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You know how often I've been replacing a litter box because I was not aware of that none and my cat seems to be doing really fine I mean he does what he's got to do and I clean it out of course she has some scraping the bottom but I'm cleaning it out I haven't washed it out and I've never had to replace a little box in fact Neither did my family and we had 2 of them down in the basement one time the Mills were never so course that was way way way back but why all of a sudden now are we hearing about this if these videos were on UA-cam long ago why aren't they showing app very well you know how often I gotta search through UA-cam to find videos that should have been on here and Work showing app I mean seriously I have to scroll through UA-cam and there's a lot of things I could probably subscribe to but I don't know about it because I don't see it and I think this is only the second time I've seen a video from this woman and if she's got more than for some reason UA-cam is not doing well with making sure these videos are getting out But I never knew about that I Don' Don't know how my cat would feel about stainless steel because of the scraping of his clause so that's a new one I'm willing to change their food and water dish I got no problem with that especially with their whiskers but I never knew about that with the litter box and yet the stores I go to I don't believe have that kind Which would be Walmart in fact where I live I think if I'm not mistaken yeah most stores that sell stuff for pets generally do sell plastic litter boxes so that may be another problem for people is where can you find them plus litter boxes are also being replaced By the robot cat litter thing where cats can walk into it do their business walk out and it slowly turns and gets rid of the The waste so how do you deal with that 1 so I don't know I don't get it because I've never seen it before and the store I go to even food city yeah I don't believe they have them so I'll try to look but I can't guarantee that I would run into but I do need a little box that's a little bit bigger So Let's get me
Similarly, if people use the toilet and didn’t flush it afterwards, it would smell. Instead of complaining, flush it, wipe your tush, scoop litter box, take your dog out, pick up their poop, throw it away. Change the babies diaper too. Everything eliminates.
Yes exactly I saw a CFH episode where owners would pick up the litter once a week or twice a week. And there's me cleaning it twice a day and my litter box has never been smelly and it's an open one.
I'm Brazilian and one thing I don't get it, it's how you guys clean this kind of thing in the bathtub! You have to wash and disinfect the bathtub after, very well done to be sure it won't contaminates you, and that takes much more than "5 minutes". I mentioned my background because in Brazil every house has a special sink for house cleaning, for things like dirty shoes soles, litter boxes, washing cleaning supplies, etc., we never mix these things. with our regular stuff.
Yeah I'm American & don't clean it in the bathtub that's fucking gross. My litter box is on the back porch & my cat has a kitty door to get to it. I wash the box in the yard with a hose.
Her bathtub looks like mine. She is probably in an apartment. But I fill buckets and clean mine on my balcony and when I lived in a house I used my hose. She probably doesn’t have those options so this works for her.
Some of us don’t have that type of sink. I don’t wash it in the tub though because I don’t have one, I wash it in the shower and clean the shower afterwards
If you are lucky to get a sunny day, here's a trick. After washing thoroughly with hot, sudsy water, spray your plastic cat wares (including liter box) with white vinegar and set it in the sunshine and the UV rays will naturally sanitize plastic... and this also works for many other household items.
@@animeloveer97 - wrong "Naylene". The disinfectant properties from UV rays has zero to do with temperature. Sunlight/uv-light kills bacteria and viruses AND other little bugs that make us (and our furry friends) ill. Why do you think there are UV light toothbrush holders, etc... Do you think that is a lie? Ask anyone that works in a medical environment if UV light kills icky bugs... a "myth"...lol
Cats ARE a lot of work, especially younger ones. The litter box is the main thing, then trying to keep them entertained, so as not to destroy your home and trying to keep them from running out the door. I love mine very much, so I guess I'll do what I need to until I can't.
I have one cat litter box for each of my cats in plastic that is going to be used until they pass. I don’t go out buying a new one each year. For what? I clean them really well each time and they smell great and still look as good as new. That’s how I help the environment.
All good ideas for those that are OCD about litter boxes. I'm 61 years old and have had cats literally all my life. Never once have I, anyone in my family, or any of our cats ever gotten ill from a properly maintained "plastic" litterbox. Just sayin'. We currently have 3 cats and 2 litterboxes... scoop in the morning, scoop at night, wash once a week and done.
Same here. 2 healthy cats with two plastic litter boxes. I am cleaning the boxes two times a day. The only time I wash a litter box is if an accident has happened. The litter is designed to dehydrate whatever gets into it, therefore, the environment is unsuitable for bacteria growth. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that the boxes are sterile, but my cats are often licking their butts after using a box, if this doesn't harm them in any way, I don't see how the imaginary bacteria would. Yet again, I'd rather see an OCD cat owner than a cat with a neglected litter box.
I agree. I've had multiple adopted cats entire life and plastic work fine as long as you scoop and clean them regularly. I use a little dawn dishsoap and wash them outside on the pavement with a hose, dry them out and put fresh litter in probably once a month or so.
I actually watched a video from Jackson Galaxy saying that cleaning out with your cats litter box with anything but warm water is no good for the cat. They work hard to get their scent in the litter box and it’s being wiped away. Might be worth the watch! Thanks for all the tips! ☺️
We have several cats and I can affirm, it is crucial to scoop the litterboxes multiple times a day, every single day. The difference is shocking once you see how much easier and more sanitary it is when you scoop more frequently.
I scoop multiple times per day as well. It actually makes life easier for everyone. If you leave waste sitting in the box for a long period of time, there's also the chance that the clumps might get broken the next time the cat uses the box. When I scoop, I tilt the box so all the loose litter slides out of the away, and I can remove the clump in a single piece. Even if it does break, because it's isolated, I can scrape out the other pieces without it contaminating the rest of the litter. Scooping multiple times also adds a bit of resiliency. If I forget to scoop in the evening, I might find a bit of extra waste the next morning , but it's not like it's going to find a huge pile like I would if I cleaned it less frequently.
I never cleaned my cat’s box. I purchased a large plastic Rubbermaid sweater box from Home Depot, filled it with 30 lbs of litter and used a metal scoop from Amazon. The scoop was amazing. I scooped her box at minimum 1X daily. I never let small bits of litter stay. Anyway, it was great. I used the cat litter baby diaper bag system thing sold at petco/petsmart. My babe has passed away a few years ago. She was a Russian Blue and required a large box but the stores didn’t have what I needed. Great video!
Enzymatic cleaner. That was a total game changer for me. Before, no amount of scrubbing or detergent would get the scent out of the box after washes. Now I soak the box with the enzymatic cleaner for 10 mins, then scrub it with dish soap, and it leaves it sparking clean and ZERO smell. I spray the cleaner around the litter box as well just to freshen things up.
@@eleanorwoods6873 I dunno why my replies aren’t showing up, but I use simple solution extreme stain and odor remover. You can buy the patio and decking 4liter bottle, it’s the same product just a lot more economical.
@@Ida-Adrianahey! I recall replying but for some reason my replies aren’t showing up sorry! I use the Simple Solution extreme cat stain & odor remover; you can buy the patio and decking 4liter version and put it in a spray bottle- it’s a lot more economical
Tractor supply pellet pine for cat litter boxes, horses even dog kennels biodegradable look online easy to do save you hundreds of dollars.cost only seven dollars for 40 pounds
I have a different technique. I get the largest litter box I can find and I fill it with A LOT of scoopable litter, so there is a very deep layer (maybe 4-5 inches). Then I scoop waste frequently into my litter locker. With this technique, solid or liquid waste almost never reaches the bottom or sides of the litter box. I try to keep the litter topped up as much as possible and I scoop frequently. I have all of this in its own private corner or the house and I use a track mat to reduce tracking. I pretty much never have to clean or replace the box since the waste is removed before having the opportunity to really touch or soak anywhere into the plastic. It might not be perfect or sparkling, but it stays clean enough :)
That’s pretty much what I do also. I only have one cat now and she eats a raw diet. There’s not a lot of waste to scoop. I have a very large litter box with a clear lid, I have dogs. I gotta be able to keep them out of it. So yes, I have a lid on it so Sumi :-) it works very well.
My cat lived to be 18. We used only 2 plastic litterboxes in her entire life. They stayed very clean because I used plastic litterbox liners that I changed once a month. I also placed several layers of folded newspapers underneath the liners so that if my cat's claws tore holes in the liners, the newspapers would absorb any urine that might leak out. So every month, I'd replace the liners and, if needed, I replaced the newspapers underneath them too. I do like the idea of stainless steel litterboxes, though. I never even knew they existed.
Here’s a tip to get that cement- like litter off the bottom of the litter box: buy a paint scraper at the dollar store. Very easy to scoop the litter. I’ve used a plastic litter box for years. My cat is happy, healthy. My home doesn’t smell. I’m wondering if the steel litter box is cold on their paws.
The point of the litter genie is to keep the smell contained in their special liners, not to have a separate trashcan for the litter waste. When I first got my cat I had a separate normal trash can for the litter and just used normal bags and the smell was terrible. I didn't want to buy into the marketing, but after a few months, I bought a litter genie and never went back. It's much more convenient and the liners really work. Sorry but a bag in a candy jar is not a diy litter genie, it's just a pretty trash can. I've had mine for 3+ years and it doesn't stink except for when I cut away the part with the waste when it's full. Maybe the people you cat sat for used off brand liners or normal plastic bags to save money, which in that case, yeah it's not going to work properly to keep the smell contained. Also, I have 2 litter boxes to rotate. I would have gotten a stainless steel one had I know it existed at the beginning, but I don't see any reason to dump my current ones. I just scoop the clumps, pour the old litter into the new box, top it off. Then take the dirty box and wash it in the tub and let it soak in bleach for 20 minutes. I don't know who is dumping their plastic litter boxes every year, that seems rather excessive. I think bleach or sunning the box as someone else suggested is enough to sanitize it.
I ran across a deal on a ton of little puppy waste bags so I kinda stopped using the genie. Lol. It worked well until the smell assaults you all at once when you change the bag. (For me anyways lol). Plus the cost and fiddling with changing the bags. I put the poop in the thick little bags, tie a knot to seal it and Chuck it in my regular trash. Granted I have very little urine to scoop tho Bcuz I use pine pellets/sifting for that. I only have one box that isn’t sifting/pine. I had too many cats to keep up with so I had to seek out alt ideas beyond traditional. Puppy pads also catch the urine sawdust so I just change the pads once a week and they can go in my regular bin to be quickly taken out as well as the little puppy bags. For me I guess I like not having to have a special bin. I like being able to throw everything nasty into one place and then summarily take it out. It is also a lot less heavy as well and the pine keeps it all very dry.
a diy one can work if you use the right container - I use a biscuit tin, but it's got a seal a bit like a tupperware, it's meant to stop biscuits etc going stale but it keeps the smell in
Plastic is porous and the urin eats away at it. while bleach is nice and all its wayyy to harsh on cat noses. you might not notice anything on your cat but one of mine is a bit sensitive and kept on sneezing until I stopped using bleach and used only vinegar instead. Normally, I wouldn't throw my bin away after a year, but let's say every five years...I expect my cat to at least live 15 years so the cost of a stainless steel one isn't too bad. And I wouldn't be opposed to buy a used one if I find a good deal
@@drifloons The jar in the video didn't look very airtight tbh. I have a similar candy jar and the lid just sits on the opening and can be easily knocked off (not what I want for a waste bin that holds poop). Whatever works for her is fine, but I felt like she skipped the actual benefits of the litter genie so that she didn't have to show the equivalent in the diy version and instead just pointed out that it's plastic so it's bad. A big benefit for me with the litter genie is that I don't have to smell the old waste every time I scoop (which is every day). I only have to deal with it when I change the liner, which is only once or twice a month.
i sprinkle some baking soda into litterbox, mixed into the litter to combat the smells. works wonderfully for us - my cats don't mind (i think - what i mean is that their behavior towards their boxes has not changed at all) and not that my home used to smell but the corner where the litterboxes were sometimes used to stink. i have four cats in my care.
If you use silica based litter like pretty litter, mixing baking soda with it creates sodium silica which in turn create ammonia gas when wet and can also burn your cat's paws.
