Cat People/How do you clean the litterbox?

[grinningghost]

Today is litterbox cleaning day. Happy, happy, joy, joy!!!

I usually just dump the litter in the garbage and wash out the entire box with hot water and Lysol. And I always use FreshStep clumping litter because I think it works best.

Do you have a good trick for easy cleaning?

 

[elgerber]

I use litter box liners. Just pull the drawstrings and dump the whole thing. No mess in the box itself.

Erika

 

[Beauty]

I have 3 boxes and we use the Tidy Cat Multiple Cat Litter. All three boxes are changed every other day, washed and cleaned with clorox and pinesol......thus the things you do for you babies...LOL!

 

[Pebblszzz]

IMHO, I have the whole litterbox thing down to a science:

1. No liners, too pricey (I'm "frugal")
2. I buy the grocery store brand of clumping litter, and yes, believe it or not, it's actually BETTER than the name brand stuff!
3. Litterbox cleaning day is whatever trash day is. Twice a week.
4. I keep the litterbox in the guest bathroom (in the tub - makes the mess more compartmentalized - but don't tell my guests!)
5. I line the guest bathroom (small) trashcan with a plastic grocery bag (another sign of my frugal behavior), and I keep the scooper IN it.
6. On trash day, I scoop the stuff into the lined trashcan, tie a knot in it, and dump it in the can going to the curb.
7. When necessary (ultra-yukky), I dump the whole thing into said trash can, and while I'm outside, I grab the garden hose and a scrub brush to clean it. Dry in the sun (make sure kitty is napping and won't be needing it).


Cheap, easy, and DONE.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: LYSOL IS HAZARDOUS TO CATS!! DO NOT CLEAN THEIR LITTERBOX WITH IT!!!

P.S. My frugal ways allow me to afford other, more important things! But that's another thread...I think I'll start one now.

 

[FreshTressa]

Wow, you are ambitious. I don't clean my own toilet that often! Clorox AND Pinesol. And I thought I was a germaphobe

We use the liners. And it gets changed about once a week and scooped daily.

 

[Robinrs]

I have a mega Litter Maid (priceless with 4 cats) and a regular covered litter box. The Litter Maid sweeps itself and I empty the receptacle about twice a day. The covered box gets scooped once a day and cleaned weekly. I have to keep them "poopless" or my cats will NOT go in them!

 

[Ronda93]

three cats, three boxes. the boxes are in the unfinished basement. Clumping litter (Tidy Cat multi cat) scooped daily. total change weekly. Rinse with water at most. Too much cleaning with powerful products and it doesn't smell "right" for them.

Back to petting and belly rubs.

 

[winniedapooh]

Ummm let's see.....how do I clean my litter box.....I just call Tommmmyyyy (DH)!

 

[Robmom]

Well when my cat was still alive, I hated to clean the litterbox. I had the one with the sifter attached. I would sift the box every day and then once a week, dump the whole thing out.

 

[GeorgeG]

I try to outwait my wife (hey, they're HER cats).

When that doesn't work I sccop it about twice a day and change it completely about once a week.

I did try to get them potty trained, but they think it's a swimming pool so we need to keep the lid down.

 

[Mickey527]

Sure glad I found this post. I have a question for all you cat people
I live in a house owned by 4 cats and 2 dogs.
I try and clean the littler boxs (I have 2) twice a week but sometimes have to do it more often.
One of the cats insists on pooping at the edge of the box and sometimes on the side of the box and over onto the floor. I think I know who does it but I have never caught him in action.
The poop really stinks because it isn't buried and it looks so terrible on the edges and sides of the box.
Is there anyone else who's cat has this habit. The Dr thought he might have a urinary tract infection and the litter might represent the pain he had when he urinated, but all tests came clear. Peggie

 

[Robmom]

One of the cats insists on pooping at the edge of the box and sometimes on the side of the box and over onto the floor.



My cat did that occasionally, but not all the time. I know - it's really disgusting!

 

[Pebblszzz]

Regarding those "near-misses" (where they either get it right ON the edge of the box, or on the floor next to it):

I noticed my kitty doing that before - it turned out the box was too small for her. She "thought" she was all the way in, but not having eyes back there, OOPS!

Then with the bigger box, she did it again when DH put it too close to the wall (corner). She didn't want to press her nose against the wall to get her fanny in all the way, I guess. I pulled it away from the corner, and she hasn't missed since.

Well, except for when I forget to clean it. Then she makes a statment by placing a neat little pile about a foot away from it. She has her own little kitty ways of communicating!!!

 

[Robinrs]

I have one cat that will NEVER get into a dirty box. I know when it's not clean because she will choose to deposit her stuff elsewhere, sometimes right next to the box.

Try the bigger box and if that's not the problem maybe cleaning it more often might help. Cats are notoriously facetious and have their way of letting us know.

 

[Carl]

I do it different than any of you have mentioned so far. I only put newspapers in the box. The cat goes on the newspapers and I take the newspapers out and dispose of them and then replace with clean newspapers. This means that I usually have to change the box several times a day, but it also keeps it cleaner and keeps down the smell.

 

[Talking Hands]

Originally posted by winniedapooh
Ummm let's see.....how do I clean my litter box.....I just call Tommmmyyyy (DH)!

Same here. JIMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM (DH)

 

[catsrule]

Scoopable litter. Scoop it out once a day and put it in a gargage bag right next to the litter box.

 

[Otto's Doll]

For all of you who say your cat "misses":

I have one who will not go in the box if it is too messy, so I need to clean them (I have 3 boxes, 2 downstairs and 1 upstairs) at least 3 X weekly, and also recently found out that a cat will not poop within 6 inches of where it urinated. Check to make sure that the box is big enough to allow the kitty to move about.

I have 5, and love those furry little critters!

 

[DisneyBug1995]

We have an electric litter box. 10 mins. after the cat goes to the bathroom a rake scoops up the liter and dumps it into a plastic container. We then have to dump the container once a day. We have 4 cats and you never smell the liter box when you walk in the house.

 

[grinningghost]

Pebs, thanks for the warning. No more Lysol in my kitty's box. I'll use something else.