Litter Box
Is one litter box enough for my cat?
One box per cat, plus one--is the rule! This means a minimum of two boxes for one cat or 11 boxes for 10 cats. You should also have at least one litter box on every story of your house. That means a 3 story house gets 3 litter boxes for one cat. Follow whichever rule of litter boxes is the greater number!
How big should the litter box be?
As big and deep as possible! Everything you read here is based on research by feline behaviorists. Cats prefer a lot of space so they can choose a new site each time, because they are very clean animals.
- Pet Supermarket IRIS open top litter box
- Pureness Giant Cat Litter Pan
- The length of these extra large pans should be one and one-half times the length of the cat
- Lowes large plastic storage containers
- Place lid behind the box to protect the wall, and cut an opening for your cat to enter and exit
- Walmart childs small plastic swimming pool
- This may seem excessive but cats love the huge space. Perfect for multi-cat households
Where should I put the litter box?
Choose a site that is private but easily accessible. Make sure that no humans or other cats will block the entrance. The box should be on a tile or wood floor. If carpet is the only option, then place a large piece of plastic under the box so no litter can spill on the carpet, which can lead to cats eliminating on the carpet. Location is everything! Cats prefer a quiet, safe, private place to potty, just like we do. It is important for the cat to never be interrupted or frightened by noise or activity near the box. At the same time, it should be close enough to be convenient. Two entrances and exits to the room where the box is located is ideal if you have multiple cats.
- Purr-Fect Paws Cat Litter Mat
- A commercially available mat to put under the box
- Merry Pet Cat Washroom
- An attractive, enclosed litter box for open living areas
Should the litter box have a cover on it?
This is a matter of preference for the cat. Most cats prefer open. If you would like to have a cover, provide one box with a cover and one without. If you are lucky, your cat will use the covered one just as much as the uncovered. The larger the covered box, the more likely your cat will use it.
- Catit Jumbo Hooded cat litter pan
- Booda Dome Cleanstep Cat Box
- The advantage of a covered box is that some of them are designed to look like furniture so they are less obvious to visitors
What type of litter should I use?
Most cats prefer litter that clumps and is the consistency of sand, so you should try these first. There are also clay, granular, recycled paper, silica beads, grain based, garden soil and other types available.
- Lowes playground sand or construction sand
- These products can be more economical for multi-cat households, especially if you are using a small swimming pool as a litterbox.
- Precious Cat Ultra Premium Clumping Cat Litter
- Tidy Cats Cat Litter Clumping
- Available in pet stores, online and in grocery stores, it has the ability to clump urine into easy to clean balls for scooping
- Arm & Hammer Litter Deodorizer
- Litter Deodorizer can help control odor for cats with particularly strong smelling urine
How often should I clean the litter box?
Every 2 hours up to once a day is ideal, depending on your schedule, the number of cats you have, and how fastidious your cat is.
Should I consider getting an automatic litter box?
Automatic self cleaning litter boxes clean the box after each use; however, some cats require special training to use them. Make sure the manufacturer includes instructions with the product.
- Omega Paw Self-Cleaning Litter Box
- PetSafe Simply Clean Litter Box