Can someone please explain cat litter basics to me please?

[VivaLeBeaver]

Obviously any stinky poo is removed with the scoop asap.

I was using the wood pellets cat litter. Am I right with that anything wet turns to dust. So rather than totally empty it every day you can sift it? Anything which falls through the scoop goes in the bin and anything that stays in the scoop goes back in the tray?

And is clumping cat litter the opposite? Big clumps are wet so anything which falls through the scoop goes back in the tray and anything still in the scoop gets binned?

Only had kitten 2 weeks and think I've wasted some ok cat litter, am getting through it at a rate of knots!

Yep, it’s exactly as you described. Non clumping, wet disintegrates. Clumping wet is solid and scoopable. It’s really down to personal preference (I prefer clumping, I have 4 cats and spend £30 a month on litter from zooplus)

If you prefer non clumping, you can get sifting litter trays like this www.amazon.co.uk/Cat-Scoopless-Litter-Sifting-Toilet/dp/B07147BXLW?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

I have 5 cats and only use clumping litter. I can't tolerate any kind of foul smell, and any litter besides clumping smells.

Thanks. I think I like the clumping better as well. Have just got some World's best cat litter so will see what that's like.

World‘s Best is great; I used it for a couple of years (switched to a cheaper brand that is not available in Britain).

We use wood pellet, I don't remove all the "dust" daily, just some of it, and top up with more pellets to freshen it up (I have four cats and shifting all their trays as you describe would take ages and waste litter too!). Then approx every 5-8 days I bin the whole lot, clean the tray completely and add brand new litter.

Used to use Sainsbury’s ultra clumping, was best I ever found

I use Sainsbury's wood pellet-I like the slight 'woody' fragrance.

We use wood based litter along with littler tray liners. Remove poop with a dog poop bag as needed then twice a week I put a new empty liner on the floor then scoop/sieve the big pellets into the empty liner, put the old liner with the remaining sawdust in the bin then top up the pellets. No wate at all.

I use clumping. Very 3 days I empty it fully x

Having read all the posts I'm wondering if a problem I have with smells in the house could be litter related.

I use the basic supermarket cat litter (Sainsbury's or Tesco) but the house always seems to smell lately. I know my cat isn't weeing outside the litter tray, she doesn't have any urine infection and neither is her urine very concentrated as she drinks plenty because on the vets' advice (after she had a urine infection last year) she has 1/2 pouch of water added to her wet food twice a day. I totally clean the litter tray every single day. I empty the wet cat litter, wash the tray and return any dry litter to the tray. I completely replace it every 5 days or so. But the smell persists. I'm wondering if I should be using clumping litter or at least a different variety.

Cost is an issue, which is why I've always used the cheapest basics, but I can't stand the smell and am starting to feel ashamed when people visit. I clean the house every day but the smell is still there