Let’s Talk About Litter Boxes

Last month, I attended this year’s Naturally Cats Holistic Cat Conference. It was a weekend packed full of amazing presenters sharing a wealth of knowledge on many different topics. The weekend ended with The-Two-Crazy-Cat-Ladies, Jae and Adrienne, talking about all things litter boxes. A very important topic when it comes to our cats. A high percentage of cats are surrendered to shelters due to inappropriate litter box habits. This is an issue that can be avoided as long as we look at our cat’s litter box from their eyes. So, let’s talk about litter boxes and go over some of the great information presented by Jae and Adrienne.

Size Matters

The size of your litter box is very important. The rule of thumb is the litter box should be a length and 1/2 of your cat. An appropriately sized litter box will give your cat enough room to turn around and find the perfect spot to do their business. Unfortunately, most litter boxes sold on the market are just not big enough to accommodate the average size cat. You can solve this problem by making your own litter box out of a storage container. The Two Crazy Cat Ladies have a great video on DIY Litter Boxes.

In regard to size, one should, also, take into consideration whether to use a covered litter box. Way back when, I had covered litter boxes. My cat, Jinx, had no issues using them. Then, we got Franklin and Sloopy. Sloopy went right to the covered boxes without any issues. Franklin, however, would use the bathroom right in front of the covered boxes. He was a rescued kitten, and I just figured he wasn’t used to a litter box yet. Eventually, I noticed him attempting to enter the litter box only to quickly back out of it. I then realized that he was afraid to enter the covered litter box. Using the bathroom is a very vulnerable time for our cats. Not being able to see around them and only having one exit can intimidate them.

The Right Litter

Now that we have decided on the best litter box, we need to figure out what to fill it with. For years, I have always used clay cat litter. Never thought about how it was affecting my cats. Many years ago, I stopped using chemical cleaners to clean, strictly because I didn’t want my cats stepping on those chemicals and then licking their paws. It still didn’t click about the clay litter. A few years ago, the lightbulb went on. Why am I still using clay litter that they would also ingest after licking their paws? So, I went on the hunt for another litter. One that was safe for my cats, but also provided great odor control.

I tried pine pellets. Some of the cats didn’t like the way it felt on their paws. I tried World’s Best Cat Litter. I wasn’t impressed with the odor control. Finally, I found Dr. Bales One Source Cat Litter. This has been amazing. It is made from one ingredient, the yucca plant. Completely safe if your cat ingests any. This was literally lifesaving for one of my cats. When Zazzles was dealing with severe anemia, I noticed that he was trying to eat the clay cat litter, which is not uncommon for cats dealing with anemia. However, eating clumping clay litter is definitely not a good thing. I quickly changed out his litter and problem solved and crisis averted. Sadly, I still have one litter box that has clay litter. I have a couple of die-hard clay litter users. I am slowly transitioning them by decreasing the amount of clay litter, while increasing the amount of One Source litter.

Where, and How Many?

You have the right sized litter box with the best litter in it, now, where do you place it? This is where we need to look at things from our cat’s point of view. Most of the time, we tend to put the litter boxes out of sight and where it is most convenient for us. However, we are not the ones using them. Would you want to have to trek across the yard in order to go to the bathroom? Then, why do you think that your cat would want to go all the way down into the basement to use the bathroom? They need convenience as well as privacy. Yes, the laundry room might be best for you, but is it best for your cat.

How many litter boxes is equally important. Rule of thumb is one box per cat plus one more. So, if you have 2 cats, you should, in theory, have 3 litter boxes. Now, this may not work for everyone. Space may limit how many boxes you can realistically have. However, if you have big enough litter boxes and scoop them daily, then you should be ok. I, actually, only have 4 litter boxes for my 7 resident cats. 2 of them are huge and I scoop morning and evening. Everyone seems ok with the quantity and placement of their bathrooms.

Some Final Thoughts…

Automatic litter boxes. To use or to avoid. In the past 5 years, I purchased 3 Litter Genies. I absolutely loved them. The convenience of not having to scoop. My babies always having fresh litter. It was glorious. Then, I learned about the importance of “poop stalking”. Being able to see if any of my cats are having any poop issues. With an automatic box, you never really get to see their poops. All waste goes directly into the waste container. Not ideal for us “poop stalkers”.

Litter deodorizers and scented litters. Another thing that is just for our convenience. However, putting anything scented into your cat’s litter is probably one of the worst things you can do. Our cat’s nose is so very powerful and sensitive that by using these products could potentially cause a new problem will trying to eliminate a different one. If the smell is too strong, then your cat will refuse to use it. Charcoal is an excellent and safe way to keep the litter box odors away. I have been using Scent Away for years and have been extremely happy with it.

Providing our cats with the best possible bathroom will help to keep them happy and healthy. We don’t want to have a cat being stressed about where they are going to go to the bathroom. That stress can bring about more problems that could have easily been avoided. When making choices about your cat’s litter box, be sure to look at everything from their point of view. Keep their convenience in mind, not yours. This will help keep everyone involved happy.

“Way down deep, we’re all motivated by the same urges. Cats have the courage to live by them.” – Jim Davis