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If you’re looking for the best sifting litter box for pine pellets then you’re in the right place. The truth is there are plenty of sifting litter pans out there, but not all are great for pine pellets.
When looking for the best sifting litter box, it’s important to ensure that it actually works with pine pellets as many are designed for clumping cat litter.
We’ve listed the top 5 sifting litter boxes that actually work with pine pellets to help you make the best decision for you and your cat.
Related: Pros and Cons of Pine Pellet Cat Litter
Best Sifting Litter Box for Pine Pellets Overview
- Best Sifting Litter Box for Pine Pellets: Purina Tidy Cats Breeze Hooded Litter Box
- Most Affordable: Van Ness CP5 Sifting Cat Pan
- PetSafe Deluxe Litter Box
- SiftEase Litter Box Cleaner Litter Sifter
- SKEMIX Sifting Cat Pan Litter Box
Best Sifting Litter Box for Pine Pellets Reviews
There are many different sifting cat litter pan options out there, so let’s dive into 5 of the best sifting litter boxes for pellet litter out there.
Purina Tidy Cats Breeze Hooded Litter Box
Best Sifting Litter Box for Pine Pellets
Good for: Pine Pellets
Brand: Purina Tidy Cats
Dimensions: 16.5 x 20.5 x 16.75 inches
Litter Box Type: Covered
Material: Plastic
Key Feature: This litter box comes with super-absorbent Breeze litter pads that are designed to last for 7 days with one cat.
The Purina Tidy Cat Breeze Hooded Litter Box is a sifting litter box specifically designed for pellet litter. It comes with a hood to keep the litter in, and a built-in filter to keep the smell at bay.
This is not your basic sifting litter box, as it also comes with super-absorbent pads that sit underneath the sifting pan to trap any liquid that isn’t trapped by the pellets. This litter box also comes with a removable bottom drawer that you can slide out to change the pads as needed.
The Tidy Cat Hooded Litter Box does come with Purina Litter Breeze Pellets made specifically for this system; however, you can purchase your own pine pellets to replace them with if you want.
All in all, this Tidy Cat Hooded Litter Box gets the job done and comes highly rated, but it is one of the more expensive sifting litter box systems so that is something to keep in mind when purchasing.
Van Ness CP5 Sifting Cat Pan
Most Affordable Sifting Litter Box for Pine Pellets
Good for: Pine Pellets, Clumping Cat Litter
Brand: Van Ness
Dimensions: 19 x 15.38 x 8 inches
Litter Box Type: Pan
Material: Plastic, Recycled Materials
Key Feature: Added height on pan frame helps minimize litter spills and mess.
The Van Ness CP5 Sifting Cat Litter Box is another simple and affordable sifting litter box for pine pellets. It comes with 2 regular litter pans, a sifting layer, and an extra layer that goes on top to give your litter box raised sides to reduce mess.
While this litter box was designed for clumping cat litter, pine pellets work just fine.
Using the Van Ness CP5 Sifting Cat Litter Box is fairly simple. When you are ready to clean the box, simply lift up the sifting layer letting the used sawdust from the pine pellets fall through the holes into the litter pan. Scoop out the solid waste from the sifting layer and return the unused pine pellets into the second clean bin. You can then discard the sawdust.
The simple design, small foot print, and lower price make the Van Ness CP5 Sifting Cat Litter Box the most affordable sifting litter box for pine pellets.
PetSafe Deluxe Litter Box
Good for: Pine Pellets, Crystal Litter
Brand: PetSafe
Dimensions: 19 x 15 x 10 inches
Litter Box Type: Pan
Material: Plastic, Silicone
Key Feature: Has an absorbent pee pad that acts as an additional layer of protection.
The PetSafe Deluxe Litter Box is a sifting litter box specifically designed for crystal litter. However, pine pellets can be used with this design.
This litter box has a litter tray at the bottom of the box lined with absorbent pee pads that catch any free liquid. Because pine pellets typically disintegrate into sawdust upon contact with liquid, this also acts as a sifting layer for your pellet cat litter.
The PetSafe Deluxe Litter Box comes with a scoop to dispose of solid waste and is fitted with an anti-tracking grid to help keep litter contained. The good news is pine pellets naturally minimize litter mess in general.
SiftEase Litter Box Cleaner Litter Sifter
Good for: Pine Pellets, Clumping Cat Litter
Brand: SiftEase
Dimensions: 14.5 x 10.5 x 15 inches
Litter Box Type: Pan
Material: Polyester
Key Feature: SiftEase allows for multiple litter boxes or large litter boxes to be cleaned at once.
