If you have a pet at home, then cat hygiene is one of the most important issues. You need to make sure that your pet lives clean in advance. Then he will not bother you about possible illnesses. Hygiene rules include brushing the pet, cleaning the ears, keeping the house tidy, frequent cleaning, wiping paws after going outside, having a separate sleeping area, eating area and toilet. In this article we will talk about choosing a filler and its operation.
How to fill with filler
To understand why litter is needed, you need to know the physiology of cats. In the wild, cats relieve their natural needs in the ground, first digging a hole. Household representatives have no distinctive features and carry out their personal affairs in the same way. The tray filler serves as an analogue of soil, but only adapted to living conditions.
Automatic cat feeder with dispenser and timer, for wet and dry food
Inexperienced owners often make mistakes when trying to choose the optimal amount of litter for the tray. Many people prefer not to bother: they use newspapers, leave the tray empty, or retrain the cat to go to the toilet.
So how much filler should you use? It is difficult to unambiguously determine the volume of filler. But there are approximate values. The height of the wood layer should not exceed 2 cm, sand - 1 cm, mixed and silica gel - no more than 2-3 cm.
Warning! The filler should not completely clog the mesh from the tray.
Tray for cats
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The amount of filler depends on the composition used (coniferous sawdust, wood pellets, a mixture of clay and zeolite, silica gel). Before pouring a new portion of granules, powder or sawdust, you need to wash the tray and wipe it dry.
A mesh is placed on top of the filler. Once it has become clear where to pour the filler into a tray with a grate, you need to learn how to replace old granules or sawdust with new ones in a timely manner.
Why do you need a grille?
This accessory has a practical meaning. The filler is poured strictly under the grate, as it absorbs urine. The excrement will remain on top: the owner only needs to remove the part to rinse it under running water.
Some owners try to avoid mesh, citing the cat's physiology as an excuse. In their opinion, the accessory interferes with burying animal waste products, which means it will certainly cause discomfort. In the future, such a solution creates a whole wave of problems: the pet scatters the litter, dirt quickly accumulates and cleaning turns into a daily chore.
Different types of cat litter
How to wash, how to clean
Hygienic procedures are mandatory when using filler and without it. In the second case, you will have to clean the litter box after each time your pet goes to the toilet.
If the attribute is not taken care of, then one of the consequences is an unpleasant odor that will quickly spread throughout the entire apartment.
But the tailed pet will begin to regularly look for new places to relieve its natural needs, since the smell of excrement scares them away.
To clean your cat's litter box, you will need disinfectant (eco-friendly) detergents, a soft brush and paper towels.
Procedure. Everything will take no more than five minutes.
- The used filler is sent in a plastic bag.
- Having unfastened the removable mesh, the base is washed under warm water.
- Apply or spray detergent onto the tray and leave for a few minutes. Then the base is cleaned with a brush.
- The removable grate is cleaned in warm water.
Tray cleaner
Choosing a detergent
The most important criterion is the absence of strong odors. Be careful when using toilet bowl cleaners. Many of them have a pungent “aroma” that can scare away a cat.
As a result, the pet will have no choice but to go looking for a more comfortable place to go to the toilet.
Acid-containing products effectively fight urinary stones, which settle on the surface of the tray over time. An analogue of these is ordinary vinegar, but it only eliminates the smell and is not suitable for regular cleaning.
Eco-friendly disinfectants are the best option. They smell nothing and contain virtually no chemicals.
What are the options?
Modern manufacturers offer absorbent and clumping mineral litter for cat litter. The main difference is that the first absorbs and retains moisture, while the second, after interacting with liquid, forms dense lumps that can be easily removed from the tray with a special spatula. The absorbent composition is made on the basis of porous minerals. It requires complete replacement after about 2 weeks: the liquid is gradually absorbed and evaporates after a while. In this case, the unpleasant odor remains inside the granules.
Clumping filler is used more economically, but is more expensive. To keep it clean, just remove clumps from the tray daily. The overall layer must be at least 8 cm.
In addition, it is worth considering the disposal method. Wood filler made from compressed sawdust is considered simple and convenient - it can be flushed down the toilet. It is important to remember that this can only be done in small portions. Mineral compositions do not allow such disposal at all - the toilet may become clogged.
