Keeping the litter box clean at all times is very important. A cat may refuse to use a dirty, smelly box and may choose to relieve himself in some other undesirable spot in your house (this may also happen if you change litters and he's not happy - read our litter variety section). I once read an analogy that I think is fitting - imagine using an outhouse that had been generously used but not cleaned. Imagine using one that had been baking in the sun on a hot summer day, and this is what you'd get if you decided to place your cat's litter box in a place that is in direct sunlight or is in a hot area.

I have found that cleaning the litter box nightly works nicely for my cat. How you do that depends on the litter and box you choose (also discussed below in the litter variety section). One of the easiest ways is to scoop the feces (and urine clumps if you use clumping litter) into a ziplock sandwich bag.  It holds in the smell and you can collect a few days worth without needing to empty the trash that you throw it away in. Another option is to get flushable litter and flush the remains (this, of course, is the cleanest option). One of the best alternatives if you're going to collect the feces would be the following product.

Litter Locker Plus Disposal System by Petmate Price:  $19.99 at Petsmart, bag refills $8.99 This product locks away soiled litter clumps and solid wastes to eliminate odors.  Remove waste from the litter box with the included scoop, empty into the Litter Locker, and turn the dial to seal odor away in seven layer plastic.  This stores up to two weeks before disposal is required; each bag refill lasts up to two months per cat.