Fellow cat owners, questions...

[Bellesbink]

1. how often do you clean the litter tray? As in a full on disinfect job rather than just removing the poo/wee?
   
   
2. if you have more than one cat, do you follow the one litter tray per cat plus one extra rule? I have two indoor cats (for medical reasons) in a two bedroom flat and they have two litter trays but never use one of them. They're exactly the same tray in similar (non busy) locations but they both seem to like using the same one. We're low on space as it is so I might axe the second one - yay or nay?
   
   
3. how do you keep on top of cat hair? My cats are long haired birmans. They basically explode hair. Didn't care much before but we have a six week old DS and I'm constantly fishing hairs off his clothes and out of his mouth!!!
   
   TIA

[torthecatlady]

Hey! I think we need some pics of the offending kitties

1. I really don't disinfect very often at all. Cats don't like disinfectants or washing up liquids.

If it starts to smell or has some dried poo on it, I will clean it. (Make sure you have a spare for whilst you're cleaning it.

But I do clean the tray out multiple times every day. My two cats have access to outside, but i'm sure they come in to use to the tray

1. We used to have 2 trays for 2 cats. Although we rescued the cats at the same time, they did not know each other and the older boy really didn't like the kitten at first.

We found that they predominately would use the one tray though for wee and the other for poo.

After 6 months we started letting them out during the day (in at night) and at the same time got rid of one of the trays. Not just because they were going out, we just decided that they'd gotten to know each other and were happy to share.

We've had one tray for a few months now and we seem to be doing ok. If we had any problems we could bring out a second again.

[Bellesbink]

Here are my little ones!

[GummyBunting]

1. Only if it really smells. The cats get upset if their tray smells like disinfectant.
   

1. I have two cats but only one litter tray. 1 cat uses the cat flap so takes himself outside for the loo, so really the 1 tray is only used by the other stupid cat that can't figure out the cat flap.

[Bellesbink]

A better picture of one of them!

[torthecatlady]

Oops didn't see 3!

1. Some cats shed fur more than others. My 6 year old ginger tom sheds like there's no tomorrow. Whereas our black 9 month old sheds very little.

Also, it is shedding season!!

Brush cats daily or as often as possible. Vacuum the same amount. Easy in theory, more difficult in practice!

My dad used to insist on vacuuming my late cat Tinkerbelle with the hose attachment - apparently she "loved it"!

[torthecatlady]

cat envy!! So soft and fluffy! I could just bury my face in their fur (and end up with mounds of cat hair in my nose, mouth and eyes)

[torthecatlady]

When we first got them compared to now.

[isamonster]

Hi I have a birman - had two when my daughter was a baby/crawling so i feel your pain re fur. I used a furminator on them. This really helps. I also kept the cats out of her room while she was small though I remember after my dd was born, one of my cats moved into the washing machine... He didn't like her crying!!

How are they coping with the baby? I would hesitate to go down to one tray, even if they don't use the second one. I'd be loathe to make changes as they are probably feeling a bit put out already...

Cats like the smell of bleach so using it to clean litter trains once in a while is no bad thing. That said, i haven't done so in a while. i just tend to rinse and refill.

Pics please...

[torthecatlady]

that's brilliant.

My two ate scared of the vacuum and run away the second i start it up.

The steam cleaner makes a clicking noise which they hate too. A couple of scaredy cats if you ask me?

[isamonster]

oops - lovely cats!

[QforCucumber]

1. our 2 cats only like tesco value litter - at £1.55 a bag we are happy to fully replace it daily rather than scoop as they go. Every morning it's replaced, once a week tray is scrubbed - outside tap and hard scrubbing brush, takes 5 mins.
   
   
2. 2 cats, 1 tray but they do go outside - i'm on maternity leave at the moment so they gave free reign to go out all day really
   
   
3. furminator and hoover daily. It's a nightmare.

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

Sorry to jump in OP but does anyone have a particular grooming glove that they would recommend? Lucy cat has a medium length coat and she tends to get a bit of clumping at the end of her back before her tail. She's not keen on brushing - she likes her head being done but that's pretty much about it. She does NOT like the hoover :)

I've had to resort to snipping chunks off with scissors before as she also wouldn't let it be shaved. It's fine at the moment but I saw another clump forming so will need to sneakily try and brush it later.

If the gloves are a decent protection against getting your hand mauled that would be good too.

[Frostycake]

Oh! they're adorable!

I only have one cat but have two litter trays on the go at once (one in downstairs loo, the other in upstairs bathroom). I clean them once a week with special 'pet' disinfectant. I have two spare trays so can swap them immediately. I scoop poo and wee whenever she uses the trays so that they are always clean all the time (mostly), unless I'm out of course and then if she poos in one, she always has the other to wee in before I get back. If I was going away for a couple of days, I'd leave three trays.

Grooming - I groom her every day at least once a day (she's long haired too!) I keep a brush upstairs and another downstairs and a pair or grooming mitts in the hall. I use a pet roller on the carpet upstairs when I see it and I have laminate downstairs so just grab hair as I see it and then hoover once or twice a week. I do the sofas and beds once a week too just to keep on top of it.

It's a lot of work but worth it for the pleasure of serving the feline one

[Wolfiefan]

1. I normally clean out the tray once a week with Milton and boiling water. (But sometimes every couple of weeks!)
   
2. Two cats. Two trays. They do go outside as well though so may be "going" out there. Our last two cats shared one tray happily.
   
3. Furminator. Our old cat stopped grooming. She was knotty even though I brushed her every day and thought I might have to have her shaved. Furminator solved it. Treat them or give them catnip whilst grooming. Stroke then brush gently. Two brushes? One for head that cat enjoys and sneak some brushes elsewhere whilst distracted!!!

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

Thanks wolfie. it's usually a few brushes to the head until she gets in the zone, carry on with stoking the head with hand while getting sneaky brushes elsewhere. Sometimes when she is a deep sleep - proper full on snoring - I can get a bit done without waking her.

I'll look at a furminator, thanks.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Can't help with litter tray as he goes outside but wrt cat hair we brush him once or twice a day and I hoover daily and mop the floors. We keep the bedroom doors shut to limit the rooms he can go in.

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

Okay, might be worth a punt then :)

DH sometimes gives her a stroke with his rubber gloves which she tolerates for a few goes but then she's punctured the gloves rendering them unusable for their intended purpose!

[Bellesbink]

Wow thanks everyone!! I'd not heard of the furminator. We certainly don't groom them as much as we should so I will get on that.

They are very non-cat like cats and aren't remotely phased by the baby even when he cries. We also moved into a new flat recently and they weren't phased at all then either.

I was just curious on the litter tray thing to be honest. We clean ours out properly once a week (good tip on using Milton!!) but I scoop poo out whenever we go. We use a quite expensive clumping litter or I'd probably do a total change more often.