Perhaps one of the less enjoyed aspects of owning a cat is having to clean the litter box. However, this is not a chore you want to ignore. Failing to clean your cat’s litter box regularly and properly can result in bad smells and even encourage your cat to pee outside the litter box. With the proper routine, though, cleaning your cat’s litter box doesn’t have to an insufferable task.
Daily
While it’s not a huge deal if you miss a day or two cleaning your cat’s litter box, trying to keep the box clean on a regular basis will pay off in the end. Just like with anything else, making it a habit to clean your cat’s litter box daily will become easier with time. Here are some tips for how to clean your cat’s litter box daily:
- Scoop out droppings and clumps at least once a day. You can find scoopers made specifically for this that have little slats in the middle that allow for the litter to fall through.
- Put the waste into a sealed bag and dispose of it outdoors.
- Wash the litter scoop and store it in a plastic bag.
- Clean the edge of the litter box and the box cover with soap and water.
Weekly
Set aside some time each week to do a more thorough cleaning of your cat’s litter box. This is important to keep bacteria and other toxins from growing in place you don’t normally clean on a daily basis. Weekly tasks include:
- Empty the litter box entirely and wash it with soap and water. Don’t clean it with chemicals such as ammonia or bleach. Cats are very sensitive to smells. A chemical odor may cause your pet to avoid the box. Certain chemicals can also be unhealthy for cats.
- Fill the box with fresh litter.
Why it’s Important to Clean Your Cat’s Litter Box Regularly
Cleaning your cat’s litter box regularly is important for several reasons. For one, a dirty litter box can start smelling within just a few days, and that odor is not one you want to smell around the house. Another reason is that your cat might start to prefer to pee elsewhere other than her dirty litter box.
Finally, toxin buildup from not cleaning your cat’s litter box can be unhealthy to be around, for you and your cat. Bacteria and other microbes love feasting on feces, so don’t give them the opportunity to move in permanently.
Cat Litter
Quick (but important) side note: the type of cat litter you choose is closely related to how clean you keep your cat’s litter box. Unscented, clumping litter is usually the best option as it helps keep your cat from tracking litter (and all the goodies inside) around the house. This not only helps keep your cat’s litter box clean, but also your house. Clumping litter is also easier to scoop up and is therefore easier to clean on a daily basis.
Litter Scoopers
To help keep this task manageable, you will want to get a litter scoop, which has little slats that allow litter to fall out, separating the larger clumps which can be tossed. Aluminum litter scoops that are deep and wide are best because they are durable, won’t rust, and making scooping easier.
Wash Your Hands After Cleaning
Make sure you wash your hands every time after cleaning your cat’s litter box.
Cat feces may carry a parasite called toxoplasma gondii. While healthy adults generally don’t experience illness from toxoplasmosis, an infection can be very harmful to immunocompromised adults and developing fetuses.
Because T. gondii is so dangerous to human fetuses, pregnant women should avoid cleaning the litter box at all. If you are pregnant and absolutely must clean the litter box, be sure to wear disposable gloves, and don’t touch anything until you’ve discarded the gloves and thoroughly washed both your hands and forearms.
