How do I know when my Litter

Cats can be finicky about their bathroom habits, so unless you want to be dealing with a regular mess at home, keeping your cat's litter box up to their standards is very important. The following suggestions should keep your cat from "thinking outside the box."

Boxes & litter

How many?

The general rule of paw is one litter box for each cat in the home, plus one more. That way none of them will ever be prevented from eliminating in the litter box because it's already occupied.

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It's not possible to designate a personal litter box for each cat in your household, as cats may use any litter box that's available. That means a cat may occasionally refuse to use a litter box after another cat has been in it. In this case, you'll need to keep all of the litter boxes extremely clean, and you might even need to add additional boxes. However, it's best not to place all the boxes in one location because your cats will think of them as one big box and ambushing another cat will still be possible.

Covered boxes

Some people prefer to provide their cats with a covered litter box. While covered boxes can increase privacy and decrease the amount of litter that flies from the box when your cat buries their business, there are some potential downsides. An “out of sight, out of mind” little box is easy to forget about, which may lead to a dirty box with odors trapped inside (which is even less likely to be appealing to your cat). Covered boxes can also be difficult for larger cats to turn around and position themselves in, and may lead to easier ambushes upon exit.

Ultimately, if your cat doesn't like a covered box, they won't use it. To find out which type your cat prefers, you may want to experiment by offering both types at first.

Self-cleaning boxes

There are a wide variety of litter boxes available that offer convenience and automation in cleaning your cat’s litter. Buyers beware: some of these features may prevent a cat from wanting to use their litter box, so if your cat is used to a traditional box, it’s best to stick to what they know.

Pick of the litter

There are several different types of cat litter on the market. The most popular ones are traditional clay litter, scooping/clumping litter, crystal-based/silica gel litter and plant-derived/biodegradable litter.

Most cats prefer fine-grained litters, presumably because they have a softer feel. Newer scoopable and “clumping” litter have finer grains than typical clay litter and are very popular because they keep down the odor. But high-quality, dust-free clay litters are fairly small-grained and may be perfectly acceptable to your cat.

Once you find a litter your cat likes, stick with it. Switching litters constantly could result in your cat not using the litter box.

If your cat has previously been an outdoor cat and prefers dirt, you can keep them out of your houseplants by placing medium-sized rocks on top of the soil in the pots. You can also mix some soil with their regular litter to lure them in. A cat who rejects all types of commercial litters may be quite happy with sand.

Many people use scented litter or air freshener to mask litter box odors, but often times, these odors can be offputting to cats. A thin layer of baking soda placed on the bottom of the box will help absorb odors without repelling your cat.

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Most cats learn to use litter trays quickly. Provide several litter trays in quiet areas around the house. You might need to try different types of litter as cats can prefer different substrates over others. Make sure the litter tray is easy to get in and out of and ensure it’s in a quiet area, cats like to have some privacy when toileting.

If your kitten goes to the toilet in the wrong place, it is best to display no reaction and ignore it. You should clean the area thoroughly with a non-ammonia based cleaning product (these can be found at your local veterinary clinic or animal supplies store) to take away the scent and reduce the likelihood of the cat using the same place again next time. Make sure your kitten has several litter trays in various quiet locations so she has plenty of choice for appropriate toileting areas. Also ensure the litter trays as far away from any eating or sleeping/playing areas and clean out litter trays frequently (cats don’t like to step over old litter that has already been used).

Old-fashioned responses such as ‘rubbing the cat’s nose in it’ or administering any form of punishment will not teach the cat anything; in fact it may actually delay the learning process. The cat may instead learn that going to the toilet in front of the owner is inappropriate and this can negatively affect the learning process.

It is very important to note that young kittens often do not have full control over their urination until they are a bit older. That is, urination is a developmental process, so very young kittens can make a mistake without being able to prevent or control it.

Watch for signs that your cat needs to go to the toilet

Sniffing the ground, meowing and dashing behind the sofa can be signs that your kitten needs to go to the toilet. Keep an eye out and gently divert your kitten to, or place him in, the litter tray and give him some privacy. Try not to stare too obviously, as he will find it easier if he feels he’s not being watched.

How long?

Many kittens will catch on quite quickly, and get it right most of the time. Others may need to be placed in the litter box several times a day for several days before they start to grasp the idea. Overall it may take up to four weeks to get a kitten fully and reliably litter box trained.

Make it easy

You can help your kitten by making sure the box is easy for a small animal to use, otherwise he or she may go somewhere that’s easier to access (such as a large pot plant). The litter box should be the only obvious place for the kitten to go.

What age do cats have their first litter?

How long can you go without scooping litter?

How often do cats go to the litter?

How often should you empty a litter box?