One of the greatest struggles of being a pet parent is keeping the house clean. Especially when you live with cats, it will be challenging to keep clean-smelling apartments. Even though there are many myths regarding living with felines, the unwanted odors are true. When you live in compact areas or small apartments, you need to be extra cautious as the place can become unhygienic and unpleasant.

 

By nature, cats are very conscious about presenting themselves as hygienic & they are the cleanest pets that you will come across. According to the Western University of Health Sciences, they spend at least 50% of their day grooming themselves. Even then, this cannot stop the number of hairs they shed, nor the mess they create inside the home while playing or running around.

 

 

Maintaining a clean house with felines is definitely not easy. Despite all the myths and facts, we bring this article to your notice to keep your home clean even when you live with feline roommates. This article will help you create a well-balanced experience with your pet cats.

 

5 Basic Rules for a Clean House with Feline Friends

 

Location of Litter Box

We are sure that the litter box is hands down for most owners because the cats don’t really utilize them to the fullest. Especially when kitties are in the growing stage, they tend to kick the litter and end up creating a huge mess outside the box.

 

Therefore, rather than placing the litter box on the carpet, place it on the hard floor that is much easier to clean, including tiles, wood floors, Linoleum, etc. Cleaning or sweeping up the bare floor is easy. All you need to do is sanitize once you are done with the cleaning process.

 

 

One common question that most pet owners ask is whether you can keep the litter box in the spare bathroom or not. Well, the answer to this is simple. If your cat is growing as an adult, you can comfortably place the litter box inside the bathroom. It will make it easier for you to clean the mess.

 

However, if they have just begun to use the bathroom, then you will have trouble as they may litter the places until they reach the bathroom. Don’t choose a spare bathroom that’s too far for your cats. Mostly try to select the ones that are within reach.

 

 

 

 

When you are making the cat get used to the litter box, you need to place the litter box with at least 6 inches exposed in the front. It will help the cat to identify the spot and get used to it. Also, the cat will avoid the extra mess clinging to its paws and between toes.

 

Give your cats their own space

Ensure that you provide a separate blanket or quilt for your cats. Cover the areas where the cats love to sleep around. This place must not be your regular couch or bed. Designate a place with the proper bedding and blanket, which will make your kitty feel like its favorite spot on the floor. Probably, you can choose the space between your room or in the corners of the living room from where you can monitor your kitty easily.

 

However, you have to regularly remove all the shredded and unwanted cat hairs from the bedding. Remember that when you choose the blankets or quilts, choose the ones with natural fibers that are easy to clean.

 

When you keep your cat get used to a particular place from the beginning, you can ensure a pleasant look for your house. All you may have to do is to maintain the basic hygiene of the cat’s spot. There are many mite retardants, sprayers that can keep the spot smelling well. It will help you clean the house and save a lot of time while doing it.

 

Spend Few Minutes to Brush the Feline

Many kitties would love to get brushed, especially from their owners. They feel groomed and important because it is the time to be bonded with the owners. At the same time, you can keep your house fur-free. It can turn out to be an effective way of cleaning the house, especially when you have long-haired cats. At least once a week, use the brush to remove all the loose and tangled hairs. While cats don’t like to take a bath daily, regular grooming will suffice the problem.

 

There are two side brushes available in the market that can go deep inside the coats for cleaning. It can reach the undercarriage areas where you need to give proper attention while cleaning. It will not only reduce the time in house cleaning but also maintain a hygiene cat at home. Vets suggest taking the cat to a professional groomer at least thrice or four times a year to have a healthy coat for the cats.

 

Vacuum cleaner

Instead of having an upright, canister, or robot vacuum to take out the closet every day, choose a lightweight handheld vacuum. It will help you quickly pick up the litter, cat hairs, and bits of food from the floor. Hence, most of your house cleaning tasks will be done. You probably don’t have to think twice about whether you have cleaned it properly. However, from most owners’ experience, what is understood is that you will require at least two sets of vacuum cleaners that are specially designed for pets.

