Litter Level???

jenk

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I'd like to know two things regarding your litter box habits:

1. How high (in inches) do you fill the litterbox?

2. How often do you completely change the litter?

My long-haired kitty gets feces stuck in his fur; someone said that litter levels should be lower (1" - 1.5") for long-haired cats to prevent this problem. I believe this to be a strong possibility.

I use a clumping litter; I'm afraid that if I don't fill the litterbox fairly high (2.5" - 3"), Simon will run low on litter while we're away and mess on the floor.

Thank you,

Jenk
 

jenng

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Hi Jenk.

I have a fairly large covered litterbox for Spike, and I use clumping litter also. I've never measured how much litter I put in there... I just kind of eyeball it, but I think it's quite a bit more than 3 inches. Maybe closer to 5 or 6? It does get down to about 3 though before I fill it back up with new litter. It just seems that 1 - 1.5 inches is so little... maybe someone more knowledgeable will be able to answer your question, and then I can find out what's a good level too.
 

gurlpower

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Yes, i read the guideline is about 3 inches tall.

i have two kitties, thus, two litter boxes.

i filled both up to about 3 inches tall, and i keep their toilets really clean.

A mat (for wiping their paws as they exit) with rough surface is placed in between these two boxes. In addition, i placed everything on a rug.

Every time i go scoop scoop their litter, i will vacuum that area with a hand vacuum, and also use a wet paper towel to clean off any soiled areas ON the litter boxes.

i use theworldbestcatlitter, so it is easy to manage.

i replenish with new litter about 1 a week, or whenever necessary.

Cheers!

A clean toilet makes the kitty happy! -- quote and unquote from moi! Smiles!

 

angelzoo

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Starting out about 3 years ago, I heard time and time again about trying to use less litter for long haired cats, I've been told it (watched it suggested to others) by pet lovers and vets alike many times, and apparently sometimes it works! So if it works for the long hairs who am I to argue? lol.

Personally, as this issue doesn't happen here too much and they all have nicely firm stools, I have 3 inches in the boxes.
If you read the back labeling of most litters it says to put about 2 inches in, I like to put about 3 as my Asim goes SOOO much more then the average cat. I scoop 2 times a day, and I clean out/disinfect it all about once a month, sometimes more if we have a kitty poo fiasco inside the box, lol (we like covered boxes here.)
Every time I scoop, I put another cup of litter in (I use a BIG cup).

Perhaps if you give Simon 2 or 3 boxes just for himself you wouldn't have to worry about the litter running low while your gone.
 

hissy

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I have 10 boxes, I scoop at least 3 times a day- change litter completly once a week - scrub out the litterboxes and air dry them once a week. I use clumping litter and never measure. Petco has a bucket you can buy for $13.99 and when you bring it back you can fill it up yourself with new litter for $6.00- it is a 30 pound bucket.
 

russian blue

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Originally posted by hissy
Petco has a bucket you can buy for $13.99 and when you bring it back you can fill it up yourself with new litter for $6.00- it is a 30 pound bucket.
That's a great idea! We need more refillable items that the consumer will use.

 

princess purr

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i have an enclosed litter box and put alot in :LOL: I try to scoop daily and i dump it all and wash it out every few weeks.
 

princess purr

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Originally posted by hissy
I have 10 boxes, I scoop at least 3 times a day- change litter completly once a week - scrub out the litterboxes and air dry them once a week. I use clumping litter and never measure. Petco has a bucket you can buy for $13.99 and when you bring it back you can fill it up yourself with new litter for $6.00- it is a 30 pound bucket.
wow that is great!! i wonder if there are any petco close to me....i'm going to go check there website
 
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jenk

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Petco has a bucket you can buy for $13.99 and when you bring it back you can fill it up yourself with new litter for $6.00- it is a 30 pound bucket.
Hissy,

I avoid Petco after learning about the ferrets one store killed. (In case you didn't hear about it, a Petco had two sick ferrets. If I recall correctly, it was a shopper who noticed the problem and brought it to the manager's attention. The illness was treatable. But rather than spend the money to treat the cute critters, the store had them killed.)

So although I think Petco's 30-pound litter bucket idea is a great one, I still can't give that chain my business.

Jenk
 

angelzoo

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Jenk: Your not alone, I also no longer buy from Petco for reasons I'm not allowed to list HERE anymore.
This isn't open for a long debate, or for someone to tell me I'm a horrible person because I wont shop there, this is my experience and my feelings, I could only but hope more people see the light one day.


But, question, IS this good deal on the kitty litter any good, as in is the litter good? I believe I have seen the product you are talking about back when I used to shop there, I never tried it on my gang, as it didn't look like anything spactacular.
 

jcat

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I use a fine, ultraclumping litter (it's called Cat&Clean, but I don't know where it comes from, as it's repackaged here in Germany) in a covered litterbox, which I fill about 2 to 3 inches high. I scoop once or twice a day, clean the litterbox with steam once a week, and refill it with the sifted litter plus fresh litter. I use a plastic colander to sift the litter. I throw all the litter away after three or four weeks.
 

binkyhoo

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I keep 2-3 inches in but it still gets caught on there bloomers. I tryed to go shallower but it dident clump up good then. I wash in the tub, but its hard not to let the litter go down the drain. Im afraid it will clog the drain. (Hissy 10 boxes, 3 times a day! just use the pitch fork!
)
 

hissy

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LOL Tamara! It is on the second floor- I keep telling Mike he needs to install a poop chute from the window down to the garden below- then I could just dump it all at once in a bin underneath and dispose of it via the garbage men...
That way I don't have to carry all the kitty litter (dirty) down the stairs praying the bag doesn't break on the way down...
 

angelzoo

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Vikki: Even the type that says it's flushable, I still will not flush it.
Tampon containers are flushable but we all know they have clogged toliets many times, lol.

As far as the left over litter, I just make sure I get every last little bit scrapped out before putting it in the tub. Then at worst all I have to clean is a little bit if the dust stuck to the bottom and any specs of cat pee/pooh.
 

Anne

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Most cats need enough to dig in without reaching the bottom of the box - so 2 inches is pretty much the minimum. It's actually one of the things I check when I get to the home of a cat with a litter box problem. More is generally better - just as a larger box is better. Try to think the kind of places cats would use if they were outside (the analogy being to the kind of places their undomesticated ancestors would have used). They wouldn't reach no plastic in the middle of digging their hole


As for the kitty's behind getting smeared in poop. One thing to check is the consistency of the feces - maybe even run a fecal test at the vet's to make sure nothing is making it too runny. That being out of the way, with longhairs you sometimes have no option but to cut or even shave their behind to stop the poop from sticking to the hair...
 

stryyder

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Originally posted by hissy
I have 10 boxes, I scoop at least 3 times a day- change litter completly once a week - scrub out the litterboxes and air dry them once a week. I use clumping litter and never measure. Petco has a bucket you can buy for $13.99 and when you bring it back you can fill it up yourself with new litter for $6.00- it is a 30 pound bucket.
That litter at PETCO is pretty damn good too. It was like 12.00 for a 30lb bucket and then 10.00 for every refill of the same bucket. It clumps real good.
 
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