Litter Box Cleaning Question

I've been reading over litter box threads for the best way to clean it out in my apartment! I've had my cat for four weeks now, so it seems about time for a full cleaning. I use clumping litter, so I think using and wiping down with a vinegar spray is going to be my best bet

A couple of questions, though:

My cat has a tendency to leave little pebble-sized poops that are impossible to get out with a normal scoop. Is there a scoop out there that will combat this issue?

Also, her vet found tapeworms two weeks ago and gave her treatment. Should I wait to do a full clean until I get the all clear after her fecal test that I plan to have the vet do within the next week?

Personally, I give the litter tray a full clean every 4-5 days as I have discovered that my cat will leave little presents on the carpet for me if its not clean to a sayisfactory standard. Haha. As for the small poos, I would suggest using a small plastic bag (e.g. Nappy bag or sandwich bag) and picking them out by hand, much like you would do with a dog poo. Although this is less pleasant, it is so quick and easy and you can throw it straight into the bin in the bag to prevent odour.
If you need some of her current faeces next week, maybe take some out in a disposable container? Cats are pretty picky and would appreciate the cleanest tray possible.
Hope she responds well to her treatment!

Cannot respond to the tapeworm question.. but...you may want to buy and extra liter pan to replace the current one, once your kitty is completely wormed. 

I live in an apartment. I dump out the litter, in a double trash bag ~~~ double in case it leaks out. 

I use a handled dish brush to clean off the stuck ons. I fill it once with Dawn Dish Soap (Blue) and let it soak in hot water in the bathtub. I wait a few minutes and then dump it out.. and proceed to scrub, or wash the box with Dawn and a Handi Wipe.. 

When I am finished, I either let it air dry on the balcony or wipe it down with an old towel before I fill it with litter...

hope that helps...

I use Dawn.. and only Dawn Blue...

oh, And  then I wash down the tub, really well...with regular disinfecting stuff.. non toxic to cats...

For the daily scoopings, I really like the Litter Genie.. fabulous for apartments. It really controls and contains the stinkies...

Hello permanentruby,

For the pebble sized poop, use a scoop with smaller holes. You can either get them from your pet store or just but the cheap cooking ladle strainers from your dollar shops.

But if the homes are too small, the litter cannot fall through. As for the more tiny pebbles, you have to scoop them individually.

For me, I use a normal big scoop and a small ones for the fragments.
You see in the photo, I have four scoops, 2 big and two small.

permanentruby said:

 
I've been reading over litter box threads for the best way to clean it out in my apartment! I've had my cat for four weeks now, so it seems about time for a full cleaning. I use clumping litter, so I think using and wiping down with a vinegar spray is going to be my best bet

A couple of questions, though:

My cat has a tendency to leave little pebble-sized poops that are impossible to get out with a normal scoop. Is there a scoop out there that will combat this issue?

Also, her vet found tapeworms two weeks ago and gave her treatment. Should I wait to do a full clean until I get the all clear after her fecal test that I plan to have the vet do within the next week?

Click to expand...

I have extra litter boxes in rotation so I always have a clean one ready to switch in. I have an extremely litter picky cat, so I scoop multiple times a day right after she does her business and once a week, I dump out her used litter and put out a new, clean litter box. 

And for scooping out those little bits, there are scoopers with small holes that does a great job of removing tiny bits. Here's one from Amazon. 

Regardless of her worm treatment, I'd clean out her litter box now and also give her a clean one after she tests free of worms. Sometimes it takes a while for the dewormer to fully expel the worms from a cat's system. I've had many fosters who come to me dewormed but they'll poop out worms for weeks afterward. You just have to give it time for the treatment to take full effect.

Using natural cleaning agents like vinegar and baking soda is much better than chemicals like bleach, but no matter what you use, make sure you thoroughly get the smell of the cleaning product out. Cat's sense of smell is 1,000% more sensitive than humans, so even the slightest foreign scent can upset them. Vinegar can leave a really potent smell. Jackson Galaxy said not to be overly eager about removing the cat's natural odor. He says cats find comfort in recognizing some of their smells leftover in the litter box. So he is against all cleaning agents that strip away and mask their scent. I learned this the hard way many years ago when I was uninformed and over-using bleach. Cat would not return to her litter box.

@permanentruby   I use extra giant litter liners and non-clumping litter.  It's a remarkably easy, and dare I say it, lazy, method.  I just scoop poo as and when it lands, and change litter when it seems appropriate.  I've looked to see if you can buy 'Catsan' in the US but unfortunately you can't.  It's ace!   It allows no smell whatsoever, is relatively comfy underpaw (in comparison to crystal litter), is super-absorbitant, totally non-sticky, no dust, is very lightweight, and is eye-pleasingly white.  It does track (when litter attaches to paws, then is walked outside the box & deposited onto your floor) quite a bit though.  It's made from quartz sand and chalk.  There must be a US equivalent, if not, you're missing out:

https://www.catsan.co.uk/Products/hygiene-litter

I don't even need to pay much attention to scrubbing out my boxes, because of the liner.  I just wipe around with some bicarbonate of soda mixed with tepid water.  The bicarb cleans and deodorises, not that there are any oders, mind you.  Bicarb can also be used as a litter freshener powder between changes.  It should be bicarbonate of soda though, and not baking powder.  I put a layer of newspaper in first, then the liner, then the litter, at which point I have to fend off Dudley whilst I finish pouring it in, as he's always "desperate" to go.  He supervises the whole exercise and sits under the box lid like a hermit crab. 

Not very useful advice if you can't find an equivalent litter, however.