilled holes into the top one. I had to enlarge the holes because they weren't large enough, at first but otherwise, I didn't have any issues. Much easier than this. I scoop out the poops and then sift the remaining pellets so that the saw dust falls to the bottom box. Easy, peasy! You could actually do the same with your two bins.

[@johnterrance3075]

Thank you so much from Ontario! I made my own sifter, only instead of using a cardboard box, I cut out the bottom of an old plastic tote (much like your blue one), and I put the mesh in it's place. I then caulked it so pellets wouldn't go through the edges. One thing that I did notice is that the mesh size is a pinch too big. I noticed that some of the hard pellets got through the screen. Not too much......but still. Love the setup. I'm sure it'll save me lots of money down the road. We only have one male bengal kitten. We just brought him from the breeders last week. He took to the pellets out of the gate. It was the first litter we used for him, so there was no adjustment period other than what the breeder trained him on (traditional kitty litter). But he (Panthro) seems to like it. Easy peasy. Oh, and I bought eight bags of Canwick hardwood pellets, in case the greasy fuckers raise the prices (which you know they will!).

[@MrSporksHands]

Well done on the DIY sifter. Glad your new addition took to the pellets. I watch the price of pellets pretty closely but am lucky to have the space to buy a year's worth just as stores clear out inventory at the end of winter. They've stayed at CDN$5 a bag up here pretty consistently... so far. :-) Thanks for watching!

[@littlebag123]

Love cats love dogs love all animals and even insects what a beautiful planet we live on.

[@MrSporksHands]

And now I'm humming Louie Armstrong. Thanks for the positive observation. We need more of that!

[@mamadontteach4202]

I wish everyone thought the way you do. What a wonderful world it could be.

[@kayceegreer4418]

Brilliant and pragmatic up-cycling and money-saving.

[@abhithakur90]

this is the best solution for clearing wood pellet litter. Great job. Thank you

[@MrSporksHands]

Absolutely my pleasure. Hope it helps you and your furry mates.

[@lauraburger8378]

I’ve been using pellets for 9 months and love them. I especially like your $1 pellet sifting hack. Going to try it for sure!

[@MrSporksHands]

Glad they're working for you Laura. Happy scooping (and saving)!

[@Iron2017]

Totally enjoyed your video, I've just switched to wood pellet cat litter for my 2 cats and decided I needed a sifter - now I can make my own! Thank you very much for a practical and easy-to-make solution, just what I was looking for. Enjoyed your funny comments too!

[@MrSporksHands]

Thanks for the kind words. My girls are totally on the wood pellet bandwagon now. They don't even remember what clumping clay is any longer. Thanks for watching!

[@cherylorton5966]

I just saw your video- wish I had seen this much sooner- I have 4 cats - I am going shopping tonight to set up your system- thank you so much for sharing!! I loved your kitty popping in on camera - so beautiful!

[@MrSporksHands]

She's always trying to steal the limelight. Thanks for watching!

[@THEScottCampbell]

THANKS! I've been experimenting with various substances but THIS makes a lot of sense !

[@myronachtman4304]

I like pine pellets too, but this video makes the cat litter process seem like an arduous task!

[@MrSporksHands]

I don't like doing laundry or changing the oil in my car either but necessary evils. My total investment of time per WEEK is less than 15 minutes so a pretty good bargain for three cats full of unconditional love I'd say. Loads simpler than some of the other more complicated solutions I've seen online with drilling and nesting bins, soak pads, etc. I also find it hilarious when the cats look at each other and think "what does he DO with it all once he takes it out?!" Thanks for watching, arduous or not.

[@rafaelcantu3837]

I stumbled upon this when searching for sound cats make when coughing up hair balls . Thank you Sir. I’m very excited about this new way of doing “Mamushkas” litter box ...I’m gonna buy today and try it out 👍🏻

[@Meeeksss]

How did it work out?

[@sandysue202]

I do the pine bedding pellets and it's really a great plan! I do mix in some Sweet pdz that is a powder that eliminates the ammonia smell in the sawdust and enables me to put the sawdust either on the yard or in a flowerbed. I like your box idea! I have a sifting letterbox but only use the sifter to clean out the boxes. And the boxes stay so much cleaner with the wood pellets, too! Great video for a crazy cat lady down in southern Missouri, USA!!

