Poor litter box maintenance is a big cause of mishaps. In most cases, people turn cats that cannot use the litter box properly into a shelter. Before you get to this point, you need to give your cat a fighting chance by keeping his litter box clean at all times.
Because cats hate dirty litter boxes, yours might be driven to use the carpet or the corner of your bathroom as an alternative. Although automated litter boxes exist, their hefty price tags could discourage you from buying one. Here are some tips that will help you to maintain your cat’s litter box. And click the link to find out the dangers of cat litter that you must know.
Buy the Right Supplies
You need to purchase the right supplies for proper litter box maintenance. When choosing these supplies, you should let your cat be the guide. If your cat does not like your choice of litter boxes and the supplies, he will let you know one way or another.
However, you should know that the more diligence you exercise in maintaining the litter box, the less likely your cat would be to refuse to use it. When choosing a litter box for the first time, you need to look at online reviews such as cat litter reviews.
How many litter boxes?
The rule to decide how many litter boxes to keep in the house is simple; one litter box per cat and an extra. So if you have one cat, you should two boxes and if you have two cats, you should keep four litter boxes in the house.
Select and Place the Box
You need to place the litter box in a corner of the house that will give your cat maximum privacy. Make sure that you keep it away from noisy appliances and provide an easy escape route in case you have a bully cat in the house. If your house is not that big, you can screen off a corner of any room.
If you are willing to spend extra, you should invest in furniture that conceals litter boxes. Unless the litter box is in a place where you would like to keep it hidden, you should opt for a plain rectangular box. Ensure that you choose a large enough box to allow your cat to move inside comfortably.
Lining the Litter Box
Using liners in your litter box is a personal choice. Litter box liners are convenient if you prefer to have tidy disposal when it is time to clean the box. When using the non-scooping litter, liners will be advantageous. This is because non-scooping litter pools excess urine, making it necessary for you to change it frequently.
Pouring in the Litter
The recommended level of litter is about two to three inches. If your cat seems to dig to the bottom of the box, you should consider using up to four inches. Ideally, you should start with two inches of litter and keep adding until you discover the ideal depth for your kitty. Once you pour in the litter, you should level it to give your cats a smooth surface to use.
You can use different forms of cat litters; from shredded paper to grass, walnut shells and lumping clay or something that is flushable. Although eco-friendly litter like clumping clay is highly recommended, you can choose one that suits your cat and gives a healthy and hygienic environment to both the cat and the family.
Cats don’t like scented litter with unnatural smell so if you think some fragrance will give you a pleasant feel; you will eventually disturb your kitty. Also, by any chance if you wish to change the litter type, cats don’t appreciate changes therefore bring this change gradually into your cat’s lifestyle and mix the new litter in small quantities for it to get used too.
Scooping Time
If you are using clumping litter, scooping it is much easier because the urine makes it clump together into chunks. Moreover, the solid waste is coated with litter, making it easier to pick up without sticking to the scoop. When choosing a scoop, you should opt for one that will fit the litter openings.
Large-particle litter requires big holes to sieve the clean particles out while fine litter requires a narrow sieve to keep the clumps of waste from falling back into the box. You will get better at scooping litter with practice. You should scoop waste from your litter at least twice a day to keep it clean.
Cleaning the litter box
A litter box is a hub of parasites and invisible germs that can harm you and your family in many ways. Whenever you are cleaning the litter box, you must not forget two essential things, gloves and a mask. The gloves will prevent your hands from touching the dirty litter and keep your skin away from bacteria while the mask will prevent you from inhaling the ammonia produced in the cat’s litter. You can use a cat litter disposal system to lock away the waste until it’s time to take it to the trash bin outside.
Litter training
Cats don’t need litter training like dogs. Their disposition with time will help them learn about the litter box and they will start using it. However, cats won’t use the litter box if it is dirty and smelly. Sometimes cats don’t use the litter box if they are stressed or suffering from UTI, for which you will have to take it to the vet.
Conclusion
The above tips will help you to maintain your cat’s litter box. Just make sure that you observe your cat’s behavior after getting new litter and you empty out the litter box.