Solutions to those expensive pet products...

Being 26 years old I have spent much of my adult life,  lets say……financially challenged. I couldn’t let that stop me from having a zoo of furry kids and giving them the best that my money can buy. As I browsed through pet stores I would find all kinds of neat gadgets that promised to make pet ownership a breeze. Problem being, they want your arm and a leg before you can have one. So, below are some of the tricks I’ve used to replicate these expensive products and keep my kids happy.

Pet Water Fountains...

When I first saw these water fountains for your pets I was overjoyed until I saw their price. If you have a cat that bugs you to turn on the faucet you’ll know why I was so excited. I decided to make one of my own for much less. Here’s how….

1. Purchase a rectangle Rubbermaid container that is at least seven inches deep.

2. Purchase the least expensive 10 gallon fish tank filter you can find.

3. When assembling the filter remember to rinse the excess carbon from the insert.

4. Find a place for your new water contraption that is close to an outlet.

5. Fill your Rubbermaid container with water leaving about 3 inches at the top.

6. Hang your filter from the side of the container and make sure you have the filter extension on so it reaches the bottom of the container. Do this because your pet may drink the water so low that the filter will not be able to reach the water without the extension which may burn up your filter if it runs dry. Do not plug your filter in yet!

7. Follow your filter’s instruction booklet regarding creating a drip loop. A drip loop insures that any water that may run down your power chord will drip to the ground rather than entering your electrical socket. Big Fire Hazard!!!

8. Fill a cup with water.

9. Plug in your filter and at the same time fill the main compartment of your filter with water from the cup. Some filters can’t start to circulate water at first without this added help.

10. That’s it!

I have found that my pets love these fountains and they have a much larger capacity than those store bought ones with all the same function. I find that you do need to change the water and clean out your container at least once a week. As your pets use it after eating their food will get in the water and settle to the bottom. You may find that your filter cartridge remains clean even after a month. I replace mine once a month to insure the carbon stays fresh to clean out the tap water’s chemicals and impurities.



A solution to tracking litter …

Again, browsing the pet store, I noticed a new litterbox idea that promised to keep your cat’s litter In the box rather than around your house. It looked logical to me but the problem was it was to simple to be worth $40. Here is how I replicated it.

This is so simple. It was basically a Rubbermaid container (Rubbermaid is a pet owner’s best friend sometimes) with a hole cut in the top. Smack head now…I’ll wait. Anyway, I made a much larger version for my cats to share for a third of the cost. It really does work. Because they must make it through that hole in the lid to get out. They must climb onto the lid first rather than just jumping out and over the side. This slows them down enough to catch most of the litter on the lid before they jump down. When you clean the container dump the excess litter from the lid right back in.

It’s up to you how big you would like your container to be but I recommend choosing a container tall enough for them to move around comfortably inside. I have a huge one. I also purchased mine in a solid color so that it disguises it’s purpose pretty well. I recommend locating your hole closer to an end rather than the middle. It makes a larger place for you kitty to land on his way out trapping more litter. One other suggestion, because of it’s design litter dust may hang out in the box when filling and cleaning. Try to let it settle before allowing your cats to enter just to protect their lungs.