Litter Box Alert? Here's How Often You Should Really Change Cat Litter

How often should you change cat litter?

Scoop out clumps and poop at least once a day, or twice a day in multi-cat homes. Depending on the type, you replace all the litter every 1 to 4 weeks. Exactly how often depends on the type of litter, the number of cats, and the size of the litter box.

When it comes to the litter box, cats are brutally honest. If it isn't clean enough for them, they don't complain – they act: they hold it, avoid the box, or find another spot. Something we can't smell yet has long been obvious to a cat's nose.

How much litter should go in the litter box?

The right depth depends on the litter. Fine clay litter is usually filled 5–7 cm (2–3 in) deep. With a plant-based clumping litter like TOFU cat litter, 3–5 cm (1–2 in) is enough. We fill ours to about 5 cm (2 in). If it gets a little lower after scooping, that's fine until you top it up again.

Too little litter can't absorb urine properly, so it pools at the bottom of the box. Too much litter makes scooping a chore and invites vigorous digging, which then lands on the floor outside the box. You'll find tips to keep litter from tracking through your home on a page of its own.

How often should you replace all the cat litter?

Besides scooping every day, you'll want to replace all the litter regularly and clean the box while you're at it.

• Clumping litter like TOFU: about every 2 to 4 weeks
• Non-clumping litter (e.g., many silica and wood litters): about every 1 to 2 weeks, because the urine spreads through all the litter
• Multiple cats: more often

A good time for a full change: the litter still smells right after scooping, or damp residue sticks to the bottom of the box. We walk you through cleaning the box step by step in our guide How to clean a litter box.

How often with two cats?

With two cats, it's best to scoop twice a day. A good rule of thumb is one litter box per cat plus one extra, so three boxes for two cats. If two cats share one box, change all the litter about twice as often as you would for one cat.

To see how many bags of TOFU that adds up to each month, try our cat litter calculator for your cats and litter boxes.

How often with kittens?

Kittens use the litter box more often and are still learning to use it reliably. So scoop several times a day to keep the box inviting for them. Curious kittens like to try out new materials with their mouths. A soft, low-dust litter made from plant fibers is comfortable for them. To find out how to litter train your kitten, read our article on kittens.

Which litter suits kittens and how to switch them over is covered on our page Cat litter for kittens.

The right litter makes all the difference

How often you need to replace all the litter depends a lot on the litter itself. A litter that locks in urine firmly and holds odors well stays fresh longer.

Plant-based clumping litter like TOFU has some advantages here:

• forms firm clumps that don't crumble when you scoop them
• binds urine odor with enzymes
• is 99.9% dust-free
• barely sticks to paws

Because you only remove the clumps and the rest stays clean, you don't have to replace all of it as often. Many cats like the soft feel under their paws.

Location matters too: if the box sits in a quiet, dry, well-ventilated spot, the litter stays fresh longer and your cat will use it more reliably.