How often should I change
Even with regular hygiene procedures, the cat litter box does not have an unlimited shelf life. Like other accessories for animals, it also tends to wear out. The pet himself unconsciously makes “efforts”: he scratches his toilet with his claws, and a white coating may appear at the bottom of the base. Sooner or later, the owner must worry about purchasing a new attribute for his ward.
If cleaning is done on a regular basis, the toilet area can last for several years. However, ignoring the basic rules of care, the stench and particles of waste “eat” into the surface of the tray so that no cleaning products can help. And you can make purchases almost every year.
The tray is placed in a place convenient for the cat
Where to put it in the apartment
This issue should be resolved on the first day the cat is in the house. The pet must be accustomed to one place for excrement, so that later the owner does not find “surprises” throughout the apartment.
Ideal areas are those that have low traffic and those that have virtually no noise. These are the most comfortable conditions under which the pet will agree to relieve itself and feel safe. Otherwise, “there will be trouble.”
If the choice falls on the toilet, make sure that the ward always has access to it. Residents will have to put up with an open door, or constantly come running when their pet calls.
Advice! Do not change the location of the tray. Cats are very conservative creatures and cannot tolerate any changes in their lives without stress. More temperamental individuals will declare “war” and continue to go where they went before.
Can several individuals use one toilet?
Our smaller whiskered brothers are naturally territorial animals. As in the wild, in the house they distribute among themselves places that they will consider their personal possessions. Therefore, the toilet will have to be divided: acquire several attributes and even choose a filler that every cat will like.
But the owner cannot always afford such innovations. Living in a small apartment, a person does not have the opportunity to provide each furry guest with an individual restroom. You will have to train all your pets to relieve themselves in one place.
When training several cats to defecate in the same litter box, be prepared to clean the litter box several times more often. Otherwise, pets will choose their own personal bathroom.
Our range
The catalog of the pet store "World of Tails" presents products from famous world and Russian brands, including:
- Cat Step - economical silica gel compounds that only need to be changed a couple of times a month;
- Ever Clean - the manufacturer offers several varieties with different flavors;
- Fresh Step - the best absorbent compositions with activated carbon;
- Pi-Pi-Bent is an effective budget option based on bentonite clay;
- Pretty Cat is a Finnish brand whose products are known for their high environmental friendliness;
- BRAVA - sorbents with bactericidal properties are used in production.
You will find detailed characteristics and composition of cat litter products on the corresponding product pages of the catalog.
If you are in doubt about what type of product to choose, call us - the store’s specialists will help you choose a litter based on your budget and the needs of your cat.
Online store of pet products “World of the Tailed”
Not every owner knows how to use cat litter and whether it can be flushed down the toilet. After purchasing a cat, the first thing the owners of an apartment or their own house do is choose a place for him to eat and use the toilet. While it’s easy to purchase bowls and fill them with food and water, choosing a tray is much more difficult.
How many accessories do you need for one cat?
One tray is enough for an adult. Let us remember that cats are conservative by nature and, as a rule, defecate in only one place. But under certain circumstances, the number of bathrooms can be increased.
- When accustoming a kitten to relieve its natural needs, the owner must determine which location will be preferable for his ward. To do this, you need to put several trays in the apartment where a new member of the household has already visited with certain intentions.
- When a cat changes its place of residence, its litter box also changes. To help the client choose, the owner can also place several trays in different areas of the apartment. And only when the cat decides, leave one attribute.
Automatic waterer for cats, LED battery-powered bowl substitute
Cat litter box device
What is this design?
- First of all, it is a convenient and stable device made of plastic. The cat litter box cannot be made of wood or iron, because iron, due to exposure to urine, will oxidize and release fumes that are hazardous to health. Wood is also not used for these purposes, since it absorbs moisture very well, and it will breed harmful microorganisms that can cause harm not only to animals, but also to people. Plastic does its job very well. This device is quite lightweight and can be easily moved to anywhere in the apartment.
- The grate, which is placed on top of the tray, is quite comfortable for the cat's paws, allowing the cat to do his business without difficulty.
It is better to take a tray “for growth”, focusing on adult cats, this is necessary so that then a situation does not arise where an adult cat has to be taught to use the tray again.
