Daft question number two!

Snuggles

So, the whole litter tray thing is new to me (the cat is fine with it!), and I have a couple of questions. Firstly, the first time I scooped out the business, I thought I was all prepared, I scooped it into a small liner, double bagged it etc, then realised I was left with a soiled scoop in my hand and I didn't know what to do with it or where to put it!!! What do you normally do? Do you wash/sterilise it after every use?

We are using the wood pellet type litter, just because that's what they were using at the RSPCA centre, and it seems quite good, no noticeable odours other than the pine smell of the litter itself. I am scooping the solids, and topping up, but I was wondering approximately how often should I change the entire tray?

Final question (and by the far most ridiculous!). I have been quite eager to scoop as soon as Maisie has had a poop, mainly because I'm worried she won't want to use the tray if there are any solids in there. But I was wondering if it is actually better to leave it a while - is a cat likely to be unsettled if it sees you interfering with it's tray straight after it has carefully buried it's business?! Last night when I went to do it, Maisie looked sort of embarrassed and offended by it! :rotfl:

rising_from_the_ashes

No question is every daft if you're not sure so don't ever be afraid to ask.

Re scooping, my tray is cleaned every morning & night with "solids" and noticable wet patches removed and new litter added on top - I also use wood and really like it there are little smells etc.

TBH with one cat that should be fine ... but if you're there and want to clean it, no problem - but I wouldn't do it immediately after she's gone just in case she gets worried about using the tray.

Re cleaning out the whole tray, I must admit I don't do this hugely often - I find by scooping twice a day and removing the soiled bits and adding new, the tray is kept really clean (although obviously if someone has an upset tum, the tray itself usually needs cleaned!).

However, it does get totally emptied and cleaned with tray cleaning solution/hot water every couple of weeks.

HTH

Fridaycat

Snuggles wrote: »

So, the whole litter tray thing is new to me (the cat is fine with it!), and I have a couple of questions. Firstly, the first time I scooped out the business, I thought I was all prepared, I scooped it into a small liner, double bagged it etc, then realised I was left with a soiled scoop in my hand and I didn't know what to do with it or where to put it!!! What do you normally do? Do you wash/sterilise it after every use?

We are using the wood pellet type litter, just because that's what they were using at the RSPCA centre, and it seems quite good, no noticeable odours other than the pine smell of the litter itself. I am scooping the solids, and topping up, but I was wondering approximately how often should I change the entire tray?

Final question (and by the far most ridiculous!). I have been quite eager to scoop as soon as Maisie has had a poop, mainly because I'm worried she won't want to use the tray if there are any solids in there. But I was wondering if it is actually better to leave it a while - is a cat likely to be unsettled if it sees you interfering with it's tray straight after it has carefully buried it's business?! Last night when I went to do it, Maisie looked sort of embarrassed and offended by it! :rotfl:

I use degradable nappy sacks to put the contents of my many litter trays into. I thoroughly clean the scoop in very hot water after each use, but don't necessarily disinfect, unless it is filthy.

It is recommended that you clean the entire tray once a week, though this does depend on the type of litter you use, I find I don't have to do it quite as often when using OKO Plus litter.

Each cat is different in terms of how often you need to scoop. My 3 moggies are reasonably forgiving with the cat litter and will use a tray, even with bits of "business" in, so I would clean it out in the morning and evening. I now also have two Bengal kittens, though, who are much more fussy :rotfl: If the tray is not clean enough for them, they will do it elsewhere in the house :eek: So I find I do scoop much more frequently now we have these two terrors as well

You just have to get into a routine and find what works for both you and your cat - it is very easy to become a slave to your cat, you may wish to put your foot down a little and start how you mean to go on :rotfl:

gettingready

I am scooping all day, non stop...LOL

Wash the trays once per week or less - depends on what kind of poo my lot have produced as Fred is prone to... up the liter tray wall it goes.. yukkkk

But I use clumping litter so all : pee and poo can be taken out and whatever is left in the tray is clean.

shelly

We only have a tray down if Lily isn't allowed outside which isn't often but when it happens I check it several times a day for poop and scoop when I notice it. Pee clumps the litter so is taken out when noticed, the litter is then topped up.
Scoop is washed in hot soapy water after every use and the whole tray is emptied and washed in hot water and disinfectant at least once a week, more if it needs it.

mummyroysof3

i tend not to use a scoop and just put a bag over my hand..i get the dirties out every time a poo is done as it stinks and check first thing and last thing to be sure....im paronoid that my house smells and hate not being able to have back door and windows open to air it out but its too cold atm

Fridaycat

mummyroysof3 wrote: »

i tend not to use a scoop and just put a bag over my hand..i get the dirties out every time a poo is done as it stinks and check first thing and last thing to be sure....im paronoid that my house smells and hate not being able to have back door and windows open to air it out but its too cold atm

The poo from my Bengals stink really bad, but those from my moggies don't at all, even when they eat the same food! Very odd

chocdonuty

I do the nappy sack thing too, just pop my hand inside the bag, grab the poop and then fold the sack inside out and tie, you don't touch the poop and nothing to wash but your hands. Wasking the scoop every time would only work if you had a spare sink, i really wouldn't fancy washing a dirty scoop in the bathroom or kitchen sink!

Mupette

i'm a find a poop and scoop it up, indoors tray rarely gets used now, but when the cats are indoors at night and one of them needs to use it, first thing i do in the morning whilst waiting for the kettle to boil for my kettle is check for poop.

i also do the nappy sack and scoop the poop in my hands (inside the bag), and straight out to the nappy bin in the garden (brilliant for small dog and 2 cats poop, empty it every 2 weeks for the binmen)

as for dirty scoop, wash it in hot soapy water in the sink with dettol surfice cleaner spray, which is very safe to use.

missmontana

Its only really Peaches that needs a litter tray as all the others go out, I scoop every night before I go to bed and the tray gets cleaned out every week, it all gets chucked in the bath, washed out with hot water and a bit of spray cleaner then the bath gets bleached afterwards.

mummyroysof3

whats the best thing to clean the tray with? read somewhere not to use bleach so ive been using multipurpose cleaner..can i use bleach though?