I've got some pretty dull questions for cat owners. Got a moment?

Question

1 How often do you scoop the litterbox?
2 How often do you change the litter?
3 How often do you completely clean the box?
4 How many cats do you have? Okay: how many food bowls? Water bowls?
5 How often do you set out wet food? Dry food?
6 Cat treats: how many, how often?

I'm just wondering if we're doing anything too infrequently, or... I realise there's advice for this sort of stuff on-line, but a lot of it doesn't really reflect reality.

Feel free to add things. Guardians of spoiled kitties may say "Massage is thrice-weekly, and I floss her teeth every Sunday," and non-chalant cat owners can go ahead and say "Huh? I have a Littermaid and an automatic feeding bowl which the cleaning lady deals with..."

Answer 1

1 How often do you scoop the litterbox?
I have a Litter Robot www . litter-robot .com, AMAZING but it's expensive. It is totally worth it. Before that, I scooped daily for 2 cats an one litter box. It is so much better for all if you do.
2 How often do you change the litter?
When I had a standard litter box, I changed it more when was lax about daily cleaning, about once a week. I recommend The World's Best Cat Litter, it's excellent ! You can get 35 lbs for $26 delivered from Amazon. All natural, absorbs incredibly and bought online is a much better deal that the pet shops or grocery stores.
3 How often do you completely clean the box?
Every other month, I completely wash it out and start fresh,
4 How many cats do you have? Okay: how many food bowls? Water bowls?
2 sisters, one food bowls, one waterfall water dish (keeps the water fresh and the moving water keeps the cats interested in drinking)
5 How often do you set out wet food? Dry food?
Don't follow my lead, I have a gravity feeder and that is not recommended. 2 times a day is what my vets have recommended.
6 Cat treats: how many, how often?
I used to give WAY too many treats and my 1 year olds were gaining weight. I didn't realize how much I was giving them and I cut back. I give just a few treats once or twice a week at random times.

A few things: I work a lot and have resorted to several things to improve caring for my cats. The automatic litter box I have is the best I have seen, hands down. Period. The end. If you can afford it, I can't recommend it enough. I am saving money on litter and eventually I'll recoup the cost of the box. In the meantime, people come over and are surprised to know I have 2 cats, as they can't smell anything. (Often people say they can smell cats upon entering a house). It is easy, simple and keep both the cats and I happy. Only consideration: it makes some noise, so in smaller apts it is a bit of noise.

Buying natural litter is supposed to be better for your cats, as they will ingest some of any litter. I have tried over a dozen and The World Best Cat Litter in my opinion, is simply the best I have used.

If you can't swing an automated Litter Robot, there are screens that you can use in your litterbox to make the chore faster and easier. Keeping the box cleaned more often will lengthen the amount of time between changing litter.

Fresh water is important and if you splurge on one thing, a water fountain should be it. You can get a good one for $30. It keeps the water moving and fresh, many have a filter too. Cats, I read, generally don't drink as much water as they should. Providing fresh water in an interesting way will likely keep your cat drinking. Lastly, you can add plaque and tarter control to the water. This will reduce the plaque and tarter that will eventually necessitate having to have their teeth cleaned as often. This can lead to a serious health issue but can be easily prevented.

I'm nowhere near the final word on cat care, this is just my experience and I have two happy, healthy cats. I have never had pets before and I bought the Cat Owner's Manual and learned a lot. From what I read, I made several simple practices that resulted in easier and simpler care for my cats, while proving them with the best health I can.

I hope you find something useful in all this.

Answer 2

1) We use clumping litter. We check it daily and scoop as needed, but at least every other day.

2) Change it about once every 3-4 weeks. If you don't use clumping litter and scoop regularly, should be more frequent.

3) At the same time we change the litter - scrub the boxes with normal dishwashing soap and then swish with a very mild bleach solution (about 1 gallon water with 1/8 cup bleach added)

4) 4 cats. 2 food bowls, 2 water bowls. They don't have a problem with sharing, but some cats do - so it depends on their personalities.

5) We don't give our cats wet food. They are fed IAMs dry - it has all the nutrients they need, keeps their teeth cleaner and is less stinky in the litter box. The dry food is always out - but this is simply a factor of convenience/logistics with feeding 4 cats. Ideally, they shouldn't have food out all day because they tend to overeat.

6) We give them treats once in a while (a couple times a month). No set schedule. If I am making a tuna sandwich, I'll give them a few pinches of tuna from the can. Or at Thanksgiving, I'll give them a tablespoon of shredded turkey. They also have a couple pieces of normal cat treats now and then.

Two of our cats are longhaired, so we brush them about once a week. The other two join in the action because they love it. Other than that, lots of cuddles and toys.

Answer 3

1. I scoop about every day or two
2. I change everything every two weeks, but add small amounts of new litter several times before then.
3. I completely clean it every two weeks.
4. I have one cat right now, with one deep food dish, and a pet water fountain (with self cleaning filters).
5. I don't really put out the wet food (except once in a while for a treat), and keep the dry food bowl out all the time and make sure it's filled up.
6. I have actual cat treats, but my cat doesn't seem to like them much. Instead I let her share some "treats" with me like cut up strawberries, bananas, and raw carrots. (Don't give your cats grapes or raisins; those foods are toxic to cats!)

