How often should I change my cat litter?

Let's talk cat poop! well not quite, more where your cat poops.

Over the past few years the cost of cat litter has risen sharply so at Tinytown we thought we'd investigate to see if there's a way to reduce the amount of cat litter we use whilst not compromising your cats comfort.

Firstly, we have to remember, cats are very clean animals and spend long periods grooming and bathing, so not cleaning their litter tray can have a big psychological impact on them.

TOP TIPS! Keep reading and we'll give you some top tips which may mean you can save money & keep your cat very happy

Before we answer the million dollar question "how often should you change cat's litter?" we need to understand a few basics:  

Clumping vs Non Clumping

When it comes to cat litter, there a two main types clumping and non clumping. Within these you also have different types pellets, crystals etc.

The big advantage of clumping litter is that it's easy to clean wet areas, whereas with non clumping you to fish around and pick out soiled bits.

The difference is that clumping litter binds together when it becomes wet and turns into a solid lump, so it's easy to remove and you leave behind all the unsoiled litter.

The disadvantage is that this easy use litter is significantly more expensive! about 3 times more expensive!

With non clumping litter on the other hand, it's much easier on your pocket, but you end up wasting a lot of litter when scooping out. Additionally It's not as quick and convenient as the clumping stuff.

Don't worry we have a great solution!

Back to the answer! In short, Irrespective of which one you use, you should ideally:

• Clean out any soiled areas daily, this keeps odours out and ensures your cat is always happy to use their tray.
  
  
• Apart from the daily clean, try and change the litter tray liner weekly, this will get rid of all the wet patches which are hard to spot and remove at the bottom of the tray.
  
  
• We also recommend you Disinfect the litter tray / box with mild soap and water at least once a month

SO here's our 5 Top Tips -

1. Mix Non clumping cat & Clumping litter

Litter manufacturers won’t tell you that you can actually mix them together! Use a Five to One Ratio, so for every 5 scoops of non clumping litter add one scoop of clumping and turn your entire litter tray into an easy to clean clumping litter!!

This will save you cleaning time & money!

2. Scoop out

soiled bits daily and top up the with the same amount you removed. It’s quick and easy to if you mix your litter

3. Cat liners

Recycling is great for the environment - reuse plastic from elsewhere - Most things we buy online come with loads of plastic, cut and reuse this in your cats tray.

Change your whole tray weekly - that doesn't mean throw out all of the good litter! by using tip number one it's easy to keep the good litter and simply place a new liner inside your liter tray.

Additionally, you don’t need expensive smelling litter bags cheap non sealable food bags are a great alternative!

4. Know your cats toilet habits

Cats are animals who like routine, so it's not hard to workout when your cat uses the bathroom. By knowing your cats habits, you can plan to clean the tray not long after they have used it.

Which means, less smell, less cleaning times & cleaner tray for longer!

5. Invest in a quality litter box for easy cleaning, as well as a good litter scoop (You can view our amazing cat litter boxes here). There are numerous different types of trays and boxes which come with lots of advantages.

Conclusion

Every cat is different, so understanding your cats habit is probably the single most important thing you can do.

If you are working all day be sure to check the litter tray before you leave home and when you get back.

If you are out all day checkout our automatic feeders to help your cats eating routine

There are lots of ways to save money, time and the environment while keeping your cat happy.

Try the simple tips here and even get creative and experiment with a few more!

 
You can shop for quality litter boxes on our website by clicking here!

As Cat owners, we at Tinytown.shop understand that just like each of us, that every cat is also unique. That's why we are passionate about giving you tips and tricks to help create cozy and playful spaces for your cat.