# Cat litter tray - how do you do yours?!



## fluffosaur (Dec 10, 2009)

I've been trying out different ways of doing my cat's litter tray over the years. I've just confirmed that I'll be keeping my foster kitty - a 13 year old persian called Muffin.

I guess that means I need a good method of doing her tray! At the moment I use a plastic cat tray liner, couple of sheets of newspaper and a bit of litter. Then when she uses it I'll either lift the whole bag out or just lift the newspaper out (depending on how good her aim was )

So what do you suggest? I've seen people fill their tray with nothing but litter - but how does that work? The litters I use (a clay clumping pets at home one, a wooden pellet one from tesco, a clay clumping one from tesco) don't seem to lend themselves all that well to actually clumping enough to do this. I don't want to upset kitty by leaving dirty mess in her tray, and then ending up with her pooping elsewhere. 

So, which litter brand do you recommend... and what kind of setup do you use which works for you?

I'm quite happy to scoop twice a day, as I pretty much have to lift the newspaper twice a day right now anyway.

Thanks!! :thumbup:


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## catzz (Apr 8, 2010)

Hi! Congratulations on the new cat. I'm sure she'll love staying with you.

This is how I do the tray:
I use OKO Cats Best - it clumps really well, doesn't smell and it lasts aaaages BUT it's quite expensive £7 - £8 a bag. Having said that it lasts a month or more unlike the cheaper £2-£3 bags which I would have to change completely every week. Also it's much lighter than clay based litter which is good when you're taking the bins out  and it is apparently flushable but I haven't explored that option yet. It does track a bit though.

I have one large tray for my two cats - I know you're meant to have one per cat and one spare but mine are perfectly happy with this arrangement. There have been no inappropriate toilet incidents except for the one time they accidentally got shut away from their tray overnight and even then they went in the bath which is not the worst place as far as cleaning goes.

I fill the tray very deeply - two bags of litter, no newspaper or liner or anything and then just scoop daily or more if needed. I completely change the litter once a month but to be honest, the OKO would last longer than that.When I change it I wash it out with hot water and wipe it with a litter tray cleaning wipe. I know a lot of people only put an inch or two in the tray and this would probably mean I would have to hoover less cos mine are brilliant at scattering litter everywhere! However they like to dig and also it means I don't have to keep topping it up. :thumbup:


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## fluffosaur (Dec 10, 2009)

Thanks, sounds like a good option! My kitty tends to pee a lot ... is it good for that too?  I used an inch of wooden pellets yesterday & she just decimated them all haha!


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## Guest (Jan 9, 2011)

I use Catsan non clumping and I just put a good 2/3 inch depth in the tray, I scoop poop as they do it and change the whole tray every 3 days, I empty it spray a load of the pets at home litter tray cleaning stuff in wipe it around and refill, if I tried to line it Monty would rip it to shreds as he's an eager digger and the newspaper would hold the smell of wee I would imagine.


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## Razzle (Aug 23, 2010)

Here is how I keep on top of Tallulahs Tray:

She has 2 trays side by side which she uses for either number one's or two's. She never mixes. They are filled with Morrisons clumping antibac litter. She used to have Cats Best but I couldn't handle the tracking mess getting everywhere. I scoop them out twice a day at least and I think the trick to any clumping litter is to have a deep layer of litter to help the clumps form.
Then every 2-3 weeks I'll empty and clean with hot water and washing up liquid. Although this is probably just my preference since I can't bear to leave it longer, even if it doesn't smell.
It's fair to say Tallulah is a fussy girl and if she doesnt like her tray for any reason she will pee outside of it, this routine has kept her happy after a bit of trial and error. It definately comes down to the cat though since some don't really mind how you do it.


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## catzz (Apr 8, 2010)

fluffosaur said:


> Thanks, sounds like a good option! My kitty tends to pee a lot ... is it good for that too?  I used an inch of wooden pellets yesterday & she just decimated them all haha!