I use an old stainless steel steam pan that was used in the school kitchen where I used to work. It’s wonderful! I also scoop multiple times during the day. My little gal doesn’t like a dirty smelly toilet and neither do I❣️
OK, after watching I have to agree with the idea of using stainless and ceramic for tools. But I found I could put liter 4-5 inches high and it never stuck to the bottom and I could clean once a day! I used a mix of Arm and Hammer Naturals ( I think it's ground pinecone or something like that) and clumping clay. If you don't use something in the clay mix you are going to have cement to work with! That's exactly how they make mortar! So I highly recommend mixing. I cleaned setup, mixed litters and filled several maybe 5 in. Each time I scooped I would refresh top with new litter, maybe up to one cup. After 30 day I cleaned whole box. My cat was never sick and no one could smell anything. I kept extra litter in a 4 gallon container. This was a $40 a month process. Don't know how to make it cheaper w/o more work. Cleaning a litter box for 16 yrs wore me down. Now my cats are indoor/outdoor and NO litter box except in freezing weather.
My god I've had cats all my life and I'm 63! Didn't think I could learn anything new but I just learned a bunch of stuff new and I am going to put it into effect immediately. Thank you thank you thank you! I was already using the stainless steel scoop and natural litter but I'm going to a stainless steel pan and I'm going to try the piling it in the center thing. I scoop once a day but maybe I should do it more often.
Nice tips, as someone with 6 cats, litter boxes are part of the daily routine. :) 2 additions: Steel litter boxes are really nice, but the advice to throw away plastic toilets once a year did really puzzle me. What source of wasted money and plastic garbage. In my experience, using chlorine, especially if you let it soak in for an hour once from time to time, is perfectly fine. The best benefit-cost ratio in my experience is using wooden litter, and not buying cat litter but litter for horse stables. Same product, but much cheaper. Plus, you can stack 2 toilet trays while drilling a lot of holes in the top one. That way, the used-up wood powder goes into the tray beneath, and you just need to remove the solid waste.
Hydrogen peroxide works wonders when cleaning any biological stains, like urine, blood or feces. Just pour some onto the soiled area, then watch the bubbling action lift the stains out of the fabric; then pat dry with a clean rag. Every thread will be as clean as it was before the unfortunate accident. To deal with the odors as well as the stains, I use the hydrogen peroxide with a dusting of baking soda.
@@rjchavers9267 I do the exact same thing. My only problem is when the kiddies think the litterbox is gone too long... then I have extra cleanup. I found out I could put one of those "pee pads" for dogs in the same place the litterbox usually is, so when they get urgent and the box is being cleaned outside, they use that instead of the floor...
I do similar with pine pellets/sifting/sawdust. The wood idea is intriguing tho. Do you get it at tractor supply? I guess I do pine Bcuz it is just readily available and simple and works well enough for me. I have 9 cats. Not that this was my plan to have this many or anything I solicited, it just turned out that way. I had to let them be indoor/outdoor for my own sanity. Fortunately most of them now do most of their business outside when the weather permits. I also occasionally take the boxes out, clean them with something enzymatic and use the water hose and let them dry in the sun. I know what you mean tho. I got two girls who would rather religiously use the puppy pads. 😅😅 Fortunately most days they have good aim and they’ve trained me to lay the pads just so for them (which is usually just folding them in half-this way you have top and bottom absorbing-and placing them in a certain direction/location) Lol. Of course I learned all of this over a long period of time with a lot of trial and error. Lol.
As a brand new cat mom (we’ve had our first ever pet & cat for 2 weeks now!!) I’m happy that I did go for the stainless steel box. I’ll definitely be shopping for a ceramic scoop after seeing this video! I too clean my cats box 3x/day.. as a busy mom 4 little kids, I’m already cleaning diapers all day long so cleaning the cat box is really no big deal for me. I also really want our cat to have a pleasant place to 💩 I never thought to pile the litter in the centre of the box but will be definitely trying that tip as well. Great video, lots of tips and tricks! I will definitely be checking out your other videos :) thank you!
Wonderful information. Couple of things that I do that I have found very helpful is I have a tin or aluminum pot that I got a plant in, a long time ago. It happens that it is just the right size for my scoop. Like you, I line it with a plastic bag and then close the bag up and put it away. I use it several times in a row until the bag is full. The best pooper scooper I’ve ever found is one of those round net type frying scoops so often used in Asian cooking. It’s best to have a sturdy double metal handle.
QUESTION: so I have a tiny apartment, 2 cats & no room for 2 litter boxes. It's LITERALLY impossible. We can only fit one & unfortunately the only place that would fit is the kitchen!! Even there, it's still in the way & gross because it's the FIRST thing you walk into/smell when you come in the apartment. And Im a FREAK about keeping the box clean. BUT, NOW I UNDERSTAND the whole point of NON PLASTIC boxes. Like you said I can never get the plastic one completely clean. My girl likes to pee right up against the front wall, right at the door of the litter box. So that whole front wall is just SEEPED in pee. And I SCRUB! You are helping me & my kitties!! So is it bad that I can't fit another litter box? I keep it SO clean. When Im home & they go, I clean it out right away. But that front wall is NOT coming clean. Im so worried about the bacteria now that I want to run out this instant & replace this box!!
Wait clean the litter box weekly? Oops. I scoop everyday but yeah cleaning is once every few months...its also on the back porch & I walk the waste to the dog poop trash cans in my neighborhood.
So, every time your cat poops or pees you go and remove it immediately? And if your cat poops at 2a.m.? Do you sleep with one eye open just to make sure your cat doesnt poop without you noticing it immediately?
I've been a cat owner since the mid eighties. Used all types of litter, litter boxes and methods. Until I discovered World's Best cat litter, it always smelled and was just nasty. I started using World's Best around ten years ago and you never smell the cat box. I use a regular plastic box with a bag liner. I keep at least one inch of litter in the bottom and add ass necessary. The litter clumps instantly, and all I do is scoop the clumps in the morning and evening. The litter goes into a small trash can with a pedal operated lid and is bag lined. It is emptied once a week.
I really love this idea but my first concern is the sides are short and there's no top so the first time it's used litter will be everywhere. The second, is the noise. I'm not sure I can handle the sound of his nails on the steel when he's burying. This is the first cat I've ever had so idk if it's normal but he's very concerned with making sure it's buried and spends a lot of time doing that. Has anyone else has similar issues or a solution?
Ohhhhhhhh, yes!! My cats, all 3, act like they’re digging a hole to China in their litter boxes. They’ll spend upward of 5 minutes scratching and burying. It’s unreal. I have to have a hood or I’ll have litter everywhere. My one cat I adopted is blind, so I get why she spends so much time in there. Well, not really. But the other two…no idea. I have 3 litter boxes that I clean out daily. It’s a phenomenon I’ll never understand.
Not all are made the same. I literally spent a month sifting through metal box brands, and they all had some major flaw. However!! I came across one finally 🤣 Litter Earth is the BEST for metal litter boxes. They're made from medical-grade steel. Their website breaks it down, but in a nutshell, there are at least 3 grades that they mention... Stainless Steel 200 (metal staws, kitchen utensils, and kitchen trays) ... Stainless Steel 304 (commercial equipment, pots & pans, outdoor BBQ grill) ..... and finally, Stainless Steel 316 (surgical instruments, marine applications, medical equipment) ..... The Less Litter Earth litter box is made from stainless steel 316. On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, this stainless steel type rates 5 stars at being able to stand up against degradation from cat urine and 5 stars for being corrosion resistant. It resists odor, bacteria, ammonia in cat urine, stains, and rust. It is PH proof against cat urine.... Finally, the design has VERY high sides and it is round as opposed to the traditional rectangular shape. If you notice, cats always make circular movements in their litter box. The shape of the box fits their natural movements. I also like the Less Earth litter box because other metal boxes (and plastic too of course) tend to get scratches and degrade ovetime, which costs more money in the long run when they have to be replaced. This one does not have to be replaced. It's pricey upfront, but you're saving money down the road and you have a top of the line, highest quality litter box. 🙃
Another tip I have is using wood pellets for horses or heating. They break down into dust and don't smell that intensively. You can even decompose it for later use as plant fertilizer. Only downside is that you have to scoop out the poop which is a bit harder since the pellets don't go through shovels, so having a sieve in the box can help to seperate the dust from the pellets and you can just put the dust into the bin after scooping the poop and refill without too much worry about the smell (really, I was sceptical but I tested it for a year and am pretty happy) I know there's also wood-based litter that clumps which would probably make it easier to scoop it out but the ones I had tested left a bigger mess than regular litter, which is sad. And plant based clumping litter just stinks so bad.... I almost didn't want to try the wooden pellets. Had to use regular litter the last 2 weeks cuz my pellets didn't arrive and now I remember why I hate regular litter (too messy, sticky, disgusting)
@@xxxannib It depends, ebay, amazon, I guess you can get wood pellets at any home depot as fire medium, it's almost the same and works just as fine. I usually get a 15kg bag of pine wood pellets.
Genius idea w/ the steel litterbox. I ordered one straight away. I must admit I was shocked to hear people didn't scoop when there was smt to scoop but let it sit for days and even wks 🤯 The stench must be unbearable for the human nose but imagine how the poor cats must feel. 😔
I use a heavy duty plastic contractor bag to line the inside of a large litter box (3 cats) with folded up newspapers underneath. Just cut off about 6 inches off of the top of the bag since they are quite large. Then, take an extra large rubber band around the top to secure the bag in place. It makes the eventual cleanup disposal of the litter box contents so much easier, and you don't have to worry about the bag breaking on you on your way out the door. In addition, you don't need to wash out the litter pan in your bathtub which is quite unsanitary!
I always and love using just the litter genie refills, there's zero smell. I just pull the bag out as long as I want the length tie the bottom and scoop a couple times a week cut the bag tie the top and remove out to the outside garbage cans and I have 4 cats. Its So easy n scent free thats y I stopped using grocery bags cause u can't tie them to the point of no air ascaping , wich stunk bad.. so oy the refills an not the plastic bin that u can get with it... takes up less space and zero cat odors 👍 p.s the genie refill bags are much stronger than any regular plastic garbage bag or store bags .. I recommend them highly❤😊
Cleaning one of the cats' litter boxes every time one of them used it would mean I would never leave their bathroom lmao. It must be nice JUST having one cat. =P
My litter box is in my WC so I clean the litter everytime I use the WC myself. I was going to wash my hands after that anyway, might as well take care of both of our WC at the same time ;)
I gently dust my cats litter tray with bicarbonate soda each day. Given her tray is next to my desk it does a great job keeping orders down. She seems to appreciate it too
I put a thin layer of baking soda (same thing as bicarbonate soda) in the very bottom of the litterbox. I do this because I heard that it can irritate some cats skin (I have hairless kiddies), and I have not had any problems. It definitely keeps odor down in our household.
@@RokiMowntinHi I haven't had any problems with irritation from my cat, but yes definitely place under the litter if you cat seems irritated by it. or stop using. I'm not an expert, this was just an old, old, old family trick.
I tried stainless for a couple of weeks! It was horrible! I couldn’t get wet litter off the pan! It wouldn’t let loose. One of my cats jumps over litter rugs! Thinking she’s at the Olympics. My cats don’t squat and pee over the edge!
Excellent. Thank you very much for taking the time to show us your set up. Thank you Thank you THANK YOU. You are a very nice lady to share this with us.
My additional tip is to make sure you aren't placing any sort of litter box into direct sunlight. 😅 You'd be surprised that I see people get stainless steel litter boxes only to place them near a window where of course the steel is going to heat up super fast and the heat can cause burns and accelerate bacteria growth. I see people do this too with their food and water dishes...
I have a jumbo size plastic litterbox with cover, I need the cover on it because I have 2 male cats and when they pee it just shoots out and hits the walls of the top cover, otherwise the pee would hit my actual walls. Also use plastic liners 3ml the strongest I can find, even though I still get holes in them when cats claw at them it has helped tremendously when cleaning. I just remove liner and then clean out any litter that seeped through holes. I do this once a week then clean out with white vinigar to kill germs and eliminate any smells. New liner then goes in. I do have to replace litter box once a ye. As she said in video plastic does trap smells and I noticed it just doesn't smell right after about a yr. I scoop waste into individual dog poop bags as they're bigger than the ones for cats , then throw away in my small, small, metal trash can with lid. Once the lie is closed you can't smell anything and I deliberately got a very small bin to but waste in because I live in apt. and I want that out of the apt. ASAP. So it only holds about 2 days or baggies or about 5-6 poop bags. I know myself , I'm lazy I'd I got a bigger trash can I would empty it less often , same thing for trash in kitchen , small trash can so I empty it more often.
I love the litter box idea, because I don’t like using plastic, but I have a ginormous cat who sings she needs to spray litter everywhere. So I have to use a jumbo high sided plastic litter box. If I can find one of the other types that you suggest that have high sides, but a small front opening I’m all for it.
