Imagine if there were cat litter hacks that could make cleaning up after your cat less of a full-time job. Well, you’re in luck! Over my 13 years as a small animal vet working with cats, I’ve picked up quite a few tips and tricks.
Below, I've shared some things you can try to make life with a litter box (or three) less of an ordeal – from using a high-sided tray to mounting a poo bag dispenser on the wall.
Before we start, it’s worth getting familiar with some of the best cat litter boxes and best automatic cat litter boxes so that you can make sure that yours meets the needs of you and your cat.
The best cat litter hacks
Here are some tips and tricks to make cleaning your cat’s litter box (and the surrounding area) much easier!
1. Keep a diaper bin nearby
Cleaning your cat’s litter box is much quicker if you don’t have to take the contaminated litter or poop to an outside bin. However, putting the poop in your household trash will cause a smell.
To save you from popping outside every time, scoop the poop or dirty litter into a specialist diaper pail (like this one on Amazon), then twist the lid so that the smell doesn’t escape. This will mean you only need to empty the bin every few days but don’t leave it too long as if it’s too heavy the bag could break.
2. Keep everything you need nearby
We’ve all been there. You pass your cat’s litter box to find it dirty, so you go to grab the scoop from outside but get distracted by another household task. Then when you remember what you were doing, you return with the scoop but realize you don’t have any poop bags. And so on.
This can slow down the process of cleaning up your cat's litter tray. Instead, make sure you keep everything you need at the litter box station, including fresh bags of the best cat litter, poop bags, a bin, the poop scoop, and some pet-friendly disinfectant spray.
3. Use clumping cat litter
Clumping cat litter can make it much easier to remove all of the contaminated litter because it sticks together and is easy to scoop. This means you can preserve the clean litter and don’t need to remove all of the litter every time. However, every cat is different and your cat may prefer a particular texture of litter, so it’s worth trying it first before committing to a large bag.
To learn more about the different types of cat litter, check out our expert guide.
4. Use a poo bag dispenser on the wall
Poo bag dispensers aren’t just for dog owners to clip on their leads; these handy rolls are perfect for creating a litter box station. Just hang or mount the dispenser (like this one on Amazon) to the wall in easy reach and you’ll be able to grab a bag whenever you need to.
5. Use a litter box with high sides
It’s frustrating when you have to clean up litter that your cat has kicked all over the floor while burying their urine or feces. Using a covered litter box or one with high sides can help to keep the litter inside the box not all over the floor! However, bear in mind that not every cat will like a litter box of this style, and elderly cats especially might struggle to step into it.
6. Use a cat litter mat
Cat litter mats can also really help to keep cat litter off the floor and inside the box. The litter mats (like this one on Amazon) catch and trap the litter that’s stuck on your cat’s paws, stopping them from depositing it around the house!
7. Stack up the litter box liners
Doing a full change of your cat’s litter box can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. If you stack litter box liners (like these from Amazon) inside the tray, you can simply lift the top one, tie it, and throw it away, then add fresh litter to the one below. Of course, this will only work if the top liner is intact, so always check for leaks, but it’s a great way to save time.
8. Spot-clean the litter box daily
That’s right, you haven’t read it wrong! Spot-cleaning your cat’s litter box daily can actually help to reduce the overall cleanup time in the long run.
This is because cats are often put off by a dirty litter box, and may spend more time digging around trying to find a clean spot, spraying cat litter everywhere in the process. They might even abandon using the litter box altogether and just find an alternative spot behind the television or in the bathtub!
How often should you clean your cat’s litter box?
How often should you clean out your cat's litter box? The frequency that your cat’s litter box needs cleaning and how often you need to change the cat litter will vary, but if you’re spot-cleaning it every day and using clumping cat litter, you might find that they don’t need a full cat litter change and litter box clean more often than weekly. Of course, you’ll probably need to top it up with fresh cat litter in the meantime if it’s getting a little low.
However, it’s important to remember that if your cat has diarrhea, cystitis, or a urine infection, more of the cat litter will be contaminated, and they'll make more of a mess, so more frequent cleaning would be required.
As a general rule, the cat litter should be changed and the litter box cleaned with pet-friendly disinfectant once a week, or more often if the cat litter or box itself looks visibly dirty or wet.
If you’re a cat parent, you probably don't enjoy the unpleasant and time-consuming chore of cleaning their litter box. But why not give our cat litter hacks a try – they could save you time and make the job a little less unpleasant.
You might also want to read: How to get a cat to use a litter box and Is cat litter flushable?