Instead of being an actual sifting litter box, the SiftEase is a device that you pour used litter into and it separates the waste for you. When you are ready to clean out your litter box, you simply pour the content of the used box into the SiftEase. The waste stays in the upper sifting basket while clean litter falls through to the collection bin below.
If you’re using pine pellets with the SiftEase litter box, the sifting bin will also collect the clean pine pellets, letting the used sawdust fall to the bottom of the bin. As with most other sifting litter boxes, you’ll then need to scoop out any solid waste before returning the unused pine pellets back to the litter box.
With this system, you can use any litter box you want which is a pro; however, if you choose to use the SiftEase it requires you to use and store both the SiftEase and your litter box. If you are low on space, this could be an issue.
SKEMIX Sifting Cat Pan Litter Box
Good for: Pine Pellets, Clumping Cat Litter
Brand: SKEMIX
Dimensions: 19 x 15 x 8 inches
Litter Box Type: Pan
Material: Plastic
Key Feature: Framed pan provides additional height to the litter box helping to reduce litter spills and mess.
The SKEMIX Sifting Litter Box is one of the most basic designs on the list and also one of the most affordable. This design has three layers, two basic litter pans with a sifting layer sitting on top. The sifting layer comes with raised sides helping to reduce mess.
When using the SKEMIX Sifting Litter Box, simply place the sifting pan on top of one of the regular litter pans (you can stack the two regular litter pans). When you need to clean the box, simply lift up the sifting layer letting the used sawdust from the pine pellets fall through the holes into the pan. Scoop out the solid waste from the sifting layer and return the unused pine pellets into the second clean bin. You can then discard the sawdust.
This simple design and ease of use make it a great sifting litter box for pine pellets.
Buyer’s Guide – Best Sifting Litter Box for Pine Pellets
When looking for the best sifting litter box for pine pellets there are a few key features to consider including litter box size, durability, the size of the sifting pan holes, odor control, and cost.
Litter Box Size
Whether you’re considering a sifting litter box or a regular litter box for your cat, be sure to check out the dimensions and purchase one that will fit comfortably in your home.
Durability
Durability is also something to consider when purchasing a litter box, and a sifting litter box is no different. Most litter boxes are made of plastic; however, there’s a big difference between thin and thick plastic especially when it comes to handling the box multiple times a week.
Check out the product info and reviews to make sure you’re getting a litter box that won’t warp or break down over time.
Size of Holes
When looking for a sifting litter box for pine pellets, hole size on the sifting pan can factor into what will work. Because most sifting litter boxes were designed for clumping clay litter, it’s important to find a litter box that will work with pine pellets and accurately separate the pellets from the sawdust.
Odor Control
Pine pellet cat litter naturally does a good job of trapping odors; however, it’s good to consider whether you want a sifting litter box that will aid in reducing smells further. Covered litter boxes typically do a better job of trapping odors, so that may be something to consider if you aren’t satisfied with your current litter box.
Cost
Cost is always an important consideration when purchasing any product, and a sifting litter box is no different. Be sure to compare prices between different brands and models to find the best deal for you.
The good news is that sifting litter boxes come in a variety of pricing to fit almost every budget.
Benefits of a Sifting Litter Box vs Regular Cat Litter Box
If you’re debating between a sifting litter box and a regular litter box, there are a few key benefits of sifting litter boxes to keep in mind including the ability to clean, money savings, and time savings.
Easier to Clean
In general, sifting litter boxes are easier to clean than regular cat litter boxes. With regular litter boxes, cat owners typically clean them by scooping out used litter clumps and cat waste on a regular frequency. This can include digging through the litter with the scoop to find all of the waste.
However, when using a sifting litter box, all the cat owner has to do is raise the sifting layer of the box. This will catch all of the litter clumps and cat poop. You can then easily dump this layer straight into the garbage.
Time Saver
Because sifting litter boxes are easier to clean, that will save you time in the long run! When it comes to changing out cat litter, the less time you have to spend doing it the better.
Money Saver
By using a sifting litter pan, cat owners can save money in the long run. You’ll get a longer life out of your cat litter or pine pellets by effectively removing the waste using the sifting pan.
How to Use a Sifting Litter Box
Sifting litter boxes are cat owner-friendly because they make the task of cleaning your cat’s litter box much easier.
