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Product Review and Giveaway: World's Best Cat Litter-Forest Scent

After careful consideration, from time to time I write product reviews. If you see it here, it's because, at LEAST I think it's worth you knowing about even if I have an issue with it and, at BEST, I think it's amazing and we should all have one, two or more of whatever it is I'm reviewing. I get NO reimbursement for writing these reviews, though to write a review I am supplied with the item, as I was in this case. This review is MY OPINION, ONLY. The result you experience using this product may differ.

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As a Catvocate for World’s Best Cat Litter,™ I'm given access to new products before they reach the marketplace. I get no compensation for doing this, but because I use WBCL for both my own cats and the foster cats of my rescue group, Kitten Associates, I'm glad to have a chance to test drive their new litter.

Fred Sniffing Litter R Olson.jpg
©2013 Robin A.F. Olson. Fred investigates the new litter. Will he or won't he use it?

World's Best Cat Litter™ has introduced Forest Scented – the ONLY clumping litter that pairs the absorbency of whole-kernel corn with the fresh scent of 100% natural woods fibers.

They don't treat the litter with a chemical fragrance, it occurs naturally in the product, itself. Using wood fibers derived from maple, ponderosa pine, oak, spruce, southern yellow pine and cedar, it creates a natural forest scent. The wood is a renewable by-product that might otherwise go to waste, so you don't have to be concerned that trees are getting mowed down to make cat litter. The corn comes from farms in the United States.

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Right out of the bag, I admit the scent was VERY STRONG, but once in the pan, the intensity diminishes after a short time when it's exposed to air. As I poured the contents out, I didn't notice any clouds of dust coming off it—something I'm very concerned about. It has a pleasing color and pebbly texture.

I did a test using 1/2 pan Forest Scent, along side the World's Best Cat Litter™ for multi-cat households on the other 1/2 pan. Our five foster kittens ran over to the pan and began sniffing at the litter. One of them scratched on the floor, as if he was burying his food, indicating to me he didn't care for the aroma. Oops!

Two other cats sniffed at it and walked away. I was surprised since new litter usually means one of the cats must use it before the others get a chance. I lifted two of the cats and placed them into the pan. They ran out, but that doesn't indicate a preference, they may not have needed to use the pan at that time. In this informal test, the cats paid no heed to the new litter and returned to playing.

Litter side by side R Olson.jpg
©2013 Robin A.F. Olson. Multi-Cat Clumping (rear), Forest Scent (forward).

I checked the pan a few times over the next hour or so and there was no activity on the Forest Scent side and very little on the other side of the pan. It took a few hours, but sure enough one of the kittens used the Forest Scent. I scooped it out and noticed it held a clump very nicely. With my twisted sense of humor, I thought it looked a bit too much like a Rice Krispie Treat, but otherwise it did a very good job clumping.

CLumps R Olson.jpg
©2013 Robin A.F. Olson. Excellent clump-ability (it's not a crisped rice treat!)

Over the next day the litter was used. I didn't notice any particular issues with the Forest Scented or any failure in odor control. I feed our foster cats a grain free diet of canned food only, so their output doesn't tend to have much of a problematic aroma. The good thing was that I didn't smell cat litter pan when I walked into the room. Once in awhile I got a whiff of pine, but it was very subtle and I noticed it more when I scooped the pan or when I refreshed the litter.

Coco Sniffing Litter R Olson.jpg
©2013 Robin A.F. Olson. Coco takes a sniff.

World's Best Cat Litter™ Forest Scented comes in three sizes: 6 lb, 12 lb and 24 lb bags at the following Suggested Retail Price of:
$8.99 for 6 lb,

$17.49 for 12 lb
and $31.99 for 24 lb.

This litter is not inexpensive, in fact it's even a bit more costly per pound than World's Best Cat Litter™ Multi-Cat Clumping. What may sway consumers is the naturally occurring fragrance and because it's a blend of wood and corn, there is less chance that the cat will be tempted to ingest the litter—which has been a concern for some folks who previously tried the corn-only based litter.

What I find worth the expense is that World's Best Cat Litter™ does seem to last longer than traditional clumping litters made out of clay. Also, World's Best Cat Litter™ is not dusty and if there IS any dust it's not like the glue you can get from clay based litters that sticks to everything and is so tough to clean up—that stuff is NASTY—as anyone who uses it will attest.

I also worry that our kittens will be licking their paws and I'd rather they lick corn than clay that's full of chemicals.

Coco licking chops with bag R Olson.jpg
©2013 Robin A.F. Olson. Coco with her new bag of World's Best Cat Litter™ Forest Scented.

