Maintaining a clean litterbox is crucial for your cat’s health and happiness. Cats are naturally clean animals, and a dirty litterbox can lead to unwanted behaviors like refusing to use the box or eliminating outside of it. This guide covers everything you need to know about keeping your cat’s litterbox fresh and inviting. Clumping litter is always better.
Daily Maintenance
The key to a fresh litterbox is consistent daily maintenance. Here’s what you should do:
Scoop the litterbox at least once daily, preferably twice. Many cats prefer to use a clean box, and some will even wait for you to clean it before doing their business. Our cat Bam Bam comes to mind. Bam Bam would literally wait for me to clean the box and wait outside the box and watch me scoop it before he would go in right after I was done and dirty up the box all over again.
Morning and evening scooping sessions work well for most households. Remove all solid waste and clumped urine, making sure to dig deep enough to find any clumps that might have settled at the bottom. That being said, we have had cats where you have to scoop solid waste immediately because the smell would get really bad if you didn’t. Oddly enough, our experience has always been with male cats being the worst. Bam Bam, Paws, and Bentley come to mind here but not always.
Sheamus (a male) can go and you never know he was there. My point here is that it’s not definitively all males and females can certainly be a problem as well. We have found that the cat’s diet plays a large part in the smell. Every cat is different when it comes to diet so a recommended diet would be pointless here.
After scooping your litter box, level out the remaining litter and add fresh litter as needed to maintain a depth of about 2-3 inches. This depth allows cats to dig and cover their waste properly while preventing litter from spilling over the sides. It also allows for clumping litter to clump without pooling on the bottom. You need enough litter to clump and soak up all th urine. Adding litter daily will depend on how many cats you have and how often you scoop.
Weekly Maintenance
Once a week, perform these additional tasks:
Add fresh litter to replace what’s been removed through scooping. This helps maintain proper litter depth and ensures the litter remains effective at controlling odors. Some cats prefer more or less litter, so observe your cat’s preferences and adjust accordingly. Again, multiple cat households will find this more than a weekly task and might need leveling off every few days instead.
Wipe down the exterior of the box and the area around it with pet-safe disinfectant wipes or a damp cloth. This removes any dust or scattered litter and helps prevent tracking through your home. We use a mild vinegar and water solution to wipe down the box if needed.
Monthly Litter Changes
The frequency of complete litter changes depends on several factors:
- Number of cats using the box
- Type of litter used
- Box size
- Your cat’s habits
- Cleaning frequency
For most households with one cat, changing the entire litter every 3-4 weeks is sufficient if you’re maintaining it daily. However, if you notice persistent odors or if the litter isn’t clumping well, you might need to change it more frequently. When you don’t maintain the box, the box will get skunked and when that happens you won’t get rid of the urine smell until you do a full clean of the box.
Deep Cleaning the Litterbox
When it’s time to deep clean the box (recommended monthly with the complete litter change), follow these steps:
- Empty all litter into a sealed garbage bag
- Take the box outside or to a utility sink
- Rinse with hot water to remove stuck-on debris
- Clean the box using one of these methods:
- Unscented dish soap and hot water
- White vinegar solution (1:1 ratio with water)
- Baking soda paste for stubborn odors
- Enzymatic pet cleaner for deep cleaning
Avoid using:
- Bleach (can be toxic and the smell repels cats, although both Belle, Paws, and Everly seem to be attracted to the smell of bleach)
- Ammonia-based cleaners (smells like urine to cats)
- Strong-scented cleaners (can deter cats from using the box)
- Abrasive scrubbers (can create scratches where bacteria can grow)
After cleaning:
- Rinse thoroughly multiple times to remove all cleaning residue
- Dry completely with paper towels or let air dry in the sun
- Consider using a pet-safe deodorizing spray specifically made for litterboxes
- Add fresh litter to the clean, dry box
Special Situations
Deep-Set Odors
If the litterbox has developed persistent odors that regular cleaning won’t remove, you can try several things:
- Soak the empty box in hot water and vinegar solution for 30 minutes
- Create a paste with baking soda and a small amount of water
- Apply the paste to problem areas and let sit for 20 minutes
- Scrub gently with a soft sponge
- Rinse thoroughly and dry completely
Plastic Absorption
If odors have penetrated the plastic, consider replacing the box (recommended yearly anyway) or try using a plastic-specific enzymatic cleaner. Leave the clean box in direct sunlight for several hours (UV rays can help break down odor-causing bacteria). This has worked for us.
Prevention Tips
To maintain a fresher litterbox longer use clumping litter for easier waste removal and consider using litterbox liners for easier cleaning. Although in our experience liners can sometimes be scratched up. You can also place a tracking mat outside the box to catch scattered litter. Position the box in a well-ventilated area. Keep multiple boxes if you have multiple cats (the general rule is one box per cat plus one extra). We usually will have three boxes and they’re scooped regularly. Use covered boxes if your cat accepts them (some prefer open boxes).
Some people recommend automated self-cleaning boxes for consistent maintenance… but we’ve tried several and there’s always been one issue or another. The predominant reason being the box sensors. They don’t always work as intended and cats sometimes pee high which sometimes can be right on the sensors so we don’t recommend the automated boxes.
Signs It’s Time to Clean or Scoop
Watch for these indicators that your litterbox needs attention:
- Visible waste or clumps
- Strong ammonia smell
- Cat scratching at sides of box instead of litter
- Cat hesitating before entering box
- Cat leaving waste uncovered
- Cat eliminating near but not in the box
Remember that some cats are more particular than others about litterbox cleanliness. Observe your cat’s behavior and adjust your cleaning routine accordingly. A clean litterbox is essential for your cat’s well-being and helps maintain a pleasant environment for everyone in your home.