Is your cat not burying her poop? Then this could be because you don’t know how deep should cat litter be!
It may even start stinking if you don’t fill the litter box correctly.
It is vital to know how deep cat litter should be because if you don’t, then your cat will not use the litter box, or she will scratch the box all the time, or she will spread the litter all over.
No need to worry! In this article on how deep should cat litter be? We will answer all your questions!
How Deep Should Cat Litter Be?
Overall, enough litter to bury their poop and cover their tracks is ideal cat litter deep you should keep. As a general rule, keep the depth of litter to about two inches deep. Most cats won’t use cat litter if it is three inches deep. Some long-haired cats actually prefer less litter and a smooth surface such as the bottom of the box.
Even after using so much time still don’t know how deep should cat litter be?
Well, it is tricky because each cat has their own style and pattern of using the litter.
Some cats dig a lot to cover their waste.
On the other hand, other cats don’t.
So, how to solve this? How deep litter box should be?
Well, there are several ways to know, but the ideal depth is 2″ to 3″, and rest your cat will let you know how much deep does she need it to be! But, there are certain criteria that will differ, so read the factors to know how deep should cat litter be!
1. Number of Cats
The number one reason to decide how deep cat litter should be will be how many cats do you have!
If you are a cat owner of more than one cat, you will require deeper litter than a single cat parent.
If you have one cat, then you can keep a shallow litter box. But, if not, then your kitty litter should be 3″ deep at all times. This is standard depth size. Urine in the litter box will not reach the bottom of the floor, and it will form a clump quickly.
If you have 4 to 5 cats, that doesn’t mean that you have to fill it more than five inches compulsorily!
2. Type Of Litter
Majorly there are two types of cat litter. The one is clumping and the other is non-clumping.
You must get clumping litter for your cat with low dust formula!
Why? Because clumping litter is better than cheap litter!
The benefit of clumping litter is that you will not face litter box issues, as it instantly forms clumps and prevents the liquid spread in the box. In clumping litter, even with a low litter depth, your cat will be able to use the litter for at least a week. Thus, managing clumping litter’s depth is easy.
Whereas in non-clumping, you have to keep changing the entire litter because it doesn’t clump and form tight balls. Therefore, maintaining the depth of the litter is difficult.
3. How Often to Change the Litter
If you use regular cat litter which is non-clumping, then the cleaning must be done regularly because it can smell.
It is not just limited to the unpleasant odor, but it also becomes unusable as it loses the power of soaking the urine. Thus, you will need to keep low depth otherwise a lot of unused litter will get wasted.
But if you are using clumping litter, then no need to worry about this. You can keep the depth of litter more and clean the container once in two to three weeks.
See, so much easier, isn’t it?
Well, you should remove clumps made by feces and urine on a daily basis to keep it extra fresh. But you don’t need to completely change the litter. Once in a week or twice a week is more than sufficient!
Signs to Know How Much Litter Is Too Much for Your Cat
You can know how deep cat litter should be by checking the signs listed below!
1. Check Is She Slipping?
You can observe your feline while she is using her litter box.
Look, is she confident in using the litter box or not? It is important to know how much litter to put in the litter box!
If your kitty is shaking and slipping inside the box, then that means the amount of litter in the box is too much for her!
Just like our feet feel slippery when we walk in the sand similarly, your cat also feels the same. Especially if your cat is old, she will face challenges in using the litter box!
Searching for a trackless cat litter, here you get the complete information for the best trackless cat litter.
2. She Will Spill the Litter
To know how deep cat litter should be, you should check whether your kitty is spilling the litter out of the box or not!
Although most cats like to dig the litter box, in your case, if she does that a lot and the litter is more often seen outside the box, that means she is not satisfied with the quantity, and you have overfilled the litter in your plastic storage box.
The most common question “is there a flushable cat litter?” is explained in the article have a look to know more.
Summing It Up!
If your kitty doesn’t fit in the litter box, find a large or a bigger box; give her space. Your cat must feel confident while defecting and using the litter box!
Therefore, it is vital that every cat owner must know how deep should cat litter be!
Cat’s generally scratch the sides of the box if the litter is shallow, and if it is too much, she will kick the whole litter outside!
If you want to know how deep cat litter should be, then read the factor mentioned above. Perhaps, if you want to add more information, then do leave a comment below!
Till then, take care of your kitty!
Do you know how much the cat litter lasts? Want to know then click on how long does cat litter last to know more.
References
- You’re Doing Cat Litter Wrong & Here’s Why! – Jackson Galaxy
- Use the Right Amount of Litter – World’s Best Cat Litter
- The Behavioural Effects of Innovative Litter Developed to Attract Cats – NCBI