No more Tesco Cat Litter???

[Ray_in_Norfolk]

Have Tesco discontinued our potting grit (Premium Lightweight Cat Litter)? It came up on my on-line order favourites list as 'No longer available'

Where else sells something similar? - I seem to remember someone saying that Morrisons cat litter is the same.

[Jeff S]

Could be Ray, I went to buy some in Exeter last week, but they had none.

[IanW]

Sophisticat pink from pet stores is the same stuff. Probably a bit more expensive though.

[Julie]

Just as you get used to a brand you like.... typical!

Someone needs to invent Sophisticactus. Not just in pink but all colours to complement our flowers.

[DaveW]

Wilco (Wilkinsons) stores did sell the same brown stuff, but one liter less in the bag, plus a lot more expensive and theirs is not listed on the Internet anymore. Perhaps the firm that supplied them all has stopped producing it?

I am now trying the Tesco white clay stuff. No good for using neat as it clumps, but it does not seem to do so when mixed in as a compost ingredient, but it remains to be seen how the plants like it. Even for the Tesco "white" clay stuff I have seen two different printed packs. One contains perfectly white clay granules and the other slightly pinkish-white granules, each had a slightly different design on the bags. I had a look on the Web about clumping cat litters and found the following since some cat owners evidently thought their cats may eat it with fatal results:-

"Over half of the litters sold today include bentonite clay and have proven safe for cats since their introduction over fifteen years ago."

I presume the white stuff is bentonite therefore, unlike the brown stuff which is moler?

This site lists both:-

http://www.viresco-uk.com/information/h ... .asp#moler

http://www.viresco-uk.com/information/h ... #bentonite

No doubt the chemists in our midst will tell us whether the white clumping cat litter is bentonite and OK as a compost ingredient, even if no use on it's own for rooting plants and cuttings?

DaveW

[Sue]

Wilko still have the pink cat litter http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/Cat-Litter ... QBKA%3D%3D
And Tesco in this area still have the pink stuff too. Not sure what is going on then.

[Julie]

Sue - buy it quick!!!!

Dave, they could well be the same thing, as the colour is determined by whatever ions are there (they exchange with whatever is in your water) or within the clay structure (where they won't get out and do anything).

Bentonite is a clay and one of the few that doesn't have a significant ion exchange capacity, so I presume it won't mess up the pH of what you mix it with.

I think... it's been four years since I worked with clays. :o

[DaveW]

Neither am I since when you put it into your search engine a few sites come up with it, but say they have to check availability, but if you put it into Tesco Direct you get:-

"Sorry, we couldn't match your search for “Tesco Premium Natural Clay Cat Litter”

I contacted Tesco on 13th of this month as our local store did not have any and got the following e-mail:-

"Dear David

I apologise for the delay in responding to your query.

I'm sorry to learn that your local Tesco store do not stock Tesco Premium cat litter. I understand how disappointing this must be for you.

I've checked our database for you, but couldn't find the item that you're looking for. Our computers only work with very precise, detailed descriptions or barcodes. If I enter a description like 'baked beans' the system will come up with over 100 products. This often means that, unless we have more precise details, we won't be able to find the product you're asking about.

If you can give me the description as it appears on the product, the price and/or the barcode, I will do my utmost to locate the item. If you don't have all these details, please give me as much information as you have.

Once I've received your reply I'll be able to look into your query."

I e-mailed them and sent them a picture of the pack and they e-mailed me back to say a store near me kept it. However when I went although it was labelled Premium Cat litter it was in a white bag and the white clay granules, not the pink.

Therefore if anybody has a bag left and can give me the barcode I can check with Tesco Customer Services if they still stock that type.

DaveW

[Bill]

Here you go Dave above and beyond the call of duty just been out in the wet and dark to the greenhouse.

[attachment 21024 RIMG0135.jpg]

Cheers

Bill

[anders]

Julie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Bentonite is a clay and one of the few that
> doesn't have a significant ion exchange capacity,

Bentonite has a relatively high CEC, typically around 80 meq/hg, but clays are usually most active as pH buffers somewhere around pH 6, so addition of clay is rarely harmful when it comes to pH. The very fine particles is another matter. I am always suspicious towards white or light grey cat litter, every one I have tried so far has crumbled into a fine powder with time.