How often should you empty a litter box?

Who knew there was so much to kitty litter? Dr. Justine Lee provides some valuable litter box advice. For more from Dr. Lee, find her on Facebook!

Last week, we talked about adding the appropriate number of litter boxes to your house. Well, just because you added n+1 litter boxes doesn’t mean you can clean less frequently! We neurotic types clean litter boxes daily. If that’s too much for you, litter boxes should be scooped out at least every other day. Of course, this depends on how many cats you have. The more cats you have, the more frequently the boxes should be scooped out. While it’s a dirty job, it really should be done for the best interest of your cat(s).

If you notice your cat scratching outside the litter box instead of inside (“What’s a cat gotta do to get you to clean the litter box? Helllllo!”), it’s his way of telling you that the litter box is disgusting and he doesn’t want to get his feet filthy while he’s “attempting” to cover up his poop inside. If you just cleaned the litter box and he’s still doing it, it’s likely from a bad memory of getting soaked or dirty while in the box, so unless you want a pet that poops in random places, get in there and scoop.

Some cats will “hold it” and urinate as infrequently as possible to avoid stepping into a dirty, filthy, full litter box. Instead of urinating two to three times a day, your cat will tighten up and only go once a day. This makes his urine get more concentrated and could make crystals and urine debris plug up and cause him to get a life-threatening feline urethral obstruction (FUO). With FUO, cats may have stones, crystals, or mucous plugs in their urethra that prevent them from being able to urinate. Not only is this painful, but it can also lead to temporary kidney failure, electrolyte abnormalities, vomiting, lethargy, cardiac arrhythmias, and death. So to help prevent problems like this or even diseases like feline lower urinary tract disease or sterile cystitis (e.g., feline urinary tract disease or FLUTD), scoop!

The other added benefit of scooping frequently is that it helps you detect medical problems earlier. If your cat isn’t urinating, you’ll notice when there’s no urine in the litter box for two days. If your cat becomes a diabetic, he may be making larger and larger clumps and your whole litter box will be one huge clump after its weekly cleaning. But you’ll never be able to tell this if you’re not scooping enough. If your cat is acting constipated or having diarrhea, you won’t find out until days later, and by then it’ll be a bigger (and more expensive) medical treatment! As tedious as it is, please do your wife a favor and flush, and your cat a favor and scoop.

So, how do you scoop? I realize that sounds like a stupid question, but I’m often shocked how people are erroneously “scooping.” Some clients tell me they dump out the whole litter box (and all that clumping litter) every week. Yikes – no need folks! You and your cat’s carbon footprints are contributing to the overfilled landfills and making Al Gore very angry. Not only is this expensive, but it’s really wasteful. If you really want to know, I only completely empty and bleach out the litter box a few times year or so.

My tip? Use clumping litter if you’re not sure what your cat prefers, since studies have shown that cats prefer this type of litter the best. (More on “Clay, clumping, and crystal kitty litter: Which should I choose?” next week!). Next, keep an empty container (e.g., a 5 pound bucket that used to contain kitty litter), line it with a plastic bag, and use a scoop to scoop out the urine clumps and feces every day. Dump the clumps directly into the empty container, and voila: you just have to dump the plastic bag once a week. It makes it oh so easy to scoop, contains the smell in the empty bucket, and saves a few plastic bags while making it more convenient to scoop. As the kitty litter box becomes emptier, just add in clean clumping kitty litter. No need to dump out precious, expensive, eco-unfriendly full boxes when cleaning – just scoop out the dirty and add in clean.

I’ll elaborate on this more in next week’s blog on “Clay, clumping, or crystals.”

Hate cleaning your box? Have any tips this dirty job?

If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian – they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.

pic: @sparkthecat

The key to a happy, healthy cat is a clean litter box.

Dirty boxes can harbor bacteria that cause feline illnesses.

A hygienic, fresh-smelling box is also critical for your own satisfaction as a cat's housemate.

Feline stools can be eye watering for guests and family members alike.

So make sure your box gets clean, stays clean, and employs an effective odor-control mechanism.

Look below for our cleaning tips for your cat box:

Prevent litter box problems.

Messy cat toilets and too few litter boxes can drive your pet to search for another, more welcoming spot in which to do business. This might be your bedspread, the corner of your closet, or the showermat in your bathroom.

