Litter box maintenance and usage

syzygycat

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I'm reading in multiple sources including this site. Litter should me scooped 1-2x a day (makes sense), AND all of the litter in the box should be replaced every 1-2 weeks.

With my 4 cats, daily topping off uses a 40lb/month.
I have 5 different litter boxes the tiny one need 26lbs of litter to be 2.5" deep. The largest one needs 44lbs.

To replace all of it 2x a month I need 383lbs of litter each month. (Thats 96lbs of litter per cat)

If I used the "recommended" 4inches replaced weekly, it would come out over 300lbs of litter for each cat.

Am I a bad cat dad, and these numbers are correct?
 

tuffsmom

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I have only 1 cat and I scoop once daily. After scooping, I add 1 or 2 scoops of fresh litter so that the level stays consistent. I never have to change all the litter. Litter box stays smelling nice. I use Fresh Step with febreze.
 

EmersonandEvie

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My two cents? You're not a bad cat dad. I'll be honest, we only had 2 boxes when we used clay litter, and they were definitely not 100% cleaned out every one to two weeks- heck, maybe once a month. Maybe that's gross to some, but it worked for us. Litter is pricey and heavy.

I would think that as long as you keep them tidy daily (2 scoops a day, etc.), do whatever you feel is right. Alternately, you could do a cleaning rotation where you deep clean one every week or two, etc. Really just what you are comfortable doing and what keeps your cats happy.
 

DreamerRose

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I also use Fresh Step, and because it doesn't get smelly, I scoop every other day and don't ever empty it out. I have three full-size litter pans and each one takes two boxes of Fresh Step, which as you pointed out, is just too expensive. I add some new litter every time I scoop. It's fine with my kitties.
 

kittyluv387

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You're not supposed to have to change it out completely so often if you keep it deep enough.
 
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syzygycat

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I think the 2 week thing is a carry over from the 90's before clumping litter was common.
I went back and reread the articles, most don't say litter type others say clay or sand.

Going through different forums , no one is replacing all the litter every two weeks. clumping litter is being changed evert1-3 months and sometimes, never.

-Fresh step recommends every 1 or 2 months, ScoopAway and A&H are intentionally vague)

I dump out and hose off one litter box every week or two, So each box gets cleaned once every 5-10weeks.
100lbs of litter lasts me VERY roughly a month.

Some of these articles that say to replace all the litter every 2 weeks also say 20lbs of litter should last 6 week for 1 ca... thstd 3 pounds a litter change not 50.
 
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Neko-chan's mama

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I scoop once a day and do a complete change the first Saturday of the month. No icky smells here! I use arm & hammer clump and seal and have only one cat.
 

di and bob

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I clean litterboxes when they start looking bad, about every 3-4 months. I take them outside, spray them with cat urine cleaner, and then spray them off with a hose after scrubbing them with those cheap plastic scrubbies which I throw away. (those work great on birdbaths too) I scoop 4 boxes daily, and use those 'end table' type litter box enclosures to hide them. Those I replace every three years or so if there are accidents over the side. My three current cats are much neater and don't stand up to pee, so cleaning is much easier.
It definitely matters what litter you use too to contain the cleanliness and smell. Scoop Away (Walmart), and Fresh Step is really good, I have had no luck with Arm and Hammer, and the others are pretty expensive.
 
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syzygycat

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I clean litterboxes when they start looking bad...
It definitely matters what litter you use too to contain the cleanliness and smell. Scoop Away (Walmart), and Fresh Step is really good, I have had no luck with Arm and Hammer, and the others are pretty expensive.
I feel the same about Arm and Hammer and also Tidy cat. The clumps stick to the box or break apart while scooping although they have a bunch of newer flavors I never bothered trying. I use freshstep multicat its the best one I've tried, I hate the scent in fabreeze and it makes my nose run so I we use scoopaway unscented litter in the bedroom floor boxes.

I pour a little baking soda over the litter daily, not sure if it really helps with the waste smells, its supposed to , but it does keep the fabreeze smell from wafting out.

I bought a box of fresh step clean paws through amazon because of the shortage. Its a 10% more expensive, maybe its be better
 
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6x16inside

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I'm reading in multiple sources including this site. Litter should me scooped 1-2x a day (makes sense), AND all of the litter in the box should be replaced every 1-2 weeks.

With my 4 cats, daily topping off uses a 40lb/month.
I have 5 different litter boxes the tiny one need 26lbs of litter to be 2.5" deep. The largest one needs 44lbs.

To replace all of it 2x a month I need 383lbs of litter each month. (Thats 96lbs of litter per cat)

If I used the "recommended" 4inches replaced weekly, it would come out over 300lbs of litter for each cat.

Am I a bad cat dad, and these numbers are correct?
Unless you tried only one or two boxes, thereby listening to "them" and falling for that balcony, yes, you are a bad cat dad, lol.
I have one Xtra large box and I scoop and sift every time I think of it ( probably 6 times a day). I use Target brand purple lid tubs whenever absolutely possible and go thru maybe 5 a month with 6 cats, five are mom and her 4 babes and the extra is one that came along about 2 months later and is the only one that feels the need to mark and flat out pee where she pleases as well as in the box.
 
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