One of the most important tasks in the daily care of a cat is to change the litter box. A cat does not have to be walked, cats also have to urinate or defecate several times a day. Because we prefer not to find the urine or feces of cats everywhere in the house, the garden, or at the neighbors, we have gratefully used the litter box for years. This must be changed regularly. In this article we are happy to tell you why, how often and how best to do this.
The importance of the litter box
Cats have a litter box necessary to meet their needs. Cats are naturally very clean animals. In their own habitat, they therefore choose to hide the urine or feces by burying it. They prefer to find a new place again and again. When several cats are present, it can happen that the cat leaves it open and exposed. This sends a clear signal to the other person to point out each other’s presence. A cat should always have a clean litter box available. Preferably even one litter box per cat with an extra litter box. If you have one cat, it is best to buy two litter boxes, and if you have two cats it is desirable to have three. This way, every cat always has the option to switch to the other litter box.
Pee and defecate outside the litter box
It may go without saying, but it is very important that the litter box is easily accessible and that it is always kept clean. If you do not do this, you will soon see that the cat will do the need elsewhere in the house. Peeing outside the litter box can be behavioral or health related, but in most cases, it can be traced back to a dirty litter box. Daily maintenance and regular thorough cleaning is necessary to keep the litter box attractive to your cat. Cats have a very good nose and they smell much better than we do. The excellent sense of smell ensures that they will quickly realize that the designated place is not clean enough to fill the need. If you already think the litter box itself stinks, you can assume that it will be even more dirty for your cat.
The advantages of a clean litter box
You may recognize it; if you just have a cat at home, you are very fanatic about changing the litter box and you want to do it as well as possible. After a few years, the job has become a bit boring and you say to yourself more and more, I will do that tomorrow. Your cat will not thank you for this and will eventually look for another place to do the need. Quite right, because you do not like to go to a dirty toilet where you have not flushed. Keeping the litter box clean does not only have many advantages for your cat, but also for yourself:
- This prevents your cat from peeing or pooping on the carpet, furniture or laundry basket.
- By removing the droppings and urine from the container earlier, the odors do not linger in the house.
- By cleaning more often, the grit will absorb the urine better and you prevent a puddle from sinking to the bottom.
- There is always bacteria in poo and puddle and the longer this remains, the greater the bacterial growth will be.
Daily maintenance of the litter box
Keeping the litter box clean means that you have to pay daily attention to maintenance and also regularly to thorough cleaning. A litter box should definitely not smell. If it does, it is not clean. When you have several cats, it is important to scoop everything out twice a day. When you use a lumpy cat litter , you can always scoop out the urine and feces in between. It is best to use a cat litter scoop that fits the relevant grain size. The larger the grain, the larger the holes must be because otherwise you throw away unnecessary grit.
If you scoop out the litter box daily, the amount of litter will slowly decrease. You can then add a new layer every two to three days so that the amount remains enough and the cat is again well invited to go to the litter box. With a non-clumping grit, you will have to replace the entire filling with new ones after an average of four to eight days. Do not forget to replace the litter box filter two or three times a year depending on use.
Thoroughly cleaning the litter box Thorough
cleaning should take place at least every two to three weeks. Depending on the litter you use and the intensity of the use of the litter box, this may also be necessary sooner or later. Use household gloves when changing the litter box to avoid the spread and contamination of toxoplasmosis. Some cats carry this parasite which can be passed through the feces. Never allow a pregnant woman to clean the litter box, as it may harm the unborn baby.
When thoroughly cleaning the litter box, discard all litter. Most varieties can be put in the gray container with a litter bag or a garbage bag. When you use biodegradable cat litter or cat litter bags, everything can be deposited in the green container. Then thoroughly clean the container, lid and accessories. The litter box is easy to clean with hot water and washing-up liquid. Always rinse the container and parts well. The use of cleaning products is not recommended because some products can be toxic to your cat. Always pay close attention to this.
Filling the litter box
When you are going to fill the litter box with grit again, it is also very important that it is thoroughly dry first. Clump-forming cat litter can become unusable even if the bowl is not properly dried. Place the litter box bag if you use it or cover the bottom with old newspapers. Fill the litter box with a layer of about three to five centimeters of grit, unless the packaging states otherwise. Most cats will enjoy having enough cat litter to bury the feces. There are many different types of cat litter and not every variant will be your favorite. It may sometimes be necessary to try some other products until you find a filling that you are satisfied with. Nowadays, for example, a number of environmentally conscious variants are also available.
Tip: Would you like to counteract the white paw prints on the floor or do you regularly have the granules in the living room? Then use a spout mat especially for collecting grit from the litter box.
Do you have any questions about changing the litter box? Would you like tailored advice about which cat litter is best to use? Then visit the Discus pet store near you. Together we make the right choice!