[@TheMorningtrain]

I’ve only just discovered this type of litter and it has 100% improved my experience of my foster cats, it’s cheaper, stinks less, is easy to process/clean. Well worth getting it.

[@FirstnameLastnameoptiona-cz9vj]

Thank you. This was the comment I was looking for with 8 cats. ( They're all porch- stoop- to couch crasher to permanent squatters...all loved and of course family now)

[@meowhaus6407]

glad I found this! I am looking into switching from clay to wood pellets and I don't want to throw away the litter boxes that I already have. Thank you!

[@MrSporksHands]

Happy to help. Be persistent with the switch and it will pay off hugely over time. Cash in pocket and better air quality. Thanks for watching!

[@brandyseverin4077]

I do this. I've saved sooooo much money!! It's also dust free. 10/10 highly recommend

[@MrSporksHands]

I'm with you on the budget nirvana. I don't even want to *think* about all the cash I wasted on clay/clumping all those years. I'm a new (unexpected) kitten dad as of last month and I'm working on an update video to answer some of the usual questions and show the internet how easy it is to train kittens to go pellet surfing. Ok, actually it's just an excuse to show them off to the world. LOL Thanks for watching and stay tuned! (hint, there's a couple live stream replays of the little monsters already up)

[@epowell4211]

I add a few cups of crystal litter in pan first, it keeps wet pellets from sticking to pan. I also use dog poop bags or disposable gloves to remove the majority of solids - easier than scooping, just grab it out with bag/glove.

[@shelby-st1to]

This really works! A week ago I purchased a bag of wood pellets from a feed store for about $6. I've only had to clean my cats box once this week. I didn't have to add much pellets. This bag will last me a year. No smells. . no mess.. no dust.

[@MrSporksHands]

Pellet success! Thanks for watching. - MSH

[@kmerrihew]

I've read a lot on line from different places that pine is great ~as long as it's been treated especially for a cats used, where they treat it by burning off the toxic oils. I read that we should not use pine made for horse bedding or for wood burners, because they aren't treated and can cause our cats liver damage from the oils inn the wood that are toxic specifically to cats. I had already bought a large bag from Traitor Supply Company. Now that I know, I'm giving these pellets to a friend who has a horse. Liver damage is too final. I hope you'll pass this along on other comment spaces like this one. Here's to a healthy kitty!

[@ombikia]

Pine pellets from tractor supply for horse stalls are kiln dried. They are dried at such high heat that all of the oils are gone. Completely safe.

[@judydenver5362]

I second the comment, that Tractor Supply's horse stall pellets, are fully Kiln-dried, it says on the bags, so they are safe for CATS' littler boxes. A 40-lb! bag, is only around $ 6.50!

[@dartanya2]

Ok I've watched so many vids about pellets. This is the best one.

[@MrSporksHands]

Glad it helped T. Hope your herd takes to them like mine did. Thanks for watching.

[@Brendi6969]

Thank you thank you! I’ve been using pellets for about 7 years. Been driving me crazy trying to discover better cheaper way to use them! You’ve done it and cheapest way!

[@MrSporksHands]

I know a lot of folks out there are strapped for cash these days so wanted to do something without 'buying' much of anything. Especially up here in Canada where prices seem to inflate the moment something plastic gets shipped from afar. Glad it helped. Thanks for watching.

[@chasedogman2032]

Your sifter idea is very crafty! I used some clean 5-gallon buckets left over from a job and a garden mesh sifter. Works like a dream. You could do the same with the hardware cloth to a bucket and skip messing with the cardboard box if you want to spend the extra few bucks on the bucket.

[@MrSporksHands]

Indeed a cheap bucket could serve the same purpose as the box for an extra five bucks. Thanks for watching!

[@katchurch8914]

Can't believe I have not seen this sooner... Great idea thank you... It will make cleaning day so much easier

[@MrSporksHands]

I only wish I had figured it out a decade earlier myself. Oh the cash I literally threw away with clay. Thanks for watching!

