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The litter tray

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Original poster

How often to clean litter tray with two kittens?

26 replies

LiveLifeToTheFull2 · 26/02/2024 07:33

How often would you/do you empty your litter traps completely out and then clean tray and refill with fresh litter if you have two cats/kittens please?
We've just adopted two 10 week olds and they are both using the same litter tray it's an XL one as we only have room for one tray.
They have been using it brilliantly but yesterday they both urinated next to the box and I couldn't work out why.
Then I realised it was probably because the tray was 'too dirty' and they didn't want to use it?! Is this a thing?!
So when they poop in right in their with a poo bag scooping it up and out, but with both kittens weeing several times a day obviously the litter is going to get wet and mushy quicker.
So how often would you be cleaning out your trays completely to get rid of their wees? It's a non clumping cat litter which I don't really understand the benefit of as surely if it clumped I could also remove a wee?!
Help. 🙊

OP posts:
Seasidesusy · 26/02/2024 07:36

We have 2 young cats and 3 litter trays. They use all 3 and we spot clean twice a day, plus take poo out as soon as it’s done if we are home. We use a really good litter (Amazon Lifelong) which clumps amazingly for wee so it doesn’t get mushy. I top up litter probably every other day. I do a full empty and clean, with new litter about every 10-12 days.
I know you said you don’t have space for 2 trays but it is recommended that you have at least one per cat and ideally a spare too.

Seasidesusy · 26/02/2024 07:37

Sorry, and yes if the tray is dirty they will go elsewhere. It’s good that they went next to it as it shows they’re trying I think!

Hermittrismegistus · 26/02/2024 07:37

Mine use it for two days (poos scooped out asap though) and it gets a full clean and new litter on the third day.

And yes, cats will protest about a dirty box by peeing or pooing just outside of it.

AgnesX · 26/02/2024 07:41

Ideally you should have two trays but since you don't, a full clean once a week at the least.

A poop and scoop with one tray and two cats ...twice a day at the minimum but as often as you can really.

Original poster
LiveLifeToTheFull2 · 26/02/2024 07:41

Hermittrismegistus · 26/02/2024 07:37

Mine use it for two days (poos scooped out asap though) and it gets a full clean and new litter on the third day.

And yes, cats will protest about a dirty box by peeing or pooing just outside of it.

Thank you, do you have one tray for two cats?

OP posts:
Hermittrismegistus · 26/02/2024 07:45

Yes, I have one tray for two cats.

MustBeNapTime · 26/02/2024 07:50

I would try a clumping litter, that way the whole wee comes out as well so then you don't need to do a whole tray clean, you just need to top it up as and when.

Picklestop · 26/02/2024 12:03

I have two trays for a cat and a kitten, although the cat sometimes goes outside as well. Both trays are completely changed twice a week, poops are removed immediately upon discovery.

Scampuss · 26/02/2024 12:13

You shouldn't use clumping for kittens in case they ingest it.

Unless you are removing spoils several times a day, you need to provide a second tray, ideally it's one tray per cat plus one (at least to start, and until they go out, at which point you might be able to reduce down). If you have room for cats to run about, you must have room for another tray!

cookielove · 26/02/2024 20:47

We had 2 kittens and one tray, till they started going outside. We use to take out poo's daily then cleaned it fully when it started to smell so roughly weekly.

The tray was in our front room under the table as that was the only space we had. The best mix we found for us was wood cat litter (the wee turned it to saw dust) with the white catsan on top. That help to get the poo's out. The wood one smells lush.

Photo of the wee devils!

How often to clean litter tray with two kittens?
sciencemama · 26/02/2024 21:17

2 cats here. 2 litter trays. Interestingly they use one to poo in and one to wee in though.
I remove soggy litter in their wee one twice a day (first thing in morning and when I get in from work about 4)
When they poo I remove it as soon as I notice it when I'm at home.
I top up midway through the week only if I need to.
I throw the litter away every Sunday eve (bin day on Monday conveniently)
Wash out litter trays once every two months.

Wooloohooloo · 26/02/2024 21:19

I have one cat & two litter trays. Scoop poos soon as. Full clean & fresh litter every week.

Wooloohooloo · 26/02/2024 21:20

I also use boxes instead of trays.

AllBellyandBoobs · 26/02/2024 21:23

2 cats, 2 trays here. Clumping litter. Emptied twice a day, more if I know they have pooed. Full clean out and fresh litter every 7-10 days. I use approx 4-5kgs litter in each tray so it does last a while.

Wooloohooloo · 26/02/2024 21:25

@sciencemama my boy is like that. He generally poops in one and poos in the other! 😂

Wooloohooloo · 26/02/2024 21:25

I means wees in the other 🤦🏻‍♀️

Lesina · 26/02/2024 21:27

We did ours every second day. Lifted out the poos and any wet as and when they used it but cleaned it out completely every 2 days. I hate litter trays

WhimsicalMoth · 26/02/2024 21:28

I have 2 cats and I use clumping litter. They both drink A LOT and therefore wee A LOT so I just scoop the clumps every morning and sometimes in the evening before bed if needed.
Top up the litter as needed also as with clumping litter it needs to be quite high

lifebeginsaftercoffee · 26/02/2024 21:28

You really should have three trays for two cats - many don't like sharing and won't use the same are as their housemate.

We have three cats and four trays and I honestly can't remember the last time I did a full clean of them - maybe last year? We use a clumping plant based litter and just scoop wees and poos as we see them - normally 3-4 times a day plus first thing in the morning.

But with kittens you shouldn't really use a clumping litter as if they ingest it, it can cause a blockage which can be fatal.

Ecstaticmotion · 26/02/2024 21:29

Non clumping litter is important for kittens (certainly while as young as yours) because they can eat it and clumping litter will clump inside them.

lifebeginsaftercoffee · 26/02/2024 21:30

Oh and we top up litter as needed - maybe three times a week on average but one of mine likes to kick it everywhere so I never put loads in at once Grin

Imonthebloodyphone · 26/02/2024 21:31

We did about 15 years on one tray and two cats but when they got older I got a second tray for upstairs.

However I used clumping litter and removed anything any time I saw it had been used, so it never had the chance to get remotely smelly.

With non-clumping litter I would do a full change every day but not use much litter, just a thin layer. The wees get very acrid after 24 hours.

As PP has noted, clumping litter is not suitable for kittens in case they try eating it. I don't know when you can safely switch.

Vermin · 26/02/2024 21:34

I am grateful to read this about clumping litter and kittens, as have been using it for years and collect two new kittens next month! I loathe the non clumping stuff though…

tillytoodles1 · 26/02/2024 21:37

I must have a really fussy cat I have to scoop out the poo as soon as she does it, then once she's had a few wees she starts using the clean empty tray.
I change her litter tray about five times a week and she'll only use Catsan, otherwise she goes in the shower tray. It costs me a fortune even though she goes outside she comes in to use the tray.

OhcantthInkofaname · 26/02/2024 21:44

I scoop twice a day. I completely empty, clean and change litter only once a month. I top up weekly.

No accidents.