Is litter box cleaning (whether the daily pick up or thorough clean) something that you wish you never had to do? And I bet it’s impossible to NOT notice when your cat dropped a “load” in there, eh? Our cat LOVES using his toilet when we have guests over, lol.
Well, let me tell you – since getting Chumka, we went through a handful of different litter boxes and about a dozen of different litters. They just simply wouldn’t work – too much dust/ tracing, allergic reaction, ungodly smells, or our cat accidentally leaving his “surprises” outside the box – just to name a few. And as a frugal person – I was getting frustrated for spending money on things that didn’t work.
But after a long trial and error journey – I have found products that I swear by:
1. Home Litter box
Did you know that plastic litter boxes retain harmful bacteria even after thorough washing/ sanitising? And if you do use a plastic one, you should replace it at least yearly to avoid the bacteria build up?
The best option is buying a stainless steel litter box. They are sturdy, very easy to clean, and can be sanitised properly. The one we use is VehiGo Metal Cat Litter Box in size XL (there are other sizes available). Its walls are nice and tall (5.9inch /15cm) which minimises litter tracing.
2. Litter Scoop
Just like the litter box, my scoop is made of metal as well. The Petmate Litter Scoop is very sturdy and has an ergonomic handle – it’s made to handle the biggest clumps and turds out there, haha.
3. Cat Litter Mat
I’ve noticed that having a litter mat helps to minimise litter tracing to pretty much zero. When I was browsing for one, I wanted to make sure that it’s waterproof, easy to clean, durable, and big enough for my litter box and my cat who jumps out of it when he’s finished.
This was the first mat I got, and shortly after setting it up, my cat had a small “accident” and scooted over it, leaving a nice surprise for me to clean up. Boy, oh boy, was I ever happy to clean and bleach the mat rather than the floors/ carpet. Bonus point – it really was easy to clean.
The Pieviev Cat Litter Mat Trapper was “tested with fire” and it passed the test.
4. Litter
Finding a litter that was just right took the longest for two reasons – there are so many different kinds that all say they are the best and I hate wasting so we would “suffer through it” until it was time to buy a new bag. There was one box of litter that I gave away after using it for a couple days – it was one of those “lightweight” ones but it ended up getting stuck on our cat’s hair and we would find it on every surface in our house.
The litter we use is Walnut based quick clumping litter (you can get a $3 off coupon on their website). You can buy it at any commercial pet stores around you, as well as Amazon. There is NO dust, it is naturally clumping and naturally odour absorbing, and it’s biodegradable – it’s safe for your pet, you, and the planet 🙂
This is the only litter I will ever use, seriously.
5. Travel Litter Box
Now this one is not an essential item for every cat owner, but it definitely is one for adventure cat owners. We use HiCaptain Travel Cat Litter Box in large size but it’s also available in medium. It’s waterproof so there won’t be any leaks or accidents, you can zip it up when not in use which is great when transporting it (bonus point: it has a handle so you can carry it like a suitcase). And in between adventures, you can fold it into a small cube and it measures 9.4inch by 7.5 inch!
The only downside to this one is that it’s fairly soft so the litter can get stuck in crevices, but you just gotta give it a good shake before cleaning.
If you want to try any of those items, check out my post on current deals and offers first – maybe one or more of them are currently on sale.
