Litterbox Rule Okay, let’s talk cat litterboxes. Hold on! We know it may not sound like the beginning of a conversation you want to have, but spending a little time thinking about litterboxes now can prevent lots of unpleasantness later. The following are the main points to consider:
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A Box for Each Cat
At first, this may seem like a silly idea. After all, you probably don’t have a separate bathroom for every member of your family. However, as much as you may think of your cat as a member of your family, your cat or cats have different needs. They are very territorial and must feel secure. If cats feel like the litterbox space is subject to competition, the reaction could be messy.
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Covered or Uncovered
The question of whether to use a covered or uncovered litterbox is one of the first questions to answer. Many pet owners start out with the covered type as it tends to keep things out of sight and smell. They can always take off the cover if the cat does not like the cover or simply gets too big for the box. It is important that the area be large enough for the cat to turn freely as needed.
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The Perfect Place
The litterbox needs to be in a place that works for your cat. Your first choice may be to put the box somewhere out of the way where it will never be seen. The problem is that remote location probably won’t work for the cat. The litterbox usually works best where the cat feels some familiarity. That may mean having a litterbox in a busy area. The tradeoff is that a litterbox out in the open may be less than ideal, but it is better than having your cat doing his business there.
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The Right Litter
Gone are the days when cat litter was cat litter! You had one or two choices and that was it. Today, you’re faced with a huge variety of cat litters in a wide range of scents or unscented, clay or crystal, clumping or non-clumping. It may seem a bit time consuming, but it is important to find out what your cat likes. A little trial and error now will help in the long run. Start with the smallest package possible to test your cat’s reaction. Your cat has good reason to be finicky about the litter filling their box. If the smell of the litter seems strong to you, consider the fact that we have around 5 million scent receptors in our noses while your cat has about 200 million receptors. Making the litterbox as welcoming as possible will increase the chances of your cat using it. See there, taking a little time thinking about litterboxes wasn’t so bad! And your cat will thank you.