Yep - it justs clumps up into a ball. Also because I fill it deeply, the pee doesn't get stuck to the bottom or the sides. Mine pee a lot too


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## mummiesofRio (Oct 25, 2009)

We use Catsan clumping litter (blue packaging) we don't line his tray & put about 3 inches in. I find we have to change it completely every 3 days or so, even though we scoop the poop everyday as it really smells of wee and also, the litter seems to go a beige colour when he wees on it - A complete change every 3 weeks or so sounds like a dream - what are we doing wrong?! Any advice welcome....:thumbup:


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## IndysMamma (Jan 15, 2009)

I use Clean n Tidy multicat clumping litter and although £5.20 per tray fill, it lasts about 2-3 weeks with 4 cats using the trays so I find it's good value for me and is fab on odour control


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## alisondalziel (Oct 8, 2008)

I currently have 5 trays. 

I use cat's best nature's gold. Oko plus is great but tracks WAY too much and i cant bear having it all over my socks, sofa and everywhere else.

Nature's gold is pellet form so tracks much less due to its weight.

Clay based clumping is heavy and i hate the wet clay mess it makes, can also be dusty!!

Catsan is the worst litter in the world imo!! It STINKS of urine after one day it makes my eyes sting cleaning it and you need to do it every day to keep smells away.

I used to use [email protected] wood based litter which was ok, but still more cleaning than clumping. don't think id go back to non clumping ever again!!


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## Petitepuppet (May 30, 2009)

I use catsan on its own, no newspaper or liners. I put in about 2/3 inches of litter and poop scoop as they do it. I empty the trays every 2 days and wash them with detol before filling them up again.


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## Razzle (Aug 23, 2010)

I would say pellet litter is preferable since it has a natural smell to it and is lighter, but right now I'm using clay as my girl hates pellets.
As for the having to change all the litter so often, I would definately change brand. Years ago I used a litter I think was called yesterdays news which was a pellet. That was great! 
There are definately many alternatives to cat's best that dont track.


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## alisondalziel (Oct 8, 2008)

i've also used yesterdays news, that's paper based pellets, the same as biocatolet.

they are not bad, but non clumping so require too much maintenance!!


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## AmberNero (Jun 6, 2010)

I only have the one litter tray, an enclosed jobby, as my girl continually went over the side on the open tray. I use clumping anti-bac litter, and check for and pick up any wee-clumps or poops twice a day. I do a complete litter change every 5 days or so and dettol out the tray and lid then as well.


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## Colette (Jan 2, 2010)

Our household is pretty much identical to Catzz's.

One big tray for two boys, and a very deep litter of Oko Cats Best. I scoop it daily, and it clumps brilliantly - including wee. (I can't believe how many times my guests have heard me exclaim "wow look this wee is as big as my fist!")

Because its deep litter and clumps so well nothing gets stuck to the bottom so the tray itself stays clean, and it never smells. I rarely have to change it and clean the tray - I do it because I feel I ought to rather than because it needs doing.

Admittedly it tracks really badly, but thats what they invented dustpans for!

I did try Catsan but had the usual problems - clumped badly, wee stuckl to the bottom so it needed scraping, and having to change every few days because of the stench. Never again. Despite being more expensive to buy Oko works out far cheaper.


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## HelloKittyHannah (Nov 18, 2010)

I started using Oko Plus a few days ago and I would sooooo never used anything else now!
I was using tescos or PAH clay litter before and it was awful. I spot cleaned the trays every time I noticed it had been used and emptied them fully every few days and they STILL stank. It was so embarassing letting people in the house as the smell was so overpowering.
The Oko Plus on the other hand is SO easy to maintain. The wee just forms perfect little balls that are so easy to scoop and don't contaminate the rest of the litter. I'm still scooping every time I notice it's been used but when I've been out for a while and come home it doesn't smell AT ALL.
After scooping the litter looks and smells just as good as when I first put it in there :thumbup:
It does track but not horrendously (although my cats are short haired so there's nowhere for it to cling to) It's also expensive in the short term compared to a £5 bag but I can tell it's going to be so much more economical in the long run.