 

Today, even though the upgraded model of vacuum cleaners comes with pet cleaning functionalities, it is safe to keep a dedicated cleaner for the felines. Ensure that you can use it across the furniture, bed, chair, and the places commonly used by the cats. Importantly, when you have children or the elderly at home, the cat hair can cause breathing trouble in them. Having a vacuum cleaner only for pets with HEPA filtration will help you be out of trouble.

 

Cleaning Often

It may make you think or get you confused. What would be the ideal cleaning schedule when you have pet cats around? Well, there is no single answer to this question as it varies from cat to cat. When you first bring them home, analyze essential things like how much hair is shredded, how many times they litter, do you have mites and rodents, do you get flies and fleas inside your house, do the cats know how to use the litter box, etc. Once you understand their routine or make them practice to one, then the scheduling can be easy. Create a schedule to clean the cat. The most important thing is that you have to stick to this for effective results.

 

How to keep the room clean and cat-friendly?

Cats always love the space designated to them. Every cat has different ideas about the place. However, you need to help your kitty to get acquainted with space. Since cats are habitual pets, one can easily train them.

 

The following table will help you to shortlist the items that you will require when you have cats at home.

What do you need to make the home cat-friendly?	How does it work for the cats?
Cat shelves	Cat shelves are highly useful when you have tight space at home. It is a vertical territory that helps the cat to indulge in physical activities, and at the same time, does not cause any mess outside. It is great entertainment for the cats and does not cross their boundary.
Cat Cave	Cats are amazing creatures with great fun capabilities and vitality. However, when you don’t want them to jump or lie on the furniture, you can offer them cat caves. It is a private space that you provide for the cat to lie on the sofas or furniture.
Litter box	When you are getting the litter box, your cat may not feel comfortable using it. The best way to encourage your cat to use a litter box is to make a habit of using a temporary litter box from the beginning. When you know that the cat is getting into a routine while using it, get a proper litter box of the same size and shape. It will only induce the cat to use the box and not anywhere outside.
Scratching post	Scratching posts are important as the cats would love to use them to trim their nails. Otherwise, most cats tend to do this on fabric or walls, which will only ruin the home’s appearance. Hence, buy a scratching post and keep them under their visibility. Whenever they feel like trimming their nails, they would be using it.
Cat grooming kit	Get a grooming kit & keep it at home. Every time taking the cats to professionals for grooming is impossible, and it will also burn the pocket in the long run. Instead, groom the cats often with a brush or trim their nails at home. It will help in making the cat look healthy, and at the same time, reduce hair shedding at home. Check out the Ruff and Ruffus Self-cleaning slicker kit. It has a slicker brush, clippers, and pain-free bristles. The product seems to be very effective in cat grooming. However, make sure you have read the instructions carefully before using this product.
Pet vacuum cleaner	Have a dedicated pet vacuum cleaner that can remove even the small hair sticking to the fabric like sofas and curtains. When you have people at home who have breathing trouble or with low immunity, don’t take the chances in maintaining a clean house. Shredded cat hairs can cause fatal problems. Therefore, cleaning the home with a pet vacuum cleaner at least twice a week can help in the long run.

 

 

Now that you know what are the necessary things you should keep at your home to keep your house clean. Especially when you have multiple kittens at home, you can use the following tricks to maintain the hygiene

 

 

Objects	Things you need to remember about these articles at home
Sofa and curtains	Ensure that all the upholstery items in the home are washable, including sofa covers, pillow covers, etc. Not only they are easy to clean but you can change them anytime at your convenience.
Tables and chairs	There are enzyme-based odor neutralizers available in the market. These are effective ways to remove unwanted odors from your house. Spray that on the tables, chairs, and even on beds regularly.
Carpets	When you have a cat at home, it is vital to get rid of the carpets. The carpets are the first and foremost thing your guests will notice, and there are high chances that your cat can make it nasty. Hence, it’s better to avoid carpets at home.

 

 

Conclusion

We are sure that this article must have given you the necessary insights about the things required in a house with a kitty. All you need to remember is that all the assumptions made about the cats are not true. Hence, you need to seek proper guidance. Cats do not voluntarily mess up your home. They are fluffy and sweet little pets who would want to impress their master. There is only one thumb rule – don’t accumulate dirt or nasty stuff at home. Clean it every now and then or at least once a week. It will save a lot of time and effort to make your home a clean and hygienic place.