How Often To Change Clay Cat Litter

Cats are furry bundles of joy that provide a source of entertaining companionship for the whole family. Suppose you are a responsible cat parent and researching how often to change clay cat litter? Or how much litter to put into your cats' litter box? We've researched these questions and have found informative answers to share with you!

Generally, changing the clay cat litter once or twice per week is recommended for households with one or two cats, in addition to scooping the litter box twice per day and adding fresh litter as needed. 

Are you interested in learning more about clay litters? Perhaps you wonder how to dispose of clay cat litter properly? Or if you could flush cat feces down the toilet? Please continue reading this article; we have great information to share with you!

Cat owner scooping all the clumped up cat litter, How Often To Change Clay Cat Litter

How Often To Change Clay Cat Litter?

According to the Humane Society, several variables will contribute to how often you will need to change your clay cat litter boxes. Such as the number of cats in your household? Are they indoors 100% of the time? Also, the age of the cats and their litter box usage habits. 

A domestic cat going out of his cat litter

Single cat households

You will need to scoop the litter box twice daily and add small amounts of the fresh litter as needed. Furthermore, you will need to empty, clean, and refill the litter box at least two to three times per week.

Depending on your cat's litter habits, you may need to change the litter more than three times, but never less than at least twice per week for sanitation purposes. 

 

Click here to view Tidy cat clumping litter at Amazon. 

Multi-cat households

If you have two or more indoor cats in your household, you will need at least one litter box per cat. Moreover, you will need to scoop the litter boxes twice per day and add more fresh litter as needed to maintain a hygienic and odor-free litter box. 

Also, plan to empty, clean, and refill each litter box at least two to three times per week. If your cats use one litter box more than the others, empty and refill that box every other day or as needed. 

 

Click here to view Fresh Step multi-cat clay litter at Amazon. 

How do you dispose of clay cat litter?

Because clay cat litter is not biodegradable, the best way to dispose of clay cat litter is to place the litter waste into a strong garbage bag or use a litter liner and dump the bag in the outdoor trash receptacle. Never put any cat litter waste into the recycling bin because it is not recyclable.  

Moreover, never discard cat litter into a compost bin/tumbler because of the presence of protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii in cat feces. Toxoplasma will add bacteria to the compost pile, which is harmful to animals and humans in the surrounding environment. 

Suggestions for disposing of clay cat litters

Most cat parents love their cats and dislike caring for their litter boxes. Consider using litter box liners to make changing your cat's litter box easier. Place the litter box liner into the empty litter box and add the clean litter on top of the liner.

When it is time to empty the litter box, pull the drawstrings to lift the soiled litter out and place it into the garbage receptacle. 

 

Click here to view CatPetco litter liners at Amazon.

 

Click here to view a biodegradable cat box liner at Amazon.

Does clay cat litter decompose?

Clay cat litters with clumping properties are not biodegradable and will not decompose naturally. The clays used for cat litter are made from a silica gel derived from sodium silicate, a type of sand. Because these products are strip-mined from the earth and chemically processed-- clay litters are not biodegradable. 

Perhaps you are researching different types of litter for your cats and wonder if the litter box will attract pests? Click here to read Does The Litter Box Attract Bugs?

Cat little kitten watching the camera inside his litter box

Can you flush cat poop without litter?

No, never flush cat poop down the toilet. Cat feces contain the Toxoplasma gondii parasite that is toxic to pregnant women and those who are immunocompromised. 

A pregnant woman exposed to Toxoplasma is at risk of miscarriage or stillbirth. Also, infants who survive are at risk for illnesses, cognitive and mental development issues that could arise throughout their developmental years. 

Suppose you flushed the cat feces down the toilet. The waste will sit in the septic system and cause disease that will infect the surrounding water and contribute to overfilling the septic tank. 

Also, if the cat feces were flushed into a city's sewer system, it could put many at risk of widespread contamination via the feces traveling through the sewer lines for several miles.

Moreover, many water processing plants are near ponds, lakes, and oceans, where marine life will be affected by the wastewater containing cat feces bacterias that are deadly to several marine life species. 

Safety considerations

For the best results, always wear gloves when you clean or scoop your cat's litter box and put the waste into a pet waste bag and then into a garbage receptacle. Word of caution: if you or someone in your home is pregnant or may be pregnant. Do not change or clean the litter boxes. 

Click here to view cat litter waste bags at Amazon. 

Are you wondering where to put your litter box to keep it handy for your cats and out of your guests' sight? Click here to read Where Can You Hide the Litter Box [and Should You]?

A cute domestic cat digging through his cat litter

How much litter to put in a litter box?

According to Preventive Vet, the recommended amount of litter depends on the type of cat litter you are using because clumping and non-clumping litters will require different amounts for the cat to use the box correctly.

Please note that your cats will have unique litter preferences and will let you know what they prefer over time. For example, many longhaired cats prefer only two inches of the litter because the litter pebbles typically get caught in their hair and cause issues when the cats are self-grooming. 

Also, senior cats sometimes require more than three inches of litter to feel comfortable enough to use the litter box and cover up their waste. 

Clumping litters

Cat owner showing her cat clumped up cat poo

Fill the litter box with at least two to three inches of clumping litter for the best results. Maintaining a consistent depth of litter is crucial to keep your cat using the box correctly. Please note that most cats won't use a litter box with less than two inches of litter covering the bottom of the litter box. 

Non-clumping litters

When you and your cats use non-clumping litter, fill the box with three or more inches of litter. But, don't exceed five inches of the litter because it could make it more difficult for your cat to dig a hole and cover their waste. Also, adding more litter won't change the frequency of cleaning the litter box. 

Word of advice--if you are new to cat care. Please do not hesitate to contact your cats' breeder or veterinarian for litter recommendations or any pet care-related questions!

In closing

Cat owner scooping all the clumped up cat litter

Cats are excellent pets that will bring companionship to your home. In this article, we examined how to use clay cat litter correctly and the safety concerns associated with managing cat litter box waste. We hope this article was helpful to you. Please visit Litter-Boxes.com soon for more engaging and informative content!

We know taking care of your pet is a priority. Before you go, please be sure to check out some of our other posts for further information about cat litters. 

Wood Pellet Cat Litter Pros And Cons

Is Cat Litter Bad for Dogs?

Does Cat Litter Dissolve in Water?