[@kyratheberber]

I recently started using the Tidy Cat Breeze system without the bottom catch tray. I also bought a Pet Champion X-Large pan to catch the 'sawdust'. I placed two pieces of 2x4 wood blocks at the front and back in the catch pan (to allow plenty of room for the waste), then placed a trash can liner (using 30 gallon size for now, but might not need that large). Finally placed the litter box in that. I find you don't need to use a large quantity of pellets, not 3 inches like old litter, just maybe an inch or so. I clean out the solid waste once a day (I flush them after they soak a minute or so). Still figuring out the best timing for changing the bottom catch, maybe once a week. So far I really believe this is the best system to use, especially since one of my two kitties pees a lot!

[@MrSporksHands]

I love a good bit of home hack meets improvisation. The TC system has been brought up in the comments before and I actually was given a unit by the local shelter to test when they were getting rid of some they had. In the end, the cost just wasn't worth it (~$60 in Canada last check) and my girls didn't like a "grate" below their feet so I've stuck with my cheap $5 tubs. There was also some cleaning time increase when we did a few weeks trial but hey, if it's working for you and you're onto wood pellets with your mods I think that's fabulous. Well done you for keeping the furry overlords happy. Thanks for watching and happy scooping! ps. Sorry for the lag, the brand names got auto-flagged flagged as spam. - MSH

[@c-qc-q2021]

The Box Sifter is a great idea!

[@stellastarfield1111]

I didn't want to buy new boxes so I'm glad this video came up. I can make my own sifter affordably using this method!

[@MrSporksHands]

Agreed Stella. When I made my cheap sifter I was really trying to make it affordable for anyone. Depending on where you live and what the pellets cost you, it's interesting math to also see what each 'fill' is costing you. I think once someone sees how cheap that is, you might do less sifting and more 'full refill' depending on how much use your boxes get. Bottom line is that you could practically refill it daily and be cheaper than some of the clumping / clay litter solutions. Good luck and thanks for watching.

[@yuliyak4117]

Thank you so much for this fatastic DIY video! I wanted to tell you about the cheaper and stirdier version of litter box. My hubby got a 9 US gallon mortar mixing tab from Lowe's (it cost only $7 plus tax). They are big, stirdy and work great! He then screwed cut PVC pipes to the bottom (to create spacing) in 4 corners and in the center (I wish I could attach images). But you are right, use what you have! Great video!!! With you being a handy man, I thought you would appreciate the creativity :)

[@wildemirenrique6587]

I live in US and You just Helped me out a loooooot with this Video thanks Man 🙌👌👍👍👍👍

[@MrSporksHands]

Happy to help. It's has saved me more money than I want to add up over the years. All that clay litter I went through for decades. Thanks for watching and happy pelleting!

[@sarahcurrence7642]

Thanks for the video and helpful advice! We too have absolutely had with the dated litter process! Definitely going to give this a try!

[@MrSporksHands]

I haven't looked back since the switch. I think we've been clumping clay fooled for far too many years. Hope it works well for you. Appreciate you watching.

[@Tanacarroll]

Heard that you can get this in 40# bags for $5 at farm supply and it’s labels equine pellets for horses bedding. Much cheaper and they say the cost is $40 year! It’s the same thing just way less expensive!

[@MrSporksHands]

I hear a lot about that place Tana but they don't exist in Canada. Up here wood stove pellets and equine pellets cost the same (about $5 per 18kg) so it's likely down to whatever someone has close to them. I tried a bag of each and the equine pellets worked but seemed ever so slightly less dense compared to stove pellets. That could have just been the brands I had available. Thanks for watching!

[@boomerb4477]

Hello, I've seen a few video where people make their own sifting litter boxes out of the kind of tubs you're using. Since those tubs nest inside one another, the videos demonstrate drilling 1/4" holes on the bottom, spaced roughly 1" apart. You can also use a soldering iron or gun to create the holes. When the top tub with holes in nested with the bottom tub, there is usually at least a 1" gap or larger for the sifted sawdust to fall into the bottom tub. I'm going to try this method since it's received some pretty good feedback. I'm going to try this before transitioning my cat to pine pellets.