Wash once a week and replace plastic box once a year? That's news to me. Never had issues with smell or the box getting visibly dirty or getting worn down, you just need to find the right litter.
If you're out at work all day it's impossible to see to a litter box immediately. Me or my husband are usually in all day. The tray is seen to whenever my cat uses it. She pees 3 to 4 times a day and because she has problems, she can poop anything between 2 to 5 times a day. The litter box is in my bedroom so that I can hear when she goes and I get up and empty it every time. I'll look out for a stainless steel box, haven't seen one before. I have 2 large plastic ones so they can be changed over when I'm giving them a deep clean. I wrap all deposits in newspaper and put in a separate bin outside that has a compostable carrier bag in in it. This is then put in our rubbish bin when it goes out every two weeks.
Since my pets and I travel full-time in our truck camper, the only possible place for the litter box is in my shower. Because they were kicking litter all over the bath area, as well as tracking it outside the box I've resorted to a huge storage tub with high sides and a lid. I cut a large hole in the center of the lid for the cats to access the box. On top I've placed a mat to trap the litter on their paws as they come out. I also cut a matching sized hole in the center of it. It's like the one you show where the litter drops down from the top layer and is trapped between the two layers. This solved the problems of the dog searching for tootsie rolls, the cats flinging litter all over the bathroom, and the tracking problem. I scoop it at a minimum of twice daily and often as soon as they use it. Your point about plastic retaining germs is spot on. It's the reason I've gone back to wood cutting boards as wood kills bacteria and is easily bleached. So now I'll check out the stainless steel pan and see if one will fit inside the plastic storage tub. Thank you so much for bringing up another very important topic and providing solutions. 😻
That's exactly how I made my litter boxes - three of them for three house cats. I warmed the plastic lids to reduce rigidity before I cut the entry holes, placing them in the centre, which works much better than at one end. Top-entry boxes work brilliantly to reduce tracking - we get none. We use pine pellets, which are w-a-y out in front as the best litter - naturally antibacterial too. Absolutely no smells except for the brief period before solids are buried. I scoop with a doggy bag and use a Litter Locker, and also use a lidded pail with a plastic liner. That option is the most economical with plastics. Our dog and one of our cats love to travel as well, though it's not full-time like you.
@@janebrown7231 I'm 73 and have had indoor cats my entire life. Of all the systems I've tried, this works best for us. I made sure to buy the tallest container available to allow for plenty of head room as my senior boy is a big cat. Was a bit concerned that my new blind kitten would have trouble accessing it but she goes in and out like champ. I'm using a clumping litter right now but want to try a wood pellet type.
@@rouxchat6033 I do agree with you... we've tried most systems and this is by far the best. Height is important, and the commercial top-entry box I tried wasn't tall enough for natural movement and scratching for our average-sized cats. It also had slightly rounded lower corners and tipped over as the cats jumped off it. Our two chats roux and their torbie sister are much happier with my home-made quarter-price boxes! I hope your upcoming winter travel goes well (assuming you're in the northern hemisphere) and that fuel remains affordable and available for you.
@@janebrown7231 Yes, getting the right size and shape box is key. Glad you found what works. Giggles on your chat roux. My senior boy is one too, hence my UA-cam handle. Yep, gas is expensive. I am adjusting my travels and staying longer in each location. Life is all about prioritizing and re-prioritizing. 😆 🤣 😂 😹 All the best!
I use a small cement mixing trough from Home Depot. Less than $10.00. Cement is very caustic, but doesn't eat through this material it's tough! The litter slides out. No sticking. No gouging from claws. Spray it clean in the shower, it doesn't hold on to the water either. Seven years later, the tray looks good as new.
I have two cats and I have a disability that makes bending difficult for me, however, I have hit upon something that makes changing the litter a breeze for me. I get litter box liners from Amazon which are 2 ml thick. They fit in the litter box and I fold them over so they tie underneath. When I change the litter, I use scissors to cut the tie, pull the whole bag out, and put it all in the garbage. As long as I clip the cats’ claws regularly, the bags don’t rip. I have been doing this for a year now and it only takes me 2 minutes to do the job. It is so easy! 😊
Have you ever tried horse bedding pellets. Pee turns the pine pellets back to saw dust. Super cheap and lasts a long time. Comes in a green bag i buy at tractor supply
FYI the bottom ripple rug contain latex, so if you have a latex allergy or sensitivity avoid this! I have been talking with the manufacturer and they are going to at least look into other materials. I want a ripple rug sooo bad lol
I've just gone to a normal plastic litter box after being so fed up with the litter robot 4... I hope to upgrade my set up and looking st a stainless steel one! The advice for a better bin is useful too :)
I have never seen a stainless steel litter box in the stores around here, but when you mentioned it i immediately thought 'Yes, this is perfect!'. Was looking around for a good new box for my elderly cat anyway and i think i'll try to get one of those for her.
Not all are made the same. I literally spent a month sifting through metal box brands, and they all had some major flaw. However!! I came across one finally 🤣 Litter Earth is the BEST for metal litter boxes. They're made from medical-grade steel. Their website breaks it down, but in a nutshell, there are at least 3 grades that they mention... Stainless Steel 200 (metal staws, kitchen utensils, and kitchen trays) ... Stainless Steel 304 (commercial equipment, pots & pans, outdoor BBQ grill) ..... and finally, Stainless Steel 316 (surgical instruments, marine applications, medical equipment) ..... The Less Litter Earth litter box is made from stainless steel 316. On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, this stainless steel type rates 5 stars at being able to stand up against degradation from cat urine and 5 stars for being corrosion resistant. It resists odor, bacteria, ammonia in cat urine, stains, and rust. It is PH proof against cat urine.... Finally, the design has VERY high sides and it is round as opposed to the traditional rectangular shape. If you notice, cats always make circular movements in their litter box. The shape of the box fits their natural movements. I also like the Less Earth litter box because other metal boxes (and plastic too of course) tend to get scratches and degrade ovetime, which costs more money in the long run when they have to be replaced. This one does not have to be replaced. It's pricey upfront, but you're saving money down the road and you have a top of the line, highest quality litter box. 🙃 I just got one for my ragdoll kitten
You can buy the food buffet steel containers and get one wirh holes and use pine pellets and you won't need the litter genie because you can flush this litter. Cheaper and environmentally friendlier
**Try using wood pellets for your cat litter. They work great they absorb the odor of the urine and the pellets break down to saw dust, which is so much better for the environment. The best part is that the cat doesn't spread particles of the clay all over the house, and it is way more affordable then cat litter.
I have 4 cats all 13 years old they all been using the same plastic litter box they been using as babies I think I washed it twice all this years, it is a supersized litter box and due to health reasons I am not able to weekly wash it, the litter is clean scooped twice a day, cats are happy and healthy, I do like the metal litter box unfortunately it does not come in a supersize for multiple cats, now you don't need to run to the store and buy a garbage can or jar, I use an empty plastic litter container with the top cut off and a plastic bag inside or even a paper bag if out of plastic works like a charm, the litter box don't necessarily have to end up in a landfill it can bleached clean and use it to grow a little garden, I don't have a litter tracking rug I keep a broom and dustpan by the litter box scoop it up and toss it back in the litter box
In looking for solutions for a cat who urinates standing up and aims high, I found a stainless steel box with high enough sidewall attachment that seals properly to the tray, NOT inviting urine to migrate through the seam, which had happened with every other two-piece box I had tried. This accidentally led me to using a stainless steel tray, and I am a fan. I find that any urine clump that reaches the bottom tends to stick a bit on the metal, compared to a quality plastic bottomed tray, but I align my scoop carefully. The satisfaction from being able to wash the pan thoroughly and not worrying about scratches harboring litter, bacteria or cleaning products is well worth it.
When I had a cat I used those disposable aluminum turkey pans and wood pellets. It only costs about $35 a month. Each day I folded it up with the litter and threw it away. The wood pellets cost about $12 for a big ol bag and at 1 scoop a day lasts a long time.
I'm with you for sure on scooping multiple times a day! I have 5 cats and 6 enclosed high sided litter boxes, track mats and litter genie's for each one as well as deodorizing/odor neutralizing spray. Three are on the main floor, two are upstairs and one is in the basement family room. They all 6 get scooped every morning and every evening anyway but as needed in between such as if I hear them scratching or hear them pee or smell that someone did something a bit more substantial. I have zero problems with any of the cats having box issues.
I use a stainless steel litter box and stumbled upon it by accident. I had just bought a litter box enclosure and I just happened to have a brand new good size stainless steel pan... the type you would see at a buffet that is usually filled with food. It's shaped just like a litter pan and I wanted a new litter box to go with the new enclosure so I thought I would try out the pan. I noticed on day 1 how much better it was and I tossed the plastic box. I scoop twice a day but I have a small cat so it's never messy but with the stainless steel, pee clumps easily break free of the bottom of the bottom of the pan and if you sprinkle a tiny bit of baking soda in the bottom once a week it's like adding teflon - pee clumps break away without a speck sticking. And it's so easy to clean because it's stainless steel so I just keep it clean with paper towels and water rather than carrying it to the bathroom. I also don't use a litter scoop because smaller bits of pee and poop slip through so instead I use a large plastic kitchen spoon, the type you'd use to stir a pot of chilli or something similar and it works perfect allowing me to get all clumps and the tiny specks too that can sometimes happen when your cat breaks it up when digging. I then replace the removed part of the litter with an equal measure of fresh litter so when I scoop it looks like it's just been cleaned and yet it takes very little time and effort and always looks and smells like it's been freshly cleaned.
We have 3 cats and 2 stainless steel litter boxes. We use flushable pine pellets and empty and rinse their boxes after each use. They always step into a clean box and the house smells fantastic.
I just use a large clear plastic storage bin for my cat and added 5 boxes of litter. It works great! Because the litter box is bigger than my cat and he has plenty of room to do his business. It's super easy to scoop and throw away in the litter gini.
I agree with the metall material but didn't find one here. Our experience over here: Give the cat high quality(!) food so the cat is and stays healthy and the mess is not smelly. Scoop the box once a day or more if needed and bring the trash out the house daily. If there is trash which stays over the day, you can clip the Plastik bag together. Had such a litter genie, but gave it away - too expensive and not handy for me. Meanwhile we use some open XXXL boxes (actually for storage) from the DIY-Store same as classic XXL cat toilet boxes, natural cat litter made of plants (filled up 7-8cm high - that's better for cats instinct). For cleaning accidents, smelly stuff or sometimes even to wash the floors: a microbiological cleaning liquid/spray (it's a concentrate in 1-10L containers) which splits up smelly bacteria. No need to throw away the full litter weekly. I also don't buy new boxes once a year - they are fine, they are clean, they are not smelly. If a cat is sick, it can happen, that i use a Desinfektion spray after washing a box. On my litter pack is written to change it once a month - if it's well done (don't mess around with the scoop! - It takes me 10 minutes to do 3-4 litter boxes on 3 floors with 1 plastic bag daily), that even works out without being messy. I also skip all the mats ... Honestly ... hoover robots save lifes - 3 floors, twice a day + you always have a tidy home, otherwise it's gone. But especially with XXXL boxes there is not much litter in the house - i lose more hair than 3 cats litter in the house. I'm working with clients in this house - it has to be clean and it has to be fresh as soon as someone enters the door otherwise I have a problem with my job. 👍 Nice greetings from over sea! Hope my English + autocorrect is not too bad...
Stainless steel holds bacteria too, at least that is what our vet said when talking about cat acne. Said to get rid of metal and bamboo bowls. Only ceramic, glass and porcelain aren't porous 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
Your vet must be high 😅 anything that's not routinely and properly cleaned will harbor gunk and germs. Bamboo/natural fibers and plastic, yes, toss. Stainless steel? No. 😂 Glass, etc is fine too but it shatters and breaks. If it chips you need to toss it...
Love the stainless steel litter box even though I don't approve of the bacteria paranoia. I use pine pellets from Tractor Supply and some Barnlime or pelleted lawn lime with the pellets. I only scoop the poop, I let the urine compost in the pine pellets. It doesn't smell. The ph lowering power of the calcium carbonate lime encourages HEALTHY BACTERIA, composting bacteria, which eliminates odors and you don't have to scoop the pee. When the pine pellets get soaked I dump the litter on the roses outside (or other landscaping). I even add some of my own urine with water to the roses and my roses have beautiful healthy green leaves and healthy blooms. I rinse my litter box outside to help water the drought stricken garden.
lucky you! Maybe my cats are excessive pee-ers, but if I didn't scoop the pee daily, my 2 cats would fully soak the bottom of the box in a few days. No amount of calcium carbonate (baking soda) would neutralize that smell (I have tried that). If I let their pee "compost" in the box, the smell in the bathroom would be intolerable. I think this might work if your box is not inside your house.
