Note to cat lovers: everything you need to know about the litter box

Which filler do you prefer?

Let’s say once again how picky and demanding cats can be! Others will become so accustomed to a particular type that they will flatly refuse to use another. There are a great variety of different options and solutions on sale: with scented fragrances, non-clumping ones, and easy to wash off ones. The main thing is that your pet likes the filler and does not cause feelings of rejection. Plus two indispensable conditions: do not use fillers based on clay or soil (intestinal diseases are possible) and fillers with strong odors or aromas. Everything else will do.

How often do kittens go to the toilet?

In its first months of life, a kitten gets used to the everyday food of adult pets. Therefore, from the first to the third month, the number of trips to relieve oneself differs depending on the food taken. If the food is rich in fiber, then visits to the toilet will be more frequent, and if it is rich in protein, then bowel movements will be less frequent.

you can teach not to use the tray, but to use the toilet

During this period of development, the important question is not how often kittens go to the toilet, but what type of feces they have. It should be of medium thickness and, most importantly, without traces of blood, foreign matter or mucus.

As for the urination of a one- or three-month-old kitten, it will be carried out as often as often it drinks liquid. The bladder capacity of a small pet is small, so visits to the toilet are quite frequent. Urine should be clear and, preferably, without the slightest admixture of blood or mucus. Walking in a small way should not create a feeling of discomfort or be painful.

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How to clean the tray

Remember: cats only use clean litter boxes, so never start this process! At least twice a day (morning and evening), arm yourself with a scoop and look for safely hidden “surprises”. Also remove wet litter, heavily diluted with urine. When you feel that the amount of substrate has decreased by an order of magnitude, add a new one. Once a week, empty the entire contents from the tray, pour it into a separate bag and mercilessly throw it away. Rinse and disinfect the tray thoroughly, and then fill it with completely new contents.

Rules for changing the filler and washing the tray

When it became clear how to use the cat litter box correctly and where to pour the litter, you need to figure out how to clean the litter box from cat excrement. The process will depend on what mixture the person purchased at the pet store. The granules absorb water and increase in size and cannot be washed down the drain.

If silica gel is used to fill the tray, you can thoroughly mix the contents every day or remove individual lumps for 13 days, and on the 14th day you must throw away the used mixture, completely wash the pot and add a new portion.

Wood pellets (made from sawdust from coniferous trees), which absorb large amounts of liquid, need to be changed gradually. Using a spatula, waste that rolls into lumps is removed. However, when using wood pellets, you cannot add new ones until the old ones run out.

There is no point in changing fillers consisting of mineral components gradually; they should be thrown straight into the trash.

The main rule when completely changing granules is to wash the tray and mesh with a cleaning agent. This neutralizes the unpleasant odor and kills pathogenic microorganisms.

When to change

When using a litter tray, you need to know how often to change the litter. Replacement time depends on the mixture used:

1. Wood pellets from coniferous trees - 12 times a month.
2. Silica gel - 1 time every 14 days.
3. Mineral granules - once every 7 days.

When your cat does its business

Having noticed that your pet has gone to relieve himself, the best thing you can do is to leave him completely alone, pretend that you are not concerned about his affairs. Do not disturb, do not communicate, or in any way contact the animal at this crucial moment. In addition, give him a little more time to properly “bury” the results of his labors. Plus a little trick - wait a little longer, let the cat come to its senses and go on about its business. There is no need to defiantly stand at the ready with a dustpan - this behavior will upset the cat, which needs its own space. Five minutes - and you can clean up!

Original post: Litter Tray Etiquette For Cat Owners. Source and photo:

Subtleties of cat litter

— I’m just going to get a cat, tell me how to arrange a toilet corner for him?

- To do this, you need to choose a place in the apartment where your pet can calmly, without disturbing anyone, do everything necessary. There are a wide variety of trays; choose shallow trays for regular fillers, deep trays for clumping ones.

- Tell me, what is cheaper - clumping litter or ordinary?

— Regular sand or granules need to be changed quite often, even if they have a flavoring effect. Clumping is more economical. After all, it is enough to throw the resulting lump out of the tray, but there is no need to completely change its contents. Therefore, a five-kilogram bag usually lasts for a couple of months. The problem with clumping litter is that the clump of feces cannot be thrown down the drain, and it “smells” in the garbage can.

