Have you ever made the mistake of cleaning up your cat’s litter box only to find clumps of litter clinging to the entry and/or exit? If so, you’re not alone.
As one of our blog readers put it “This litter sticking problem makes me feel like I’m a bad mommy cat.”… I laughed, but I can understand how frustrating this problem is.
So, why does cat litter stick to the sides of the litter box?
One of the greatest challenges in cat ownership is keeping the litter box fresh, clean, and non-sticky.
Cats are notoriously fussy about where they do their business, even being picky about the texture or consistency of the litter material they’re using.
Many cat owners have tried to keep litter from sticking to the litter box but never found a solution. Fortunately, I finally figured it out.
If you love your cat but hate cleaning out their sticky litter box, then this blog post is for you.
I provide some tips to keep litter from sticking to the litter box and even save money on your pet’s litter.
Pet litter can be stinky and hard to handle. Luckily you can keep it from being sticky by following these steps.
If you want to know a really easy way to do this, keep reading!
How Do You Keep Cat Litter from Sticking to the Bottom of the Box?
Struggling to empty the contents of a litter box is not an appealing affair to fall in love with, not the sight nor the odor.
Here are some practical ways that prevent litter from sticking to the litter box:
1. Use Baking Soda and Anti-Stick Spray:
It is the most straightforward DIY technique using locally available materials from your kitchen. How do I make my litter box non-stick?
You can use Smart scoop non-stick litter box spray or Litter care. This is a non-stick spray coating for the litter box or pet enclosure to spray your litter box.
Sprinkle baking soda all over the surfaces before putting new litter in your litter box. Boom! Problem solved.
Using an anti-stick spray for the litter box is a short-term remedy that you will have to repeat after every 3 to 3 days before it wears off.
2. Use Litter Liners:
Place some liners in your litter box before adding in fresh litter. The liners will hold the litter hence preventing it from making contact with the litter box. During cleaning, you will grab the edges of the liners and scoop out the trash.
The only setback is that liners are expensive. Try to improvise and use a trash bag as a liner. If it works out with your cat, you are good to go; it will save you your hard-earned cash.
3. Use an Anti-Stick Litter Box:
Frequent cleaning of the litter box makes it prone to scratches that make it possible for litter to get stuck between the scratches.
An anti-stick litter box will ensure that no litter is stuck on the bottom of your cat’s litter box. It makes cleaning an effortless affair since you scoop out the litter at a go.
The only downside is that non-stick litter boxes come with very short walls making them prone to urine splashes and sprays. They serve the purpose best on female cats as they effectively keep litter from sticking to the box.
4. Wax Paste:
The application of wax paste on the bottom of your litter box will keep litter from sticking to the box.
Wax paste lasts for a more extended period than baking soda and non-stick sprays.
Using a soft piece of cloth, apply a thin layer of wax to the bottom, sides, and corners of the litter box. Air-dry it and buff it; repeat the sequence two more times.
Put in your new litter.
This coat will last for 2 to 3 months before cleaning the litter boxes. Remember to change your litter once per week.
5. Change the Type of Litter:
Ensure you are using a good quality scoopable litter and a clumping formula.
Clumping formulas will help keep the loose particles of litter together so they don’t get wet and sink to the bottom of the pan.
To further prevent clumping, make sure you are mixing in the fresh litter when you scoop out waste.
Use a clumping formula instead of non-clumping. This will prevent urine from sinking into the litter and may help keep it from getting tracked around so easily.
It also makes cleanup easier, as you can scoop out hardened clumps and replace only what you need.
Using cat litter that doesn’t stick to the litter box will save you loads of cleaning chores.
6. Buy an Automatic Litter Box:
Yes! You can buy an automatic litter box for your feline. This fantastic gadget self-cleans every time a cat uses the litter box to do its thing.
After cleaning, the waste goes into a waste drawer, which you then have to empty at least once per week. The litter robot III cat box comes in handy to sort the issue.
If you experience litter sticking in the litter robot III, spray the litter’s bottom using liners or non-stick sprays. The downside is that they do not come cheap and are very expensive to maintain.
7. Scrap Before You Scoop:
This technique works best with premium clumping cat litter that creates hardened clumps on the litter box’s bottom.
Using a wide putty knife, scrape the bottom and sides, making sure you do not break the clumps. Scoop out the clusters using a scoop from the litter box.
8. Maintaining Good Litter Box Hygiene:
Scoop at least once a day.
Empty the contents in your litter box once or twice per week if you keep multiple felines in your home.
Also, clean the litter box at least once a month with hot water to remove any soap residue or other buildup that may be causing the problem.
This prevents the accumulation of waste from sticking to the box hence less clumping in the litter box.
9. Use a layer of newspapers:
In some cases, putting down a layer of newspaper between the bottom of the box and the clumping litter can reduce poop sticking to the box.
Just be sure that your cat tolerates this setup before you stick with it over the long term.