@@RokiMowntinHi I only had one large elderly cat at the time and I used garden lime not baking soda (which lowers ph but is salty and bicarbonate of soda and not calcium carbonate like garden or Barnlime), and as soon as the litter is thoroughly wet and at that point also stinky, you need to maybe rescue the dry bits on top and certainly dump out all the wet stuff to mulch plants in the garden or stick in a compost bin. In a 3 cat household it is recommended to have 3 litter boxes. Cat daddy has some good videos on litter box metholodgy. Some cats won't tolerate pine pellets under their paws and you need to use finer grain litter. You could expand the pine pellets with water let them dry again and use that for litter, but you would have more tracking debris. There are other types of compostable litter, like corn cobs or recycled newspaper.
My hacks for the litter box begin with a large storage tote, cheap from Walmart. It’s plastic, but I seldom have to scrub it out because of the litter (?) I use in it. I use pet bedding for horses or small animals, wood shavings from sawmills that you can buy cheap from Tractor Supply or other agricultural stores. I put at least 3 to 4 inches of shavings in the tote, and as I only have one cat, her urine is absorbed by the shavings before it gets to the floor. She didn’t even cover her feces at first, so scooping them up was very easy, but recently she must have heard me praise her leaving them on top of the shavings because now she does cover them, but they aren’t 3 inches down and are also the only heavy thing in there, so I have no problem with them. When the shavings get yellow, I change it out, and clean out the poop once a day into used zip-lock bags or bigger plastic bags, also used. No smell!!! I had to change from clumping litter because I have asthma which is aggravated by the dust, and it is sooooo heavy, I can’t carry around the big boxes full of it. These two hacks have saved me, and my cat’s feet aren’t hurt!
@Jazz K - Exactly. Three of my cats got so sick from it that they couldn't swallow. It caused their esophagus to swell. It could've even caused liver failure. We ended up spending $2000+ on the vet visits and medication. All to save a couple dollars on litter.
There is a sawdust kitty litter available here which is sawdust which has been compressed into pellets. I used mind a neighbour’s car and they were using it. When the liquid hits it the pellets breakdown into sawdust again. And it uses a double tray where the sawdust can drop thru to the bottom tray. I was really impressed by how little smell there was, even for the poo as the pellets were pretty large but somehow it suppressed it still. The was reusing a waste product and was natural. Sounds like you have discovered your own, cheaper and just as effective version of this.
I confess to using the plastic bags for dogs' waste collection. I began doing it almost 20 years ago. Because they are very thin and small, I discard less plastic, by volume/weight than when I tried reusing the bags from shopping. (I have largely eliminated acquiring the plastic bags from shopping, and I put the few I do acquire through multiple uses before discarding them.) Because I am scooping frequently from multiple, distributed boxes, I have eschewed any collection systems in favor of toting my one little poop bag along my round, and depositing it sanitarily in a designated container.
Recently switched to walnut litter and really happy with it! The cats less so I feel. I had clumping clay litter before. The walnut has an earthy smell to it, where the clay has no smell. I have introduced the walnut litter slowly so the cats are now ok with it, but they took some getting used to. So my experience with walnut litter is amazing. I scoop once a day. The clay litter would just stick to the bottom of the litter box (it is stainless steel) and my scoop and the litter box would just be a mess every time. The actual cleaning works fine, but scooping was just annoying. (Plant based litter was even worse!) and now with walnut litter it sticks a little, but I barely put my scoop on it and it lets go. It is so much cleaner and easier to scoop. I was instantly sold! It is just a bit harder to check the poops though, as they are now brown from the walnut litter lol. Also for those wondering Rox has white paws, they are still white 🙃
I might slowly start changing out the plastic litter boxes. I have too many cats and boxes to change them all right now. Scooping multiple times a day would probably be a bit much for me right now, but I'll definitely look into naturally clumping. The regular clumping and non-clumping don't seem like great litter. I tried the one that i think is corn-based, but it didn't seem better. I have not tried pellet or pine litter. I'm just glad two of them know how to go outside and come back shortly. This is only my second experience with indoor cats.
My cat scratches at her box for like forever, everytime she uses it. She's just a scratcher, we have scratching posts everywhere. I know when shes gone potty by the 1 minute long scratching fest of her box, the floor, and the wall. I'm afraid she would still scratch the metal pan, or be stressed she couldn't scratch the metal pan. I feel like it would be nails on a chalkboard situation. Has anyone tried this with a cat that scratches her litter box? Has it worked for them?
Cats make micro scratches in the both plastic and most cheap, stainless boxes which harbers bacteria. BUT! Not all metal boxes are made the same either. I literally spent a month sifting through metal box brands, and they all had some major flaw. However!! I came across one finally 🤣 Less Litter Earth is the BEST for metal litter boxes. They're made from medical-grade stainless steel. Their website breaks it down, but in a nutshell, there are at least 3 grades that they mention... Stainless Steel 200 (metal staws, kitchen utensils, and kitchen trays) ... Stainless Steel 304 (commercial equipment, pots & pans, outdoor BBQ grill) ..... and finally, Stainless Steel 316 (surgical instruments, marine applications, medical equipment) ..... The Less Litter Earth litter box is made from stainless steel 316. On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, this stainless steel type rates 5 stars at being able to stand up against degradation from cat urine and 5 stars for being corrosion resistant. It resists odor, bacteria, ammonia in cat urine, stains, and rust. It is PH proof against cat urine.... Finally, the design has VERY high sides with a lower front opening for them to get inside. Also the shape of the litter box is round as opposed to the traditional rectangular shape. If you notice, cats always make circular movements in their litter box. The shape of the box fits their natural movements. I also like the Less Litter Earth litter box because other metal boxes (and plastic too of course) tend to get scratches and degrade ovetime, which costs more money in the long run when they have to be replaced. This one does not have to be replaced. It's pricey upfront, but you're saving money down the road and you have a top of the line, highest quality litter box. 🙃 just got one for my ragdoll kitten!
Love the stainless steel pans! I've never seen one. When I had a cat, I cleaned his box every month, with bleach. Having an SS pan would've saved ao much time. Honestly, it's terrible, but I also used those litter liners to help keep the smell at bay, help make cleaning easier
Here's what I have done for years: I insert a trash bag (hefty best doesn't tear)just like you would a trash basket, in the litter box. Then comes time to clean, just grab the corners of the bag and tie it in a knot and throw it away. Repeat. then I don't touch the litter at all. I totally change out the bag twice a week. If I forget, my cat reminds me🐈 Be careful if the cat claws make a hole then the bag tears, you will spill it all over the floor, then you really have a mess to clean up. Unless there is a hole in the bag, box won't even need to be washed.
My routine is to use 5 cottage cheese containers of clay litter each time. That is plenty for 3-7 days at a time. I don't dump a whole bag. That would get expensive.
I've recently started using a corn based litter. It's much cleaner than either the clay or woodchip litter. Cleans easily from the box and lasts a long time as it clumps easily. It's about twice the price, but lasts much longer.
Great video ❤️ I wish I could just put the litter in the middle, but my boy is not into that 😹 he perches on the corner of the stainless steel litter boxes and eliminates that way 😼 making the switch to stainless steel has been really helpfully with smells, cleanliness 😎👍 now I need to try some of the litter mats you've mentioned ❤️
can you explain more about the mound? I get that it uses less litter, but my cat (a very long, large cat at that), would still walk into the box and go where there was no litter making a smelly mess.
I can’t trust anything after watching her let cat litter go down the drain, that’s the worst thing you can do. It expands and eventually clogs horribly.
I use a compost stainless steel with a lid. ( It looks like a little garbage can). I put the cat food cans in a taller garbage can. I scoop 2 x a day and I have 3 litter boxes for my 2 cats. I use unscented arm and hammer.
I’m planning on getting a stainless steel litter box, but my tip for using plastic is, after emptying the litter box completely, pour boiling water into it and onto the sides. I used to do that once a week, let it sit for about 10 minutes, dump it out and dry it thoroughly with paper towels. It neutralised all smells. I never used soap.
I very much appreciate this video!! It has really helped us get our cats healthier from a litter box perspective, and us more sane from a smell, cost, and tracking perspective!
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You know how often I've been replacing a litter box because I was not aware of that none and my cat seems to be doing really fine I mean he does what he's got to do and I clean it out of course she has some scraping the bottom but I'm cleaning it out I haven't washed it out and I've never had to replace a little box in fact Neither did my family and we had 2 of them down in the basement one time the Mills were never so course that was way way way back but why all of a sudden now are we hearing about this if these videos were on UA-cam long ago why aren't they showing app very well you know how often I gotta search through UA-cam to find videos that should have been on here and Work showing app I mean seriously I have to scroll through UA-cam and there's a lot of things I could probably subscribe to but I don't know about it because I don't see it and I think this is only the second time I've seen a video from this woman and if she's got more than for some reason UA-cam is not doing well with making sure these videos are getting out But I never knew about that I Don' Don't know how my cat would feel about stainless steel because of the scraping of his clause so that's a new one I'm willing to change their food and water dish I got no problem with that especially with their whiskers but I never knew about that with the litter box and yet the stores I go to I don't believe have that kind Which would be Walmart in fact where I live I think if I'm not mistaken yeah most stores that sell stuff for pets generally do sell plastic litter boxes so that may be another problem for people is where can you find them plus litter boxes are also being replaced By the robot cat litter thing where cats can walk into it do their business walk out and it slowly turns and gets rid of the The waste so how do you deal with that 1 so I don't know I don't get it because I've never seen it before and the store I go to even food city yeah I don't believe they have them so I'll try to look but I can't guarantee that I would run into but I do need a little box that's a little bit bigger So Let's get me
A year or ago and I'm just now seeing this this was a year ago brother
Everyone blames cats and complains about the smell of their urine but it's the owners that don't clean their litter boxes.
YES!! Thank you for telling everyone to thumb up lol this video is blowing up!
Similarly, if people use the toilet and didn’t flush it afterwards, it would smell. Instead of complaining, flush it, wipe your tush, scoop litter box, take your dog out, pick up their poop, throw it away. Change the babies diaper too. Everything eliminates.
Yes exactly I saw a CFH episode where owners would pick up the litter once a week or twice a week. And there's me cleaning it twice a day and my litter box has never been smelly and it's an open one.
Yes exactly
Guilty...im lazy af
I'm Brazilian and one thing I don't get it, it's how you guys clean this kind of thing in the bathtub! You have to wash and disinfect the bathtub after, very well done to be sure it won't contaminates you, and that takes much more than "5 minutes". I mentioned my background because in Brazil every house has a special sink for house cleaning, for things like dirty shoes soles, litter boxes, washing cleaning supplies, etc., we never mix these things. with our regular stuff.
Meu deus eu pensei a mesma coisa, fica falando de contaminação de bactéria no plástico e lavando a caixa onde o ser humano toma banho 💀
I’m right there with ya I have a utility sink in my home just for cleaning purposes.
Yeah I'm American & don't clean it in the bathtub that's fucking gross. My litter box is on the back porch & my cat has a kitty door to get to it. I wash the box in the yard with a hose.
Her bathtub looks like mine. She is probably in an apartment. But I fill buckets and clean mine on my balcony and when I lived in a house I used my hose. She probably doesn’t have those options so this works for her.
Some of us don’t have that type of sink. I don’t wash it in the tub though because I don’t have one, I wash it in the shower and clean the shower afterwards
If you are lucky to get a sunny day, here's a trick. After washing thoroughly with hot, sudsy water, spray your plastic cat wares (including liter box) with white vinegar and set it in the sunshine and the UV rays will naturally sanitize plastic... and this also works for many other household items.
The sunlight thing is a myth unless you live in a place where it gets reaaaally hot like Texas then shit just gets baked
@@animeloveer97 Ultraviolet light rays from the sun is not a myth.
