Litterbox Lessons
By Betty Sleep
If you have decided to get a cat, check with the breeder or home it is coming from, to determine what they are using for litter. Older cats will sometimes refuse to change their habits, and young kittens may become confused about where they should be going. Once the cat is established in your home, and feeling secure, you can then try to change the type of litter box filler, according to what you would like to use.
The Litter Box - Fillings and Usage
The most popular type is likely clay litter. Granules of a hard clay substance that absorbs a certain amount of the liquid, and which can be scooped for solid “deposits” which are then flushed down the toilet. (Clay litter is also a great traction aid, for those of you who get stuck on ice in the winter, while driving.) This type of litter tends to have a substantial amount of dust to it. You can cut down on how much it dissipates while filling the box, by pouring carefully. Also, if you have a covered litterbox, put the top on immediately. Some may drift out the door, but a lot will be trapped inside. Many brands claim to be ___% free of dust, but your own observations will tell you if they are or not. The dust may be a problem for those with asthma, allergies, or other respiratory difficulties.
Boxes with clay litter should be scooped frequently, and will need changing every few days, depending on the number of cats using it. When changing it, give the pan a good scrub with hot water, soap and bleach. There is some concern about using other products such as Lysol, due to possible residue that could be harmful if licked. This applies to cleaning cat cages, carriers, and other areas like sleeping quarters.
In my own cattery, I use the scoopable, because I find it more sanitary. The clumps are totally disposed of in a canister for that purpose, as are the solids. The rest of the litter remains relatively clean, unless you accidentally break up one of the clumps, then it is hard to catch all the fragmented grains. One tip: Use a sturdy metal scoop for this. Wet clumping litter is very heavy, and will break the plastic scoops that most people use for clay.
This type of litter is not dumped out every day or two. According to the number of cats,you may only completely clean it out, once a week. But it should also be scooped frequently, and when the litter is down to a very shallow depth, throw out the remainder and scrub and disinfect the box. A warning: Clumping litter is not for very young kittens. Like human children, a lot goes into their mouths that shouldn’t, and until a kittens bathroom habits are well established at three months or so, it is unwise to use this in case they ingest some, and end up with a serious bowel blockage.
Many people are turning to wood pellets, as an ecology measure. The pellets are comparably cheaper than standard litters, and the box contents are often turned into compost heaps for plants/shrubs that like an acidic surrounding. The frequency of box changing again depends on how often the box is used, and how many cats are using it. In general, a cat will go to its box about five times a day.
There are various other possibilities for box fillers. I have heard of people using animal feed pellets, but they also ended up with green tinted feet from the grasses/chlorophyll in it. Some areas can buy newspaper pellets, which do not stain the feet. These likely require changing at about the same rate as clay filled boxes. And now there are the “pearls”. These are round pellets or small crystals resembling salt. Urine runs through them to the bottom of the pan. They are quite a bit more expensive than regular litters, but are an ideal thing for pans in a cat’s carrier that is travelling, or being shipped for any distance, as it keeps the wetness away from the cat, who may very well take up residence in the box.
Speaking of which, there are dozens of litter box types to choose from as well. There is your basic...well, box! Plastic of course, washable and durable. Some plain boxes come with a detachable rim, designed to help keep more litter in the box, when Kitty kicks up his heels while hopping out.
Then there are the covered boxes. I prefer these myself, as more litter definitely stays inside, and it helps cut down on dust and odors. The one drawback, is if you have a cat who cannot squat, or who is simply lazy, and backs up to the join where the top and bottom comes together, and wets it down. That quite often results in urine seeping between the upper and lower pieces. If you have this kind of box, and this problem, try keeping a spray bottle with a mix of soap, water and bleach, to give the rim of the top and bottom a quick squirt, and clean up with paper towels, between scrubbings. I solved this problem by buying litter boxes that have a shallow bottom, about 4” deep,and a high top. This means when they back up, they pee down the inside of the top and into the litter, without having it run around inside the rims of both halves. It’s a lot easier to clean up.
If you *really* want to go high-tech, there are "automatic" litter boxes, with grids that raise up and scoop/shake the litter, and dump the leavings off into a separate compartment that you can clean out later. These are activated by a timing mechanism that senses there has been no motion in the box for a given time. Only two things about this would concern me. One, what happens if another cat goes to jump in just as the scooper starts up? And what happens when Fluffy has been eating your houseplants and has a case of the...er, runs? You're going to end up taking it apart, in order to scrub off the grate.
Of course, if you have the time, and the patience of Job, you can teach them to use the flush. But don’t be surprised if there is a lineup at the bathroom in the morning, and your tabby is in there reading CatsUSA and looking at the centrefold!
About the Author:
I am an obedience instructor, kennel owner, and ten year breeder/exhibitor of Golden Retriever dogs. Over the years I have experienced the best and worst of pet buying and selling, and responsibility/irresponsibility on the part of both breeders and buyers.
That, combined with my other hobby of breeding Birman cats, which I also show, and have placed in several countries, gives me a fairly comprehensive overview of pet care, ownership, training, feeding, and health issues.
Article courtesy of Suite101.com.
