Litter box clean-up is an important job, but no one wants to do it! Cats make cleaning up their waste easy for us when they will use the litter box. But it is your job to keep that litter box clean or else you might start having bigger problems.
Did you know that a cat’s sense of smell is 14 times greater than a humans? This means a regular cleaning schedule is important. Just imagine that what smells bad for you smells 14 times worse for your kitty!
You should scoop waste AT LEAST once a day. You also need to completely change the litter at regular intervals, plus the box itself needs to be scrubbed and disinfected too! Wash the box with soap and water monthly. When things get really stinky you can give it a good cleaning with a 1:10 (1 part bleach, 10 parts water) solution. Scrub it, and make sure you rinse it completely! After your litter box is rinsed and dry make sure you fill it with the right amount of litter. It doesn’t have to be as deep as the Sahara Desert. Two inches will do the trick.
If you have more than one cat, you should have more than one litter box. And if you have a multi-level house you should have a litter box on each level. When you select your litter box consider your kitty. Size, age, mobility, and personal preference (of the cat) should help you decide what type of box to purchase. For example, an older cat with arthritis would have difficulty getting into an enclosed box with high sides. This cat would need a low open pan. Place the litter box in an easily accessible area of low traffic! You don’t want your guests getting a free show with their visit.
Maybe you put the litter box in an inappropriate spot and now you need to move it. Don’t make the change suddenly, move the box gradually. This will make the transition easier for your kitty. The same goes for when you want to switch cat litter. Gradually mix in the new litter with the old. Cats aren’t big fans of change and if you make the switch slowly they are less likely to make a fuss.
If you cat’s litter box use changes it could be a dislike in the environment, a medical problem or some sort of stress. Your cat is trying to tell you something. It might be that you just need to increase your frequency of cleaning, but if the behavior continues you need to do thorough investigation.