@@animeloveer97 - wrong "Naylene". The disinfectant properties from UV rays has zero to do with temperature. Sunlight/uv-light kills bacteria and viruses AND other little bugs that make us (and our furry friends) ill. Why do you think there are UV light toothbrush holders, etc... Do you think that is a lie? Ask anyone that works in a medical environment if UV light kills icky bugs... a "myth"...lol
7th Generation spray. After cleaning, spay, leave it on, let it dry. Instructions say that will 99.9% sanitize
@@animeloveer97 uv is not dependent on the temperature. you could also just as easily burn yourself when it is freaking cold outside.
My cats pee on the sides 😂. That mountain of litter litter would go unused 😂
Love how this video consists of the cat fast asleep while the human does all the work.
Cats ARE a lot of work, especially younger ones. The litter box is the main thing, then trying to keep them entertained, so as not to destroy your home and trying to keep them from running out the door. I love mine very much, so I guess I'll do what I need to until I can't.
🥰
ha ha... sounds normal to me! 😄
😂😂😂😂😂👍👍👍👍👍
Remember...cats (and horses) have Staff...dogs have owners
I have one cat litter box for each of my cats in plastic that is going to be used until they pass. I don’t go out buying a new one each year. For what? I clean them really well each time and they smell great and still look as good as new. That’s how I help the environment.
fyi you should have 1.5 litter boxes for each cat
All good ideas for those that are OCD about litter boxes. I'm 61 years old and have had cats literally all my life. Never once have I, anyone in my family, or any of our cats ever gotten ill from a properly maintained "plastic" litterbox. Just sayin'. We currently have 3 cats and 2 litterboxes... scoop in the morning, scoop at night, wash once a week and done.
Same here. 2 healthy cats with two plastic litter boxes. I am cleaning the boxes two times a day. The only time I wash a litter box is if an accident has happened. The litter is designed to dehydrate whatever gets into it, therefore, the environment is unsuitable for bacteria growth. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that the boxes are sterile, but my cats are often licking their butts after using a box, if this doesn't harm them in any way, I don't see how the imaginary bacteria would. Yet again, I'd rather see an OCD cat owner than a cat with a neglected litter box.
I agree. I've had multiple adopted cats entire life and plastic work fine as long as you scoop and clean them regularly. I use a little dawn dishsoap and wash them outside on the pavement with a hose, dry them out and put fresh litter in probably once a month or so.
I actually watched a video from Jackson Galaxy saying that cleaning out with your cats litter box with anything but warm water is no good for the cat. They work hard to get their scent in the litter box and it’s being wiped away. Might be worth the watch! Thanks for all the tips! ☺️
We have several cats and I can affirm, it is crucial to scoop the litterboxes multiple times a day, every single day. The difference is shocking once you see how much easier and more sanitary it is when you scoop more frequently.
Exatamente, eu tenho só um gato mas limpo todas as vezes que ele faz as necessidades, e lavo a caixa uma vez por semana
I scoop multiple times per day as well. It actually makes life easier for everyone. If you leave waste sitting in the box for a long period of time, there's also the chance that the clumps might get broken the next time the cat uses the box. When I scoop, I tilt the box so all the loose litter slides out of the away, and I can remove the clump in a single piece. Even if it does break, because it's isolated, I can scrape out the other pieces without it contaminating the rest of the litter. Scooping multiple times also adds a bit of resiliency. If I forget to scoop in the evening, I might find a bit of extra waste the next morning , but it's not like it's going to find a huge pile like I would if I cleaned it less frequently.
I feel so sorry for cats whos owners don’t scoop multiple times a day 😢
I never cleaned my cat’s box. I purchased a large plastic Rubbermaid sweater box from Home Depot, filled it with 30 lbs of litter and used a metal scoop from Amazon. The scoop was amazing. I scooped her box at minimum 1X daily. I never let small bits of litter stay. Anyway, it was great. I used the cat litter baby diaper bag system thing sold at petco/petsmart. My babe has passed away a few years ago. She was a Russian Blue and required a large box but the stores didn’t have what I needed. Great video!
I switched to a stainless water fountain
Enzymatic cleaner. That was a total game changer for me. Before, no amount of scrubbing or detergent would get the scent out of the box after washes. Now I soak the box with the enzymatic cleaner for 10 mins, then scrub it with dish soap, and it leaves it sparking clean and ZERO smell. I spray the cleaner around the litter box as well just to freshen things up.
Please can you recommend a particular enzyme cleaner? Many thanks 🌺
same question as below : any brand recommended ? thanks
Any brand you recommend?
@@eleanorwoods6873 I dunno why my replies aren’t showing up, but I use simple solution extreme stain and odor remover. You can buy the patio and decking 4liter bottle, it’s the same product just a lot more economical.
@@Ida-Adrianahey! I recall replying but for some reason my replies aren’t showing up sorry! I use the Simple Solution extreme cat stain & odor remover; you can buy the patio and decking 4liter version and put it in a spray bottle- it’s a lot more economical
Tractor supply pellet pine for cat litter boxes, horses even dog kennels biodegradable look online easy to do save you hundreds of dollars.cost only seven dollars for 40 pounds
I have a different technique. I get the largest litter box I can find and I fill it with A LOT of scoopable litter, so there is a very deep layer (maybe 4-5 inches). Then I scoop waste frequently into my litter locker. With this technique, solid or liquid waste almost never reaches the bottom or sides of the litter box. I try to keep the litter topped up as much as possible and I scoop frequently. I have all of this in its own private corner or the house and I use a track mat to reduce tracking. I pretty much never have to clean or replace the box since the waste is removed before having the opportunity to really touch or soak anywhere into the plastic. It might not be perfect or sparkling, but it stays clean enough :)
I do the same. No smell and rarely clean with water. hi from sweden 😀
You just described me lol! My cats love digging into the high sand and get noticeably cranky when it's shallow
I tried this for a few months but the residue litter started smelling and it became dusty.
hello, It’s my first time adopting a cat, and that same technique came to my mind.
That’s pretty much what I do also. I only have one cat now and she eats a raw diet. There’s not a lot of waste to scoop. I have a very large litter box with a clear lid, I have dogs. I gotta be able to keep them out of it. So yes, I have a lid on it so Sumi :-) it works very well.
My cat lived to be 18. We used only 2 plastic litterboxes in her entire life. They stayed very clean because I used plastic litterbox liners that I changed once a month. I also placed several layers of folded newspapers underneath the liners so that if my cat's claws tore holes in the liners, the newspapers would absorb any urine that might leak out. So every month, I'd replace the liners and, if needed, I replaced the newspapers underneath them too. I do like the idea of stainless steel litterboxes, though. I never even knew they existed.
I purchased a stainless steel one from Amazon a while back
I use equine pine litter. Mona loves it, pee break down to sawdust and it never smells. Fully changed out weekly. 40 lbs for $6.
Isn't it great? I love the added benefit of not having clay litter dust covering every surface near the litter boxes.
Thanks for the tip! Where do you purchase it for that price?
@@heidiw637 yes would love to know too😻
@@Its_me--Boo_Radley where do you buy it?
@@NubianP6 Tractor Supply, Target. Be sure to get KILN DRIED.
Here’s a tip to get that cement- like litter off the bottom of the litter box: buy a paint scraper at the dollar store. Very easy to scoop the litter. I’ve used a plastic litter box for years. My cat is happy, healthy. My home doesn’t smell. I’m wondering if the steel litter box is cold on their paws.
The point of the litter genie is to keep the smell contained in their special liners, not to have a separate trashcan for the litter waste. When I first got my cat I had a separate normal trash can for the litter and just used normal bags and the smell was terrible. I didn't want to buy into the marketing, but after a few months, I bought a litter genie and never went back. It's much more convenient and the liners really work. Sorry but a bag in a candy jar is not a diy litter genie, it's just a pretty trash can. I've had mine for 3+ years and it doesn't stink except for when I cut away the part with the waste when it's full. Maybe the people you cat sat for used off brand liners or normal plastic bags to save money, which in that case, yeah it's not going to work properly to keep the smell contained.
Also, I have 2 litter boxes to rotate. I would have gotten a stainless steel one had I know it existed at the beginning, but I don't see any reason to dump my current ones. I just scoop the clumps, pour the old litter into the new box, top it off. Then take the dirty box and wash it in the tub and let it soak in bleach for 20 minutes. I don't know who is dumping their plastic litter boxes every year, that seems rather excessive. I think bleach or sunning the box as someone else suggested is enough to sanitize it.
I ran across a deal on a ton of little puppy waste bags so I kinda stopped using the genie. Lol. It worked well until the smell assaults you all at once when you change the bag. (For me anyways lol). Plus the cost and fiddling with changing the bags. I put the poop in the thick little bags, tie a knot to seal it and Chuck it in my regular trash.
Granted I have very little urine to scoop tho Bcuz I use pine pellets/sifting for that. I only have one box that isn’t sifting/pine. I had too many cats to keep up with so I had to seek out alt ideas beyond traditional. Puppy pads also catch the urine sawdust so I just change the pads once a week and they can go in my regular bin to be quickly taken out as well as the little puppy bags. For me I guess I like not having to have a special bin. I like being able to throw everything nasty into one place and then summarily take it out. It is also a lot less heavy as well and the pine keeps it all very dry.
a diy one can work if you use the right container - I use a biscuit tin, but it's got a seal a bit like a tupperware, it's meant to stop biscuits etc going stale but it keeps the smell in
Plastic is porous and the urin eats away at it. while bleach is nice and all its wayyy to harsh on cat noses. you might not notice anything on your cat but one of mine is a bit sensitive and kept on sneezing until I stopped using bleach and used only vinegar instead. Normally, I wouldn't throw my bin away after a year, but let's say every five years...I expect my cat to at least live 15 years so the cost of a stainless steel one isn't too bad. And I wouldn't be opposed to buy a used one if I find a good deal
the point of the diy litter genie was to use something with an air tight lid on it, hence the candy jar!
@@drifloons The jar in the video didn't look very airtight tbh. I have a similar candy jar and the lid just sits on the opening and can be easily knocked off (not what I want for a waste bin that holds poop). Whatever works for her is fine, but I felt like she skipped the actual benefits of the litter genie so that she didn't have to show the equivalent in the diy version and instead just pointed out that it's plastic so it's bad. A big benefit for me with the litter genie is that I don't have to smell the old waste every time I scoop (which is every day). I only have to deal with it when I change the liner, which is only once or twice a month.
i sprinkle some baking soda into litterbox, mixed into the litter to combat the smells. works wonderfully for us - my cats don't mind (i think - what i mean is that their behavior towards their boxes has not changed at all) and not that my home used to smell but the corner where the litterboxes were sometimes used to stink. i have four cats in my care.
I used baby powder 😂
Yes..no steel needed..baking soda ..earth friendly as well as for people and animals..hygienic re odour..tra la..🇨🇦
@@sahriestar talcum is very toxic to the lungs!!
If you use silica based litter like pretty litter, mixing baking soda with it creates sodium silica which in turn create ammonia gas when wet and can also burn your cat's paws.
The focus seems to be more on the fear of plastics, than actually useful hacks
I use an old stainless steel steam pan that was used in the school kitchen where I used to work. It’s wonderful! I also scoop multiple times during the day. My little gal doesn’t like a dirty smelly toilet and neither do I❣️
OK, after watching I have to agree with the idea of using stainless and ceramic for tools. But I found I could put liter 4-5 inches high and it never stuck to the bottom and I could clean once a day! I used a mix of Arm and Hammer Naturals ( I think it's ground pinecone or something like that) and clumping clay. If you don't use something in the clay mix you are going to have cement to work with! That's exactly how they make mortar! So I highly recommend mixing. I cleaned setup, mixed litters and filled several maybe 5 in. Each time I scooped I would refresh top with new litter, maybe up to one cup. After 30 day I cleaned whole box. My cat was never sick and no one could smell anything. I kept extra litter in a 4 gallon container. This was a $40 a month process. Don't know how to make it cheaper w/o more work. Cleaning a litter box for 16 yrs wore me down. Now my cats are indoor/outdoor and NO litter box except in freezing weather.
My god I've had cats all my life and I'm 63! Didn't think I could learn anything new but I just learned a bunch of stuff new and I am going to put it into effect immediately. Thank you thank you thank you! I was already using the stainless steel scoop and natural litter but I'm going to a stainless steel pan and I'm going to try the piling it in the center thing. I scoop once a day but maybe I should do it more often.
Nice tips, as someone with 6 cats, litter boxes are part of the daily routine. :) 2 additions: Steel litter boxes are really nice, but the advice to throw away plastic toilets once a year did really puzzle me. What source of wasted money and plastic garbage. In my experience, using chlorine, especially if you let it soak in for an hour once from time to time, is perfectly fine.