Wherever your cat chooses, you probably won't like it.

Prevent litter box problems by having one litter box per cat plus one extra. Algebraically, we express this as follows:

# of household😺 + 1 extra box = Total Number of Litter Boxes You Need

What kind of litter box should you choose?

Choose the litter box your cat will actually use.

If your cat likes doing business out in the open, select a Tray.

Need more space? Try our Modkat XL.

We never recommend self-cleaning litter boxes. These robotic devices can frighten cats and other pets.

When it comes to the stuff you put in the box…

Give your cat the pick of the litter by selecting a high-grade, clumping option. We recommend you take a look at planet-friendly litter choices such as grass seed, walnut shells, or wood pellets.

Finally, make sure your cat can easily access his box by putting it in a quiet but accessible location like the living room. Laundry rooms, basements, and bathrooms are rarely good choices.

How often do cats use the litter box?

Cats pee 2-4 times each day.

Don't worry if she regularly goes more or less often. Factors such as fluid intake, age, and home temperature can affect a cat's urination schedule.

If you notice any sudden changes in how often your cat pees, however, it could signal a problem. Ask your vet to rule out kidney or bladder trouble

Cats take care of heavy duty business about once a day. Again, don't worry if your cat is a more frequent 💩 producer.

Diet, medications, exercise habits, and overall health may affect a cat's defecation schedule. And kittens tend to do business more often than adult cats.

Do keep an eye on the goodies in the tray, however. Your cat's litter box can provide the first insight into health problems. If you see diarrhea, bloody stool, or no stool for a day or two, check with your vet. These symptoms should never be treated at home.

Using the litter box 3-5 times daily is normal, so it takes regular work to keep things ship shape.

How often should you scoop a litter box?

For best odor control, you should scoop the box twice a day.

If you're busy or you just forget, you can probably go with a daily single scoop. You don't want clumps and lumps to sit undisturbed for longer than a day though. Consider how disgusting it would be for your household to live with a toilet that went unflushed for several days.

When scooping litter, drop the clumps in a sealed bag, and toss the whole thing in an outside trash can. You never want to dump a clump down the toilet or mix it in with your compost. Both elimination methods can have serious health and environmental impacts.

Be sure to clean your litter sifting tool with a paste of baking soda and water when you scour the box.

How often should you change the litter in a litter box?

Most people replace their cat litter every week. Your schedule may vary according to your cat's needs. When refilling the box, the rule of thumb is to add 3-4 inches of fresh cat litter. You can also add baking soda or refresh your cat odor filter when you refill the box.

Remember that pregnant women should never change litter boxes due to the slight risk of contracting toxoplasmosis. Also, keep in mind that cat litter — even unused cat litter — should never be flushed down the toilet. We want to protect our water supply and the animals who live in or near our water resources.

How often should you wash a litter box?

Most cat parents wash the box every week. You don't need any special chemicals. Simple dish soap or vinegar and warm water will get the mess out. Don't use bleach, though, since it can interact with the ammonia in cat urine.

Regular washing will prevent the plastic material of your litter box from absorbing cat odors. That means you won't have to replace a litter box nearly as early if you clean it often.

Why does my cat freak out when I clean the litter box?

A dominant pet may want to re-mark their territory after you've washed away all the smells. These cats may take a leak in the box just minutes after you've freshened it up. Other cats may stare at you wide-eyed, probably wondering why you're sifting through their nuggets.

Most cats, however, don't get upset by observing a simple cleaning routine. In fact, they're more likely to get turned off by noxious litter box odor than by watching you scrub their toilet.

So keep your cats' toileting quarters in good shape. You should have a happy, healthy kitty who's ready to snuggle, watch birds, or play with cat toys - the fun part of cat parenthood.

Shop the Modkat litter boxes and accessories to freshen up your cat litter area today!

How often should I completely empty cat litter box?

How Often Should You Change the Cat Litter? If you use a clumping litter, it's best to scoop the box daily and change it out completely at least monthly. If you have more than one cat, it may be best to change the cat litter more often, every 2-3 weeks.

Should I clean litter box after every use?

How often should you scoop a litter box? For best odor control, you should scoop the box twice a day. If you're busy or you just forget, you can probably go with a daily single scoop. You don't want clumps and lumps to sit undisturbed for longer than a day though.