Cat litter boxes are imperative pieces of cat furniture. The industry has developed several kinds of litter trays, but the basics are still the same. How can you make your kitty use it?
Felines in the wild use loose sand to leave their urine and feces. A cat that lives indoors will instinctively choose a sandy substance.
If you have a new adult cat, it will almost automatically find the litter box in your home and use it, as long as it holds no traces from other cats.
Suppose you decide to take care of a cat that you just found on the street and you don’t have a litter box at home. In that case, fill a cardboard box with sand or soil. It works well for a few hours till you have the time to buy a cat litter box.
Usually, litter training for kittens takes little time. Most kittens learn to use cat litter boxes by imitating their mother. The box is too big for your kittens? Use a litter pan with a low entry or buy a special kitten’s litter box.
If you buy a kitten, show the litter box shortly after you come home. Make sure it’s perfectly clean and doesn’t smell of other cats.
Ask the breeder which brand of litter he uses for his cat litter boxes. If your litter tray contains the same brand, the kitten will recognize and accept it. If you want to switch to another brand, do it gradually by mixing the old litter with the new.
Nevertheless, litter box problems do occur.
The good thing: you can find the reason. And that means there are solutions too!
If you have two cats or more, make sure every cat has its own litter box. Cats are clean animals, and the smell of some other cat’s urine might even frighten them.
Cleaning a litter box regularly is important for your health.
Cat feces sometimes carry the eggs of parasites that can cause toxoplasmosis, a serious disease that can be contracted by humans if inhaled or ingested. It is especially dangerous for pregnant women. Read more about toxoplasmosis and cat litter here. If you keep the litter box clean, you seriously diminish the chance of getting infected.
Which litter box is the best?
Hygiene and size are the factors that matter most. Most modern cat litter boxes meet high standards, especially the ones that are available in pet stores.
Cat litter boxes are available in heavy plastic, metal, steel, and even cardboard. The last-mentioned material is only useful for disposable trays that you can take with you while traveling with a cat, or at a cat show.
Other materials are easily washed and disinfected. Remember that a litter box should be big enough for an adult cat to turn around.
So-called automatic litter boxes make cleaning easier. These systems are probably the best around nowadays and save you time and work, and even prevent illness.
Some cats prefer an almost fully enclosed box. Almost every box can be used half open, so experiment to see what your kitty likes best.
With litter, there is plenty of choices nowadays.
Expensive cat litter is not always the best.
Litter is very much a matter of habit and personal preferences. Most cats like loose litter best, although some prefer wood-like litter.
There are cats that accept almost every type of litter. In that case, it depends on you whether you want perfumed litter – although … some people find this more disgusting than the odor of cat urine – or if you don’t mind buying a cheap, but dusty filling.
In the end, cat litter boxes are a serious matter – for both user and owner.
