Cat hygiene at home
How to keep your home clean and safe and your cat happy and healthy.
A cat is generally considered to be a clean pet to keep. However, it’s still important to remember the basics, to keep your pet and your family healthy. For useful advice and tips about caring for and training cats and kittens, visit Iams Cat Advice.
Use the right cleaning materials
Use special pet-safe stain removers when mopping up any urine or mess as these cleaning materials have special enzymes designed to really clean up, rather than simply masking smells.
Clean cat, clean home
Some of the main cat-inflicted mess in your home can be resolved by giving your cat a spot of TLC.
• Cut those claws. Trimming claws will keep your cat feeling more comfortable and your furniture will be less prone to scratches.
• Brush her fur. This will reduce the shagginess, so when she is licking her fur she is less likely to swallow excessive amounts of hair that can cause furballs. Regular grooming of a cat also means there is less loose hair to fall out onto your soft furnishings. Also, cat fur which is not brushed regularly could contribute to attracting fleas.
Clean home, healthy cat
The risk of some potentially serious cat-related infections can be reduced by maintaining good home hygiene. Keep the litter tray a healthy distance from feeding and water bowls, and keep trays, bowls and other cat items properly cleaned, using hot water and disinfectant or detergent.
Litter tray care
Make sure you keep a litter tray in the same place all the time, so your kitten or new cat understands where she needs to do her business. It’s a good idea to keep a non-slip, washable mat underneath the tray, so that any litter spill doesn’t get trailed around the home.
Follow the brand-specific instructions for changing soiled litter as regularly as is needed, and expect to clean out the tray at least daily. Some trays come with a little hood or roof, which can suit a more ‘private’ cat and also help reduce unwelcome smells wafting around your home.
Pregnant women should not change cat litter without rubber gloves on, and children should always be discouraged from handling litter. Anyone in contact with used cat litter should thoroughly wash their hands afterwards.