I give my cat a hairball prescription called Laxatone once a day to prevent hairballs, cat gas, and to help her digestion. It's good stuff; she's had a hairball only twice in a year and a half. And I let her have full shower access. She loves water and will take showers with me and also run through the water if I leave it on just for her. I also leave a few lights on when I leave for work every morning and turn the heat up to 75 or 76 so she'll be nice and comfy!

Answer 4

According to Cat magazine, you are suppose to scoop the litterbox 2-3 time per day, change the litter weekely, completely clean the litter box monthly, the number of litterboxes is equal to how many cats you have plus one. A water and food bowl for each. Now how many people have the time and room for all of this is another issue. We have three cats and they share one LARGE litter box that is completely cleaned twice a week. No soiling problems ever. We also have a food bowl for each but we have water bowls on different levels of the house for them. They get fed twice/day. In the morning they get 1/2 cup each of dry food (should be enough for the day) and in the evening, they each get 1oz wet food. Treats are given about once a week. Usually when they do do well on the weekends with brushing, nail clipping, massages, etc. Yes, our cats love massages.

Answer 5

1. Twice daily, sometimes more depending on if I've just noticed she's pooed
2. I change the litter once a week to every 10 days, it's Feline Pine so I change it as soon as all the pellets are dissolved.
3. I completely clean the litter box everytime I change the litter.
4. I have one little 8 month old monster, she's the queen of this house and knows it. I have a bowl for her water, one for her dry food and one for her moist.
5. I leave out dry food 24 hours, it's free feed and I feed moist food twice a day - in the morning and when I get home from work.
6. I give her cat treats when she's behaving, usually once to twice a day - I feed her as many as she'll eat which usually isn't too many... she's not an overeater.
I try my best to brush her teeth daily and brush her fur daily - she's short haired but sheds quite a bit at times. I make sure she always has toys to play with and is entertained while I'm at work. Cats are actually pretty easy pets to have but I have spoiled mine rotten. Try one of those laser light toys - my baby just goes nuts for it.

Answer 6

Use a good clumping litter, I recommend Fresh Scoop with Cedar, the Cedar smell lasts for quite a while. I have two full grown males and two litter boxes. I scoop them every other day, and that seems to be plenty. You will know when you need to clean your litter box completely, just by the way it looks. As for food and water, the cats have dry food available to them all day long, every day. Once a day, I split a can of wet food between them. I give them treats when I think of it, I have one that does not like treats and one that will come when I shake the can. Always give treats if the cat comes when the treat can shakes. 3 or 4 usually is enough for the cat to stay happy.
Most importantly more than all of these things, is how much handling you give your cats. The more you handle them in a manner that both you and your pet are comfortable, the more they will learn to trust you. Don't hang on to them too long if they don't want to be held, but always make them get down gently. This will teach them that you are always going to put them down, and they do not have to push and struggle to get free.
Finally, good luck with your cat(s), they make some of the best friends in the whole world.

Answer 7

1. I scoop the litter box every day if not twice a day.

2. I fill the litter up with more as needed because I use the clumping litter. Clumping litter makes it easier to dispose of beause it makes the pee clump so you can just take it all out.

3. I completely clean the box at least once a month, sometimes more if needed.

4. 3 cats--1 large water bowl jug that dispenses water as they drink it. 1 large food bowl--they share.

5. Wet food is considered a treat--holidays 1 to 2 times a month maybe.

6. Cat treats--I give them vitamins every day that they think is a treat.

Good luck with your cats.

Answer 8

1. I scoop once a day
2. Every Wednesday (trash day)
3. once a month, more when it is nice to do it outside
4. I have 3 cats. I have 1 food bowl, and 1 water bowl
5. Dry food is always out, the can food I give to them as a treat like once a week. But in that case I have to put it on three seprate plates.
6. About once a day I'll get the treats out.

Answer 9

1. I try cleaning it every time they poop. If I dont have time Once a day.
2. I change the litter about twice a week...but right now I'm doing it everyday because my cat had diahrrea.
3. I dont completely clean it...just switch the litter...hmm..I'm wondering If I'm suppose to clean it...
4. 2 cats 1 food bowl 1 water bowl. They take turns...
5. I change their water as often as I see that its dirty (one of my cats loves sticking his paws in it...weird!!) and they always have dry food out and well plenty of water. Usually in the mornings I have to refill and about the time I get home from work @5.
6. I love seeing them get crazy over the treats...I give to them when they come when I call them...about 3 pieces about 2 times a day.

Answer 10

I scoop the box multiple times a day
I change the litter once a week
I clean the box every week when the litter is changed
I have 4 cats. One BIG water bowl and ond BIG food bowl(I free feed
I free feed
Cats get treats only every couple weeks