As most people know, cats are very clean pets; apart from self-grooming (as the cat generally does not like much water and cleans through hours and hours licking), they like to have at his disposal a possibly secluded place where to “take care of business.” Let’s find out how to clean the cat litter, where to place it and how to choose the best cat litter for our needs …
Cat Toilet Habits and Litter Boxes
We begin by saying that from the first two weeks of life, the cat has already control of his sphincter and from the third week onwards, he can already learn to use the so-called cat litter , which is nothing more than a box where we place the cat sand, and where our kitten can have some privacy. In fact, the cat has the instinct of looking for dirt or sand to hide the debris so as not to alert and not scare any prey away, so it will not take a long time to teach him where his personal bathroom is – they will do almost everything on their own, you just need to pay attention to a few small things.
The cat box should be suitable for the size of the cat. A small cat would struggle if the edges are too high; If the kitten is large, arrange for it to fit its size. Also consider that the kitten must have the space to dig, rotate, and position himself. There are open cat boxes and closed hygienic cat boxes (which resemble cat carriers).
Most cats prefer, apart from some exceptions, open litter boxes. The closed litter boxes were created for us humans, not for our physiological needs, of course, but to have a “piece of furniture ” in the home that isn’t unpleasant to the eye, rather than the classic litter box where everything is visible… If you have more than one cat in your home, it’s important to have as many litter boxes as cats, and potentially add one more, because some cats like to pee in a litter and poo in another.
Where to put the cat litter and why do cats “go” outside of the litter box
If you are wondering where to put the cat litter, the best advice we can give you is to place it in a quiet place, away from noise or foot traffic. So avoid placing it near your home appliances, in places where there are people coming in and out or near the speakers of a stereo … in short, take a minute to step into your cats shoes: would you like to be constantly disturbed while you are in the privacy of your bathroom? Well, your cat feels the same way.
Another important thing: keep the litter box away from where they eat and drink. Cat likes to have spaces dedicated to playing, rest, food, and physiological needs, but please, not everything has to be in a single camera. As far as we are concerned, we do not like to eat in the bathroom: do you? If you are wondering why the cat goes out of the litter box, it’s just because you missed one of these important steps; But it’s never too late, to teach the cat not to get dirty in certain places, put the bowls of food and water, you will slowly see that he will no longer have his needs if he recognizes that place as a “dining area”.
Best cat litter, which one to choose?
They are various types of cats litter on the market, from the cheaper ones to the ones that cost more than you could imagine. Choosing cat litter is very important, so it would be best to avoid buying the least expensive one that could leave your house with the odor of the cat’s stomach. Once the right one is chosen for you and your cat, avoid changing it, because cats do not like change very much (of any kind, change of food, bedding, home, etc.). Let’s look at how many and what kind of cat litters there are in the market:
- Clumping Cat Litter: When the cat does his business in the litter, a compact ball of litter is formed, easy to remove and toss without wasting the rest of the litter. They exist fine grain but cats usually prefer big grain.
- Crystals: they are made from grains that are similar to large grains of salt. These cat littershave the characteristic of absorbing smells, and the more expensive ones contain substances that neutralize the bacteria, ensuring better cat hygiene.
- Eco-friendly cat litter: they are sandals for eco-friendly cats, scented with lavender or pine: if you want to use the fragrant ones, make sure before the cat doesn’t mind the smell. While we may love the scented versions, cats may not, and its important not be selfish.
- Self-cleaning cat boxes: These are very technological, they have a machine that removes the dirt for you, you can find them in our pet shop along with many other types of cat litter .
If you have welcomed a stray cat in your home, they will most likely have some trouble using the litter, so to make your life easier, we recommend mixing regular dirt with the cat litter.
How to Clean Cat Litter
With the clumping litter, the cat litter should be cleaned with a scooper. When the litter starts yellow, it needs to be completely changed. For all other types of litter, the cat litter should be cleaned every day, even twice a day, removing the clumped sand, wet portions, and stools. It should be completely changed when it is very wet or gets too low. Do not be tempted to save a few pounds by adding clean litter to dirty litter, you consume much more litter without solving the problem of bad odor ! At each complete change, wash the cat box using a solution of water and vinegar.
