How To Properly Clean A Cat Litter Box
When yous think almost dangerous activities, you probably recall almost skydiving or mountain climbing. You lot certainly don't call back about cleaning your true cat's litter box!
While you lot might not realize it, cleaning out a litter box can be chancy to your wellness. Hither, we show you lot the safest mode to accomplish this unpleasant task, and then you lot can give your pet a make clean bathroom — without winding up in the infirmary in the process.
Cleaning Out a Litter Box Is Dangerous?
Many people don't realize it, but coming in contact with cat urine and carrion can expose you to all sorts of potentially dangerous diseases. Here are a few of the most common.
- Toxoplasmosis
Acquired past the Toxoplamsa gondii parasite, which cats tin grab by eating raw or undercooked meat, toxoplasmosis can cause flu-like symptoms in almost people.
However, significant or nursing people should avoid information technology at all costs, every bit it can cause birth defects or exist transmitted to the kid while nursing. Those with weakened allowed systems should exist conscientious as well, as it can lead to severe symptoms similar seizures or lung problems.
- Campylobacteriosis
This bacteria — also contracted by eating raw meat — will cause bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps in those affected. You can generally avert information technology by washing your hands thoroughly after cleaning the litter box, though.
- Giardiasis
Rather than beingness caused by raw meat, this parasite gets picked up when your cat drinks contaminated water. They pass it out through their poop (which volition be frothy, greasy, or loose), and if you take hold of it, you can expect cramps, bloating, nausea, and watery diarrhea.
- Roundworms
If you see lilliputian things that look like spaghetti climbing out of your cat's poop, congratulations, your cat has roundworms. If they enter your system, you could suffer cramps, organ damage, or blindness. Their eggs tin can survive outside of a host for years.
- Ammonia
Cat urine is full of ammonia, and ammonia exposure can cause damage to the mouth, throat, and stomach. Fortunately, you're unlikely to come in contact with unsafe amounts of ammonia through your cat unless you take many of them and never clean their litter boxes.
Before You Start: Get the Proper Tools
You may think that all you need to make clean out a litter box is a scooper and something to put the waste in, but exercise yous really desire to take your chances with whatsoever of the same diseases?
You'll desire a mask and a pair of rubber gloves, just to be safe. This may audio like overkill, but you'll wish you'd worn them if you come down with bloody diarrhea or blindness or any of the other horrible things that tin happen if y'all take hold of something from your cat'south waste.
Keep a trash can with a heavy bag close past, especially if you're replacing all the litter. You lot don't desire to accept to carry a box full of used litter far, as jostling information technology volition stir upward grit, and there's e'er the chance that yous could fall and send it flying everywhere (or worse, faceplant into it).
You'll also want to continue other gear shut at hand, such as replacement litter and liners, deodorizer, or annihilation else that y'all demand.
Cleaning vs. Scooping: What'due south the Difference?
You should tend to your cat's litter box every mean solar day. This ways taking the fourth dimension to scoop out whatever clumps of waste that you see inside and either putting them in the trash or dumping them in a storage container of some sort.
Not just will this go along your house smelling fresh and your true cat's bath clean and sanitary, merely it also forces you to look at your cat's waste material. This is a practiced way to go along tabs on their health, every bit you'll want to know as before long as possible if they're not peeing much or accept diarrhea or something like that.
Cleaning, on the other hand, involves replacing every chip of litter inside the box and scrubbing the box itself. It'due south a much more thorough and involved chore, and it should exist done every few months, even if you're meticulous about scooping every day.
If you lot employ litter liners, you may not need to clean the box itself unless at that place'southward been a leak. All you may need to do is replace the liner and refill it with fresh litter.
How to Quickly and Safely Clean a Litter Box
If y'all're not using a liner, you'll need to clean the box thoroughly to ensure that your true cat stays salubrious and happy.
i. Commencement by dumping out all the used litter into your trash can.
Exist careful, equally this will kicking up a large amount of dust, so you may want to pass the chore off to someone else if you accept respiratory issues. You should as well do information technology outside, unless yous like having a thin layer of litter silt over all your stuff.
2. Next, rinse any lingering litter off the box, and scrub it with soap.
Choose a soap with no odor and that's unlikely to leave residue, as a strong-smelling soap may cause your true cat to want to avoid the litter box once it's clean. You should scrub the scooper and hat likewise.
3. In one case you're done scrubbing, rinse everything off exterior with a garden hose or pressure washer.
You don't want whatsoever dirty litter getting left in your kitchen sink or coming in contact with your loofah, later all.
Meet also: 11 Humane Means To Keep Cats Out Of Your Flower Beds
4. You lot should take this opportunity to inspect the box for cracks, deep scratches, or other damage.
You don't want litter (or something worse) to leak out, and scratches provide crevices for germs to hide in, making it difficult to clean the box thoroughly even if you lot try.
five. In one case all this is complete, yous can either air-dry it or wipe it downwardly.
You lot can air-dry your litter box if y'all accept some other box handy for your cat to use while it dries). If not, wipe it down with a paper towel or other cloth. Then, refill it with fresh litter and put it back where yous found information technology!
Related Read: five Best Dog-Proof Litter Boxes in 2022 – Reviews & Acme Picks
Cleanliness Is Next to Catliness
Nobody enjoys cleaning out their cat'south litter box, but it'south 1 of those things that just has to be done. Hopefully, this guide will make the entire process safer and easier the next time that you take to do it, and with whatsoever luck, it won't be such a miserable job moving forward.
Featured Image Credit: Lightspruch, Shutterstock
Contents
- Cleaning Out a Litter Box Is Dangerous?
- Before You Start: Get the Proper Tools
- Cleaning vs. Scooping: What'south the Difference?
- How to Quickly and Safely Clean a Litter Box
- i. Starting time past dumping out all the used litter into your trash can.
- two. Adjacent, rinse whatever lingering litter off the box, and scrub it with soap.
- 3. Once you're done scrubbing, rinse everything off outside with a garden hose or pressure washer.
- 4. You should take this opportunity to inspect the box for cracks, deep scratches, or other damage.
- 5. In one case all this is complete, you tin can either air-dry it or wipe information technology downwardly.
- Cleanliness Is Next to Catliness
Source: https://petkeen.com/how-to-clean-a-cat-litter-box/
Posted by: brucethund1989.blogspot.com
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