Typically sifting litter boxes are made with 2 or 3 sifting pans. These sifting pans sit inside the regular box with cat litter or pine pellets poured on top.
When you are ready to clean out the litter box, you separate the sifting plan layer from the box. If you’re using clumping cat litter, the clumped urine and cat poop will remain in the sifting pan ready to be discarded, while the clean litter will fall into the box ready for the next use.
If you’re using pine pellet litter, the clean pine pellets will remain in the sifting plan along with any solid waste that you’ll need to scoop out. The used wood pellets will have disintegrated into sawdust which will fall into the litter box ready to be discarded.
How Do you Sift Pine Pellet Litter?
When sifting pine pellet litter, you simply sift the litter as you would normal clay clumping litter by letting the used sawdust fall out of the sift. You are then left with unused pine pellets that can be reused in the sifting litter box after removing any solid cat waste present.
Benefits of Wood Pellet Litter vs Regular Clumping Litter
If you’re considering using wood pellet litter instead of regular clumping litter, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Pine pellet cat litter has a lot of benefits associated with it including:
- Eco-friendly litter: Pine pellets are typically made from renewable and biodegradable materials making them more eco-friendly than traditional clay cat litter. Wood pellets also typically come without any additives or synthetic chemicals.
- Less mess: Wood pellets also create less mess and litter tracking, as the pellets are too large to stick to your cat’s paws.
- Less dust: Traditional clay clumping litter tends to create a lot of dust, whereas pine pellets generally create less dust.
There are a few cons to consider as well including:
- Cat preference: Not all cats like the feel and texture of pine pellet litter. In nature, cats tend to bury their waste in the dirt, which regular clay clumping litter is very similar to. Pine pellet cat litter can be a great option for your home, but you may have to trial it with your cat.
- Cleaning ability: Cleaning pine pellet litter is different than regular cat litter. With regular clumping litter, you typically scoop out the clumped urine and waste. With pellet cat litter, you scoop out the poop and clean out the sawdust. However, a sifting litter box can make cleaning pine pellet litter much easier.
How Does Pine Pellet Litter Work?
Pine or wood pellets work by absorbing the liquid and disintegrating into sawdust. If you have a normal litter box, you’d scoop out the cat poop and the sawdust. However, if you have a sifting cat litter box then you can sift out the sawdust, leaving the clean pine pellets in the sifting pan for continued use.
Can You Use Wood Pellets in Sifting Litter Boxes?
Yes! You can use wood pellets in most sifting litter boxes. In fact, they are a popular choice for sifting litter boxes because they absorb liquid so well and break down into sawdust easily.
Be sure to read the product descriptions and reviews for sifting litter boxes as not all are suited for pine pellets.
Can You Use Any Type of Cat Litter with Sifting Litter Boxes?
Unfortunately, no you can’t just use any type of cat litter with sifting litter boxes. Some litter boxes are designed for a specific type of cat litter to be used whether it’s clumping cat litter, pine pellets, or crystal cat litter. However, there are many types of sifting litter boxes that can use different types of litter. We’ve listed out which types of litter can be used in each cat litter box on our list, but you can also check out the product pages and reviews as well.
How Do You Make a Sifting Litter Box for Pellets?
Many cat owners make their own sifting litter box for pine pellets or cat litter. You can drill holes into the bottom of an existing litter pan and place it into a regular litter plan to create a sifting layered effect. There are many tutorials available online to help you make your own sifting litter box.
Do Cats Like Wood Pellet Litter?
Some cats may have a preference toward regular clumping litter as it feels more like the dirt in nature that they instinctively bury their waste in. Other cats may love the texture of pine pellets and find them more comfortable to walk on than traditional clay litter.
If you’re looking to transition your cat from clumping litter to wood pellet cat litter, the best method to achieve this is by slowing transitioning between the two types of litter. Start by adding a small amount of pine pellet cat litter to your regular cat litter to get your cat acquainted. Slowly over a few days to weeks add additional pellet litter until you’ve fully transitioned.
Keep an eye out for how your cat is responding to the new pine pellets, as there is a chance they may refuse to use them and you don’t want to end up with cat waste elsewhere in your home.
Best Sifting Litter Box for Pine Pellets – Final Thoughts
Pine pellet litter is a great option if you’re looking for an eco-friendly, less messy litter for your cat. If you are looking for a sifting litter box system then check out the Purina Tidy Cats Hooded Litter Box System. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a basic sifting litter pan, then the Van Ness CP5 Sifting Cat Pan will work just fine.
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