Silly question about cleaning litter trays

catkins

Hi,

Me and OH have taken on two 12 year old female cats. We have had them about 2 months now and they are using litter trays as they have not attempted to go outside.

Obviously I knew they would use trays for a while but to be honest was rather hoping it would not be for too long. Anyway I have been cleaning them out and putting the dirty litter in carrier bags. Every other day I clean the trays out completely and wash them and put that litter in carrier bags. That is a lot of litter and I have now run out of carrier bags!

Probably a silly question but what do other people do with the used litter? I know some of you have indoor cats so this is something you have to deal with all the time.

I have thought about using black bags but they seem a bit of an overkill for one day's litter and there is nowhere I could keep one to use more than one day. Also the carrier bags take up a lot of room in my wheelie bin

peachyprice

What kind of litter are you using? If you have a tray for each cat you shouldn't need to be completely changing the litter every other day. Obviously remove solids as soon as, but with the wee if you're using non-clumping you should be able to mix it and it should absorb with the dry litter, of if you're using clumping you just take the clumps of wet out.

If this isn't working and the trays are getting smelly within such a short time, perhaps you need to try another litter.

HappyMJ

I would change it less often. 1 cat here and the litter (Catsan) tends to last about a week. I just use supermarket grocery bags to bag it up in and dispose of it in the bin. We have fortnightly collections so only two bags required each collection so doesn't take up much space. I also use litter tray liners to make the task of cleaning the tray much easier.

gettingready

If you use clumping litter - you remove the "clumps" ane leave the rest in the tray, much more economical than using other litters.

I used dog poo bags (99p for 250 in a 99 store) to remove "clumps" 2-3 times per day but I have 4 indoor cats so....

moggymutt

You and your OH are really nice to have taken on 2 12 years old- wish there were more people like you around.

If you are in England where carrier bags are still free I would put out the feelers with all neighbours and friends, or buy pedal bin liners that work out cheaper than binbags. In Wales people are more careful with their plastic bags, but people still have enough that they keep our charity shop supplied with old ones. Possibly in England some charity shops are being given so many that they have spare to give away in return for small donation.

Your quickest method is the pedal bin liners, but more enviromentally friendly to try and get friends surplus plastic bags.

You possibly dont need to wash your trays quite so often, but I'm sure that the cats are more than happy with it.

peachyprice

gettingready wrote: »

I used dog poo bags (99p for 250 in a 99 store) to remove "clumps" 2-3 times per day but I have 4 indoor cats so....

Even better value, Sainsbury's Basics nappy bags, 12p for 100! I use this for de-pooing the garden and walkies.

catkins

Thanks for the replies.

At the moment I am using non clumping litter but have used a clumping one. Still trying out litters to find the one I and the girls like!

The trays do not smell so I think I am cleaning them too much. I don't like to mix the wet litter up because I thought they would not like that but I will try doing that.

I started using tray liners but found the girls were somehow scooping up the edges and they were ending up in the trays (if that makes sense).

I do find when they poo they often go right at the edge of a tray so the tray gets a bit mucky on the side so then I empty it completely and wash it.

What litter do any of you recommend? I will be honest and say because I was getting through so much I have the last few times I bought some bought a cheap one. At the moment I think it is Tesco's own.

If I can use less then I will buy a dearer one.

lostinrates

Definitely a clumping litter, and these change all the time.

At the moment we use ' golden odour' ( terrible name, huh?) but I also like moonlight clumping litter.

We've got a new one to try this week.

Fwiw, having them use the tray is, IMO a huge bonus. Your neighbours don't hate them for going I. Their gardens and crucially you are going to spot any change ( frequency of wees, hopefully consistancy of poop, though clumping dries them out you can see what was loose) so you can monitor their health more effectively.

moggymutt

Type of cat litter is down to personal choice. I'll only get the wood pellets sort, it may sound daft with having about 50 cats at any one time (so I am pretty immune to litter tray smells), but I cannot bear the smell of other types of cat litter. I cant bear to get anywhere near perfumed litters either.

I know what you mean about them pulling the liner up- we line all the litter trays with newspaper (to save money- partly absorbs the pee as well as lifting out easier) and a few of the cats are 'diggers' that seem to want to lift the newspaper over the cat litter, and get everything everywhere.

If the cats are catching the side of the tray then it is best to wash the tray every day.

lossinrates, that is a very valid point about litter trays reducing the chance of the cats using neighbours gardens.

gettingready

peachyprice wrote: »

Even better value, Sainsbury's Basics nappy bags, 12p for 100! I use this for de-pooing the garden and walkies.

Hmmmm - have to look for those, what does the packet look like?

Photo any chance? So I know what to look for?

Does Tesco do something similar? Or Asda?

Do not have Sainsbury's near me....



Ohh Asda does 300 for 35 pence - wohooo thanks for the tip.. how big are they? Only need about dog poo bag size but if they are bigger not a problem...

And just realised that the 99pence store pack is 200 bags not 250 as I though.. hmmmm

Will be moving to nappy sacks for both dog poo and clumps from the litter tray.. thanks for that

Owain_Moneysaver