That said there IS a warning on the bag of World's Best Cat Litter™ Forest Scented that I will quote from their promotional information: “As with other wood-based litter, World’s Best Cat Litter™ included the following CA Prop 65 warning on the bags. WARNING: This product contains wood dust, which is known in the State of California to cause cancer.Avoid inhaling wood dust or use a dust mask or other safeguards for personal protection”

Am I going to run screaming from my litter pan after pouring out some litter? No. Considering how dreadful silica dust is in comparison, I don't have a great concern over there being wood in the new litter for myself or the cats. I would, however use common sense especially if I had allergies or asthma and I'd wear a mask, just to be safe. You'd want to do that with ANY cat litter if you have any health issues with your lungs or sinuses, but there's no need for fear-mongering because there's a warning label on the bag.

I've been using World's Best Cat Litter™ Forest Scented with my foster cats for over a week. They use it without any issue. I don't notice any odors so it's either working or the cats aren't smelly. It clumps cleanly and has lasted to the point of not needing to be refreshed just yet. I scoop the pan twice a day, but even if I only scooped once, I don't believe I'd have an issue with odor.

Although I'm perfectly happy with World's Best Cat Litter™ Multi-Cat Clumping litter, if I wanted a pine scent, I'd use Forest Scented. I like the way this litter clumps, but ultimately it's up to my cats. If they use it and it's not a dusty mess or gives them “concrete booties” if they get wet litter on their paws, then I'm all for it.

World's Best Cat Litter™ Forest Scented will be available in stores nationwide beginning April 1, 2013 (and no, that is NOT an April Fool's Joke!) Click HERE to find a retailer near you.

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If you'd like to WIN a coupon for a 6 lb bag, of World's Best Cat Litter™ Forest Clumping simply leave a comment in this post to enter and tell me why you'd like a Forest Scented litter.

Best FIVE entries as Judged by me, Robin Olson of Covered in Cat Hair, will win a coupon for a FREE 6 lb bag of World's Best Cat Litter™ Forest Clumping. You may only leave ONE comment for ONE CHANCE to win per person. This Giveaway ends FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013 at 11:11 PM EST and is open to residents of the USA, only (sorry guys!). Rules, quantities and whatever else I forgot are subject to change without notice.

3.20.13 UPDATE:

Guess what? World's Best Cat Litter is UPPING the PRIZE I'll be giving away to FIVE LUCKY WINNERS! Instead of a coupon for a 6 lb bag, they're going to ship out TWO, 6 lb bags to EACH WINNER! Yeehaw!!!

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Comments

we would love to try this for our many,many rescue kitties. Litter is a big expense for us,and is very rarely donated..and we need all the litter we can get

I've been using WBCL for several months now and really love the product.  My only

issue with it is the lack of odor control.  I tried the original scented version and did

not care for it.   In my main litter box room (I have 4 cats, but one stays upstairs to avoid the 'youngins' so she has her own), I keep 2 boxes filled with WBCL, and one with store brand pine pellets to offer some 'fresh scent'.  I would love to try the new WBCL Forest Scent...and would hope it would allow me to purchase just 1 kind of litter. 

Hi Robin!

I'm eager to try the Forest Clumping litter because we have ten cats and limited "open window" time in the Deep South. LOL!  I love natural pine scent, but odor is not my only concern.  The scoopable litter that my boyfriend insists on buying is Special Kitty at Walmart.  It is sooooo dusty!  I want to prove to him that a higher quality litter will be better for our kittehs AND our checkbook. 

Thanks for the info and contest!

Shelly <3

I foster so litterbox duty is always a chore. (So much so my Mom laughed when a friend of hers was complaining about cleaning 5 litterboxes because she knows what I do.) Worlds Best is one of the preferred cat litters and if we got better odor control, it would be fantastik! I need litters that aren't toxic for kitties because I tend to foster kitties who have injuries or need some kind of extended care. 

I love all of the other World's B est Cat Litter products. I have not bought another type of litter since I discovered this one. Oscar and Emmy are both "skatterers" and I find that this litter is easier to clean up and does not track so far from the litter bos. I love the fact that the dust level is MUCH lower than with other litters. I have friends that complain about the cost but we figured it out and in the long run I spend less on litter than they do because this one lasts so much longer. I will never use another brand.

Thanks for another great chance to win a giveaway.

I would like a forst scented littler because I notice that my cats are ok with the clay litter but this was their favorite littler as a kitten and the forest scent would be calming for them. They seem attracted to certain natural scents.

All in all, this sounds like an interesting and possibly good product, so we'd like to enter the contest  However, as I know most cats prefer scent-free litters, I'd have to let my felines test it before I bought any. 

One of the many reasons I'd like to try the product is because I am extremely sensitive to scents (because of fibromyalgia). My mother's elderly and set-in-her-ways cat is very finnicky. (I bet you've never met a cat like that. Huh? ) I'm also allergic to just about everything. (Of course, that's not going to keep me from having pets...if I can help it.) Very soon, I'll likely be relocating my mother's cat to my house, since it's probable that my mother will no longer be able/allowed to stay in her home alone and will have to live with my brother and SIL. (My brother doesn't want a second cat in his house, and Doodlebug probably wouldn't care to play second fiddle anyway.) Long story "not quite so long": I'd like to try something that has less perfume than what my mother has been using, and it would be fantastic if it had less dust. There are times that the fragrance of her litter is hard for me to take, but there are also times that I can taste the perfume-y dust...and it gets everywhere!

