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DIY Sifting Cat Litter Box for Pine Pellets

Published on November 12, 2020Last updated October 5, 2021 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

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This homemade sifting cat litter box is very easy to make and works nicely with pine or wood pellets which are both better for the environment and save money.

For more on alternative litters, see Better Cat Litter: Low-Cost and Eco-Friendly Options.

Homemade sifting cat litter box

Make a Sifting Cat Litter Box

If you are switching to an eco-friendlier cat litter system like wood or pine pellets, you will need a sifting cat litter box as well.

These pellets breakdown into sawdust when wet. With the sifting litter box, the sawdust falls into the lower chamber. Any solid waste is removed with a scoop.

See Pine Pellets here at Tractor Supply (US)

Because this litter is not clumpable, it lasts much longer than traditional clay-based litters, saving a lot of money.

To make the box, two same-size plastic bins are stacked one on top of the other.

The trick is to choose bins with side handles: these create a gap between the stacked bins, leaving room for the sawdust to accumulate.

Related: What to Buy Your New Cat (Beyond the Basics)

The only DIY part of this project is to first drill holes in the base of the one of the bins.

I used a 1/4-inch drill bit and spaced the holes one inch apart.

To avoid cracking the plastic, place a scrap piece of wood underneath the bin and push the bin down against the wood while you drill.

If it helps, you can draw guide marks on the wood to keep the drill holes evenly spaced.

This has more on alternative cat litter products and disposal options including composting.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

Cat and sifting cat litter box with scoop.
Print Instructions Pin It

DIY Sifting Cat Litter Box for Wood Pellets

Easy way to make a sifting cat box perfect for wood and pine pellets.
Steps30 mins
Total Time30 mins
Makes: 1 Litter box
Author: Melissa J. Will
Cost: $20

Equipment

  • Cordless Drill
  • Drill bits
  • Sharpie
  • Ruler
  • Cat litter scoop
  • Plastic bins with handles

Supplies & Materials

  • 1 bag Pine pellets
  • 1 piece Scrap wood size of bottom of bin

Instructions

  • Mark drill hole guides on scrap piece of wood spacing them 1-inch apart.
  • Drill holes in base of one bin using 1/4-inch drill bit. To avoid cracking bin, press bottom of bin against wood below as you drill or use a step-down drill bit.
  • Stack bin with holes on top of the second bin.
  • Add a few inches of pine pellets.
  • Remove solid waste with scoop. Push sawdust through holes to bottom bin and clean out as needed.

Notes

Be sure to use bins with side handles which create a gap between bins when stacked allowing room for wet pellets (sawdust) to fall. 
To make your cat litter system more eco-friendly, consider using a pet waste compost bin if you have room outdoors and switch to truly biodegradable bags if discarding waste in garbage system. 
For the best deal on wood pellets, check for wood stove pellets or horse stall pellets and check that there are no added ingredients. 
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Cat litter box with pine pellets.
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Comments

  1. Janet Hatcher says

    November 16, 2020 at 7:19 am

    I like the sounds of this idea. I started using Skoon which is a diatomaceous earth product, it doesn’t track all over and the directions say to stir it around when there is urine collecting which doesn’t work here because I have to have it in my living Room because of allergy issues in the bedroom.(tiny house) It stinks until it dries. Would like to try pine pellets as this product is pricey. Do the pellets track? Thanks for the idea! Always look forward to your postings.

    Reply
    • Melissa J. Will says

      November 16, 2020 at 12:10 pm

      Hi Janet,
      I’m not sure if I’d call it tracking: there are tiny traces of sawdust sometimes. I also keep a mat at the box which probably grabs anything on their paws as they exit.
      I personally would not use a diatomaceous earth product: there are fine particles that can harm human and animal lungs. This describes more in case you’re interested: https://empressofdirt.net/diatomaceous-earth/
      If you try the pine or something similar I’d love to hear how it goes.

      Reply
      • Janet Hatcher says

        June 26, 2021 at 7:48 am

        I’ve been using the pine pellets for about 6 months now and really love the change. Is so much cheaper and so much cleaner and no tracking, just a few pellets outside the box. No urine odor is really great!

        Reply

Melissa J. Will - Empress of DirtWelcome!
I’m Melissa J. Will a.k.a. the Empress of Dirt (Ontario, Canada).
Join me as I share creative + frugal home & garden ideas with a dash of humor.
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