10. Extra Cat Litter Boxes:
You can also buy some extra litter boxes and place them in strategic locations around the house to avoid supremacy battles in the cat litter box with other cats.
11. Use enough cat litter:
If the cat litter box is too shallow, litter and waste can stick to the bottom.
Cats like their privacy and may not use a litter box that doesn’t have enough depth.
The general rule of thumb is to use 1 to 2 inches of litter.
If you’re having problems with litter sticking to the bottom, try adding more.
How to Keep Cat Urine from Sticking to the Litter Box?
Cats’ urine comes with many unpleasant odors from the litter box that makes life unbearable in the house.
Here is what you can do to solve the problem of cat urine sticking to the bottom of the litter box for good.
- Use litter liners
- Use a non-stick litter box like a stainless steel litter box
- Apply non-stick cooking spray on the litter box surfaces
- Apply wax products to the litter box
- Use a litter box with anti-stick surfaces
Why Does a Cat Litter Stick to The Paws?
Cats love doing their thing in the litter box in total privacy. The feline will dig into the litter to try and conceal all the exhibits in the litter box.
By doing this, their paws will carry some of the junk from the litter box.
How to Keep Cat Litter from Sticking to Paws?
If your cat litter keeps on sticking to your cat’s paws, it comes with many litter tracking in the house. Here are a few tips on what you can do to avoid that:
- Use premium clumping litter to address litter tracking issues in the house
- Change the litter and use a different type
- Use an automatic litter box that will clean your feline’s paws as they exit the litter box into your personal spaces
- Lay a large mat around your litter box to hold the litter stuck on the paws
- Empty your litter box on a given routine
- A vacuum cleaner comes in handy when cleaning out a clay-based litter
What Is the Best Cat Litter That Doesn’t Stick to Cats’ Feet?
If you are tired of litter tracking in your house, here are some clues on what to look out for to ensure that you purchase the best litter that will not track in the house.
- Always go for cat litter that has large granules; these will not stick on your cat paws
- Choose a litter that has clumping properties; large clumps will not stick on the paws and are easier to scoop during cleaning. Clumping litter will serve you well.
- Go for dust-free litter, that doesn’t stick on the paws
- Sand
- Wood shavings
- Shredded newspapers
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can you spray the litter box with Pam?
No, you cannot spray the litter box with Pam.
It is not advised to use Pam in your litter box because it can do more harm than good.
The spray from Pam will coat the litter with a thin layer of oil or fat and prevent it from clumping.
This is going to keep odors trapped within the litter and make it harder for you to clean out the box.
It’s not just Pam that you should avoid using in your cat’s litter box.
You should also avoid using any oils such as baby oil, olive oil, and any food additives such as vanilla extract or peppermint oil.
These products can be toxic to cats if they come into contact with them, and they also won’t do much to mask the odor of your cat’s waste.
What is the best cat litter that doesn’t stick to the litter box?
The best cat litter that doesn’t stick to the litter box is Jonny Cat Unscented Non-Clumping Clay Cat Litter.
This is a fragrance-free cat litter that controls odors effectively while remaining natural.
There are no additional fragrances, colors, or dangerous ingredients that could irritate your cat’s respiratory system or trigger an allergic reaction.
How do you make a litter box easier to clean?
The litter box can be a chore to clean, but it doesn’t have to take all day.
Here are some tips for making your cat’s litter box easier to clean:
- Don’t let the poop sit there. Scoop the poop out of the litter box at least once a day. This will allow you to get rid of odors before they become strong and help keep your cat’s bathroom smelling clean.
- Change the litter weekly or as needed. Our cats use a clumping litter that we change every week or so; other types may require less frequent changes depending on how often your feline friend uses them.
- The key to making your litter box easier to clean is to use a self-cleaning litter box. This type of litter box uses sensors and rakes to deposit waste into a large plastic container. All you have to do is empty the container when it fills up.
- Use a high-quality brand of cat litter. Choose a brand that is clumping and highly absorbent so it is easier to scoop and less smelly.
- Try putting down newspapers or other disposable linings under the litter box, then dispose of them when they become soiled.
- Use a litter box liner.
Conclusion:
The easiest way to prevent litter from sticking to the litter box is to regularly scoop it.
Generally speaking, this should be done at least twice a day if you have multiple cats or an especially abundant number of clumps.
We also suggest using litter that has larger grains, as these will make it easier to clean out any leftover litter once you’ve finished cleaning the sides of the box.
Available litter options include crystal litters, which scatter small clumps, and wheat litters, which are made up of much larger clumps of wheat.
Most customers find that their cat’s preference for one type over another is dependent on their personal preferences.
However, overall most recommend crystal litters since they’re typically more affordable and lighter in weight than wheat litters.
If you’re having trouble with litter sticking to your cat’s paws, or just want to make cleaning the box easier, try some of these suggestions to keep litter from sticking.
But if you want to get rid of the sticky litter box problem entirely, consider one of the other non-stick litter options.
Try either a high-quality litter or a different cat box altogether.
You’ll be glad you did.