The best benefit-cost ratio in my experience is using wooden litter, and not buying cat litter but litter for horse stables. Same product, but much cheaper. Plus, you can stack 2 toilet trays while drilling a lot of holes in the top one. That way, the used-up wood powder goes into the tray beneath, and you just need to remove the solid waste.
Hydrogen peroxide works wonders when cleaning any biological stains, like urine, blood or feces.
Just pour some onto the soiled area, then watch the bubbling action lift the stains out of the fabric; then pat dry with a clean rag. Every thread will be as clean as it was before the unfortunate accident.
To deal with the odors as well as the stains, I use the hydrogen peroxide with a dusting of baking soda.
I have 5 and use plastic boxes that I take outside and soak it with bleach and water in the direct sunlight. Am I doing wrong by my Keke's?
@@rjchavers9267 I do the exact same thing. My only problem is when the kiddies think the litterbox is gone too long... then I have extra cleanup. I found out I could put one of those "pee pads" for dogs in the same place the litterbox usually is, so when they get urgent and the box is being cleaned outside, they use that instead of the floor...
@@RokiMowntinHi I have 5 cats so I have multiple boxes that I can rotate just one at a time out to avoid the occasional accident.
I do similar with pine pellets/sifting/sawdust. The wood idea is intriguing tho. Do you get it at tractor supply? I guess I do pine Bcuz it is just readily available and simple and works well enough for me. I have 9 cats. Not that this was my plan to have this many or anything I solicited, it just turned out that way. I had to let them be indoor/outdoor for my own sanity. Fortunately most of them now do most of their business outside when the weather permits. I also occasionally take the boxes out, clean them with something enzymatic and use the water hose and let them dry in the sun.
I know what you mean tho. I got two girls who would rather religiously use the puppy pads. 😅😅 Fortunately most days they have good aim and they’ve trained me to lay the pads just so for them (which is usually just folding them in half-this way you have top and bottom absorbing-and placing them in a certain direction/location) Lol. Of course I learned all of this over a long period of time with a lot of trial and error. Lol.
As a brand new cat mom (we’ve had our first ever pet & cat for 2 weeks now!!) I’m happy that I did go for the stainless steel box. I’ll definitely be shopping for a ceramic scoop after seeing this video! I too clean my cats box 3x/day.. as a busy mom 4 little kids, I’m already cleaning diapers all day long so cleaning the cat box is really no big deal for me. I also really want our cat to have a pleasant place to 💩 I never thought to pile the litter in the centre of the box but will be definitely trying that tip as well. Great video, lots of tips and tricks! I will definitely be checking out your other videos :) thank you!
Wonderful information. Couple of things that I do that I have found very helpful is I have a tin or aluminum pot that I got a plant in, a long time ago. It happens that it is just the right size for my scoop. Like you, I line it with a plastic bag and then close the bag up and put it away. I use it several times in a row until the bag is full. The best pooper scooper I’ve ever found is one of those round net type frying scoops so often used in Asian cooking. It’s best to have a sturdy double metal handle.
Doesn't cleaning the litter box in the tub means litter (even though minimal) is going down the drain? Over time this sounds like plumbing nightmare.
QUESTION: so I have a tiny apartment, 2 cats & no room for 2 litter boxes. It's LITERALLY impossible. We can only fit one & unfortunately the only place that would fit is the kitchen!! Even there, it's still in the way & gross because it's the FIRST thing you walk into/smell when you come in the apartment. And Im a FREAK about keeping the box clean. BUT, NOW I UNDERSTAND the whole point of NON PLASTIC boxes. Like you said I can never get the plastic one completely clean. My girl likes to pee right up against the front wall, right at the door of the litter box. So that whole front wall is just SEEPED in pee. And I SCRUB! You are helping me & my kitties!! So is it bad that I can't fit another litter box? I keep it SO clean. When Im home & they go, I clean it out right away. But that front wall is NOT coming clean. Im so worried about the bacteria now that I want to run out this instant & replace this box!!
Wait clean the litter box weekly? Oops. I scoop everyday but yeah cleaning is once every few months...its also on the back porch & I walk the waste to the dog poop trash cans in my neighborhood.
So, every time your cat poops or pees you go and remove it immediately?
And if your cat poops at 2a.m.? Do you sleep with one eye open just to make sure your cat doesnt poop without you noticing it immediately?
Aren't stainless steel litter boxes very noisy? I keep thinking of them scratching the bottom of the box and it's sounding like nails on a chalkboard
I've been a cat owner since the mid eighties. Used all types of litter, litter boxes and methods. Until I discovered World's Best cat litter, it always smelled and was just nasty. I started using World's Best around ten years ago and you never smell the cat box. I use a regular plastic box with a bag liner. I keep at least one inch of litter in the bottom and add ass necessary. The litter clumps instantly, and all I do is scoop the clumps in the morning and evening. The litter goes into a small trash can with a pedal operated lid and is bag lined. It is emptied once a week.
Amazon has beautiful stainless steel litter boxes in several sizes. This one change made a huge difference in my life and my kitties!
I really love this idea but my first concern is the sides are short and there's no top so the first time it's used litter will be everywhere. The second, is the noise. I'm not sure I can handle the sound of his nails on the steel when he's burying. This is the first cat I've ever had so idk if it's normal but he's very concerned with making sure it's buried and spends a lot of time doing that. Has anyone else has similar issues or a solution?
Ohhhhhhhh, yes!! My cats, all 3, act like they’re digging a hole to China in their litter boxes. They’ll spend upward of 5 minutes scratching and burying. It’s unreal. I have to have a hood or I’ll have litter everywhere. My one cat I adopted is blind, so I get why she spends so much time in there. Well, not really. But the other two…no idea. I have 3 litter boxes that I clean out daily. It’s a phenomenon I’ll never understand.
Not all are made the same. I literally spent a month sifting through metal box brands, and they all had some major flaw. However!! I came across one finally 🤣 Litter Earth is the BEST for metal litter boxes. They're made from medical-grade steel. Their website breaks it down, but in a nutshell, there are at least 3 grades that they mention... Stainless Steel 200 (metal staws, kitchen utensils, and kitchen trays) ... Stainless Steel 304 (commercial equipment, pots & pans, outdoor BBQ grill) ..... and finally, Stainless Steel 316 (surgical instruments, marine applications, medical equipment) ..... The Less Litter Earth litter box is made from stainless steel 316. On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, this stainless steel type rates 5 stars at being able to stand up against degradation from cat urine and 5 stars for being corrosion resistant. It resists odor, bacteria, ammonia in cat urine, stains, and rust. It is PH proof against cat urine.... Finally, the design has VERY high sides and it is round as opposed to the traditional rectangular shape. If you notice, cats always make circular movements in their litter box. The shape of the box fits their natural movements. I also like the Less Earth litter box because other metal boxes (and plastic too of course) tend to get scratches and degrade ovetime, which costs more money in the long run when they have to be replaced. This one does not have to be replaced. It's pricey upfront, but you're saving money down the road and you have a top of the line, highest quality litter box. 🙃
I don't like nails on metal either lol
Another tip I have is using wood pellets for horses or heating. They break down into dust and don't smell that intensively. You can even decompose it for later use as plant fertilizer.
Only downside is that you have to scoop out the poop which is a bit harder since the pellets don't go through shovels, so having a sieve in the box can help to seperate the dust from the pellets and you can just put the dust into the bin after scooping the poop and refill without too much worry about the smell (really, I was sceptical but I tested it for a year and am pretty happy)
I know there's also wood-based litter that clumps which would probably make it easier to scoop it out but the ones I had tested left a bigger mess than regular litter, which is sad.
And plant based clumping litter just stinks so bad.... I almost didn't want to try the wooden pellets.
Had to use regular litter the last 2 weeks cuz my pellets didn't arrive and now I remember why I hate regular litter (too messy, sticky, disgusting)
I use the softwood pellets as well.. so much less stink!
My mom uses pine pellets
Where do you order your horse pellets from?
@@xxxannib It depends, ebay, amazon, I guess you can get wood pellets at any home depot as fire medium, it's almost the same and works just as fine. I usually get a 15kg bag of pine wood pellets.
Those are actually meant to be wet down! Give it a spritz and it will turn to powder- super easy to scoop.
My favorite pooper scooper is a metal fryer strainer with a spider web design.
Genius idea w/ the steel litterbox. I ordered one straight away. I must admit I was shocked to hear people didn't scoop when there was smt to scoop but let it sit for days and even wks 🤯 The stench must be unbearable for the human nose but imagine how the poor cats must feel. 😔
This is where toilet training could benefit some cats. The cats with lazy humans that never clean their trays 🥺
OMG!! I NEVER EVEN KNEW ABOUT STAINLESS STEEL LITTER BOXES!!!! 😮 You are my KITTY ANGEL!! THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!!
I use a heavy duty plastic contractor bag to line the inside of a large litter box (3 cats) with folded up newspapers underneath. Just cut off about 6 inches off of the top of the bag since they are quite large. Then, take an extra large rubber band around the top to secure the bag in place. It makes the eventual cleanup disposal of the litter box contents so much easier, and you don't have to worry about the bag breaking on you on your way out the door. In addition, you don't need to wash out the litter pan in your bathtub which is quite unsanitary!
its only unsanitary if you dont clean your bathtub..
I always and love using just the litter genie refills, there's zero smell. I just pull the bag out as long as I want the length tie the bottom and scoop a couple times a week cut the bag tie the top and remove out to the outside garbage cans and I have 4 cats. Its So easy n scent free thats y I stopped using grocery bags cause u can't tie them to the point of no air ascaping , wich stunk bad.. so oy the refills an not the plastic bin that u can get with it... takes up less space and zero cat odors 👍 p.s the genie refill bags are much stronger than any regular plastic garbage bag or store bags .. I recommend them highly❤😊
Cleaning one of the cats' litter boxes every time one of them used it would mean I would never leave their bathroom lmao. It must be nice JUST having one cat. =P
My litter box is in my WC so I clean the litter everytime I use the WC myself. I was going to wash my hands after that anyway, might as well take care of both of our WC at the same time ;)
Thank you so much for this video. I’m definitely going to implement these and see what works best for my space
I would say that the litter locker is a game changer. It makes managing the poo a lot easier!
I gently dust my cats litter tray with bicarbonate soda each day. Given her tray is next to my desk it does a great job keeping orders down. She seems to appreciate it too
I put a thin layer of baking soda (same thing as bicarbonate soda) in the very bottom of the litterbox. I do this because I heard that it can irritate some cats skin (I have hairless kiddies), and I have not had any problems. It definitely keeps odor down in our household.
@@RokiMowntinHi I haven't had any problems with irritation from my cat, but yes definitely place under the litter if you cat seems irritated by it. or stop using. I'm not an expert, this was just an old, old, old family trick.
thank you. i'm gonna try this
OMG! I’m ordering one right now because I am tired of having to buy new ones. Such a great idea. ♥️😽
Where do you get one of these in the UK 🤔 I'm curious about it, I hope she has tips to contain the smells of litter
I tried stainless for a couple of weeks! It was horrible! I couldn’t get wet litter off the pan! It wouldn’t let loose. One of my cats jumps over litter rugs! Thinking she’s at the Olympics. My cats don’t squat and pee over the edge!
😂❤
Excellent. Thank you very much for taking the time to show us your set up. Thank you Thank you THANK YOU. You are a very nice lady to share this with us.
My additional tip is to make sure you aren't placing any sort of litter box into direct sunlight. 😅
You'd be surprised that I see people get stainless steel litter boxes only to place them near a window where of course the steel is going to heat up super fast and the heat can cause burns and accelerate bacteria growth.
I see people do this too with their food and water dishes...
In the winter, the warmed litter would be nice- or cover the stainless steel with cardboard, maybe😊
I have a jumbo size plastic litterbox with cover, I need the cover on it because I have 2 male cats and when they pee it just shoots out and hits the walls of the top cover, otherwise the pee would hit my actual walls. Also use plastic liners 3ml the strongest I can find, even though I still get holes in them when cats claw at them it has helped tremendously when cleaning. I just remove liner and then clean out any litter that seeped through holes. I do this once a week then clean out with white vinigar to kill germs and eliminate any smells. New liner then goes in. I do have to replace litter box once a ye. As she said in video plastic does trap smells and I noticed it just doesn't smell right after about a yr. I scoop waste into individual dog poop bags as they're bigger than the ones for cats , then throw away in my small, small, metal trash can with lid. Once the lie is closed you can't smell anything and I deliberately got a very small bin to but waste in because I live in apt. and I want that out of the apt. ASAP. So it only holds about 2 days or baggies or about 5-6 poop bags. I know myself , I'm lazy I'd I got a bigger trash can I would empty it less often , same thing for trash in kitchen , small trash can so I empty it more often.