[@RH-rz9tp]

You can also just use a colander from the dollar store that stays specific to that use

[@MrSporksHands]

I tried a few of those but couldn't find one with JUST the right size holes to do the job with my size pellets. Great idea if you can find a match that will allow enough sawdust through without having to shake it like a Polaroid picture for an hour. I'd buy a stack and paint them safety orange or some such (DON'T use the orange ones for pasta!) if any come across my path. The dollar store people must think I'm addicted to rigatoni since I'm always checking their latest versions. Thanks for watching!

[@palomarosas5637]

The best explanation I found! Thanks so much! Loved your video! The sifting hack is awesome too!

[@MrSporksHands]

Thanks for watching. Hope it helps you and your herd of furry overlords. Happy sifting out there.

[@Phyllyps-Levine]

Thanks so much! Will try to change to wood pellets.

[@MrSporksHands]

It will pay off in the long run Phylips. Just be patient with the transition. Cats hate change. Mix old and new for a while for the scent cue if they're unmotivated to try the pellets. Also pre-soak a handful for a few seconds to dissolve into softer sawdust. They'll take it from there. Thanks for watching!

[@DemimondeMesilaThraam]

Litter pellets rule! This was a great video and since I have been using pellets for ages (I also have 2 girl kitties) I love the idea of saving the good ones instead of having to dump a half used box and waste all that money. Thank you!

[@MrSporksHands]

Glad you liked it. Over here in my mad scientist workshop I'm working on sifter 2.0 that will do even more for barely any more money. Stay tuned and happy pelleting!

[@curtriceennis2924]

Such an informative video. TYSM for sharing your techniques and knowledge with us. Love the homemade sifter device you made. Will hafta make one for my kitty's litter box. Guess it'll be that I sift the used out and let the good go into the other pan because she refuses to use the pine pellet litter. She will only use the natural corn cob litter. I even tried gradually increasing the pellets in it as is suggested when changing the litter, but, she really absolutely refused to use the pine pellet litter. I also tried three different brands of it, thinking it could be that ... but, 😉 NOPE !!! She didn't like either one. 😻 TYSM for sharing this video with us. Love your channel, too. 😻👍😻

[@TM-ry6hc]

Just the amount of money I’ve saved on litter!!!! Amazing! The smell is non existent beyond pine wood. I’ve shared this with anyone I’ve ever met that owns a cat. I did have to sprinkle regular litter on top for about a week or so, but after that, my cat hasn’t had any issues using it. Get the pine bedding from tractor supply. It’s $6 for a 40 lb bag

[@MrSporksHands]

So very glad it's working for you. The long term benefits on top of the wallet help are well worth any short-term switchover misery. Thanks for watching and for reporting back!

[@doloresplamondon3164]

Thanks for the help ! am going to change to "pellets", after years of doing it the hard way with expensive litter ! I had 27 cats dumped on me by a SORRY SHELTER about 18 yrs ago -- wish I had seen this back then ! Am down to 10 cats, but better late than never !!!

[@MrSporksHands]

Quite literally a whole new lease on your cat budget life with those numbers plugged in. Better late indeed. Thanks for watching.

[@fparradieguez]

Thank you for sharing. It will save me a lot of money.

[@podsafe]

First time listening to your chanel. Love your fun and simple aproach to things! I have 3 cats and 250 wood pellets bags left over from last winter. We are switching to a wood stove so the pellets will be put to good use! Thank you so much!! Catherine

[@MrSporksHands]

Thanks for the kind words. Lots of people in these parts heat with wood pellets and I think I've gotten most of them to become cat owners. Make a 'used pellet compost' in a far corner of the yard and laugh when you pass the clay litter section at the store. Cheers!

[@rvbeginnerwinnebagoadventu6786]

Can you use the used pellets for the stove? Years ago at a farm show there was an outdoor furnace that burned cow and horse dung to heat buildings or water heaters.

[@2qlrn273]

The pellets that get wet with urine disintegrate into sawdust. The rest of them are left in the litter-box and added to, as needed.

[@Imagine_Baggins]

I found a stray kitten yesterday on my way home. Skinny little thing, but adorable. I've had dogs all my life, but I've never had a cat so I spent a couple hours reading up on their needs. I took her out to potty with my dogs, not expecting her to go, but to my surprise, she actually goes potty outside like my dogs do (my dogs are big babies so they don't seem aggressive towards her at all, and she just ignores their curiousness/sniffyness which is awesome). I'm going to build her this wood pellet litterbox today, thank you very much for creating this video.

