Litter that is safe for kittens. Find a litter that is made of larger, more coarse ingredients such as pine. Many litters will also say “safe for kittens” on the packaging. Some litters however may not be appropriate for kittens, such as clumping-type litters or litters that produce a lot of dust. Clumping-type litters may be ingested by your kitten and can cause stomach discomfort. [2] X Research source Overly dusty litters are bad for your kittens lungs and might cause respiratory problems. The scoop-able or clumping-type of cat litter. This types makes cleaning easy and requires less thorough replacement than other types of litter. These are also good at reducing the odor and well-liked by most cats. [3] X Research source Non-clumping litter. This type is good at removing odors and is usually less expensive than the clumping type. However, urine might saturate the litter and cause frequent, full changes of the litter. [4] X Research source Crystal-based/silica gel litter. This type of litter is highly-absorbent, sucking up moisture, urine, and odor. Once the crystals fully absorb, you will need to change the full amount of litter. [5] X Research source Plant-based/bio-degradable litter. These may be pine pellets, wheat, and/or corn that neutralize the odors. This type is that it does not create as much dust or tracking as other litters. [6] X Research source Plant-based litter may be a safer option for cats with respiratory problems.
Scoop at least once a day, more if you have multiple cats. Make sure to remove all waste. Clean your scooper to prevent the spread of bacteria. For the sake of the hygiene of garbage collectors, put the waste in a dog poop bag and knot it before putting it in the trash. If you use flush-able litter, flush waste down the toilet. Always wash your hands after cleaning the litter-box. You may want to try wearing gloves.
Make sure the litter stays about two inches deep, as most cats prefer this. Some cats with long hair may prefer shallower litter.
Replace non-clumping-type litter twice a week at least. [9] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source For the clumping-type litter, if you scoop the litter box everyday, you can replace it every two to three weeks. [10] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source If you notice an unpleasant odor or a lot of clumps, replace it sooner.
Empty all the litter in the box. Gather your detergents and a disposable sponge or cloth. Avoid using detergents that contain ammonia, bleach, citrus oils or those with strong smell; these substances could turn cats away. [13] X Expert Source Carrie Seay, MS-CABAC, KPA-CTP, CBCC-KAFeline Behavior Consultant Expert Interview. 1 March 2022. Some cleaning products, including laundry detergents, toilet-bowl cleaners, and disinfecting wipes, can be toxic to cats. [14] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source Check the label for any warnings such as ““Keep pets and children away from area until dry”
Use a litter-box liner for easy disposal. In many cases, the liner ends up being shredded by cats, Some cats hate liners, and the use of them may possibly deter your cat from using the litter box.
The cover may prevent a lot of litter from escaping the box. [15] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source Some cats may even prefer covered litter box. You’re more likely to forget to clean because it’s out of your sight. It traps more odors inside. Therefore, frequent cleaning is necessary. If your cats are large, it may not have enough room.
Place the litter mat underneath the litter-box to catch any litter that may fall outside the box. Litter mats may be placed just outside of the litter box opening. Alternatives to the commercially-available mats are small cuts of carpets, rags or towels.
Keep small children away from the litter-box as they may disturb the cat or try to play with the litter-box. Avoid interrupting your cat when they are using the litter-box as this may discourage future use.
The litter-box needs cleaning. [19] X Expert Source Carrie Seay, MS-CABAC, KPA-CTP, CBCC-KAFeline Behavior Consultant Expert Interview. 1 March 2022. The litter-box is in a busy area. The cat doesn’t like the type of litter you have selected. The litter-box isn’t big enough for your cat. [20] X Expert Source Carrie Seay, MS-CABAC, KPA-CTP, CBCC-KAFeline Behavior Consultant Expert Interview. 1 March 2022. If you can’t find a reason, talk with you veterinarian.
If your cat used to be an outdoor cat and likes to use houseplants as bathroom, try mixing some potting soil in the litter. If your cat rejects all the commercially available litter, sand may work. If you have a kitten, consider using non-clumping litter such as a pelleted litter (e. g. newspaper pellets). Make sure to discard the entire litter when needed to maintain cleanliness. [22] X Research source
Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda at the bottom of the litter box. Keep up with the cleaning of the litter-box.
If your favorite type is discontinued, try to make the new one as close as you can to the original.
If you have more than one cat, provide boxes in several locations so that no one cat has to wait in line. The general rule is one box per one cat plus one more. Provide at least one litter box on each floor in the house. It’s best not to place all the boxes in one location. Make it as convenient as you can for your cat to make use of your litter-boxes.
Keep in mind the basic size and shape of the litter-box. Research features on litter-boxes such as covers, air purifiers, or built in cleaning mechanisms.
Don’t put the litter box close to its food or water. [26] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source Spread the boxes out. If you have multiple boxes, put them apart from each other so that the cat will always have at least one close by. Put it in a quiet space. Cats don’t like being disturbed while using the bathroom. Try to find a place that will make it easy for you to clean it. It may be tempting to put it out of direct sight, however, it then becomes easy to forget to clean it.
