Cat sitting inside a litter box with a liner

Do Litter Boxes Need Liners? Weighing the Pros and Cons

Updated: April 16, 2024
Written By: Calista Davis

Trust me, no matter how much someone says they love making efforts for their cat, cleaning the litter box isn’t one of them.

Scrubbing your cat’s litter box every week might sound simple and quick, but it’s one of the most procrastinated and troublesome tasks.

So, any solution for that?

The world is full of possibilities, and people connect with the issue. Here’s where litter box liners are a rescue, and we have covered you all with them!

What are Litter Box Liners?

Litter box liners are similar to dustbin liners; the only difference is that they are for litter boxes. They save you from the headache of cleaning your cat’s litter box entirely.

These box liners are made up of various materials. Under such circumstances, knowing which is the best for your cat becomes difficult. So, keep reading to find the most logical and accurate answer!

Benefits of Using Litter Box Liners

There are several benefits of using litter box liners, which aren’t only about quickly cleaning your litter box. So, let’s dig into the details!

1. Easier Cleanup

Well, the first and primary benefit of litter box liners is that you no longer need to clean your litter box. You must always replace the liners for a new cycle after a certain period. And, viola, you have a new litter setup for your cat!

2. Protects the Litter Box

Cats like to scratch things and want to scratch their litter box a LOT. Having a litter box liner increases your litter box’s life significantly. Good-quality litter box liners are made up of rip-proof material, which helps protect the litter box. 

Another advantage of litter box liners is that they don’t irritate your cat. I will say something opposite to this line very soon in this article, but I’ll justify it, so don’t worry.

If your litter box is easy to scratch and gets in your cat’s claws, it’ll irritate your cat.

3. Reduces Odors

Litter box liners are a game changer when it comes to odors. It’ll almost eliminate the smells coming from your litter box. When you don’t have a litter box liner on, eliminating the odor will be challenging.

You’ll have to scrub it with hot water twice weekly, and it won’t be gone entirely. But with liners on, you’ll not notice any odor at all.

4. Saves you time

Having litter box liners is like having a vehicle with swappable batteries. That’s the best analogy I could come up with, but I hope you all understand. 

Whenever you want to replace the liner, you must take the old one out and put the new liner in. Otherwise, if you opt for a reusable one, you can even wash the liner and change the litter, and you’re good to go. It’s way quicker compared to washing the litter box.

Drawbacks of Using Litter Box Liners

Well, every coin has two sides, so we also have to look for this one.

1. Some Cats Dislike Them

Cats are picky animals; no wonder they were perceived as gods. No matter what you do, there will always be a portion of the cat’s population that wouldn’t like what you did.

Coming back to my point, not all cats like the liners. There might be several reasons for that. If you’re using a cheap plastic liner, most cats will hate them as it tears easily, and their nails get stuck into it, which I don’t think anyone will like.

While some cats hate the material, some find it weird. In conclusion, some cats don’t like them.

2. Additional Expense

While reusable litter box liners are available on the market, they are not a one-time expense. You’ll need a new liner every two weeks, or in a month or two if you get a good quality liner. 

So, litter box liners will be more like monthly subscriptions if you’re okay with spending anywhere from 5 to 15 bucks every month. You’re good to go. If not, you’ll have to compromise with cheap liners, which your cat mostly won’t like.

3. Potential Environmental Concerns

While there are some ways to safely dispose of litter box liners, if you get plastic liners, you’ll mostly be disposing of them directly with your regular trash, which isn’t the best for our environment. 

One thing to solve this is to use biodegradable litter box liners. There are good quality biodegradable liners available in the market, which are also tear-resistant.

So, Do You Need a Liner?

Only you can answer this question. Well, I’ll still help you by making it simple for you to answer it.

Is it difficult for you to invest half an hour every 3 days? It’s not about just the time but also about the effort.

Is it difficult for you to spend a couple of bucks ranging from 10 to 20 bucks every month?

If the answer to both these questions is no, you can go with litter box liners. While I’ll not classify them as a “need,” they can save you from a lot of trouble.

Tips for Using Liners

Apart from owning litter liners, you should know the best practices to use. Our experts have aimed to guide you through it carefully!

1. Opt for High-Quality Liners

While cheap plastic liners might seem like a steal, they’re not worth the hassle. You’ll end up wasting your money, your time, and your cat’s comfort.

Ensure you always get high-quality liners so your cat doesn’t get irritated with liners and you have a good cleaning experience.

2. Secure the Liner

Many people skip this small step, and I have no idea why. Securing the litter liner with the edges of your litter box can decrease your changing frequency by a significant figure.

The Conclusion

So, in conclusion, having litter liners isn’t a bad idea. For a few bucks, you save yourself a lot of time and headaches. You don’t have to worry about smelly litter boxes or procrastinating to clean the litter box, either.

In our experience, it’s a never-regret deal until you don’t compromise the cat’s hygiene by getting the cheapest available litter liners.

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