I have three boxes. I completely change them every other day, but it’s on a schedule so that there is at least one completely new one each day. I usually don’t scoop on the “keep” day. I use Cedarific, about 2" at a time. (This is less than what they recommend, if you were to change on a weekly schedule.) Cats are indoor-only.
I cannot imagine changing the box once every few weeks or MONTHS! I mean, glad it works for you who do it. It just would not be my method. The thought of it kinda grosses me out. But um if you like it, well fine then!
Does anyone have problems with clumping litter? I never used it and was told it could be ingested by the cat & cause problems. Also, it’s not flushable is it? So what do you do with all the clumps? One of my guys has borderline diabetes and pees A LOT, so I change the clay litter every few days as it is soaked. I have wondered if the clumping would be easier than dragging 20 lbs (2 cats, 2 boxes) to the trash every week. I do have an enclosed patio so the boxes are outside and smell isn’t an issue for me, and both guys use closed boxes. Since neither has ever had an accident I hesitate to change…
I’m curious about this too – disposal of the clumps. Ours goes into plastic grocery bags (double-bagged) and then out with the trash.
No problems with clumping litter. I don’t use flushable mainly because I haven’t seen any in the stores around here.
I would pay for cat box service. The older I get, the more of a pain (literally) it is to scoop and clean the boxes. I’ll bet lots of older people would keep their cats longer if they had help with the boxes.
Clumping litter isn’t recommended for kittens under 4 months because of grooming/ingesting issues, but with adults it should be OK.
I use plastic grocery bags when I scoop. I used to use liners/clay litter and change weekly. It does get heavy. I like scooping often and taking out little bags with only waste in them - I was wasting good clay litter that wasn’t dirty every week the way I was doing it.
If he’s urinating this much, his diabetes may be more than borderline. Or it could be complicated with kidney disease, which is common in cats. When was the last time you had his tires rotated?
The woman from the rescue where we got our Bengal doesn’t use regular litter boxes - she gets the tall plastic storage boxes (they looked like the Sterlite brand) for the multiple cats that live with her (9, I think.) She said the high sides pretty much prevent litter from being strewn about, so she doesn’t need covers. Don’t know if this would help you, but it’s a thought. And for what it’s worth, her house didn’t smell like it was full of cats, so I’m guessing she uses a deodorizing litter.
Pee clumps are easy to scoop out as long as the clumping litter is kept fairly deep - I would say at least 4 inches deep. That way the pee doesn’t sink down to the pan and clump there, sticking to the bottom.
My 2 male cats do the same thing! If the litter needs to be cleaned someone pees in the bathtub.
We have 2 cats and 2 boxes.
One of the kids is supposed to scoop every week when the weather is nice enough for the cats to go out but now that there’s too much snow that’s not enough. It’s still how much he scoops though.
If you have more than one cat, you need more than one box. 3 cats can live with 2 boxes, and in a 2 cat household, one can be a very small “back-up box”.
Many bad kittie behaviours, where they go in the wrong place- can be traced to not enough, not big enough, or not scooped often enough.
And, those bad behaviours are hard to stop once started. So: more, bigger, more often.
Well, I don’t have room for more than one box. And my cats don’t seem to mind. And they don’t go anywhere inappropriate. But then I’ve always been blessed with un-fussy cats.
[ul]
[li] Three cats[/li][li] Four litter boxes; all cleaned twice a day[/li][li] Scooping/clumping litter[/li][li] All boxes cleaned out about once every three weeks[/li][li] Indoor cats only[/li][/ul]
We’ve gone thru at least half a dozen different brands of litter before finally stopping at the current brand. One cat is particularly fussy. He prefers a “clean” box or he will show his disgust by pooping in front of one box.
Pullet, thanks for your concern. Kitty is ok and has been checked. Apparently, he’s just turned into a big drinker and thus big pee-er. Maybe it’s just become a bad habit; goodness knows this particular cat has a collection of bad habits.
And thanks for the input that the clumping litter isn’t bad for adult cats. I think since I have 2 boxes and 2 cats I will try that kind in one box & see what happens. I know what you mean Auntie Pam about the efforts required to clean the box as we age. Do neighborhood children no longer need to do tasks around the neighborhood to earn spending money, or am I hopelessly behind the times?