I would like to win the free litter for the PAWS shelter in Norwalk CT. With so many rooms and between 80 and 100 cats at any one time, there's always a need! I like the idea of fresh natural smelling litter- might be like sending the cats on a little vacation from the ordinary shelter smells!

 

PS Thanks for visiting my blog, and congratulations on your nomination!

Never Tried this Litter, but would love to!!! I can relate to the dust comments...this would be worth its weight in gold if I could get around all the dust the others create!!

Oops I guess you're not suppose to eat this. Thank you Robin for this well rounded, enlightening post. Your honesty is refreshing.

Riverfront Cats would like to try this naturally fragrant litter for odor control.

Your fellow rescue & educator in Miami, FL!

Here in Maine, the scent of Pine is everywhere...after all we are known as the Pine Tree State.  My 2 indoor boys are pretty finicky when it comes to litter as much as when it comes to their food... it has to work right, and leave as little evidence as possible of the previous occupant's visit. (which is my job lol)  I'm not a fan of the clay litter, since it leaves the tell tale pawprints and muddy mess on the floor in front of the litterbox-and the crystals work good for odor, but the chemicals and dust have me worried.  I've been exploring options as to what our new fave litter will be, and a forest scent sounds appealing-so I'd love to try this out and see if Shadow and Stubby approve :)

Thanks for this balanced review!  I'm always a little reluctant to change something that isn't broken.  We're all for the  more natural products here in our house.  Especially as we have furry tufts between our toes that attract stray bits of litter, which then get conscientiously licked clean.  For quite awhile now we've been using a custom blend of about 12 parts Swheat Scoop to 1 part Fresh Step.  That little bit of Fresh Step takes care of the odor that we find the wheat litter doesn't absorb.  It works for us, but we'd love to get rid of that 1-part of chemically Fresh Step.  So we'd love a chance to try the Forest Scented WBL.  And in all honesty, we'll probably try it (based on your review) whether we win the coupon or not.  :)

For the first time that sounds like a scent for cat litter that would be nice not over-powering.

We would love to try this! 

We have 7 rescued cats and we foster/volunteer for a local SPCA.  My big guy is 30 pounds and recently had urinary blockage issues then decided he didn't like our regular litter.  We tried WBCL on the advice of a friend and he took to it right away.  I use it in two of my boxes - the rest are still clay scoopable.  It's great stuff and a new scent would be nice to try.

I help foster for 3 different rescue groups, plus I've saved many of my own. Litter, of course, is very important in this situation! I would LOVE to try this out. If it's as good as it sounds, we'd get you a ton of customers!!!!

Because I work at a pet store part-time, I now have nine cats.  The last three came from people who dropped them at the store because they could not care for them anymore.  I have litter boxes scattered through the house, but do not ever want to smell a litter box when I open my front door.  I use WBL now, and a couple of other brands.  I would LOVE to try the forest scent - I haven't even heard of it in my area yet.  I love the pine scent, and if my cats love it, will be using this as soon as it hits the stores here.

I'd love to give this a try in my diabetic kitties' room (though what I'd REALLY like is for them to get a new home, so I don't need littler for them! :).  No matter what I do, it's always a little stinky in there, probably because the shut door means not much air circulation, and well...they pee.  A LOT.  I've tried several brands "recommended" for diabetic cats, but none a great.  The clumps break apart, and then I have a real mess to scoop out, bit by tiny bit!  I probably should have started with World's Best, which I use in foster kitty Zanzibar's room.  It clumps beautifully and seems to help keep the smell down.
 

I think Jibbit & Sunshine would enjoy giving this little a try!  And I'd like to walk in their room and not say, "Man, y'all are smelly!!" ;)

and I'd love to try the forest scent - we don't have it in the store. 


I find WBCL works best mixed with the Blue Buffalo cat litter.  I wonder if the addition of the wood would make that addition unncessary.

I've got two rescue kitty cats who would love this! They really love being outdoors, so I really think this litter might help them feel more at home, more 'natural'. And I would love it to smell like forest, that sounds wonderful!

I use a terribly dusty cat litter, and I'm concerned about what this might mean for my cats. I've heard that it can cause asthma and other problems. I'd love the chance to try something new and see if my cats would take to something different!

Very little known to people, that cats are the neatest pets in the world. Once you have a cat, expect it to be groomed everyday because that is their forte.+--

 Multiple Cats, We Are Family I've got all my sisters with me, Whoa what's that smell! We like

World's Best and have blogged about it.

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