I honestly couldn't recommend it highly enough (I sound like I work for them  LOL)


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## louiserp1 (Jul 14, 2010)

Oko plus here too. 
Scoop and flush twice a day. 
No liners because they just ended up full of holes. 
We have two cats using two hooded trays (doors not attached)
We have a [email protected] mat infront of them both to reduce tracking. I do a full change approx 6-8 weekly and empty half out and top up once a month.


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## fluffosaur (Dec 10, 2009)

Thanks for the advice! Bought a bag of oko from pets at home last night and filled up her hooded tray. So far so good, although it does track badly. I even have one of those litter catchers down but there are still lots of stray pieces across the carpet. Which is fine - the tray looks as clean as it did last night, which is nicer for kitty.


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## alisondalziel (Oct 8, 2008)

Oko nature's gold tracks a lot less than oko plus.

it has the same clumping ability as oko plus but it in pellet gorm instead. i MUCH prefer it!!


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## fluffosaur (Dec 10, 2009)

Kitty hates the oko plus, I've just had to ditch a whole tray full of it. Back to the drawing board!


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

Did you introduce it slowly? Some kitties are a tad slower to take to new litter. Best to mix old and new (old at the bottom and a thin layer of new on top I think)


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## MaryA (Oct 8, 2010)

alisondalziel said:


> Oko nature's gold tracks a lot less than oko plus. it has the same clumping ability as oko plus but it in pellet gorm instead. i MUCH prefer it!!


Hmmmm... We tried Oko Nature's Gold, but I find the clumps disintegrate into powder, which always seems to happen in the scoop half way between the tray and the loo, thus ending up all over the floor. So, I'm actually throwing mine out today. I'll be going back to World's Best, as the clumps stay solid. Does the ordinary Oko Plus disintegrate too?


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## Guest (Jan 12, 2011)

fluffosaur said:


> Kitty hates the oko plus, I've just had to ditch a whole tray full of it. Back to the drawing board!


Mine didn't like it either and I introduced it slowly


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

GreyHare said:


> Mine didn't like it either and I introduced it slowly


Ah well, I guess that is why we have so many different types - to cater to the wishes of our fussypaws!


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## Guest (Jan 12, 2011)

hobbs2004 said:


> Ah well, I guess that is why we have so many different types - to cater to the wishes of our fussypaws!


That's a lovely polite way of putting it I may not have been so eloquent


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## alisondalziel (Oct 8, 2008)

I haven't had those problems with the oko gold.

I would never use oko plus again due to the tracking.

It's difficult to find the perfect solution!!!


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## JOANNEJ1655 (Sep 5, 2009)

IndysMamma said:


> I use Clean n Tidy multicat clumping litter and although £5.20 per tray fill, it lasts about 2-3 weeks with 4 cats using the trays so I find it's good value for me and is fab on odour control


I use this one too! I will not change to anything else cos I tried so many different brands in the past! Its definitely the best I have tried :thumbup:


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## Milly Cat (Nov 20, 2010)

ìnteresting to hear the mostly bad experiences with Catsan! I line Milly's tray with newspaper and then put in a liner (paper is to absorb wees when she has torn through the liner). I then add a couple of inches of non-clumping Catsan. I scoop when I see a poop and change the litter every 7 days. I've never noticed any problem with a bad urine smell, even when the Catsan has gone beige 'after use'. The only time Milly ever pees outside the tray is if she's done a 'number two' overnight and I haven't got up early enough to clear it for her so it obviously doesn't bother her.


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## Guest (Jan 12, 2011)

Milly Cat said:


> ìnteresting to hear the mostly bad experiences with Catsan! I line Milly's tray with newspaper and then put in a liner (paper is to absorb wees when she has torn through the liner). I then add a couple of inches of non-clumping Catsan. I scoop when I see a poop and change the litter every 7 days. I've never noticed any problem with a bad urine smell, even when the Catsan has gone beige 'after use'. The only time Milly ever pees outside the tray is if she's done a 'number two' overnight and I haven't got up early enough to clear it for her so it obviously doesn't bother her.


