How to Teach Children to Clean the Cat Box

Taking care of the family pet is a job even kids can help with. One job that older children can do is help clean the litter box. It's important that you help them in the beginning, but once they learn the proper procedure and the best way to get the litter box clean, they can clean it on their own.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Scoop
• Cat litter
• Rag
• Mild soap

1. Explain the importance of why a cat needs a clean litter box. Let the kids know that a cat can tell when its box is dirty, and if they don't keep it clean the cat will look for other places to go to the bathroom, including the carpet.
2. Take a week to go over the proper procedure for cleaning the litter box. Every time the cat messes, show your child what he should do, letting him handle the chore more independently toward the end of the week.
3. Show your child how to scoop out the poop and dispose of it properly. If using clumping cat litter, explain how to spot messes in the litter box. Make sure you keep the cleaning tools accessible.
4. Help them empty the litter box the first couple of times. Show them how to dump the entire box into a garbage bag and wash out the litter box with mild soap and water.
5. Teach them how to refill the box with the proper amount of cat litter. Have them clean the area around the litter box, too. This helps eliminate odors and wipe up any messes you may have missed during the week.