Is a substrate really necessary?

[sho220]

I actually don't see anything wrong with not using a substrate. Not that I'd ever go that route. For those that use paper towels or newspaper, do your balls really burrow in it? I gave paper towels a shot, didn't really care for them. I've never used newspaper, but I would think the absorption capacity wouldn't be all that great... I don't see a huge difference between bare plastic and a layer of newspaper.

I use newspaper and they burrow around in it, tear it up, wad it into corners, drag it into their water bowls...pretty much everything but make origami with it...it also does absorb some water/pee, but I use Sterilite tubs and they have little channels around the "perimeter", for lack of a better word, and most ends up in there...