— Which litter is suitable for a small kitten?

— A little kitten tastes everything, so the ingredients must be of natural origin. Rough wood particles can damage your pet's delicate skin. It is better to use granules created specifically for kittens.

— I heard that bentonite granules are harmful to the health of cats, is this true?

— This topic is now being actively discussed in the American media, but no one has given an exact answer yet. In the West, natural toilet products have long been preferred; they are made from processed grain raw materials. They are safer for the health of people and animals. In Russia, of this series of fillers, only Natural Miracal is currently available. It is made from crushed corn cobs. By the way, this clumping filler can be thrown into the sewer, which is very convenient.

A special zone in a cat's life

A wild cat goes to the toilet at the border of its territory, burying excrement in the ground, each time in a new place. When living in an apartment, cat owners must clean the litter box in a timely manner, not forgetting to give the cat the opportunity to dig a hole and bury its “deeds.”

Main options for cat litter:

Flat trays with mesh. Disadvantages: smell and labor intensity. You need to wash the tray after each use, otherwise the cat will not go there a second time. And the smell in the apartment will be terrible. Advantage: low cost. Disadvantages: you can smell these plush apartments a mile away.

Tray with absorbent filler (wood shavings, sawdust, silica gel, cellulose, etc.). After just a couple of days, the contents of the tray must be completely changed and the toilet tray must be washed, otherwise a smell will appear. Disadvantages: Expensive and labor-intensive. Advantages: if the tray is replaced regularly, there is no smell.

Tray with clumping filler (clay). When moisture gets on the granules, they get wet and turn into lumps, which are easily removed with a mesh scoop, while clean granules remain in the tray. Advantages: economical and labor-intensive, no odor. Disadvantages: cannot be thrown into the sewer, not suitable for kittens, small granules can stick to the hair on their paws.

Silica gel

The filler crystals neutralize odors and absorb moisture quite well. The shape of the granules prevents them from sticking to the fur of the purr. Disadvantage: cats scatter large crystals.

Price: 80 - 650 rub. for 3.5 kg.

Mineral

Each granule contains purified chalk, natural quartz sand and mineral additives. Typically, such fillers absorb odors well. May contain allergens: asbestos and bleaches. Doesn't stick to wool, but generates a lot of dust.

Price: 150 - 250 rub. for 5 kg.

Bentonite

Made from bentonite clays, therefore should not be disposed of down the drain. May contain dust, allergens and foreign odors. It clumps, therefore it is economical: 1 kg of filler absorbs about 5 kg of liquid. Some types of this litter stick to wool.

Price: 60 - 400 rub. for 5 kg.

Woody

Made from pine wood pressed into granules or crushed into flakes. It smells pleasant of fresh pine and prevents the appearance of unwanted odors. Has low dust content. Rough varieties can injure the skin of the paw pads.

Price: 55 - 340 rub. for 2 kg.

Natural clumping

Made from crushed corn cobs. Does not contain dust and allergens, is scented with pine extract, the smell of pine intensifies with each moistening. Suitable for sensitive animal skin. Doesn't stick to wool. Can be thrown into the sewer.

Price: 299 rub. for 4.54 kg.

How to choose

The most popular is a regular plastic tray with artificial filler, purchased at any pet store. This is a very practical and convenient option.

it is extremely important to choose the right one

It satisfies the needs of pet lovers with its hygiene and affordability. There is nothing easier than taking a wet section of filler and throwing it away with a special spatula, and you can buy biofiller in the pet supplies department of a supermarket or pet store.

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Types of the best cat litters

It is difficult to single out one type and call it the best - the choice is very individual. Today in stores you can give preference to one of three groups: organic, silica gel or mineral. If you are in doubt which litter is better and safer for kittens, definitely look towards organic ones.

Silica gel

This is the most expensive option, but it also consumes less than others. Fillers are absorbent superporous granular mixtures based on silica gel. Capable of absorbing a volume of liquid exceeding the volume of the filler by 30 times.

Pros:

• very economical, require complete replacement every two to three weeks;
• absorbs moisture better than all others and blocks odors;
• the surface always remains dry.

