LITTER CLEANING For Cats

Panther, a toilet-using cat (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Cats are very intelligent, instinctively knowing how they should use the litter box.  After the cat has finished using the litter box, someone in the family will need to scoop the waste from the litter box.  This can be a very dirty and somewhat smelly job, one that is often overlooked during the day when the workload gets heavy. Cleaning up the litter box doesn’t take but a few minutes, although most would prefer not to do it at all.  Although the litter box will need to be scooped out daily, it will also need to be changed once a week as well, by throwing the current bag out and replacing the box with a new bag and fresh litter.

Those who don’t like to scoop out the litter box should invest in one of the best inventions ever – the self cleaning litter box.  These litter boxes are easy to use, and will keep the area clean.  After the cat has used it, the self cleaning litter box will automatically clean the litter either by sifting or using a device that resembles a rake.

Self cleaning boxes that use shifting will often times have a round design.  Once the cat leaves the covered box, the dome on top will revolve for the box to clean.  The litter in the box will be shifted with the waste being put below the litter where it is discarded.  Once the waste is properly disposed of, the litter will be returned to its normal position in the box for the cat to use again.

Boxes that have raking systems will often times sport a rectangular design.  Once the cat leaves the box, the rake will automatically come out and clean the litter.  The rake will clean all of the litter in the box, including the clumps of waste as well.  Rakes are popular, although the shifting litter boxes are by far more popular and more common.

Those who are often times away from home could greatly benefit from a self cleaning litter box.  They are great to have for cats that spend a lot of time by themselves, as they virtually eliminate any scooping of litter on your part.  You can find them at your local pet or department store, even online as well.  They are very affordable – and ideal for anyone who doesn’t like scooping waste from their litter box.

Tips On How To GROOM YOUR CAT

Before we begin to give you additional information on this topic, take a moment to think about what you already know.

Cats are basically very tidy creatures. They are in the habit of grooming themselves by licking every part of their body clean with their tongue.

This habit of tongue-bathing has several benefits to your pet cat:

- promotes better circulation of the blood
- gets rid of dead skin cells
- removes excess/dead hair on their coat
- tones their muscles
- keeps the fur soft and clean

Although your feline friends groom on their own, you should still do your part in keeping your cat clean and well-groomed.

Photo by jurvetson

Here are several ways to keep your cat well-groomed:

1. Brushing

Depending on the breed, your cat can either have long or short hair. Make sure that you brush your cat’s coat well enough to promote proper grooming.

-For cats with short hair, use a brush with soft bristles so that the skin will not be scratched or hurt in the grooming process.

Use soft, gentle strokes while brushing. This should make them purr in pleasure and you will have an easier job of grooming your pet cat.

After brushing the coat with a comb, you can finish the job by wiping the fur with a dry, soft and clean piece of cloth. This should maintain the shine on your cat’s coat.

-As compared to cats with shorter hair, long-haired cats would require more brushing time.

For this, use a comb with wide-teeth that is specially designed for cats. This should initially remove the knots and tangles on their fur.

Afterwards, you can use a fine-toothed comb to work the smaller knots on the fur and eliminate the more stubborn knots.

Do not forget to brush the hair around the face with a smaller comb or a toothbrush.

Avoid the eye and whisker area when brushing.

Brushing your cats fur on a regular basis will help keep their coat shiny and healthy, and will also give the owner and the pet some bonding time together.

2. Bathing

Cats do not often require bathing because they basically take good care of themselves when it comes to grooming.

However, there are some cases wherein you need to give them a bath no matter how you – and your pet – dread the chore.

You need to bath your cat if the coat has excessive dirt.

Sometimes, a substance that can possibly poison them sticks on the fur and it is vital to give them a bath in this case.

Another instance where you need to bath your cat is in case of fleas, ticks and lice clinging to their skin.

3. Cleaning the eyes and ears.

For the eyes and ears which are the most sensitive areas in your cat’s body, there are solutions that you may use.

Choose one which is specifically designed to prevent cats with light-colored eyes to develop stains.

For the ears, cats collect a considerable amount or wax so you have to take care of it when grooming.

Removing this would maintain your cat’s health and help prevent infections.

There are also cat wipes that you can use for the ears, eyes and teeth.

4. Keeping the paws clean.

Cats are in the habit of scratching surfaces so it is better to keep them away from the furniture items in the house. It would also help if you keep those paws clean and trim their nails.

You can go to a pet store and buy a nail trimmer specially designed for cats.

Ask your veterinarian for the proper way to trim your cats nails so as not to hurt them in the process.

If you find that your cat exhibits a not-so-healthy clawing habit, you may go for the option of declawing your cat.

This is a surgical procedure where the nails are permanently removed so that it will not grow back.

However, you should still ask your vets advice if you want to go for declawing because with this, cats will lose a natural defense mechanism.

A better and kinder option is to regularly trim the cat’s nails, have them use a wooden post for scratching, or crate-training to prevent them from clawing at your most-treasured possessions.

By following these tips and making time in your busy schedule to groom your cat, you would have a healthy and happy cat and be a happy owner as well.

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