Proper Care & Feeding of your Cat Litterbox 12.24.09

[christpunchers]

Can cats be taught to use the toilet bowl? I've seen a few success stories here on YT.

[DaysFlyBy007]

Thank you for making this video! Very informative! I think I'm going to attempt a DIY homemade litter box from a tote for my cat. Was it hard to cut the opening? Did you need a special saw tool like a Dremel or just a box cutter blade?

[DaysFlyBy007]

@DaysFlyBy007 I did it today! Kitty loves it, so much more room for her and her boisterous mess-burying tendencies without litter flinging all over kingdom come. I made sure the bottom of the entrance was 7.5 in up from the floor and even bought the 40 lb bag of Precious Cat and put a "kit" together. Of course I'm only two weeks into this cat owner experience but right now this feels like litter box perfection. You are brilliant! :D

[00telehit]

why you have so many litter boxes, i have 2 big ragdoll cats, and they only use one big litter box, i clean it everyday, and it doesnt smell.....at all......and they are not messy either, ........are your cats messy......

[1suedenim]

I have 2 cats and 4 Petco Jumbo boxes. I have 2 boxes /litter at all times. The 3rd and 4th box are clean & nested underneath the active boxes. My cats don't like a lot of litter but love the big size of the box. I use a/b a gallon of non-clumping, unscented clay litter per box. I scoop & stir with a dust tray instead of a cat scooper for the wet clay. If I need to dump the litter I always I have a clean box ready to go. For us, part of cutting the smell down is keeping the box very clean

[larlar210]

I had never considered using a storage box, but I actually quite like it! I'm with you though...I hate dirty litter boxes. My mother in law scoops hers once a WEEK (And she has 3 cats). You can smell it all over the house. It used to be in the bathroom with the shower and it was unbearable. I actually scrub mine once a week

[jjaysober]

Hi, i`m quite newbie at raising cats, but here is a question. Though I live outside US, here the "sand" (the one its more suitable i guess) is quite expensive. I would like to know how you guys manage to get?

[mythicbells]

@jjaysober Hi I'm afraid I know nothing about cat litter (sand?) used in other countries. In the United States, it's easily purchased at any pet store or grocery store and there are many types.

[LEL331B]

Good information! I have 18 cats and 12 litter boxes on the go, and I agree with you, the "perfect one" has eluded me. I too use those same tubs. Re your problem with the hole and the sides being too low....I have introduced ramps for my older cats and in some cases a little stool ( handmade) for them. This might be a solution for your kittens. Hope this helps. Also someone suggested waxing ( car wax) the corners of the litter box to prevent litter sticking in there.

Good luck!

Larraine

[mythicbells]

@LEL331B wow! 18 cats! Yes, I use little ramps too! lol. They do work quite well. I also have some homemade steps to which I've stapled sisal so the babies can often just climb them.. What I need to do is get new storage boxes and cut new holes. I cut the current boxes before I had a feel for how low (or high) the opening should be.

[catsmew]

Thanks! This was very helpful. I hope you will do more of these kinds of videos. I had been thinking of getting one of those electronic litter boxes, but also figured that it would be harder to clean the blades. I like how to make the process simple so that it is not a chore.

Please do a video about what to feed cats and how to clean their teeth. I feed them a prescription diet. Their teeth are a mess. I don't have for raw meat -- which is what you feed your cats.

[mythicbells]

@catsmew I actually enjoyed the Littermaid elec. box - I'm a gadget freak. It's nice when it works, but the rake got gooped, or completely stuck, gunk collected in all the grooves and made cleaning the whole shebang a chore. Eventually I got the motor wet and it stopped working. The Litter Robot is a unique design, but it's HUGE, the cats were luke warm about it, and it smeared goop out of the bin -- cleaning nightmare. I sent it back. Simple boxes, scooped/spot cleaned, are a non-chore.

[lsabella333]

Thanks Molly, I really enjoyed your video as I found it very informative. I look forward to seeing more of your videos (kitties and informational) (=^-^=)

[sammileah]

I love these types of videos, I wish you could do more! Maybe on what you feed your kittens and other things like that. I love all your videos, but you are a true expert and I can tell how much you care about your cats! Its great to see a breeder like you.

