How often should you change your cat's litter box?

Among other things, caustic cat urine combines with the plastic of which the litter tray is made. The results of this compound often irritates the paws and nose of the animal. Over time, if you do not replace the tray in principle, the urine will inevitably corrode even the strongest plastic, the tray will begin to break apart by itself. If your litter box is a few years old and you haven't changed it once, do the experiment now. Just walk over and sniff the air. Despite the fresh litter, you can easily catch the distinctive smell of cat pee. The same smell immediately strikes the nostrils of guests and visitors to your home – "off the beaten track". Said in full measure applies to the scoop, which ceases to perform its basic functions: capture the waste and sift good stuff.

Cleaning the cat litter box: when and how often?

The topic of "cat and litter box", it seems, will never dry up. First of all, the flow of reader's letters and questions continues unabated. Secondly, God only knows how many animals are thrown out into the street every year because they are too "naughty. Some of our readers are indignant: "Why do you praise cats so much? We tried it and were very disappointed: our pet crapped everywhere except the litter box. I wonder what "tried" means? Where did the pet go? Authors of letters and comments modestly silent.

As the practice of the author and other experienced cat people, there is usually no problem. Uncomplicated knowledge of going to the litter box is mastered by 99.9% of purring pets. And the remaining 0.1% should also be figured out. Intuition tells us that at some stage an unforgivable mistake was made.

It happens that cats "reject" their litter boxes. Went and went, and then at one point decided not to do it. Colleagues-authors do not spare words, describing what finicky creatures cats are. Still, in each case it is better to get to the root cause. The most typical answer is that the owners became lazy to clean the litter box. At first they did it more or less regularly, then, when they saw that everything was fine, they put it off until later, then they switched to "twice a week", "as they have to", etc. What kind of fastidiousness are we talking about? In our opinion, we are talking about patience. It's unlikely that you, pardon the naturalism, attracted to filthy public toilets. And cats are not fundamentally different from us, they are very clean animals.

For some reason, many readers miss a very sound advice: one litter box, plus one spare. Like, why do I need another tray, when everything works fine as it is. This advice, by the way, was not given in vain. To minimize risks, we advise you to put a second tray at home. Just in case – what if "traditional" tray will stop its direct function.

Choosing a place for the cat litter box

Cats are naturally clean animals, personal hygiene is of paramount importance. This is due to ancient instincts – in the past, wild members of the feline family of all species and sizes had to hide their tracks and odors to survive.

Remember that no kitten, even the smallest, will accept a dirty place as a litter box.

Correct location

The toilet should always be clean. If a kitten refuses to go to the litter box, it's just dirty and the animal doesn't like it. Cats smell dozens of times stronger than humans.

Try to imagine how uncomfortable you would be going to the litter box if it had bad smelling feces in it.

The second condition is peace. You should not set up a kitty litter box in an open area, it is unpleasant for the animal itself, pets and guests. In a bad area of the house, especially in a new place, quickly and easily accustom the cat to the toilet will not work.

The potty should appeal to the cat, so you have to take the time to find out what the cat is uncomfortable with – everyone has a different personality.

If the cat refuses to learn how to do its business, take the first step. Look at where the cat usually craps and try to put the litter box there, unless it's in the bedroom or behind a chair.

Choose a litter box

The better the quality of the litter, the less you will smell and the less debris the cat will carry around the apartment on its paws. The filler should please the cat – you will have to go through several kinds through a process of trial and error.

Often the tiny kitty is frightened by the rustling of the material, does not like the feeling on the paw pads, the smell, if you have bought a filler with the function of blocking unpleasant odor. There is, unfortunately, no universal filler for litter trainer.

Trouble-free methods to teach your kitten to go to the litter box

The main advantage will be learning about the pet, its characteristics, character, habits and fears.

By understanding the cat and not using violence towards it, you will deal with this unpleasant business faster and understand how to train your kitty specifically to the litter box in the apartment. You can get through the lion's share of training in one day. Such a fast pace can be maintained thanks to the previously established contact and the ability to work in tandem.

Don't scold or hit the animal – you will make the cat angry and frightened. The only acceptable punishment is to bring the kitty to the place where it has pooped and hold it close.

You don't have to poke him in the feces with your nose, as past generations have "correctly" taught. Just make him sniff the puddle and raise your voice to show your displeasure.

Helping the cat understand where his litter box is

Even if the kitten already knows how to use the toilet, it can be difficult to get used to a new litter box even in the comfort of your home, especially if the baby is too timid and timid, or, conversely, defiant and rebellious. At first act as gently as possible, and after the embarrassment take the pet to the litter tray, where he has to go to the toilet.

Try to anticipate the moments when the kitten is going to poop somewhere, it is usually easy to tell by its behavior. Wait until he begins to sit down to defecate, quickly pick him up and take him to the litter box.

