Cats can be picky about their bathroom options—and rightfully so! Unsatisfactory litter box conditions can lead to problematic behaviors; following these cat litter box basics when setting up your cats’ bathroom areas that can help you avoid litter box problems.
Number
The general rule about the number of litter boxes that you should have available for your cats is: number of cats + one. So if you have one cat, you should have two boxes for them; if you have three cats, you should have four boxes; and so on.
Placement
As much as possible, litter boxes should be placed away from each other so that there is always one relatively nearby to your cat. They should be easily accessible and not have anything that might make it difficult for your cat to access them.
The ideal area for litter boxes should also be well-lit and well ventilated so that it’s easy to navigate and so that smells are able to dissipate. Bathrooms with windows generally work well in this regard, but dark areas may make your cat feel unsafe and put them at risk of being ambushed (in multi-animal homes).
Types of Litter Boxes
You’ll need to pick a litter box that’s appropriate to your cat. First off, the size must be large enough for them to comfortably fit inside the box and turn around. Some cats are very sensitive about rubbing up against the sides of a dirty box, so make sure that they have plenty of room to move around when they’re inside the box.
The next thing to consider is whether your cat prefers an open box or a closed one. Some cats may not like having something over their head when they’re in the box, especially if it impedes on their natural motions; these cats may do better with an open box. But you also have to consider how much your cat likes to bury their business after they’re done. Enclosed boxes are generally better for stopping them from tossing litter everywhere while they’re burying, but there are also some lipped guards that you can attach to an open box that do a pretty good job of keeping the litter inside the box. Either way though, some litter is usually coming out of the box with them on their feet.
In addition to your everyday, rectangle-shaped boxes, there are triangular ones that fit into corners, circular ones, and any number of novelty boxes available. There are also many different types of self-cleaning boxes on the market as well. Just make sure that you consider the accessibility of these boxes before purchasing any. We want to make it as easy as possible for our cat’s to take care of their business in the appropriate places!
Substrate
There are a decent variety of substrate options available to your cat these days, but the most important thing is whether or not your cat will use a specific type! Some cats are very particular about what kind of litter substrate they like, so make sure you have a good reason to be making any drastic changes.
The most common type of substrate is clay litter. But even amongst clay litters there are options. The size of the granules can range from beach sand consistency, to playground gravel sized chunks. Usually the larger granules are non-clumping, which is exactly what it sounds like. It’s great for keeping litter out of the garbage when your cat poops, but it doesn’t clump up to hold their urine together.
Aside from clay litter, there is also paper, wheat, corn, walnut, pine, and crystal litters. Many of these litters are pretty good at clumping when urinated in, but pay attention to the packaging before you buy, not all of them come in clumping form. Paper and pine litters often come in pellets, which some cats don’t like the texture of.
If you ever find yourself needing to change substrate you should mix the new litter in with the old, gradually increasing the ratio between the two until you completely phase out the old litter. While you’re doing this, pay extra close attention to whether or not your cat is still using the box reliably.
Cleanliness
Cleanliness is probably the most essential of the cat litter box basics!
The most important factor in maintaining a clean litter box is to scoop every day, regardless of how many cats you have! I strongly recommend a daily scoop of the box to keep the smell down and to help prevent possible health problems from an overgrowth of microbes. Scoop daily and make sure you use the scoop to scrape the walls, corners, and bottom of the box to get any urine that may have caked there.
Periodically refresh the litter when it gets low, and do a deeper clean every couple of months or so, depending on your cat’s habits. During deep cleans all the litter should be removed from the box and you should scrub everything down. If you stay consistent about this you shouldn’t need to use any harsh cleaners. Generally, hot water and a little elbow grease should be plenty. If you do use a cleaning agent, don’t use anything too harsh and be sure to rinse everything out thoroughly. A strong cleaner that offends your cat’s senses could lead them to avoiding that box! Also, some cleaning agents, like essential oils are harmful to cats, so just stick to the basics whenever possible.
In between deep cleans, if your cat pees on the walls of the box, you can use a damp paper towel or toilet paper to wipe down the area.
And lastly, use your nose! Cats are very sensitive to smells. If you can smell their box whenever you’re around it, they can definitely smell it. And they have to go inside and be immersed in that smell. So anytime you get the slightest whiff of something unsavory coming from their box, remove it as soon as possible to help avoid litter box problems.
Maintaining clean litter boxes is essential to your and your cat’s health, especially if you’re in a multi-cat household. Just imagine if your roommate used the bathroom and then only flushed the toilet once every couple of days. You might develop some litter box problems as well!
Stick to these cat litter box basics to help ensure appropriate litter box usage!
