For many first-time owners of cats, it can be a completely new experience to clean and maintain a litter box. As much as it might not be the nicest of jobs, it still needs doing frequently to look after your cat’s hygiene and to keep your house smelling fresh.
Below we’ve put together a few simple steps on how to clean and maintain your cat’s litterbox, ideal for those new owners who might be a bit lost.
Position the Litterbox
Most often, owners will position the litterbox in an open area of the kitchen, or somewhere in the house with floor tiles for hygiene purposes. The last thing you want is for any accidents on carpet, so the best positioning is somewhere out of the way and also near the back door if possible.
Give your cat time to get used to the layout of your house and the positioning of important items such as the litterbox and food bowl. Eventually they will get used to where everything is and adopt a routine when they become comfortable with their surroundings. The key is patience during this early stage.
Pour in Cat Litter
Purchase a good quality cat litter that you can work with easily enough, as this will make general maintenance and cleaning even easier. With most litter boxes it’s best to pour in cat litter up to a depth of 2 or 3 inches, although some cats can also dig or scratch the litter, so you may want to think about pouring more. Level it out and make sure none of it has spilled over the sides. The point is to keep it all in the tray, so cats know exactly where to go to the toilet.
Scoop Regularly
Once the cat has become accustomed to using the litter tray, you will inevitably have to clear it out. Most cat litter will clump when the cat goes to the toilet, so use a scoop and dispose as hygienically as possible. There are some bins that exist, but it’s always best to dispose of it outside the house (in your main bin) to remove any form of odour from the house.
Empty and Wash the Litterbox
By now the cat will have used the litter tray many times and be used to its positioning. Empty the leftover cat litter into a bin bag and dispose of it in your main bin. Wash the litter box with hot soapy water and make sure there is no lingering odours or stains. Lastly, dry the box, and refill the litter box as normal.
