4 things you need to know about keeping a cat litter box clean
Have you ever wondered how often to change cat litter? Or how to stop cat litter from smelling? Or what products you should use for cleaning? We’ve got all the answers on how to keep your cat’s litter box, err, box fresh!
How often should you change cat litter?
The short answer to this question is: it depends. A number of factors are at play including how many cats you have, what type of litter you use and how many litter trays there are in your house.
If you use a non-clumping litter, you’ll have to change it more frequently than if you use a clumping one – probably about once a week if the tray is just used by one cat (which it should be. Cats aren’t fond of sharing a litter tray).
If you use a clumping litter, you need to scoop away your cat’s ‘gifts’ at least once a day but won’t need to do a thorough clean as often.
Whatever litter you use though, the ultimate guide to how often you should change the litter is your cat. If they’re happily using their litter tray, then it means they deem the standards of cleanliness acceptable!
How to clean a litter tray and what products to use
Empty the litter tray completely and then give it a thorough wash using a mild, non-scented detergent. This is important because cats have a very strong sense of smell and a cleaning product that smells pleasant to our human noses can be very off-putting to a feline one. You also need to avoid using any products that contain ammonia, bleach or any type of caustic ingredient.
Make sure the litter tray is thoroughly dry before you add fresh litter.
How to dispose of cat litter
Most litters should just be disposed of in your regular household waste. However, if you use biodegradable cat litter, such as Catsan™ Natural Clumping litter, that can go in your communal bio waste where local regulations allow. You shouldn’t put litter into private compost bins though as these normally don’t get hot enough to kill all the possible bacteria and parasites in cat faeces.
While technically possible, it’s not a good idea to flush biodegradable litter down your toilet. This is because you’d use up too much fresh water and place additional strain on wastewater plants.
How to stop cat litter from smelling
You might come across all kinds of hacks for keeping your furry friend’s litter tray smelling sweet, but the simple truth is the best way to do that is to keep it scrupulously clean. Your cat expects nothing less!
