As the owner of a Professional Pet Sitting Business, an active Pet Sitter and currently living with eight indoor cats I have had the opportunity to experience a lot of cat litter and cat litter box cleaning. The best way for me to share my thoughts and expertise on this topic is to share a story about a CAT *N* THE * BOX. So begins the story of…BIG MAC.
Mac was a very large red cat who lived in a four story town home. The master bedroom was on the fourth floor and that is where Mac and his owners spent a lot of time. Mac’s owners were very busy pursuing active lives so the best way to share some together time was in the evenings when they all began playing the newest video games. After a few hours they would settle down for the night.
That is really where it all begins. Soon Big Mac needs to use the litter box on the bottom floor. He slowly but surely begins the long journey down all four flights of steps… one step at a time. When he finally reaches the very bottom he proceeds to the only cat litter box in the entire house which was located at the very back of a small dark and dingy closet…his owners, who often times had friends to drop in, did not want any guest to see his litter box or smell any of the odors. Since the box was turned to the wall Mac had to take his large frame and maneuver around to the small opening. Big Mac begins to do what cats naturally do which is to scratch and scratch till he has just the right spot. But Mac is having problems because dust begins to swirl around inside the covered box and he sneezes. He circles around and around dodging pot clumps and wet pee…finally he gets relief…Mac tries to bury his stool but instead rushes out of the box and begins the long slow climb up to the fourth floor…
As a pet sitter nothing upsets me more then to see a dirty misplaced litter box. Most feline owners do not realize that there cat needs a quiet location for their box and the right size box, that is filled with quality litter. As a feline owner for over sixty years I would like to share a few tips.
The kind and size of your box needs to conform to your cat’s size and health needs. If your cat is a plus size do not try to fit him into a kitten’s box. The box can come in many shapes. They can be square, rectangle, round designed for a corner fit, covered uncovered, automatic and even flushable. The litter box should be filled with at least 3 to 4 inches of litter. If the cat’s urine soaks to the bottom of the box and the litter is wet you do not have enough litter in the box. Your box needs to be lined or washed at least once a week. Felines are very clean animals and will start going out side of the box if the bad smells get into the plastic or containers. You should only use soap and water as many disinfectants are toxic to cats. The number of litter boxes per cat is important. The rule of thumb is that per feline, you should have two litter boxes, plus one, and that the box should be located in more then one place in the home. I recommend a quiet place…not in the laundry room as cats do not like noise when they use there litter pans. If your cat is standing on the side rim of his box while he is doing his business it is either to small or to dirty. A cat needs to be able to do a full circle in the container and if you have a cat that sprays you will need to look for a box that has tall sides or a covered top.
Your next big challenge is to locate the right litter for you and your cat. The litter you like may not be the one your cat likes so you may need to experiment with several different kinds of litters before you both settle on the right one. To start with, a cat is very picky about his feet. The paw is very sensitive…if you have ever tried to trim the toe nails of a cat you know how they react when the foot is touched. Felines prefer a fine litter…not two large or rough. All cats have a very keen sense of smell and do not like highly perfumed substances or very dusty materials. I recommend that you go online and do a little research on the many litters on the market. Odor control should be one of the things you look for, stay away from highly perfumed litters. The more natural smells are best. As you do your research you will discover there is much to choose from, clay, wheat, soy, wood, bark, pine, corn, paper…just to mention a few. You are looking for litters that absorb moisture, controls odors and in some cases even highlight health problems. If you are an environmentalist you may want to look at the renewable or recycled litters but one word of caution on all litters…make sure the feline does not have an allergy to the litter you chose and do not put the litter box right next to the cat food.
I personally use Tidy Cat…I feel the odor control is satisfactory and I find it to have less dust then many other brands. The texture is fine to medium and does not track much out of the box. They have many types to choose from so you can customize the litter to your cats needs. I like it because it clumps well… but you do need to keep it at 3 to 4 inches deep. Because it is clay you will also want to put down plastic under the litter pan to protect your carpets. It is a little pricey but you can find sales. Walmart generally has it at a reasonable price. If you are interested in this litter you can go to www.tidycat.com
As a cat owner you will need to scoop all litter boxes at least two times per day. This is very important for you and your cat’s health. When scooping you need to go all the way to the bottom of your container as urine can rest on the bottom of the box and create odor and disease. Do not lift the litter scoop and shake it. Just hold the scoop up and the litter will slide through most scoops. If you do not keep a clean litter box your cat may choose the hardwood floor or the new carpet…if you have more then two cats I recommend that you scoop as often as you can…for my eight cats I personally scoop about eight times a day.
I recommend that you first check out the litters on line then go to your local pet stores. Pet Smart; www.petsmart.com , PetCo; www.petco.com , Pet Suppermarket; www.petsupermarket.com , and of course Walmart and Kmart. Most grocery stores also carry pet supplies…but above all when you are selecting your litter remember Big Mac on the forth floor. You may even want to put yourself in his paws and I can guarantee you will find just the perfect litter for you and your feline.
Mardella Berg/ owner A-1 Pet Care From Sleep- Eas-ZZ, In Home Pet Sitting Service. www.sleepeaszz.com
May 28th, 2010 - 5:00 pm
Great post, Mardella!
March 28th, 2011 - 8:51 am
Thanks Danny 😉