Choosing and maintaining a litter box

Choose a large litter box

Among the wide range of litter boxes available in pet stores, choose one that is spacious enough for your cat to feel comfortable when using it. It should be large enough for your cat to turn around, scratch the litter, and crouch down easily without being hindered by the sides of the box. The ideal dimensions vary depending on the size of your cat. If you have a purebred cat, such as a Savannah, Bengal, or Maine Coon, your litter boxes should be much larger than those designed for medium-sized domestic cats, for which the ideal size would be a 60-liter (24 inches x 24 inches x 12 inches) box

Avoid plastic lids and bags

In general, it is not recommended to buy a litter box with a roof or dome. Cats prefer to see what is going on around them so they can quickly spot any dangers, and may feel vulnerable when doing their business. Some cats will categorically refuse to go in, especially if there is a door to push open. However, there are always exceptions, and some cats will enjoy the privacy that these types of litter boxes provide.

Avoid putting a plastic bag at the bottom of your litter box. Although this is very convenient for humans cleaning the tray, it is less so for cats, who dislike the feeling of their claws catching in the bag when they scratch the litter to bury their waste. Instead, opt for a high-quality clumping litter, which will make cleaning easier.

Fill and clean the litter box

As we all know, cats can be finicky, and this is especially true when it comes to their litter box. Cleanliness is undoubtedly the most important criterion for them. Unpleasant odors are caused by the formation of ammonia in the litter box. Cat urine does not contain ammonia. It is when urine comes into contact with oxygen that this gas, ammonia, is formed. If urine penetrates to the bottom of the tray, the ammonia could soak into the plastic and the odor would then be difficult to remove. To avoid this problem, pour about 8 to 10 cm of litter into the empty litter box. If you have just washed the box, make sure it is completely dry before adding clumping litter. A high-quality clumping litter will quickly form solid clumps that will remain on the surface.

Remove solid waste daily using a litter scoop with holes to remove only the clumps and avoid waste. Add litter as needed to maintain a sufficient amount in the tray.

After about a month, or if you are using our OdourLock litter, after more than 40 days of use, empty the entire contents of the litter into a garbage bag. Clean the surface of the tray with warm water and a drop of bleach, dry it, and refill it with fresh litter.

Never flush clumping litter down the toilet and be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after each cleaning!