There are studies regarding how many litter boxes you need per cat in your home. There are many different kinds of litter boxes, and there are many different kinds of cat litter. Whatever your combination, we typically assign this task to the person already cleaning the room it is in. So, if the litter box is in the bathroom and your job is to clean the bathroom this week, you get the cat litter too! This way, you don’t have someone cleaning up the floor just to have the litter box person coming in and spilling litter all over an already cleaned floor.

I also know that there are a lot of extended-use claims from different litter brands. Some claim their litter will last a month. That has NEVER been our experience. With only one cat in our home, we still have to change it every week, or HE goes nuts. It doesn’t matter how much you scoop it, either. Our rule has always been to change it each week.

Have your child gather the trash bags/liner and cat litter. Show them how to position the litter box slightly inside the trash bag. Tip it up slowly, holding the trash bag, so the liner slips into the trash bag without dumping the contents on the floor. Since the liner cuts down on urine and feces touching the cat box, it should be clean. (If it is dirty, wipe with a Clorox Wipe and let dry.) Replace the liner and then add the litter. Add back the lid if you have one. Use a stick vacuum to get the little bits of litter dropped on the floor.

A note about the floor:  Litter boxes with lids and a litter mat are very good at catching most of the mess a cat can dig up. Like the litter box, use products WITHOUT ammonia in them to clean the floor. Sometimes cats smell that ammonia competing with their litter box urine and get the idea they need to mark their territory again.   It doesn’t usually happen except in and around their litter box. So you should be fine using ammonia-based cleaners like Windex in other places around your home.