Paco and Friends Kageliner - - A Review

I never expected to look forward to cleaning my bird's cage -- but that was before I tried Kageliner™ by Paco and Friends™. This is a product that's been designed with a pet's health in mind, and it shows. It's non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and resists mold, attributes that make it a bird owner's dream come true. Add to that the fact that its design allows for quick and convenient cage cleaning, and it becomes clear how Kageliner™ can be a blessing to those of us on "poop patrol".

On the Surface

Kageliner's™ packaging is much like a box of facial tissue. Each package contains 500 sheets of the liner, which are easily dispensed through a punch out hole in the top of the box. The 12 x 10 inch rectangular sheets are plain white, and treated with a special coating that resists moisture and bacterial growth. They can be layered to fit cages of virtually any size or shape.

When I used Kageliner™, I simply layered the sheets in the bottom tray of my bird's cage until I had covered the entire surface. The clean white appearance was both comforting and gratifying, as I knew that I didn't have to worry about potentially toxic inks or dyes. I knew, however, that I would have to wait until my bird relieved himself -- that's when the real magic would begin.

Beyond Aesthetics

Within minutes of placing my bird back in his cage, he obliged me by "testing" the liner. This was when I really began to notice the advantages that Kageliner™ has over other lining materials.

Because it's important to monitor a bird's droppings for health reasons, I was delighted to notice that the liner's waxy coating did not allow the paper to absorb any of them, making it easy for me to see that the form and consistency of the waste was in order. The white color of the sheets was also particularly helpful, as it made spotting the mess a breeze -- much easier than searching for droppings on printed newspaper!

In addition to providing a way to easily monitor a pet's droppings, Kageliner™ makes daily cage cleaning far more convenient than other traditional liners. Since the cage is lined with smaller individual sheets, it's a snap to reach in and remove soiled spots rather than having to wrestle with large, awkward sheets of sticky mess. Combined with this layering method, Kageliner™ makes it simple to keep your bird's cage spotless all day long -- a delight to pet bird owners, and a necessity for those that show their feathered friends.

In a Nutshell

Currently available through Petco.com, Kageliner™ can be ordered in boxes of 500 sheets for the price of $29.99. I'd recommend this product to any bird owner on the basis of its health benefits alone -- although there's much to be said for its convenience as well! After using the product for a period of time, I've found myself quite spoiled on the improvement that it's made in my bird's happiness and in the quality of his living space.

His cage looks nicer, smells better, and quite honestly, is easier for me to keep clean since I began using Kageliner™. The product definitely makes cage cleaning less time consuming and less of a chore. Five stars all the way!


Photo of Kageliner™ product courtesy of Paco and Friends, LLC. All other photos (c) 2006 Alyson Burgess licensed to About.com, Inc.