After a few interventions the kitten will know what is expected of him at a reflex level.

What to do after you eat

Many cats associate the process of eating with toileting unconsciously. When your pet has eaten, immediately pick him up and take him to the litter box. Of course, he won't do anything and will quickly leave, but you will cement in your memory the connection between eating and going to the toilet as something natural and understandable.

Cat people, tell me, how often should I buy a new litter box for my cat?

Veterinarians advise to change it twice a year. But it also depends on what kind of filler you use, I use a good lumpy, the litter box does not clog almost.

Absorbent Fresh Stap.
With lumpy was a strange experience with the previous cat)) at the bottom of a piece of "crumpled" stuck and did not get rid of, until we changed the tray) how much we would not wash it) as cement)

it's just like people, as needed
tray with a net or without?
just treat it so there is no specific smell after you wash it,
you have to take care of the litter box too, then no one will "catch" that the cat is in the house.

I have an exotic cat who uses the same litter box.
Do not overfill, I take the coarsest filler, it does not "trace".
I change about every day (coarseness from the litter box immediately removed).
Before putting in the new portion of the filler, treat it with a special product from the pet store,
rinse and wipe with toilet paper for dryness, now you can fill in.
Don't use kitchen detergents, it will affect your cat's fur and skin.
my cat has learned the "schedule" by itself and reminds me loudly if it's time for a change.
even "golden" noses do not feel the smell of the presence.

It should be washed regularly (every time you change the filler), then it lasts longer. But plaque and scratches do create and from them begins to smell. So, change it as needed, i.e. when the plaque is no longer removable with a sponge.

Should I replace the litter box with a new one?

It would seem that you do not have to invent a problem out of the blue. As a rule, the cat trays are sturdy plastic products (for the most part) that know almost no wear and tear, can serve for many years. So there is a reasonable question: why change when everyone, including the furry pet, is happy with everything? Let's look into it and consider all the arguments.

A terrible dream for any owner of a "domestic" cat is the moment when the pet will start to do its business outside the litter box. There are several reasons for this – both purely medical and behavioral. But the concerned owner, as a rule, misses one small point: once a whiskered friend simply finds that from the litter box, despite regular cleaning, comes not too attractive aromas. We all know what a sensitive sense of smell cats have, and how finicky animals they are. If you notice a persistent bad odor, that's probable cause for your cat to give up the litter box. You don't need to go to the veterinarian, zoopsychologist, or plow through a bunch of thematic forums. Replace the litter box with a similar new one, and the problem goes away.

How often should a cat litter box be replaced? Dr. Debra Primovic (Dr. Debra Primovic) from petplace.com: "I strongly advise you to renew the trays as well as the scoops for cleaning the litter changes at least once a year. Even though the obvious fact is that they can last up to five times longer."

But why? Should we support the business of tray manufacturers? Not at all. "Cats behave in trays in a completely natural way. Once they've done their business, they start working with their claws, hiding their waste, 'putting things in order.' Take a closer look: your litter box is probably already riddled with deep scratches from claws. Yes, you wash the tray with hot soap and water during cleaning, but the bacteria that live deep within the scratches are still active and multiplying. In addition, these cracks clog the urine of the animal, and over time the tray begins to emit a sharp and unpleasant smell for the cat. And that's why in many cases the litter box is rejected by our pets," explains Dr. Primovich.

How often should you change your cat's litter box?

The main advantage of every good cat is the ability to use the litter box. If the cat doesn't do that and allows puddles to appear where they are.

If the cat has begun to go to the litter box wherever it goes, it may be the cause of hidden health problems, hormonal surges or psychological problems.

Litter box hygiene is an important step in raising a kitten. And the earlier it starts after the arrival of the pet in the house -.

A cat in the house, it is not only the presence of purring and fluffy fur, but also the emergence of nuances related to care for the little one.

When a little whiskered friend enters the apartment, the first thing his owner worries about is the location of the toilet. A kitten is naturally in need.

Cat owners can't imagine life without their beloved pets at home. They require meticulous care. When getting a dog or cat, you should understand that.

How often should a kitten change the litter box litter?

Change the filler in the litter box for the kitten should be as dirty, if the litter box without a grid. That is, at least once a day. If the kitten smells urine and her own feces, she may refuse to go to a dirty litter tray. Cats have a very strong sense of smell, and the litter can absorb the smell and you won't smell it. But the kitten may smell it. So it is better to remove the used litter more often and add new litter. After all, the kitten has no established reflexes.

If the litter box has a net and the kitten goes to the net, and the filler is used as a deodorizer, you can change it every 2 days. Hard stools should be removed immediately. Here is an example of a tray with a grid + filler.

In general, here everything is individual. My cat is dirty, he does not respond to the smell of his urine. But my mom's cat no way he will not go into the toilet, where it will smell of her urine. She will walk, meow, squawk, and wait for her mistress until she removes the cause of the unpleasant odor.

