How to use cat litter?

When a kitten appears in the house, you have to think about buying a litter box and litter.

The litter is purchased for various types of trays, but more often for models with a grid, sold at pet stores. The holes in the mesh can be different, as well as their number. Basically, a cat litter box is nothing more than a pallet box with a lattice. Waste from the life of the pet flows through the holes into the lower part of the structure, while the filler itself does not allow the paws to get dirty.

It also makes it easier to clean the tray. The filler is also good because when using it, the space around the tray remains clean. It is safe for the animal, does not harm the household, is easy to clean and economical. However, it must be disposed of and does not remove the unpleasant odor from the house after the pet goes to the toilet.

A small amount of filler is poured into the tray of the tray. It is enough that it barely covers the bottom of the plastic box. Do not pour too much material, because when moisture gets on it, it will increase in size. On top of the pallet, you must put a grate or other mesh.

The filler should be under the grate. The net itself must be washed every time the pet goes to the toilet. This approach will eliminate paws from getting dirty, get rid of the unpleasant odor of cat urine, and allow fluid to be absorbed through the mesh.

Fillers are different and each material has its own properties and degree of swelling when liquid hits it. In addition, it depends on the type of filler how often it will have to be changed. For example, if you use ordinary sand as filling the box, then there will be little sense from it.

Silica gel is considered to be the best raw material for the type of liquid absorption, therefore it must be used in minimal quantities. It has a high ability to absorb unpleasant odors. The material is made from silicate acid gel, which determines its toxicity. This litter works well, but it is bad for pets, and it fizzes when it gets wet.

The wood analogue is effective in application - it not only actively absorbs the liquid coming from above, but also eliminates unpleasant odors... When absorbing moisture, the granules of the material double or even more. Pour in this filler, dosed, barely covering the bottom of the tray.

Sawdust material has the ability to block unpleasant odors, but in quality it is inferior to its wood counterpart. The mixed product is made from clay and sawdust. This raw material is inconvenient to use, since wet granules can stick to the fur of the paws if liquid gets in. It is the most impractical of all types of material.

As for the best material in terms of efficiency and safety, it is wood filler. It is suitable for pets of all ages, including small kittens and individuals with a tendency to allergies. If there are many cats at home, only silica gel can cope with the unpleasant odor.

There is corn and zeolite filler. The first is considered environmentally friendly, as it is made from corn cobs. The second is made from volcanic minerals. Japanese fillers have a good recommendation - they allow you to clear the tray not only of lumps with urine, but also with excrement without general cleaning, which implies complete removal of the filling and rinsing the tray.

The time of use for each filler may differ, which, first of all, will depend on the type of material used. In addition, it may depend on the number of pets living in the same house (the more there are, the more often you will have to change the pellets in the tray tray). In this case, the material can be partially disposed of. For example, wood litter pellets that have been spilled with large amounts of cat urine will crumble.

They can be separated from the whole granules with a spatula and discarded. If there is a lot of scattered material, then it is necessary to replace it completely, pouring in a fresh portion after washing and drying the box.

If you do this less often, an unpleasant smell will spread throughout the house, and the pet itself will look for another place to go to the toilet. Raw materials, which contain mineral components, are disposed of at once: in this case, there is no point in gradual replacement. The key to changing materials is to clean the tray and mesh with a cleaning agent to neutralize odors and get rid of pathogens.

The silica gel can be used for up to two weeks. After that, the waste material is replaced with a new one. However, this does not mean that you have to wait two weeks without touching the tray. Used lumps with absorbed liquid must be removed as soon as they are found. The rest of the mass must be mixed, which will facilitate rapid drying.

Mineral granules are changed at least once a week, however, in case of severe contamination, the procedure must be performed more often... The mixed litter in the tray should be changed once a week if there is only one animal in the house. This is done by means of a special perforated paddle that will simultaneously screen the material while separating the waste product. After that, you need to pour fresh granules into the tray.

The sand must be changed daily. This filler is also bad in that it can get enough sleep. It is useless to sow, dry or separate - this will not relieve households of the smell and grains of sand near the tray. If there are several pets in the house, you will have to remove the filler once every 3-5 days, focusing on the smell that appears from the tray.

The amount of litter for cats depends on the type and absorbency. In addition, the age of the animal can also affect this. Based on the calculation for one cat, you may need:

• wood material - up to 2 cm in height;
• silica gel - no more than 2 cm in layer thickness;
• mixed product - up to 3 cm;
• sand - no more than 2-3 cm.

The filler in trays with a grid should not come into contact with the mesh - there should be free space between them, which is necessary for the granules to swell. This will allow moisture not to linger on the grate, but to go down. If there is too much material, it will crawl through the grate, which will give the pet unpleasant sensations.

For trays without grates, the volume of the product can be slightly increased. In this case, the breeder must rely on the size of the granules of a particular material. In addition, the litter can be diluted with small stones intended for kittens that are still being toilet trained.

If this is not done, the plastic will become saturated with the smell of urine and excrement, so there will be no sense from the filler. Lumps in trays without grates are removed immediately upon detection, otherwise the pet may smash some of the litter. In addition, he may begin to disdain to go to such a place.

Waste material needs to be disposed of. However, you cannot flush cat litter down the toilet - the reason for this is the absorbency of the granules. This can lead to clogging of the sewer system and the formation of a plug, because even waste material can increase in size.

Some manufacturers claim that their products can be flushed down the toilet, as indicated by the image of the underlined toilet on the litter packaging. However, one cannot discount the eternal clogging of pipes and a decrease in their inner diameter due to poor quality water, which is typical for many houses in our country. In old houses, the inner diameter of the sewer pipes is small, so there is no need to create an emergency.

Dispose of used cat litter in the trash can. To prevent the smell from spreading through the house, put a plastic bag on the bucket in advance. Once the filler has been disposed of, the bag is tied in a knot and discarded. Dispose of used absorbent material immediately. This also applies to sand: it must be cleaned up and thrown away immediately using a garbage bag.

You will learn about which cat litter is the best from the video below.