Proper Litter Box Care
Whether you’ve just added a new cat to your household or had your feline companion for years, one of the most important steps in any household is properly maintaining your cat’s litter box. Urine and feces left in litter boxes for long periods of time not only stink up your home, but can cause very serious health issues for your cat.
What are the Basics?
Every household should have one litter box per cat plus one extra. That means if you have two cats you should, ideally, have a total of three litter boxes. Some cats will refuse to use a litter box that is already soiled, even if it’s their own ‘deposit’. Your pet might protest by going outside of the box or in those great new shoes you just got! Be sure to place each box in an out of the way place for privacy, but still easy for you to access regularly.
Now that you have the right number of boxes, and placed them for the comfort of yourself and your cat, it’s time to consider litter to fill them with! There are many different types of litter to suit your and your cats’ preferences. Clumping to flushable, recycled materials to crystals, the options are endless! Find out what matters most to you in terms of eco friendliness, low dust and odor, and ease of use. The most important critic will be your cat though, so once you find a style that works for everyone, be sure to stick with it!
Here’s the fun part!
Time to clean the “gifts” in each box. Feces and any clumps should be scooped out daily with fresh litter as needed to keep the box as fresh as possible. Depending on the type of litter you use, the entire box should be emptied out and refilled every couple days to once every two weeks - the litter packaging will have recommendations. When doing a full litter change, boxes should be washed with a mild detergent to get rid of any lingering odors and bacteria. When boxes are torn up and retain odors, it will be time to replace it with a new one.
As cat owners, we know that taking care of the litter box is vital, but it can be one of the most dreaded chores in the house. Additionally, if you are pregnant Doctors recommend that you do NOT change your cat’s litter to reduce your risk of exposure to Toxoplasmosis, a common parasite in felines that can cause birth defects.
If this is a chore you just don’t want to or have no time to do, you’re in luck! District Pet Care is introducing, “We Scoop the Poop!” a new Litter Box Maintenance program. Let us do the dirty work instead! We have two programs to choose from: Three days per week or six days per week. We will scoop, sweep, and scrub your box to keep the whole household happy!