One of the biggest concerns of having cats at home, is the cleaning and maintenance of litter box. You may have trained your cat well to use the litter box, but you have the task of keeping it clean as well. It is extremely important that you keep the litter box clean on a daily basis, because first of all, the odor can be unbearable for you and also, cats prefer clean litter boxes to do their business. Learn about useful tips for new cat owners here.
Preparing the litter box
Choose a standard plastic box that is spacious enough for your cat to move around in it. You may place a litter box liner first, as it is helpful in cleaning when you have to empty the contents of the box completely. Nowadays, there are automated litter boxes that come with self-cleaning feature, which makes them easy to use, but they can be expensive.
Filling up with litter
Next, fill it with litter and see that it is layered enough for your cat to dig into, which some cats like to. You have the choice of using clumping litter or non-clumping litter. With clumping litter, you can scoop up the urine and poop that get coated in litter and turn clumpy. If you use non-clumping litter, you will have to empty the contents more frequently, as urine accumulates at the bottom of the litter and starts to stink too.
Cleaning up
You need to clean it at least once every day in order to keep your home odor free. Scoop up the waste, seal it in a plastic bag and move it to a dust bin, preferably outdoors to get rid of the smell. The remaining litter can be used again and you need to add new litter to compensate the lost amount. Every few days, depending on how smelly it gets, you need to empty the box and clean it thoroughly with soap and water. It is better to avoid strong chemicals as they can be harmful to your pet.
Placing the litter box
Choose a place that is accessible to your cat and to you too for easy cleaning. The place has to offer some privacy for the cat, but ensure it is not enclosed completely or too dark and far for the cat to use. Always have an extra litter box and place it in a different location. Use separate boxes for multiple cats, because some cats may bully others and this may scare them from going near the litter box. If you keep your litter box in bathroom, you may directly flush the waste into the toilet, but see that you don’t flush too much litter along with it.
