How To Keep Litter From Sticking To Box

A common issue that presses cat owners everywhere is litter sticking to the litter box. This is plain annoying and can cause a headache trying to cleaning it off. It takes so much time to clean off, time which could have spent for something better than dealing with cat litter! 

Sometimes the litter will stick so much that it is nearly impossible to remove. Instead of having to clean the sticky litter off of the box every time, usually the best solution to this issue is to get some preventive measures in place.

How Can I Keep Cat Litter From Sticking to the Box?

Below the team has put together a list of some of our favorite tips and tricks to prevent litter from sticking.

Non-stick cooking spray

If you want a quick fix to the issue of litter sticking, go to your pantry and take out your cooking spray. Empty out the litter box, spray the inside, and fill it back up. This will work the same way as it does when you are cooking. A simple trick to boost the effectiveness of this is to also add a small layer of baking soda on top of the spray. Not only will this decrease the amount of sticking, but it will also help to keep the smell contained.

Commercial litter box sprays

If you prefer to go with a more professional solution compared to the one above, you can actually purchase sprays made to help stop sticking. This method is probably better because it is purposely designed to handled the demands of sticky cat litter.

Non-stick litter boxes

A more permanent way of solving this issue is to purchase a non-stick litter box. Non-stick litter boxes are made from a material or have a coating that stops sticking. The best material to stop sticking is stainless steel, but there are also plastic litter boxes with special coatings to do this as well. This solution is a good one, because you just have to make the change one time, and then the problem permanently gets easier.

Litter box liners

Litter liners is a similar solution to spray in the sense that you have to repeatedly add them to the litter boxes to stop sticking. But these are very effective. In reality, they make it so that you have to almost dedicate no amount of time to cleaning. Instead, you place the liner in the litter box, add the litter, and then once it is time to completely change out the litter, all you have to do is pick the liner out of the bag and throw it away. This leaves the actual litter box in an almost pristine condition.

Change your litter

Some litters stick more than others. This is a fact. So if the amount a litter is sticking is very important to you, you might want to look into other options for litter that don’t stick as much. 

Non-clumping litters tend to stick less, and non-dustier litters also stick less as well. Natural litters seems to stick less then traditional clumping clay litter.

Scrape before you scoop

You can scrape the bottom and sides of the litter box periodically to break up litter that is starting to stick. This is a good way to prevent any really solid parts from sticking really strongly to the box, but having to do this often can be frustrating. 

Common Questions

Is lining a litter box worth it?

Whether or not, litter liners are the right solution for you and your cat comes down to your values, your cat’s preferences, and if it works for you. Using litter liners is not that expensive as usually each one is less than one dollar, The litter box needs to be completely cleaned once every two weeks, so the added cost of litter liners is not any more than $1 every 2 weeks. Some people may choose not to use them because they don’t like throwing them out. Liners are also not always what your cat likes, and liner cause cause litter box issues. Some cats don’t like the feeling of it on their paws, so they will start to avoid the litter box that has a liner. This is obviously bad, so liners should be avoided in a case like this. This is a good article that describes the pros and cons of liners. 

What can you do to keep litter off of the bottom?

The methods above work well for keeping litter from sticking to the bottom of the box. Regular maintenance is crucial. Begin by scooping out waste daily and thoroughly cleaning the box with mild detergent on a weekly basis. Using clumping litter can also help, as it forms easily removable lumps. Investing in a litter box liner can prove to be beneficial. These liners create a barrier between the litter and the box itself, making it easier to clean and maintain. Rotating between two or more litter boxes can ensure that there’s always a clean box available for your cat while the other one is being cleaned.

Conclusion

Maintaining the litter box is an important duty for cat parents. If there are ways to make the cleaning process easier, then it is definitely recommended that you take it. Litter that sticks very heavily to the box can be hard to deal with, so it is a lot easier to keep it from sticking in the first place. No matter what product or approach you choose, there is hope for preventing “sticky litter” in your cat’s litter box.