How often do you change cat litter? All of you fans of the felines out there know the struggle of raising a cat. There are tons of problems that we need to solve with our cute friends.
For those who have just got a kitten and are wondering how often you should change cat litter and how to do that, April R. Natal, founder of Catpicky.com is going to give you the full guide you need.
How often to change cat litter
Normally, cats take a leak two to four times a day. These elements can affect their urination habits:
- Fluid intake
- Age
- Home temperature
So we can assume that a cat can use the litter box somewhere from three to five times a day. The first question in mind is: “How often should you scoop and change cat litter?”
When it comes to changing cat litter, it is crucial to know how to scoop and wash.
For scooping a cat litter, twice a day is recommended. If you are too busy, you can scoop it once a day. But remember not to leave it more than one day.
One of the reasons for this is that cat urine might cause an unpleasant smell and give rise to the growth of bacteria when your cat steps in and out. Imagine not flushing the toilet after you have done the job, and that is what not scooping feels like for cats.
For changing a cat litter, the ideal number is once a week. Of course, it also depends on what type of litter you are using. Some types of litter don’t need to be washed as often as the others.
Cleaning your cat’s litter box is very crucial. Because cats are very clean creatures and if the litter boxes are too dirty or smelly, they will not use it. That also means that they will use other places in your house and it is not good when they do.
People also have questions about automatic litter boxes. But we do not recommend that kind of litter box. Because after using them for a while, most of them usually malfunction and start cleaning while your cat is still in the box.
This will scare off your cat, and you won’t want to risk it. Stick to the regular litter box and be consistent – scoop once a day and change litter once a week.
How to change cat litter
So let’s get into it! How exactly do you change a cat litter?
Step 1: Pick up poops
First of all, you need to make sure that there are no “leavings” of your cat by scooping the litter daily. Don’t be lazy and merely scoop the surface. It would help if you dug beneath the litter to pick up every piece that you find.
What you need for scooping are just a sealed bag and a scoop. Scoop out your cat’s “leaves” and put them in the sealed bag.
Step 2: Clear out the old litter
The next step is to empty the litter box of all the old litter as you will be cleaning and washing the whole tray. Get a plastic bag, put the tray in the bag, and slowly pour the litter out.
After that, with a hot mixture of baking soda (or soap) and water, give your litter box a good wipe. Make sure you do the outside to give the box a thorough clean.
Note: keep in mind not to use bleach because cats are very sensitive to its smell.
Step 3: Let it dry completely
Once it is nice and clean, you let it dry. You can either air dry it (leave it underneath the radiator) or dry it with an old towel that you no longer use.
Step 4: Fill it with fresh cat litter
After the box is completely dry, it is time to fill it back with a new cat litter. Now there are a lot of different types of cat litter that you can get. The most common cat litters are:
- Clumping clay litter
- Non-clumping clay litter
- Sand
- Pine litter
- Paper little
Next, fill it up with the kind of litter that your cat is used to. It would be best if you remembered not to pour too much into the box because when your cat finishes, he can make a mess.
And there you go! The litter box is now clean and fresh, and your cat is going to love you for this wonderful favor.
And there you go! The litter box is now clean and fresh and your cat is going to love you for this wonderful favor.
Preventing litter box problems
Particularly, plastic litter boxes need to be replaced once every six months to a year because plastic can trap odors, debris, little cracks, and crevices that can start hygiene problems after a while.
The vast majority of cats prefer clean litter boxes. But that doesn’t mean you have to be this immaculate kind of OCD litter box cleaner where it’s three times a day. Nope, please do your best but do it daily.
Moreover, the litter box is not just a place for your cat to pee and poop; it is also the key place where your cat marks its territory. So it would be best if you avoided spraying perfume or hiding that smell.
Cats have more than 200 million scent receptors and humans only have 5. So next time you’re spraying perfume on your cat’s litter, imagine that your cat is going to smell a scent 4 times worse than you do. This is going to force your cat to do it somewhere else.
Conclusion
Did you find our guide on how often to change cat litter helpful? Maintaining a litter box is as important as cleaning it because cats are a super clean animal. Keep in mind these things above, and you’ll never have to worry about your cat going all over the place in your house again.
And, don’t forget to stay tuned for our next guides!