[mythicbells]

@sammileah Thank you. Your encouragement means a lot. I might just do that. This one was a fluke as it had never occurred to me to do something like this until I was doing some research today and found a number of 'litter box' vids on YouTube.

[sammileah]

@mythicbells Yes, for new owners like me, this is a goldmine of information! Looking forward to more of your videos, happy holidays

[mizufae]

I have a big cat (about 18 lbs, not overweight) and her litterbox was the biggest I could find. It doesn't have a dip in the front at all but it's about 7 inches high all around. It's made by "ExquisiCat" so you might investigate that! Thanks for all of your wonderful videos~

[mythicbells]

@mizufae BIG cat! :D ... walls wouldn't be high enough around here, though. With 4" of litter, a 7" wall is nothing for a cat that doesn't squat ... lol.

[mythicbells]

Good luck, Xweighted1 -- how exciting!

[mythicbells]

@mindy573 ... now I'm curious! You are going to have spell out the typo for me. Maybe 'litterbox' -- I know it's 2 words, but often spell it as one. Nugget pees standing up, so over the side it goes. You must be using the Dr. Elsey's 'cat attract?' I find Dr. Elsey's to be one of the most economical. It's about $6 for an 18lb bag at Pet Club. It's the 'classic' also in a red bag. You only scoop every other day?!! Liners are a mess, or were for me.

[mindy573]

Molly...too funny! You read my comment b/c you replied to things I said, but you missed the first line somehow: "You wrote 'Proper Care & Feeding of Your Cat Litterbox'...LOL!"

[mindy573]

I only have 2 small (7 1/2 & 9 lb) cats who share one box. I have always scooped every other day, but sometimes run into an issue because they both tend to pee in one spot. I'm definitely going to try no liner, deeper litter, and scooping every night. I use Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat, unscented. It's about $9 for 18lbs/$14 for 40lbs at Petsmart. The other "decent" litter I tried recently was a "no-name" from Pet Supplies Plus...$6 for 25lbs.

[mythicbells]

@mindy573 Oh, interesting! The different pricing on the Dr. Elsey's litter. I went through a 'testing' phase of litters a few years ago, and kept rating Elsey's my favorite, but there are other good clumping litters out there. My cats actually don't mind the scent in the top clay contenders by clorox, but I couldn't stand it - lol. And it was SUCH a good price at Costco on sale. I ended up donating it to the humane soc.

[mythicbells]

@mindy573 LOL LOL!! Okay, we MUST get to the bottom of this. I've read and re-read the title. I think I spelled all the words correctly, and I'm a notoriously BAD speller, so maybe it's the phrase it's self ... 'care and feeding of your cat litter box?' I meant to say that. It's one of those 'clever' things you say sometimes that nobody *gets* ?? LOL. That must be it.

[mindy573]

@mythicbells That's it...LOL! I thought you wrote feeding by mistake. : )

[Xweighted1]

Molly thank you so much for this video. I hope you will do more of this type. I havent owned a cat in 20 years - But I am looking into getting one now. I want to be the best pet owner I can be so I need all the help I can get.

[mythicbells]

Mindy, I'm still looking for the typo, but wouldn't be surprised. I virtually never dump and start fresh, though I did have to do that several years ago when one of my cats tested positive for a parasite. I do, on occasion, move the litter to another box, and sterilize the boxes in rotation with steam. My litter of choice is Dr. Elsey's Precious cat litter, unscented.

[mindy573]

@mythicbells Molly...you wrote "Proper Care & Feeding of your Cat Litterbox"...LOL! How in the world do your girls manage to pee over the side? I have a lidded box and use the exact same litter. I have found it to be the best of any I have tried, but might need to switch b/c of the cost. I have found one at Pet Supplies Plus that is decent and MUCH cheaper. I have always used a liner and redone the box every couple of weeks. I think I might try no liner and scooping every day vs every other.

[mythicbells]

@mindy573 oops! just figured out how to 'reply' .. lol. Look above for my response. I'll get this down if I keep trying. :D

[mindy573]

Molly...you have a typo in your title! LOL!  I give you a LOT of credit for maintaining ALL of those little boxes! Do you ever dump the little to start fresh? What kind of litter do you like?