I used to wonder if I was cleaning my cat’s litter box too much or not enough. Everyone seems to have an opinion, and they’re often completely opposite. So I went down a long Reddit rabbit hole reading how other cat owners actually handle it, not the ideal version, but the real one.
What surprised me most is that there’s no single “correct” schedule. What works depends on how many cats you have, what litter you use, and how sensitive you are to smell.
Daily scooping is the common ground.
Almost everyone who doesn’t want their home to smell scoops at least once a day. Many scoop twice, especially in small apartments or with multiple cats. Even people who stretch full litter changes agree that skipping daily scooping is when problems start.
Full litter changes happen less often than I expected.
Despite what some people say, most owners don’t dump and scrub the box every week. Monthly seems to be the most common rhythm, with some stretching it to every 2–4 weeks if they use good clumping litter and stay consistent with scooping. A few go longer, but they’re also very diligent about topping off and odor control.
More cats means more boxes, not just more cleaning.
The “one box per cat, plus one extra” rule shows up constantly. People with fewer accidents and less stress almost always mention having enough boxes spread around the house. When boxes are limited, cleaning frequency has to increase to compensate.
Litter choice matters more than I realized.
Clay clumping litter dominates, mainly because it’s affordable and controls odor well. Crystal and pine work for some, but many people switch back after smell or tracking issues. The better the litter, the less often the whole box needs to be emptied.
Smell is the real trigger, not the calendar.
Most people don’t clean on a strict schedule. They clean when the litter stops smelling fresh even after scooping, when clumps start sticking, or when there’s a damp layer forming at the bottom. That’s usually the signal it’s time to dump and scrub.
After reading all of this, I stopped worrying about whether I was doing it “right.” I scoop daily, change everything about once a month, scrub when it actually needs it, and my house doesn’t smell like cat. That seems to be the real goal.
In the end, cats care less about rules and more about cleanliness. If the box is usable, odor-free, and doesn’t stress them out, you’re probably doing just fine.
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