Cat Ownership and the Dreaded Litter Box

One of the downfalls of cat ownership is the need to change and clean litter boxes. Even the most passionate cat lover has to admit that this is not one of the reasons they love their cats. There is more to this hated chore than meets the eye though. One of the first choices a cat owner has to make is whether or not they will have a litter box. This may shock some people, but this really is a question of whether your cat will live indoors or spend some time outdoors. Cats that live indoors have a considerably longer lifespan and are much safer. If your cat is an indoor-outdoor one, then make sure your monitor her habits. So most likely, you will still have to go get that litter box and manage it.

The two main kinds of cat litter are clumping and non-clumping. This will determine how frequently and in what manner a litter box should be changed. A clumping litter requires more constant attention, but the frequent cleanings are not as time intensive. Both the clumps formed in the cat litter and the feces that accumulate in the pan should be scooped out on a regular basis.

These should be placed in a garbage bag and taken out of the house as soon as possible. It is not recommended to flush a clumping cat litter because the clay can clog your plumbing. It would be quite embarrassing and expensive to have to call a plumber because of this. Then simply refill the litter box to the previous level with fresh clean litter.

Non-clumping litter does not have to be tended every single day, although your cat will thank you if it is. You should periodically scoop out the feces and put them in the garbage outside of the house. You will not be able to scoop out the urine like you could with a clumping litter. This means that when the litter becomes obviously wet and soiled, you must dump the pan. To do this you need to empty the entire litter box into a garbage can, then rinse and dry the litter box. After that you can refill it with more clean litter.