Minuses:

• quite expensive;
• they creak when animals walk on them;
• not recommended for kittens, as they cause poisoning if swallowed;
• difficult to dispose of, since when flushed down the drain they are guaranteed to cause a blockage.

Silica gel extremely rarely causes allergies, even in sensitive cats. Large granules are suitable for long-haired individuals, small ones - for short-haired and elderly cats.

Woody

Wood-shaving types are made by pressing sawdust mixtures remaining after woodworking, and are fairly dense small granules of a natural color. When wetted, the granules swell, lose their shape and crumble.

Pros:

• they are environmentally friendly, suitable for both adult animals and kittens;
• hypoallergenic;
• cats can chew woody substrate, and this is completely safe for their health;
• prices for this type of substrate are quite affordable;
• They are very easy to dispose of, even down to flushing them down the toilet.

Minuses:

• the main drawback is that it does not lock out specific aromas well;
• is not economical, since it has to be changed much more often than, for example, mineral ones (depending on the individual characteristics of the pet, it may be necessary to replace the substrate several times during the day);
• lightweight, so it is scattered from trays by animals.

When choosing wood chip filler in a store, it is worth considering that imported products have the same composition as domestic ones, but differ significantly in price.

Mineral

These are compositions based on clay, zeolite, opalcristobalite and other minerals. They are absorbent and clumping. Compared to organic ones (wood, paper, soy), they are somewhat more practical.

Pros:

• perfectly locks out unwanted odors;
• excellent moisture absorption;
• clumping ones are easy to dispose of, as they form a lump that can be easily removed from the tray with a scoop;
• environmentally friendly;
• heavy, so they don’t fly out of the tray;
• have affordable prices.

Minuses:

• stick to the animal’s paws and spread throughout the apartment;
• sharp stones can injure paw pads;
• some species generate dust;
• difficult to dispose of: you have to pour the granules into a bag and then throw them in the trash;
• Not recommended for kittens, as if they enter the gastrointestinal tract they can cause blockage.

Mineral litter is sometimes combined with wood litter if the cat litter box consists of two parts: a tray and a grid. Wood pellets are poured under the grate, and mineral granules are poured onto the grate. Only the used bottom layer (sawdust) is removed regularly, and the stones can be changed much less frequently. The advantage of this use is that it is a natural replacement for chemical silica gel, and it is even cheaper.

Corn, starch and soy

These types of cat litter belong to the organic group and are considered the most environmentally friendly and safe today. No flavorings or various impurities are added to their composition. Corn filler can only be absorbent, while the other two types, due to the starch in the composition, form lumps.

Pros:

• low consumption;
• ability to flush down the drain;
• efficiency;
• nice smell;
• affordable price;
• Possibility of use for animals suffering from allergic diseases.

Minuses:

• not always easy to find on sale (more often they are ordered online on foreign sites);
• gets the animal's paws dirty.

Starch, soy and corn fillers have an absolutely natural composition, so they are in demand in families with small children.

Paper

Also belongs to the group of products made from organic raw materials. Presented in the form of pressed paper granules. Many pet owners distinguish it from other species.

Pros:

• has a natural composition;
• perfectly neutralizes unpleasant odors;
• it contains antibacterial additives, which prevents the growth of bacteria;
• does not rustle when the animal uses the toilet;
• is safe for cats with allergies;
• it can be flushed down the drain.

Minuses:

• does not absorb liquid well enough;
• some complain of a specific smell.

Previously, people used regular paper for cat litter. Now technology is very developed, and the paper filler that we see on store shelves is not just overpriced paper. This is a high-quality raw material with powerful absorbent and antibacterial properties.

Carbonic

Thanks to the unique porous structure and special treatment with activated carbon, this type of substrate has a positive difference in properties. The coal type continues to rapidly gain the trust of customers.

Pros:

• safe for animals even if swallowed;
• has a high level of fluid absorption;
• quickly forms a lump upon contact with liquid;
• is environmentally friendly;
• actively fights bacteria.

Minuses:

• gets the animal's paws dirty;
• not available in all stores.

For some consumers, a significant advantage is that after use, coal granules can be used as fertilizer. They do not harm the soil; on the contrary, they saturate it with nutrients.