How Often Are You Supposed To Clean the Litter Box?
Cats are fuzzy, adorable pets that make our lives more fulfilling—but scooping their poo? That’s arguably the worst part of having a feline friend. Despite the undeniable joy they bring, dealing with the daily task of cleaning their litter box can be a less-than-pleasant experience for many cat owners. However, advancements in pet care technology have led to the development of innovative solutions that aim to alleviate this dreaded chore and make the litter box maintenance more convenient and hygienic.
Helpful Advice
So how often are you supposed to scoop the waste from the litter box, and how often should you deep clean it? Cat owners on a popular online cat forum shared their input on how often they clean their cats’ litter boxes.
Scoop the Waste Once Per Day
Most commenters share that they scoop the waste from their kitties’ litter boxes once daily to keep their cats feeling fresh and prevent issues with the smell. “My cat seems happy with it,” remarks one user.
Scoop the Waste Every Other Day
Other cat owners disagree, saying that once a day is too much of a time commitment. Many users scoop their cat’s poo and pee every other day. A cat parent explains, “Neither cat has ever complained or had an issue with it.”
Clean up Waste Whenever You See It
On the flip side, some cat owners clean up cat waste multiple times daily whenever they notice their cat using the bathroom.
“I do it whenever I notice there is something new. But we are a multi-cat household, so cleaning as often as possible is very much needed,” one cat lover confesses. Another adds, “Would you like to poo and pee in an unflushed toilet?”
Scoop It Twice Per Day
While some cat owners are home all day and have the opportunity to scoop poop whenever they walk by the litter box, others are on a busy schedule and must time out when they can scoop poop.
One user likes to scoop every morning before work and every evening when they get home. “My cats won’t poo in a box that already contains a turd and they did it in the shower once.”
Deep Clean the Litter Box Every Couple of Months
When it comes to deep cleaning the litter box, some cat owners choose to do so every month or every two months to prevent it from stinking and becoming unsanitary.
Deep Clean the Litter Box Every Week
On the other hand, many cat owners argue that you should wash your litter box and replace the litter more often, even once every week. But many users say this is a waste of cat litter and can become expensive if you deep clean the litter box too often.
Whatever Works For You and Your Cats
Everyone and their cats have a different situation. Some cat owners have one cat who doesn’t produce much waste, while others have four cats whose litter boxes need constant monitoring.
It also depends on how much you can handle the smell and if your cats will use the litter box while there is waste in it, or if they’ll start peeing in your sink, or worse. How often do you clean your litter box?
Litter Robot – The Automatic Litter Box Alternative to Scooping
“My initial thought when I first saw the Litter- Robot was…that thing is MASSIVE. Little did I know, it is one of the smartest and handiest cat inventions my sister has had me test so far. I work away from my home a good portion of the day and the Litter-Robot has been a lifesaver. I can depend on having a clean litterbox for my cats all day long.”
The Overhyped Litter Robot and Its Dubious Claims of Smartness and Utility for Cats
Alarming Moments: Cats Caught in Embarrassing and Compromising Situations
Sometimes you’ll catch your kitty in a compromising pose – as these cats prove.
Feline Fiascos: Cats Caught in Embarrassing and Compromising Situations
Unfairly Labeled: Cat Lovers Speak Out Against the Harmful Stereotypes and Unjust Treatment of Orange Cats
Orange cats are more likely to be males than females, but are they the airheaded species of the feline world? Many hilarious videos of cat antics can be credited to fuzzy, ginger kitties, but can the urban legends be true? Can their sweet, affectionate, and simple nature be attributed to genes?
Cat Lovers Speak Out Against the Harmful Stereotypes and Unjust Treatment of Orange Cats
The Hidden Triggers: Identifying Common but Unnoticed Allergens Affecting Your Cat’s Health
If your cat is constantly licking, biting, and itching a lot, it could be a sign they’re suffering from allergies. But you might not realize what they’re allergic to – and it could be something you’d never even considered.
Uncovering Hidden Allergies for Cats
Ragdoll Cats and Their Love for Unconventional Napping Spots: The Sink Edition
Cats in sinks are a common sight for many cat owners and enthusiasts. Enjoy the pictures.
Ragdoll Cats and Their Unusual Resting Positions
Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,
Our ragdoll’s box gets cleaned after every use. We use a flushable, clumping wheat based litter. After “#1” sits for several minutes to give it time to clump, we scoop it and flush it. “#2” doesn’t need to clump, so it gets scooped and flushed immediately. The cat is so used to this that he now vocally demands that his box get cleaned between uses. He will go “#1” and come out of the box and demand it be cleaned before going back in to go “#2” or vice versa. If we aren’t immediately available to clean the box, he will reluctantly return to the box for the next deposit, but he loves to announce that he has used the box.
I would estimate the box is getting emptied 3-4 times daily. We scrub the sides/walls of the pan with a litter box wipe daily to keep it as clean as possible between monthly deep cleaning. We also keep the floor around the box clean with a CO2 based cleaner to keep bacteria to a minimum as well.
What is the CO2-based cleaner that you use? And the litter wipes? Are you sure they don’t have anything bad in them?
Great post, Jenny honey! Pawesome topic! 🙂 <3
I scoop Miss PSB's litter boxes multiple times daily. If I'm home and see they have been used then I scoop. Plus, I pass by our den (Litter Box Central, LBC) many times as I head down the hallway to our pantry, our bathroom and our bedroom. AND, our apt is so tiny that I can hear her in LBC if I'm in the living room or kitchen. She makes a noisy production with lots of scratching and thumping (she's a vigorous digger) when doing her business. AND to finish the process she comes prancing into the living room and looks at my hubby (never me, though and she KNOWS I do ALL litter box scooping, refilling, cleaning, etc!) and meows to let him know she's gone potty (the meow alerts are for peeing only, though). If she's left a BM she goes into crazy cat zoomies mode. #QuirkyToTheNthDegree 🙂 <3
I deep clean the boxes and replace all litter every 3 months. I replace her litter boxes annually. 🙂 <3
Big hugs, lots of love & purrs!
Patti & Miss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3
Do you really replace her litterboxes annually? wow, I am not that good – I should be that good!
Great post, Jenny honey. Pawesome topic! I scoop Miss PSB’s litter boxes multiple times per day!