[@karencrecco2922]

I’ve got my two finicky girls doing this method, and it is FANTASTIC! Never smells, and I use the sawdust in my garden.It saves money and time!

[@MrSporksHands]

Glad the method is working and saving you bucks. Thanks for watching!

[@stevenavarette9334]

Thank you for the info. I have been using clumping clay liter and omg! My breathing has gotten worse. And I have 2 cats, 1 of them seems to think digging to China is the way to go... But not good for their breathing either. So I saw a video of one of the vlogs I follow and she uses the pellets, but didn't show how to clean the box, so I got a 40 lb. Bag of pellets and forgot to ask how to clean.. And thanks to the internet and KZbin.. TADA!!!! Thank you once again. Now maybe my kids and I can breath easier. Yay Canada 🇨🇦 💖

[@MrSporksHands]

Glad to add to the collective info pool Steve. Hope it works for you. The air quality was so noticably better when I switched that's what prompted me to make the video. That and the huge cost savings. Appreciate the view. Cheers!

[@jamesnelson4547]

Thank you ! I have several cats and the cost has been high. Well, not anymore. The cats had no problem adjusting to this new litter and I have had no problem saving money GREAT VIDEO !!

[@MrSporksHands]

Glad to hear you've made the switch successfully and get to pocket some of that clumping clay cash. My girls also took right to it even though they gave me a few weird looks at first. Welcome to pellet world. Cheers!

[@teresadavis9283]

We've done it for years! Cheap and smells good!

[@Ozefan2580]

Thank you so much for showing your sifter! I've been wanting to switch to pellets, but none of the prefab boxes were high sided.

[@MrSporksHands]

I have so much better luck keeping the sifter mechanism OUT of the litter 24x7. Makes the cleaning a simple hose down after dumping a 'spent' load. That's why I DON'T recommend the 'get a second box and drill holes in it' approached. Tried that, cleaning nightmare. And as you've noticed, the prefab are usually expensive and not ideally suited for some of the same reasons. Thanks for watching! - MSH

[@mojKuwety]

I use a colander over a smaller bucket,

[@MrSporksHands]

A good idea. I could never find a colander with the right size holes but I'm sure it's out there for the diligent shopper. The wire mesh was a bit easier to clean for me too but whatever works, eh? Thanks for watching!

[@csd3384]

Great idea!

[@nancybrouse6220]

You can also watch Victorian Gardens Cattery. She shows how to use a slotted litter box, with basically the same deal. Both are excellent videos. PS if you buy kiln dried pine pellets the pine oil will be destroyed and safe for cats.

[@MrSporksHands]

Another viewer recently commented about kiln drying to neutralize the pine oils too. That's good info if you live in an area where you can't get the hardwood stove pellets. Up here in Canada I guess we're a bit more overstocked on spare wood since the (non-pine) hardwood pellets are slightly cheaper than the few bags I saw that did include pine to begin with. Just to clarify, I use stove pellets rather than equine pellets but I hear that functionally they're pretty much the same. One person commented that the stove pellets are slightly more dense (expand more when used) but I think that's probably down to small brand differences. I just watched a few vids about Purina's Tidy Cat Breeze box including the one you suggest. I'm glad they've found a system that works for them but my girls really don't like any sort of 'grate' beneath their paws and actively 'dig' at any I've tried. I've also found that anything under the level of litter generally becomes troublesome to clean when 'poo bits' get stuck on there. Basically the cats 'dig a hole' first exposing those grates to, shall we say, a direct hit. For both in my furry herd at least, a cheap ($5) flat-bottom storage box of appropriate size with sifting separately seems to work better. Also allows my spoiled girls to have the nice big box they've grown accustomed to using (with pellet containing higher sides) which hoses out easily when we rotate to a freshly cleaned box. I keep several in a 'use-wash-dry' rotation to appease my furry overlords. It might again be the Canadian dollar at work up here but it looks like that box would cost me close to $75 at the cheapest with tax and shipping. To put it in perspective that'd be a bit more than two years worth of stove pellets plus a bin/box from my local discount store. Of course it seems cats can use their mind control powers to get their humans to pay anything for a litter solution that works so however you get there, make sure they're happy first and foremost. Thanks for the info and for watching!