I love the litter box idea, because I don’t like using plastic, but I have a ginormous cat who sings she needs to spray litter everywhere. So I have to use a jumbo high sided plastic litter box. If I can find one of the other types that you suggest that have high sides, but a small front opening I’m all for it.
Wash once a week and replace plastic box once a year? That's news to me. Never had issues with smell or the box getting visibly dirty or getting worn down, you just need to find the right litter.
imagine cleaning your cat litter tray in your bath tub 😃
My male cat is big and tall...I have struggled finding one big enough to cover his high aiming spray..?
If you're out at work all day it's impossible to see to a litter box immediately. Me or my husband are usually in all day. The tray is seen to whenever my cat uses it. She pees 3 to 4 times a day and because she has problems, she can poop anything between 2 to 5 times a day. The litter box is in my bedroom so that I can hear when she goes and I get up and empty it every time. I'll look out for a stainless steel box, haven't seen one before. I have 2 large plastic ones so they can be changed over when I'm giving them a deep clean. I wrap all deposits in newspaper and put in a separate bin outside that has a compostable carrier bag in in it. This is then put in our rubbish bin when it goes out every two weeks.
Thanks for sharing these tips. Much appreciated
Since my pets and I travel full-time in our truck camper, the only possible place for the litter box is in my shower. Because they were kicking litter all over the bath area, as well as tracking it outside the box I've resorted to a huge storage tub with high sides and a lid. I cut a large hole in the center of the lid for the cats to access the box. On top I've placed a mat to trap the litter on their paws as they come out. I also cut a matching sized hole in the center of it. It's like the one you show where the litter drops down from the top layer and is trapped between the two layers. This solved the problems of the dog searching for tootsie rolls, the cats flinging litter all over the bathroom, and the tracking problem. I scoop it at a minimum of twice daily and often as soon as they use it. Your point about plastic retaining germs is spot on. It's the reason I've gone back to wood cutting boards as wood kills bacteria and is easily bleached. So now I'll check out the stainless steel pan and see if one will fit inside the plastic storage tub. Thank you so much for bringing up another very important topic and providing solutions. 😻
Thanks for sharing even more solutions!!
That's exactly how I made my litter boxes - three of them for three house cats. I warmed the plastic lids to reduce rigidity before I cut the entry holes, placing them in the centre, which works much better than at one end. Top-entry boxes work brilliantly to reduce tracking - we get none. We use pine pellets, which are w-a-y out in front as the best litter - naturally antibacterial too. Absolutely no smells except for the brief period before solids are buried.
I scoop with a doggy bag and use a Litter Locker, and also use a lidded pail with a plastic liner. That option is the most economical with plastics.
Our dog and one of our cats love to travel as well, though it's not full-time like you.
@@janebrown7231 I'm 73 and have had indoor cats my entire life. Of all the systems I've tried, this works best for us. I made sure to buy the tallest container available to allow for plenty of head room as my senior boy is a big cat. Was a bit concerned that my new blind kitten would have trouble accessing it but she goes in and out like champ. I'm using a clumping litter right now but want to try a wood pellet type.
@@rouxchat6033 I do agree with you... we've tried most systems and this is by far the best. Height is important, and the commercial top-entry box I tried wasn't tall enough for natural movement and scratching for our average-sized cats. It also had slightly rounded lower corners and tipped over as the cats jumped off it.
Our two chats roux and their torbie sister are much happier with my home-made quarter-price boxes!
I hope your upcoming winter travel goes well (assuming you're in the northern hemisphere) and that fuel remains affordable and available for you.
@@janebrown7231 Yes, getting the right size and shape box is key. Glad you found what works. Giggles on your chat roux. My senior boy is one too, hence my UA-cam handle. Yep, gas is expensive. I am adjusting my travels and staying longer in each location. Life is all about prioritizing and re-prioritizing. 😆 🤣 😂 😹 All the best!
This is probably by far the litter tips that made sense! Thank you
I use a small cement mixing trough from Home Depot. Less than $10.00. Cement is very caustic, but doesn't eat through this material it's tough! The litter slides out. No sticking. No gouging from claws. Spray it clean in the shower, it doesn't hold on to the water either. Seven years later, the tray looks good as new.
interesting. is it plastic?
@@amel2784 cement mixing trough=cement😅
@@GGugg-gk8eg I think it’s a trough for mixing cement so not necessarily cement itself
@@maloumasereel966Gotcha. I am a literal reader.
@@amel2784 yes. It's a heavy plastic.
I have two cats and I have a disability that makes bending difficult for me, however, I have hit upon something that makes changing the litter a breeze for me. I get litter box liners from Amazon which are 2 ml thick. They fit in the litter box and I fold them over so they tie underneath. When I change the litter, I use scissors to cut the tie, pull the whole bag out, and put it all in the garbage. As long as I clip the cats’ claws regularly, the bags don’t rip. I have been doing this for a year now and it only takes me 2 minutes to do the job. It is so easy! 😊
Have you ever tried horse bedding pellets. Pee turns the pine pellets back to saw dust. Super cheap and lasts a long time. Comes in a green bag i buy at tractor supply
Good stuff here but we have 4 girls and we need high sides on the boxs.
FYI the bottom ripple rug contain latex, so if you have a latex allergy or sensitivity avoid this! I have been talking with the manufacturer and they are going to at least look into other materials. I want a ripple rug sooo bad lol
Thanks for letting us know! I was under the impression it was all made from recycled plastic bottles.
You can make your own easily. Scissors and Velcro with two rugs, non-latex.
I've just gone to a normal plastic litter box after being so fed up with the litter robot 4... I hope to upgrade my set up and looking st a stainless steel one! The advice for a better bin is useful too :)
I have never seen a stainless steel litter box in the stores around here, but when you mentioned it i immediately thought 'Yes, this is perfect!'. Was looking around for a good new box for my elderly cat anyway and i think i'll try to get one of those for her.
Not all are made the same. I literally spent a month sifting through metal box brands, and they all had some major flaw. However!! I came across one finally 🤣 Litter Earth is the BEST for metal litter boxes. They're made from medical-grade steel. Their website breaks it down, but in a nutshell, there are at least 3 grades that they mention... Stainless Steel 200 (metal staws, kitchen utensils, and kitchen trays) ... Stainless Steel 304 (commercial equipment, pots & pans, outdoor BBQ grill) ..... and finally, Stainless Steel 316 (surgical instruments, marine applications, medical equipment) ..... The Less Litter Earth litter box is made from stainless steel 316. On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, this stainless steel type rates 5 stars at being able to stand up against degradation from cat urine and 5 stars for being corrosion resistant. It resists odor, bacteria, ammonia in cat urine, stains, and rust. It is PH proof against cat urine.... Finally, the design has VERY high sides and it is round as opposed to the traditional rectangular shape. If you notice, cats always make circular movements in their litter box. The shape of the box fits their natural movements. I also like the Less Earth litter box because other metal boxes (and plastic too of course) tend to get scratches and degrade ovetime, which costs more money in the long run when they have to be replaced. This one does not have to be replaced. It's pricey upfront, but you're saving money down the road and you have a top of the line, highest quality litter box. 🙃 I just got one for my ragdoll kitten
***Less Litter Earth is the brand name -- just noticed my typos 🤦♀️
@@everything-pz2ev I'm located in germany so probably not worth the shipping cost. :) But thank you for coming back to me with the brand name!
You could also get food cooking steel container it's the same thing.
You can buy the food buffet steel containers and get one wirh holes and use pine pellets and you won't need the litter genie because you can flush this litter. Cheaper and environmentally friendlier
**Try using wood pellets for your cat litter. They work great they absorb the odor of the urine and the pellets break down to saw dust, which is so much better for the environment. The best part is that the cat doesn't spread particles of the clay all over the house, and it is way more affordable then cat litter.
Well here its more expensive than normal cat litter but yea its great
Brilliant!! Thank you!!
I have 4 cats all 13 years old they all been using the same plastic litter box they been using as babies I think I washed it twice all this years, it is a supersized litter box and due to health reasons I am not able to weekly wash it, the litter is clean scooped twice a day, cats are happy and healthy, I do like the metal litter box unfortunately it does not come in a supersize for multiple cats, now you don't need to run to the store and buy a garbage can or jar, I use an empty plastic litter container with the top cut off and a plastic bag inside or even a paper bag if out of plastic works like a charm, the litter box don't necessarily have to end up in a landfill it can bleached clean and use it to grow a little garden, I don't have a litter tracking rug I keep a broom and dustpan by the litter box scoop it up and toss it back in the litter box
In looking for solutions for a cat who urinates standing up and aims high, I found a stainless steel box with high enough sidewall attachment that seals properly to the tray, NOT inviting urine to migrate through the seam, which had happened with every other two-piece box I had tried. This accidentally led me to using a stainless steel tray, and I am a fan. I find that any urine clump that reaches the bottom tends to stick a bit on the metal, compared to a quality plastic bottomed tray, but I align my scoop carefully. The satisfaction from being able to wash the pan thoroughly and not worrying about scratches harboring litter, bacteria or cleaning products is well worth it.
When I had a cat I used those disposable aluminum turkey pans and wood pellets. It only costs about $35 a month. Each day I folded it up with the litter and threw it away. The wood pellets cost about $12 for a big ol bag and at 1 scoop a day lasts a long time.
i was thinking about those but cant find in where i live
Are you saying you threw the pan away with the litter every day?
So glad your video popped up, great info, thanks 😊
I'm with you for sure on scooping multiple times a day! I have 5 cats and 6 enclosed high sided litter boxes, track mats and litter genie's for each one as well as deodorizing/odor neutralizing spray. Three are on the main floor, two are upstairs and one is in the basement family room. They all 6 get scooped every morning and every evening anyway but as needed in between such as if I hear them scratching or hear them pee or smell that someone did something a bit more substantial. I have zero problems with any of the cats having box issues.
I use a stainless steel litter box and stumbled upon it by accident. I had just bought a litter box enclosure and I just happened to have a brand new good size stainless steel pan... the type you would see at a buffet that is usually filled with food. It's shaped just like a litter pan and I wanted a new litter box to go with the new enclosure so I thought I would try out the pan. I noticed on day 1 how much better it was and I tossed the plastic box.
I scoop twice a day but I have a small cat so it's never messy but with the stainless steel, pee clumps easily break free of the bottom of the bottom of the pan and if you sprinkle a tiny bit of baking soda in the bottom once a week it's like adding teflon - pee clumps break away without a speck sticking. And it's so easy to clean because it's stainless steel so I just keep it clean with paper towels and water rather than carrying it to the bathroom.
I also don't use a litter scoop because smaller bits of pee and poop slip through so instead I use a large plastic kitchen spoon, the type you'd use to stir a pot of chilli or something similar and it works perfect allowing me to get all clumps and the tiny specks too that can sometimes happen when your cat breaks it up when digging. I then replace the removed part of the litter with an equal measure of fresh litter so when I scoop it looks like it's just been cleaned and yet it takes very little time and effort and always looks and smells like it's been freshly cleaned.
I love these hacks, but honestly, this is reminding me why I’ve put off getting another cat! Cat litter!
We have 3 cats and 2 stainless steel litter boxes. We use flushable pine pellets and empty and rinse their boxes after each use. They always step into a clean box and the house smells fantastic.
3 cats means you need four boxes. The minimum necessary for their physical and psychological health and hygiene is 1 box per cat plus 1.
So sad the pets that have owners that don't clean up after their pets...if you get a pet take care of it. We like our restrooms clean...so do they.
I just use a large clear plastic storage bin for my cat and added 5 boxes of litter. It works great! Because the litter box is bigger than my cat and he has plenty of room to do his business. It's super easy to scoop and throw away in the litter gini.
I agree with the metall material but didn't find one here. Our experience over here: Give the cat high quality(!) food so the cat is and stays healthy and the mess is not smelly.