So watch the kitten and remember: patience and regularity are half the success in training. Be in harmony with your cat and you will have fluffy happiness.

How often should I change the litter box?

I have had a cat for 3 years now and in those three years he has only had one litter box. Initially we filled this litter box with filler, and after about two years we stopped, the litter box was empty. And then recently it started smelling disgusting. Went out today and bought the cat a new litter box. So far will be standing without litter, but I wonder how many times in how many years to buy a new tray, given that it will be added to the filler (about 1 month per year)
And another question: 160 rubles per 1kg silica gel filler is expensive?

Silica gel filler is relatively expensive. In addition, it is problematic to separate the soiled place from the still clean, so urine-soaked filler lies in the tray for a long time.
I told in detail how to arrange the litter box at us: https://otvet.mail.ru/answer/483995796 – this option gave the highest rating for five cats (one died, one we gave away, three live with us now), and the youngest of the current three for a long time, even in the country house on purpose jumped into the window to go to his favorite toilet, not just in the loose soil.
Consumption of the filler is extremely economical: each time you throw away only the filler, which is soaked with urine and stick together or stick to the feces.
We wash and dry the tray whose bottom is covered with a matte coating of urine. It's best to wash the tray every time we clean it, but it's not necessary. In the 12 years I've lived with my wife and her cats, we haven't thrown away a single litter box.
It is unnatural for a cat to crap in a litter box without litter, and the discomfort may encourage the cat to look elsewhere. Weaning will be much harder. Why would you create problems for yourself?

How often should I change the kitty litter box?

You don't need to change the litter box immediately after kitty business. He has to get used to the smells in it. You need to clean up the "piles" that have formed from both sausages and urine. That is why it is better to use lumpy filler. pebbles are small.

If he goes not to the filler, and the grid tray ( and filler under the grid), then exactly the same. The filler do not change, and the "bombarded" in the filler – remove. The feces we remove at once. The smell of urine will be enough for him.

If he just walks on the grid without any filler, you can put newspaper under the sausages and not take it away immediately. The kitten should come two more times and rake up the sausages. Then you can take them away. You can pour the urine out once a day.
You can put a paper on the grid (about half of the grid) and pour filler on it – let him rake if he wants. The amount of filler each month to reduce. Then give it up altogether.

It is better, of course, if the little kitten, until the hormones mature ( nine months) will go to the filler. Then it is better to give up the filler. When their hormones are ripe, the filler is no longer able to save them from odors. Then it is better to gradually switch to the filler under the grid, and then abandon the filler altogether.

My cats are very picky. We are weaned off all kinds of fillers. Took the litter box, washed it, and we're good to go.

After every run, as Lensi writes. Even if the litter box is filled. Otherwise you will be waiting for a nasty surprise is obviously not in the litter box.

Depends on what kind of filler you use. We use "Fresh step", it lasts for two weeks, but you have to act according to the instructions. Poop, of course, remove daily.

How to fill the litter box properly?

If you have a regular litter box, it is important to correctly calculate the amount of filler to put so that the cat was comfortable using the toilet. Note: cats are very sensitive to smells – if the smell from the litter box is unpleasant, they will not use it.

To avoid this, it is necessary to wash the device regularly, removing the residues of excrements and dried lumps of filler to avoid a pungent smell from them. It is better to additionally use special products for cleaning cat toilets. They are excellent at removing dirt and unpleasant odors, and they are odorless, so that their use will not lead to rejection of your pet from using the litter box.

The filler should be put in an even, not very thick layer, about 1-2 cm. This will effectively combat unpleasant odors in the toilet and protect the surrounding area from scattered filler. Your cat will feel comfortable, his paws will not fall through and get bogged down in the fill.

Many owners, having bought the appropriate unit, may wonder how to properly fill the cat tray with a lattice. Here there are no special secrets and everything is quite simple. The filler is poured into the tray tray – it is important only to make sure that it completely covered the bottom of the tray, and the layer was not very large, otherwise the lattice will not be installed correctly, and its unstable position will scare away the cat.

Can I pour cat litter down the toilet?

Cat litter, because of its chemical properties is highly recommended not to flush the toilet. The fact is that they have balling properties. Falling into the water, they form a big dense lump. This lump is almost impossible to remove with a plunger, and you will need the help of a plumber.

To avoid such problems, we advise you to dispose of the contents of your device in a separate garbage bag, which will immediately be taken to the trash or sent to the garbage chute.

The choice of a cat litter box is very important for your pet to live well in your home. However, it also needs proper care so that it is used for its intended purpose and does not become a decorative object.

To do so, wash it regularly, change its contents, and monitor how full it is. If your pet refuses to use the litter tray, take a closer look at the device, try either changing it or the filler, or reduce the amount of filler in the tray. Often these measures are enough to get pets back to wanting to use the cat litter box.