[@dinah5662]

I purchased the combination plain box and slotted box system from her site.... this system might work for a small cat, but i have two very large cats and their first use resulted in them backing up to the side and peeing all down the outside of it. In addition the box she recommended to go underneath the slotted portion did not fit. I wasted a good 40 dollars on that system. Will definitely try this one... might use what I purchased form her site as the sifter and implement this system. Mine might not be a nifty few dollar DIY, but at least I'm not totally wasting my money. :-)

[@serenitytrek]

@@dinah5662 On their "first use" your cats might've been unsure about the new set-up. Adding 'their smell', giving them time, & incentives helps. Then for two cats there's the "one litter box per cat plus one" rule. Of course with multiple multiple cats roofing the whole yard might be easier!

[@PerfectPitch62]

@@dinah5662 I saw that video Victoria Gardens Cattery and purchased the Tidy Box System and you are right it's a little bit small for a big cat. My cat just barely fits in it. I may come up with something bigger. I like the idea of using two boxes where one fits inside the other. The bottom container would collect the dissolved pellets and the one inside of it would be the sifter with drilled holes. Didn't think of making a separate sifter. So many good ideas.

[@denisepinet9472]

@@PerfectPitch62 My cat is long and the breeze is a tight fit for her. So I got a bigger box and just use the green tray to sift. It works but am looking into finding something that is for pellets.

[@chumleye1112]

Thank you. I have spent the last hour and a half reading through your thread and I must say I am extremely impressed with your work, enthusiasm and noticed you reply to everyone - I read lots of KZbin posts and this is very rare - bravo to you. We just unexpectedly had to put down one of ours due to cancer and had adopted a young mom and two of her new offspring to go along my one remaining best friend of 10yrs. We love the new additions and of course there are other new additions that come with them! Such as more litter boxes, cost and tracking. I think this is a great idea and will be visiting Canadian Tire to pick up some pellets and give it a try.

[@MrSporksHands]

Thanks so much for the kind words and so very sorry for your loss. As I've said in here before I'm a complete blubbering idiot when I lose one of my furry family. Well done you for taking in Mum and her kittens as that's a lot of responsibilty to bring onboard but you're EXACTLY right that your older cat needs friends. I have no doubt that my dear old boy lasted to 21 BECAUSE at 15 he got three new young girlfriends (and lived the good life with them right up to the end). I wish more people could get the message that as much as cats love us, they need someone their own height in the house too. I suspect the kittens will take right to the pellets having nothing to compare them with and the adults will soon follow suit. With all the new paws, the savings should really add up quick. Good luck and thanks again for watching! - MSH

[@chumleye1112]

@@MrSporksHands Once again thanks for the reply and good on you as well. Yes our best friends that are left after the unfortunate losses need some company and it has definitely livened things up around the house again. I look forward to migrating to the pellets.Take care.

[@suexiong1259]

Wow I love you ideas! What a wonderful way to do it! Thank for sharing!😮

[@yutorzh7144]

I've been using pellets for years and years and have converted everyone I know to use pellet bedding from the feed stores. They are the BEST. We get kiln dried mixed wood bedding pellets from our local feed store. 7$ for 18kg. A bag lasts about 2-3 months for our two cats and 3 litter boxes. We sift pee every two days and take poop out every day!

[@MrSporksHands]

Another happy scooper! Thanks for watching.

[@cookie3170]

I love my pine litter and so do my kitty's they have never been sick there very healthy I work at a animal hospital so I'm able to get them there check ups like they need.

[@MrSporksHands]

Good to hear that a 'pro' uses them as well. Thanks for watching!

[@NudePostingConspiracyTheories]

Sounds great mate- the reverse sift

[@smokeycanuck8058]

Thanks from a fellow Canuck, you've inspired me to give it a try.

[@MrSporksHands]

We certainly have enough wood stove pellets up here. Year round even. I hope it helps you save some cash in the litter box. Cheers! - MSH