6 Tips For Better Litter Box Cleaning Sessions at Home

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If you’re anything like me, a house only becomes a home when a cat resides there. While the benefits of owning a cat, the companionship, the empathy-building nature of a pet and owner relationship, as well as the various studied conducted over the past few decades, which state that pet ownership in general, and cat ownership in particular, can improve your quality of life. These are only some of the reasons I have loved being an adoptive cat owner. 

If this wasn’t enough reason to consider owning a cat, for me there is still one even greater reason. I love that cats. Particularly my cats, Boo Raddley and Shadow. They are the most loving, thoughtful friends a gal could have. I also love that generally speaking, my cats required little training to use their litter box, as they have an innate desire to dig and bury their waste, making cats clean, conscientious, fastidious pets. So, if you love a clean, tidy home, team pride may be for you. 

For you see, unlike other pet training scenarios, the challenge for cat owners is not to train a cat to use a waste removal system, but to see that the behavior continues. You see, once a cat develops undesirable litter box habits, the problem can be very difficult to resolve.  So, here are a few suggestions to help you have successful litter box cleaning sessions at home.

Making sure your cat knows where their box is located is vital to a successful litter box routine.  Ideally, a litter box should be placed in a semi-private covered areas, removed from high-traffic zones, but not so isolated that it isn’t cleaned regularly. Also be sure to avoid placing the box next to food and water feeding stations. 

All wastes, both solid and wet clumps, should be scooped out of your litter box daily.  The entire box should be emptied, washed with warm water, and mild soap and enzyme cleaners weekly. Be sure to avoid strong-smelling cleaners when cleaning your litter boxes, as this may discourage your cat from using their litter box.  Once cleaned, litter boxes should be refilled completely at least once a week. A two-inch layer of litter in the box works well for our cats. A tip? Keeping your litter close to your litter box, along with a small handled brush and dustpan set, along with a litter box scoop by each litter box makes for easy, simple litter box cleaning! 

Many cats will refuse to use a litter box already in use from another cat. As a general rule, each home should have one box per cat, plus one. For example, a household of three cats should contain four litter boxes. In our home, we have three litter boxes, one in our kitchen, one in our storage room, and one in our hall bathroom to accommodate our cat’s litter box routines. 

Your cat’s health can also cause litterbox issues. Everything from Colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, hyperthyroidism, kidney or liver disease, urinary tract infections and diabetes can all contribute to inappropriate, outside-the-box elimination for cats. If your cat refuses to use their litter box it’s always advisable to check with your veterinarian to determine if a physical ailment is causing the litter issue. 

Just like with people, stressful situations can cause distress for your pets. In cats, stress often manifests itself in litter box rejection issues. Instances including moving to a new home, the adoption and inclusion of a new pet, changes in routine,  rearranged placements of new furniture, and even moving your litter boxes to a new location, even a few feet away, can cause litter box rejection and inappropriate urination. To avoid stress spraying, maintain a constant location for your litter box and cleaning schedule as well. Also keeping a minimal, low-distraction litter box station will keep your cats stress to a minimum while using their boxes each day.

Cats can be picky. Some cats will use nearly any litter. Others will refuse to use pelletized litters. Trial and error is the key to lasting litter training success.

From personal experience, I suggest trying several varieties of cat litter to find the best fit for your pet. We literally inundate our cats with their litter. One of our favorite tips for litter continuity is to leave your litter packaging about your home, to allow your pets to become acquainted with the scent of the litter. 

Once you have found a litter that seems to be accepted by your cat, don’t switch to another kind. Even if it may seem more convenient for you. Litter brand continuity is uber important to cats. For us, we chose Tidy Cats® Lightweight with Glade. I like to think that Boo Radley likes this brand as well. Whenever I bring his litter home he always likes to check out the new jug for himself as well. He’s a brand loyal cat! 

We find that Tidy Cats® Lightweight with Glade is a low-maintenance, high-quality, affordable cat litter solution. We also love that it can be conveniently found at my local Kroger grocery store.

Tidy Cats® Lightweight with Glade at Kroger, with it’s guaranteed TidyLock™ Protection which helps to lock away odors that can lead to Stank Face. You know, the super stinky litter box odors that can make even the most dignified person’s face look like a petrified tree! Luckily, Tidy Cats’ wide range of products, so every cat owner can find the best litter for their cat’s needs, which means that you’ll never have to make another Stank Face again.

So now, as a family, we can save time with Tidy Cats® Lightweight with Glade, as this litter helps control those stinky litter box odors while helping you save time and money by purchasing the litter at Kroger.  

We love that that this litter is pleasantly scented with Glade scents, as one of our boxes is located in our kitchen, as so many scented litters are rejected by cats, this makes the Tidy Cats® Lightweight with Glade a winner in my book! 

A bonus? This litter is uber light weight, which helps save my back from the enormous, heavy bags of cat litter we use to purchase in bulk from yesteryear. Being able to fit a power-packed jug of cat litter right into my reusable grocery bags at Kroger, is a victory in my book. Tidy Cats® Lightweight with Glade helps save my back, and wallet, at the same time!