synecdochic: torso of a man wearing jeans, hands bound with belt (Default)
synecdochic ([personal profile] synecdochic) wrote in [personal profile] bossymarmalade 2014-06-07 10:30 pm (UTC)

Woohoo!

Okay, the biggest suggestion I have, if you're grossed out at the idea, is an automatic litterbox. You still have to do some cleaning (cleaning out the well that the litter gets raked into), but it keeps you from having to scoop the litterbox frequently, and helps a lot with smell.

Some cats will put up with a covered litterbox, which can help keep the litter from getting tracked everywhere. (Some cats won't put up with it at all, heh. Some cats prefer them.) Try it and see, though. If not, the litter will get tracked; get a dustpan and brush that you can just leave by the litterbox and make "sweep up the bits of litter that got tracked around" part of the routine. (I don't find scooping the litterbox gross, but I hate the feel of litter under my feet!)

It's also a good idea to put a mat underneath the litterbox so that if the cat misses the side of the box, you can just pick up the mat and wash it. If and when there is an accident, wash the area with Nature's Miracle spray; it can help keep the spot from being scented as "good place to pee" for later. (In general, Nature's Miracle is great stuff. The spray is good as a cleaning spray, and you can also add some in the laundry if you need to wash something the cat's peed on.)

If the cat won't tolerate an automatic litterbox, use a clumping cat litter (we use Precious Cat Ultra with a little bit of baking soda added for more odor control, but we have 4 cats; you might not need the baking soda) and get a Litter Locker/Litter Genie/etc type system for putting it in; it's like a diaper pail and isolates odor really well. (And minimizes the amount of "hauling around bags full of used litter" you have to do.)

Practically speaking, for gross-out purposes: nitrile gloves while scooping and breathe through your mouth, not your nose. :)


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