How to deal with cleaning the litter tray

[ChatterMonkey]

I know this sounds incredibly stupid, but I'm struggling massively with cleaning poo out of the litter tray. I've always been extremely squeamish, i can't to things like emptying the hoover or taking hair out of the drain without retching and possibly being sick.

We recently got two kittens, and i cant do the litter tray without actually vomiting. Ive cleaned one poo and was sick outside. Other attempts have ended in me having to go upstairs and let dp finish.

I know it isnt fair on dp to have to do all the poo cleanups, so want to try and get better/get used to it. Currently ive been going through with dp when hes doing it but cant look/think about what hes doing or i start retching.

I think the issue is how easily im sick. So i cant breath through my nose because of the smell, but i have to keep my mouth and jaw clenched shut or ill start retching.

Im getting home from work earlier than dp today so i know its likely there'll be something to clean up so i need to do it.

Im thinking a face mask with vicks in it to cover the smell, so i can breath through my nose?

Does anyone struggle with this as much as me??

I'm really hoping for your sake that you have outdoor kittens. Once they're spayed/neutered they can do their business outside! It's such a relief

Hate to be the one to break it to you, but the ideal litter tray situation for your cats is one each, plus one extra (ie three trays for two cats).

These poos are nothing like ferrero rochers..! They are big long curled turds, these kitties seem to store it up all day, then go once a day but its massive...! Not sure if its better that its only once a day, as its fewer cleans, but then when they do go its a monster...!

Got lots of good advice here though, good to know it does get easier with time!

Food wise they get half a sachet of wet food (felix kitten) and then the rest of the food they get is purina pro plan dry food. They seem to be enjoying it and eating well.

Kitten pics attached!

They are spayed/neutered ready (shelter does it young before they rehome) but still need their second dose of vaccines so will need to be at least after that before they go out.

We have two trays atm, i know three is best but they seem happy enough atm and only seem to use one between them anyway? But keep the two down and clean at all times.

You can experiment with a few different types of food, I use an "indoor" one and I do find it reduces smells.

I have 2 cats. I line the large covered tray with a bin bag, then newspapers then a bit of wood chip litter. As soon as either do a poo, I scooped the bin bag out and bin it. I don't believe in putting loads of litter in and scooping the turds out. It still stinks. I'd rather use less litter and empty it daily.

Get covid.
my sense of smell is now terrible and I can clean any-fucking-thing. It’s my new unexpected superpower.

You need to change the food - I was giving my adult cat Felix and the smell was so bad it would wake me up at night, through closed doors and up a flight of stairs.

I changed to Thrive dry food and Harringtons wet. No smell now really, certainly not retching or waking-up level smell. Smaller poops, not the big stinky ones.

Swap to raw diet for them. The poo is smaller and doesn't smell

Yeah felix is low quality food so they will shit most of it out. Mine are on Arden grange hypoallergenic dry food with one sachet of Sheba a day between them (only because I’m trying to fatten my fussy skinny one up).

Is it the smell? If so strong mints and Vaseline / Vicks under the nose. Longer term though it sounds like a change of food is needed. I found my kittens poo improved a lot when the meat content of their food increased.

I do the same as Popsicle
Line the tray with a litter tray liner then 2 sheets of newspaper, small amount of litter on top. Bin the whole thing. Its much easier to change every day. Hes on Untamed cat food now 60% pure human grade meat, and its not unpleasant now.

How new are they? When we got our first cat I would heave you the point of almost being sick over his litter tray and the smell of wet food. I have gotten over it though now

We use cats best litter and it really doesn’t smell very often. Only an occasional really stinky one. The clumping helps, it’s dead easy to remove.

Our issue is Dcat is long haired and occasionally manages not to get all her poo in the litter tray. Last time this happened I was lying in bed a floor away from the litter tray and the aroma nearly knocked me out. Turned out she had deposited a couple of nuggets on the carpet outside my room😵‍💫🤣 Good job she is gorgeous🤣

And Dcat won’t wee or poo outside despite having access. She came to us aged 4 and we don’t think she had proper outdoor access if any before so she will scurry in and use the litter tray before going out again🤷‍♀️

I was once told by a surgeon when I did an observation shift in an operating theatre that a lot of people put a blob of strong smelling iodine inside the their surgical mask when there’s bowel surgery going on that’s likely to be smelly. So the Vicks seems like a reasonable equivalent.

@hartof they are very new, they are 11 weeks old, we've had them just over a week!

Hopefuly i get used to the smell and can deal with it better!

@zealandardour haha it really did work well, totally blocked any smell which allowed me to carry on breathing through my nose. Keeping my mouth shut helped keep the retching impulse under control.

My top lip was a little bit numb for a few hours after though so hopefuly i get so used to it that i can do it without the vicks eventually!

I'm pretty sure you aren't supposed to put cat loo down the loo? Not sure why but I thought it was a Bad Thing.

Apparently it's because of toxoplasmosis & bunging up the pipes with litter.

Another vote for a balanced raw diet.

One of my girls is 90% raw and her poops are solid almost odorless.

The other one who is on canned could clear our a football stadium. She reeks!!!

I also use a clumping litter - ever clean. Its great for masking odours.

Kitten poo is way more smelly than adult cat poo , you will be pleased to hear.

We've just been through a week of diarrhoea with one of our cats - I was wrenching every time 🤮 - Scrumbles have saved me!

Disposable Cat Litter Tray - EcoPetBox - Eco Friendly - Liquid Proof (8 Pack) amzn.eu/52o8G5a

These are the ones I get.

They are spayed/neutered ready (shelter does it young before they rehome) but still need their second dose of vaccines so will need to be at least after that before they go out.

I hate to break it to you but they are far, far too young to go outside if they're only 11 weeks old or so.

I wouldn't let any kitten out until they're at least six months old, otherwise they're just way too small and fragile.