Scoop the box once a day or more if needed and bring the trash out the house daily. If there is trash which stays over the day, you can clip the Plastik bag together. Had such a litter genie, but gave it away - too expensive and not handy for me. Meanwhile we use some open XXXL boxes (actually for storage) from the DIY-Store same as classic XXL cat toilet boxes, natural cat litter made of plants (filled up 7-8cm high - that's better for cats instinct).
For cleaning accidents, smelly stuff or sometimes even to wash the floors: a microbiological cleaning liquid/spray (it's a concentrate in 1-10L containers) which splits up smelly bacteria.
No need to throw away the full litter weekly. I also don't buy new boxes once a year - they are fine, they are clean, they are not smelly.
If a cat is sick, it can happen, that i use a Desinfektion spray after washing a box. On my litter pack is written to change it once a month - if it's well done (don't mess around with the scoop! - It takes me 10 minutes to do 3-4 litter boxes on 3 floors with 1 plastic bag daily), that even works out without being messy.
I also skip all the mats ... Honestly ... hoover robots save lifes - 3 floors, twice a day + you always have a tidy home, otherwise it's gone. But especially with XXXL boxes there is not much litter in the house - i lose more hair than 3 cats litter in the house.
I'm working with clients in this house - it has to be clean and it has to be fresh as soon as someone enters the door otherwise I have a problem with my job. 👍
Nice greetings from over sea!
Hope my English + autocorrect is not too bad...
Stainless steel holds bacteria too, at least that is what our vet said when talking about cat acne. Said to get rid of metal and bamboo bowls. Only ceramic, glass and porcelain aren't porous 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
Your vet must be high 😅 anything that's not routinely and properly cleaned will harbor gunk and germs.
Bamboo/natural fibers and plastic, yes, toss. Stainless steel? No. 😂
Glass, etc is fine too but it shatters and breaks. If it chips you need to toss it...
Love the stainless steel litter box even though I don't approve of the bacteria paranoia. I use pine pellets from Tractor Supply and some Barnlime or pelleted lawn lime with the pellets. I only scoop the poop, I let the urine compost in the pine pellets. It doesn't smell. The ph lowering power of the calcium carbonate lime encourages HEALTHY BACTERIA, composting bacteria, which eliminates odors and you don't have to scoop the pee. When the pine pellets get soaked I dump the litter on the roses outside (or other landscaping). I even add some of my own urine with water to the roses and my roses have beautiful healthy green leaves and healthy blooms. I rinse my litter box outside to help water the drought stricken garden.
lucky you! Maybe my cats are excessive pee-ers, but if I didn't scoop the pee daily, my 2 cats would fully soak the bottom of the box in a few days. No amount of calcium carbonate (baking soda) would neutralize that smell (I have tried that). If I let their pee "compost" in the box, the smell in the bathroom would be intolerable. I think this might work if your box is not inside your house.
@@RokiMowntinHi I only had one large elderly cat at the time and I used garden lime not baking soda (which lowers ph but is salty and bicarbonate of soda and not calcium carbonate like garden or Barnlime), and as soon as the litter is thoroughly wet and at that point also stinky, you need to maybe rescue the dry bits on top and certainly dump out all the wet stuff to mulch plants in the garden or stick in a compost bin. In a 3 cat household it is recommended to have 3 litter boxes. Cat daddy has some good videos on litter box metholodgy. Some cats won't tolerate pine pellets under their paws and you need to use finer grain litter. You could expand the pine pellets with water let them dry again and use that for litter, but you would have more tracking debris. There are other types of compostable litter, like corn cobs or recycled newspaper.
Use equine pellets ...zero smell, easy to clean, lightweight, no dust particles. Very very cheap at 5.99.for 40 lb. Bag lasts me 3 months.
My hacks for the litter box begin with a large storage tote, cheap from Walmart. It’s plastic, but I seldom have to scrub it out because of the litter (?) I use in it. I use pet bedding for horses or small animals, wood shavings from sawmills that you can buy cheap from Tractor Supply or other agricultural stores. I put at least 3 to 4 inches of shavings in the tote, and as I only have one cat, her urine is absorbed by the shavings before it gets to the floor. She didn’t even cover her feces at first, so scooping them up was very easy, but recently she must have heard me praise her leaving them on top of the shavings because now she does cover them, but they aren’t 3 inches down and are also the only heavy thing in there, so I have no problem with them. When the shavings get yellow, I change it out, and clean out the poop once a day into used zip-lock bags or bigger plastic bags, also used. No smell!!! I had to change from clumping litter because I have asthma which is aggravated by the dust, and it is sooooo heavy, I can’t carry around the big boxes full of it. These two hacks have saved me, and my cat’s feet aren’t hurt!
The oil from wood shavings can be dangerous for pets. I think I saw a yt video on that.
@Jazz K - Exactly. Three of my cats got so sick from it that they couldn't swallow. It caused their esophagus to swell. It could've even caused liver failure.
We ended up spending $2000+ on the vet visits and medication. All to save a couple dollars on litter.
@@kellmac The pine kitty litter needs to be kiln dried so the oil is removed.
@Jazz K - It was regular pine litter sold for cats.
There is a sawdust kitty litter available here which is sawdust which has been compressed into pellets. I used mind a neighbour’s car and they were using it. When the liquid hits it the pellets breakdown into sawdust again. And it uses a double tray where the sawdust can drop thru to the bottom tray. I was really impressed by how little smell there was, even for the poo as the pellets were pretty large but somehow it suppressed it still. The was reusing a waste product and was natural. Sounds like you have discovered your own, cheaper and just as effective version of this.
I confess to using the plastic bags for dogs' waste collection. I began doing it almost 20 years ago. Because they are very thin and small, I discard less plastic, by volume/weight than when I tried reusing the bags from shopping. (I have largely eliminated acquiring the plastic bags from shopping, and I put the few I do acquire through multiple uses before discarding them.) Because I am scooping frequently from multiple, distributed boxes, I have eschewed any collection systems in favor of toting my one little poop bag along my round, and depositing it sanitarily in a designated container.
Recently switched to walnut litter and really happy with it! The cats less so I feel. I had clumping clay litter before. The walnut has an earthy smell to it, where the clay has no smell. I have introduced the walnut litter slowly so the cats are now ok with it, but they took some getting used to. So my experience with walnut litter is amazing. I scoop once a day. The clay litter would just stick to the bottom of the litter box (it is stainless steel) and my scoop and the litter box would just be a mess every time. The actual cleaning works fine, but scooping was just annoying. (Plant based litter was even worse!) and now with walnut litter it sticks a little, but I barely put my scoop on it and it lets go. It is so much cleaner and easier to scoop. I was instantly sold! It is just a bit harder to check the poops though, as they are now brown from the walnut litter lol. Also for those wondering Rox has white paws, they are still white 🙃
Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm glad you like the walnut litter. I still haven't found an alternative that I think is worth switching.
Try softwood pellets! Much cheaper but works exactly the same as the walnut shell litter.
My white-pawed cat gradually got brown feet from the walnut litter!
Walnut is toxic to all animals.
I might slowly start changing out the plastic litter boxes. I have too many cats and boxes to change them all right now. Scooping multiple times a day would probably be a bit much for me right now, but I'll definitely look into naturally clumping. The regular clumping and non-clumping don't seem like great litter. I tried the one that i think is corn-based, but it didn't seem better. I have not tried pellet or pine litter. I'm just glad two of them know how to go outside and come back shortly. This is only my second experience with indoor cats.
My cat scratches at her box for like forever, everytime she uses it. She's just a scratcher, we have scratching posts everywhere. I know when shes gone potty by the 1 minute long scratching fest of her box, the floor, and the wall. I'm afraid she would still scratch the metal pan, or be stressed she couldn't scratch the metal pan. I feel like it would be nails on a chalkboard situation. Has anyone tried this with a cat that scratches her litter box? Has it worked for them?
Cats make micro scratches in the both plastic and most cheap, stainless boxes which harbers bacteria. BUT! Not all metal boxes are made the same either. I literally spent a month sifting through metal box brands, and they all had some major flaw. However!! I came across one finally 🤣 Less Litter Earth is the BEST for metal litter boxes. They're made from medical-grade stainless steel. Their website breaks it down, but in a nutshell, there are at least 3 grades that they mention... Stainless Steel 200 (metal staws, kitchen utensils, and kitchen trays) ... Stainless Steel 304 (commercial equipment, pots & pans, outdoor BBQ grill) ..... and finally, Stainless Steel 316 (surgical instruments, marine applications, medical equipment) ..... The Less Litter Earth litter box is made from stainless steel 316. On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, this stainless steel type rates 5 stars at being able to stand up against degradation from cat urine and 5 stars for being corrosion resistant. It resists odor, bacteria, ammonia in cat urine, stains, and rust. It is PH proof against cat urine.... Finally, the design has VERY high sides with a lower front opening for them to get inside. Also the shape of the litter box is round as opposed to the traditional rectangular shape. If you notice, cats always make circular movements in their litter box. The shape of the box fits their natural movements. I also like the Less Litter Earth litter box because other metal boxes (and plastic too of course) tend to get scratches and degrade ovetime, which costs more money in the long run when they have to be replaced. This one does not have to be replaced. It's pricey upfront, but you're saving money down the road and you have a top of the line, highest quality litter box. 🙃 just got one for my ragdoll kitten!
Love the stainless steel pans! I've never seen one. When I had a cat, I cleaned his box every month, with bleach. Having an SS pan would've saved ao much time. Honestly, it's terrible, but I also used those litter liners to help keep the smell at bay, help make cleaning easier
Here's what I have done for years: I insert a trash bag (hefty best doesn't tear)just like you would a trash basket, in the litter box. Then comes time to clean, just grab the corners of the bag and tie it in a knot and throw it away. Repeat. then I don't touch the litter at all. I totally change out the bag twice a week. If I forget, my cat reminds me🐈 Be careful if the cat claws make a hole then the bag tears, you will spill it all over the floor, then you really have a mess to clean up. Unless there is a hole in the bag, box won't even need to be washed.
This is something I've been doing for the past couple of months. Makes the task of cleaning the litter box a breeze.
Wouldn’t this use up the litter faster than scooping? or how did you make it work?
My routine is to use 5 cottage cheese containers of clay litter each time. That is plenty for 3-7 days at a time. I don't dump a whole bag. That would get expensive.
@@rebelbecky276 Neat! This sounds like an easier way to save time and hassle without costing too much. Thanks for sharing :)
Awesome video, great job presenting, very informative. New subscriber!!
litter box tip for anyone wanting to switch to steel!! get a "1/1 gn steam pan" from a restaurant supply store
Yeah, my first thought was restaurant supplies.
Yes definitely! Just make sure the outside of the pan is rounded over. Sometimes those edges can be sharp!
@@jesscaticles great point :D
p.s. i love the mound idea, do you think it would be suitable for litter diggers? has jericho ever miss the mound?
I tried this and my cat refused to even step in it, so heads up if you have a very sensitive cat, this may not be an option
I've recently started using a corn based litter. It's much cleaner than either the clay or woodchip litter. Cleans easily from the box and lasts a long time as it clumps easily. It's about twice the price, but lasts much longer.
Great video ❤️ I wish I could just put the litter in the middle, but my boy is not into that 😹 he perches on the corner of the stainless steel litter boxes and eliminates that way 😼 making the switch to stainless steel has been really helpfully with smells, cleanliness 😎👍 now I need to try some of the litter mats you've mentioned ❤️
can you explain more about the mound? I get that it uses less litter, but my cat (a very long, large cat at that), would still walk into the box and go where there was no litter making a smelly mess.
I can’t trust anything after watching her let cat litter go down the drain, that’s the worst thing you can do. It expands and eventually clogs horribly.
Gosh, I never knew about metal lotter accoutrements. Delightful info.
I like to tell people they should clean their kitty's litter every time you go to the bathroom too, it's only fair!
Our kitty litter boxes are next to our toilets.
Exactly! Mine too.
I use a compost stainless steel with a lid. ( It looks like a little garbage can). I put the cat food cans in a taller garbage can. I scoop 2 x a day and I have 3 litter boxes for my 2 cats. I use unscented arm and hammer.
I’m planning on getting a stainless steel litter box, but my tip for using plastic is, after emptying the litter box completely, pour boiling water into it and onto the sides. I used to do that once a week, let it sit for about 10 minutes, dump it out and dry it thoroughly with paper towels. It neutralised all smells. I never used soap.
I very much appreciate this video!! It has really helped us get our cats healthier from a litter box perspective, and us more sane from a smell, cost, and tracking perspective!