Top Tips on How to Clean Up After Your Kitty

For centuries cats have intrigued many civilisations, they've been revered to god-like status and had statues built in their honour. Today, these endearing creatures make superb companions because as pets go, our feline friends tend to keep themselves looking good with constant grooming sessions.

However, although cats keep themselves nice and clean, they do tend to create a bit of mess around them. There's the cat litter trays and feeding areas that tend to be the worst and which you may find you are having to constantly clean up. The tips below offer some sound advice on how to make life easier on yourself when it comes to cleaning up after kitty!

Decide Where to Place the Litter Tray Carefully

No matter how good a litter tray you decide to invest in, cats have a wonderful habit of making a bit of a mess around it. They dig at the litter and kick it out, they also tread bits of it out onto the floor and then around the home. It's one area that always needs to be constantly cleaned which is why you need to choose where you put your cat's litter tray very carefully.

It's never a very good idea to have litter trays on any carpeted areas, instead they should be placed on hardwood or linoleum floors which makes it a lot easy to scoop up any mess your cat makes outside their litter trays without having to take out the vacuum cleaner every time.

It's also a really good idea to place a mat just outside the entrance of the litter tray which helps prevent your pet from tracking any litter that's trapped in their paws throughout the house. It's far easier to shake the mat clean outside than it is to constantly vacuum the house.

Cat Blankets are Essential

Cats love snuggling up in nice cosy spots around the house. They also love dozing off in a nice comfy chair which presents the problem of having to constantly wipe off any cat hairs they leave behind. One good solution is to invest in some lovely warm cat blankets for your pet. Placing the blanket on their favourite chair or sofa will help reduce the amount of hair they leave behind which cuts down on the work you have to do to keep your furniture fur-free!

It's far easier to throw the blanket in the washing machine than it is to constantly vacuum your furniture. Just by passing a lint roller over the blanket every day, will keep things nice, tidy and clean so that anyone sitting on a chair doesn't pick up hair on their clothing.

One very good idea to save any wear and tear on your washing machine, is to place any blankets or clothing that may have a lot of cat hair on them in the dryer together with a dryer sheet before you put them in the washing machine. Like this all the loose hair gets caught up in the dryer sheet which makes it easier on washing machines.

Place a Mat Under Food and Water Bowls

Cats can be pretty messy when they eat although they are much cleaner when it comes to drinking water than dogs generally are. They do tend to make a mess when they eat though, leaving bits of uneaten food around their bowls. By placing a mat under bowls and water dishes, it makes things a lot easier to clean up and the great thing about mats these days, is you find ones which are machine washable and very inexpensive.

Must Have Tools for Cat Owners

There are certain tools that all cat owners have to invest in to make life easier cleaning up after their kitties which includes the following:

• A good quality lint brush
• Dryer sheets
• A hand-held vacuum cleaner

All of these tools make it that much easier to get rid of any hair a cat leaves behind without having to constantly pull out the vacuum cleaner to do so. Another great trick is to wear rubber kitchen gloves and using a damp cloth or a sprayer to dampen the furniture, to then wipe your hands over it which picks up all the loose hair really well leaving all your furniture wonderfully fur-free.

Groom and then Groom Again

Although short haired cats don't need grooming as often as those with long flowing coats, they still need to be brushed on a regular basis. The more you groom your cat, the less hair there will be to vacuum and clean up around the house. The bonus of course, is that the one-to-one grooming session you give your cat will strengthen the bond you have formed with them and your feline friend will love all the attention you give them.

Conclusion

It's all too easy to put off doing chores around the house, but you can make life easier when it comes to cleaning up after your cat by following the tips mentioned above. Investing in a few machine washable mats and other valuable tools like a lint brush and a handheld vacuum as well as some lovely cat blankets, means you can tidy things up on a daily basis without having to take out the vacuum cleaner every time!