Litter Box Manifesto
When I first became a cat parent, cleaning the litter box struck me as an act of immense love and self-sacrifice. As an only child who had grown up with no pets (and obviously no siblings), I’ve never had to contend with the, uh, natural production of others. Plus, I had kind of a reputation. My nickname in high school was Martha Stewart 2.0, and both my grandmother and mother fuss about the quality of their house cleaning when I am about to visit. What? A clean environment is good for soul and harmony!
Anyway, when I brought my furbaby home from the shelter, it became apparent that Junipurr was a high productivity poop machine. (Cat Parent Confession: I sometimes call her Juni-poop behind her back.)
But, you’ll be proud to know that I leaned into the task of litter box cleaning. I may not be able to get Junipurr to play as well as Favorite Parent (FP) can, but I can - with oomph and confidence - clean the litter box. Not to brag, but I’m kinda the Japanese sand gardener of the house.
How did I go from germaphobe to litter box artist? By developing a Litter Box Manifesto. Think of it as a mantra on steroids.
Litter Box Manifesto
man·i·fes·to - A public declaration of values and commitment
Thou shalt clean your furbaby’s litterbox daily, with the meticulousness of one mining for gold
Thou shalt channel Martha-Stewart-after-three-Redbulls and deep clean that sandbox of gold every three weeks or so (i.e. sanitizing with hot water and soap, then changing out with fresh litter)
Thou shalt use non-clumping litter when the kitten is less than 3 months old and unscented litter free of fragrances & chemicals throughout her life
Thou shalt practice curiosity while cleaning, despite the overwhelming desire to pass out from stink, because the elimination du jour = report card on the inner life of Cat
Thou shalt celebrate malleable Tootsie Rolls (dark brown, not too hard and not too soft, log or nugget shaped) as the Holy Grail of poop
Thou shalt interpret your cat’s saunter into and use of the litterbox immediately after you cleaned as a compliment, not a spite
Thou shalt treat yourself to a glass of wine, wash your face and soul, call your support group, or [insert your treat of choice] after the daily poop cleaning because #selfcare is foundational
REFERENCES
Mikel Delgado (Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist & cat expert). “Hot off the presses: New study shows you need to SCOOP that box.” http://catsandsquirrels.com/scoop-that-box/
Hannah Shaw (kitten rescuer, humane educator, founder of Orphan Kitten Club). “Litter Training.” http://www.kittenlady.org/litter#:~:text=While%20clumping%20litter%20might%20be,ingested%20by%20a%20young%20kitten.
Dr. Kenneth Martin (board-certified veterinary behaviorist) and Debbie Martin, LVT (veterinary technician specialist in behavior). “Cat Litter Science: Why To Let Your Cat Choose.” https://fearfreehappyhomes.com/cat-litter-science-why-to-let-your-cat-choose/
Cheryl Lock. “What Should My Cat’s Poop Look Like?” https://www.petmd.com/cat/general-health/what-should-my-cats-poop-look
“The Scoop on Cat Poop.” Pets WebMD. https://pets.webmd.com/cats/the-scoop-on-cat-poop#1