I use it and have started being paranoid about it smelling after some of the comments on here but I really don't think it does smell so thankyou for putting my mind at ease


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## Sparkles87 (Aug 30, 2010)

Tried catsan litter when I first got William and it wasn't for me. My dad informed me that I wasn't being paranoid and that the house smelled quite strongly even though I was scooping it a a couple of times daily and changing it completely every three to five days. I've since moved on to Morrisons non-clumping litter and have to say that it's been great. I scoop whenever I see a poop and generally change it completely every 3 days or so. I don't line it with newspaper as William would tear it to shreds and make a massive mess. Horses for courses and all that...


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## merothe (Jun 4, 2010)

I have tried oko plus for a few months and gonna go back to worlds best. The oko clogs my loo and I think it smells more. I use a [email protected] track mat on top of a small ikea rug (roughly 1ft by 2ft ish) that seems to catch most of the tracked bits...

The thing that bugged me about worlds best was that after doing their business the kitties had a very fine but stinky powder on their paws and sometimes a little left over goo (for lack of a better word) on their behinds. But they were so much smaller back then so I am prepared to try it again.

[email protected] also do a cat safe anti bac spray and an odour remover for litter.


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## Maiisiku (Feb 20, 2009)

Sorry I haven't read the whole thread but I use OKO it gells the pee and it's easy to scrape off the bottom of the tray with the scoop. It lasts ages! I get though 1 1/2 10ltr bags for 2 cats in a month. I change the litter monthly, clean every day and wash the tray out when I clean the whole litter.


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## jomary-austin (Apr 9, 2009)

I use Pets at Home wood pellet litter, it's cheap and very good. We have three cats and they have 2 litter trays and seem happy with that. I only put about an inch of pellets in as they swell when wee'd on and soon fills the tray up. I scoop out the solids (our cats' doos are pretty firm luckily for us) and dispose of them asap and about once a week change the whole litter tray.

The wood based stuff I find excellent, it smells lovely and fresh and and is really absorbent, plus the garden refuse chaps cart if off with no complaints with the rest of the garden rubbish so no problems with disposal. I ran out a while ago and used catsan and found it got really soggy and just didn't absorb as well so ordered some more wood based as I don't want to use anything else now.

What do you folks do with the solids? I heard tipping them in the loo isn't a great idea but have to admit I do as putting them in the household refuse often causes a smell.


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## alisondalziel (Oct 8, 2008)

pets at home wood pellet litter is the best non clumping by a mile, i used to use it but wouldnt change from clumping now :thumbup:


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## Lucyh (Dec 30, 2010)

Maiisiku said:


> Sorry I haven't read the whole thread but I use OKO it gells the pee and it's easy to scrape off the bottom of the tray with the scoop. It lasts ages! I get though 1 1/2 10ltr bags for 2 cats in a month. I change the litter monthly, clean every day and wash the tray out when I clean the whole litter.


... so you mean the sticky clumps are the pee?

I have just started using Oko and it's great but I thought one of my cats had a bad tummy, but thought it was strange it didn't smell. Lucky boys had poached chicken all weekend!


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## peecee (Jun 28, 2010)

merothe said:


> I have tried oko plus for a few months and gonna go back to worlds best. The oko clogs my loo and I think it smells more. I use a [email protected] track mat on top of a small ikea rug (roughly 1ft by 2ft ish) that seems to catch most of the tracked bits...


A plumber told me that litter marketed as flushable shouldn't really be flushed. Apparently a lot of our systems are not equipped to handle hence a lot of people get clogged loos. Also he says the sewerage os not equipped to handle cat waste and. It has been said to have an effect on marine. Don't know hoe true this is.


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## peecee (Jun 28, 2010)

hobbs2004 said:


> Did you introduce it slowly? Some kitties are a tad slower to take to new litter. Best to mix old and new (old at the bottom and a thin layer of new on top I think)


I did this when switching from oko plus to purr and simple. I have one cat and two trays. I forgot to put a layer of oko plus in one tray. My cat has never done anything with one with the okoplus. She only uses the one with the new purr and simple litter.


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