I Have A Kitten Should I Use A Different Type Of Litter Tray
Your kitten will be very tiny at first so a relatively small size litter tray with low sides to start with is ideal. However, they will grow quickly so for the first year or so of their life you will need to replace the litter tray with a bigger version regularly.
Kittens can be very exploratory when they are small, and they do have a tendency to put random objects in their mouths. Some kittens will show an interest in cat litter for this reason, so it is important for you to keep an eye on them in the early stages and, if they are prone to doing this, its a good idea to use a cat litter that is plant-based and wont harm them if they ingest it. You can change to a more convenient cat litter if you need to once they are older.
Your Cat Doesn’t Like Its Litter Box
Yes, cats can get spooked by things. That means if the litter box is placed somewhere that brings them fear or if an object once fell from a bookshelf while they were in there scooping and pooping around , they may have developed a fear of the litter box. Similarly, not all cats like the shape or style of a particular litter box either. It may be:
Places Not To Put A Litter Box
Felines prefer litter boxes that are placed in low-traffic, quiet areas that have expansive views, certified cat behavior consultant and author Marilyn Krieger told Catster. Cats want to be able to a whole room because it helps them feel secure that they could escape a threat if necessary. That means as few closed doors as possible.
Here are a few big no-nos when it comes to kitty litter spots.
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Can Cats Sharing A Litter Box Ever Be Ok
A little while ago, I happened to read a thread on an online forum about this very subject.
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A poster with one cat already was preparing to bring home a new rescue cat.
Her question for the community was how many litter boxes for 2 cats?
Could she get away with one extra large cat litter box for multiple cats?
A lot of posters replied with the same advice weve already given here.
But a lot of people also joined the conversation to complain that theyd set out multiple cat litter boxes for multiple cats, and they all used the same one anyway!
Because cats are sent to delight us and torture us in equal measure
Two Cats One Litter Box
So what can you do?
Do you really have to keep an extra litter box out in your home if its not being used?
If you have two cats sharing a litter happily, then thats great!
You can even remove the rejected litter box, but dont chuck it away just yet.
Always keep an eye on the situation, and put it back if sharing a litter box looks like its starting to cause stress for one of the cats.
This can happen if one starts to get muscled out, for example because theyre getting older, and a younger cat fancies vying for a piece of their territory.
Your first sign will likely be confrontations at the litter tray, or the suffering cat starting to use the toilet in other places.
Also leave the spare out if youre going to leave them at home for longer than usual.
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Types Of Litter Boxes For Cats
Lastly, keep in mind that in today’s market there are a number of types of litter boxes for cats. Choose the one that feels best for you and your cat.
The litter box will need to be easy to access, located in a calm place in your house or apartment and, it should be away from the kitchen or where your cat eats. Make sure it’s the correct size for your cat so they can move freely and not feed pressured inside a small box.
Here are some of the most common litter box designs:
- Common litter box: with no top.
- Litter box with roof: some also include a cat door. This helps the odor stay inside.
- Self-cleaning litter box: these are some of the newer designs for busy pet owners.
Choose the right design for you and your cat and select a comfortable place in your home to put them. Learn more in our article about the different types of cat litter.
If you want to read similar articles to Can Two Cats Share One Litter Box?, we recommend you visit our Basic care category.
- Agustín, A. . Adoption: behavior and well-being. Veterinary dissemination consultation. 16, 153. 31-35.
- Neilson, J. . Thinking outside the box: feline elimination. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgey . 6, 5-11.
Do You Really Need 2 Litter Boxes
Im sure youre aware that the general rule of thumb is that you need one litter box per cat, plus an extra somewhere else in the home.
However, if youre short of space and live in a small apartment, do you really need 2 litter boxes for just one cat?
The good news is no, you dont.
Dont get me wrong, having an extra box is good advice and it certainly helps. But its not an absolute necessity.
Ive lived with one box and one cat before. Ive also had two boxes for two cats for a number of years, all without any issues.
So, its completely possible. There are some drawbacks, however, and Ill get into those in this article. Heres everything you need to know about good litter box etiquette!
Contents
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What About Small Apartments
Unfortunately, the rule on the number of litter boxes also applies to small apartments. While it can be a challenge to find space, cats have their needs and its your job to take care of them. Instead of leaving one box for all your cats, try fitting more boxes somewhere in the apartment. If you really cant fit one box for each cat plus one extra, then stick to one box for each cat.
To add more litter boxes in a small apartment, you can try making a chic furniture box. These can serve a dual function both as a table and a litter box. It can blend seamlessly with the rest of the furniture, and no one will even know that theres your cats litter tray hiding inside. These days you can get so many ideas online and re-create them, or purchase one from a pet store.
If you dont have space even for this, then youre left with the worst option having a single litter box. In this case, you have to be very diligent about hygiene. You have to clean the litter every single day and keep it neat at all times. Also, choose a cat litter for small apartments to reduce litter tracking and any unnecessary mess around your home.
Providing A Litter Box For Two Cats
Litter boxes are without a doubt, the unglamorous side of cat ownership.
Whether your cats stay indoors all the time or just overnight, they need a litter box to answer the call of nature when theyre inside the home.
Theyre not much to look at, but litter boxes do us a massive favor.
They give our cats a proper place to use the toilet, so they dont soil the rest of our house.
And theyre designed to make our cats comfortable too: outdoors they would dig a hole and bury their urine and feces.
The litter in a litter tray lets them behave naturally while they use the toilet indoors too.
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What Cats Do Not Like
Cat rooms -they are dusty, stinky and gross and cats do not feel the need to mark there. How much time do you spend hanging out in the “cat room” anyway? Food and water are often in these rooms as well which is also not ideal.
Having to go through a cat door to get to the box is really no different than a hooded litter box. It is threatening and scary because they cannot anticipate what is on the other side.;
Automatic boxes are not preferred. Monitoring your cat’s litter box output is a very important part of monitoring their health. The size and shape and frequency of the urine clumps and the consistency of the stool is vital information for you to know. Automatic boxes take that information away! If you use one, you should always have a regular box as well!
Locations where litter boxes should NOT be placed:;
Laundry rooms-they are scary and loud
Basements-dark and dank with no desire to mark there
Closets-threatening and no different than a covered litter box
Can Cats Share A Litter Box
Well, how about you answer this first: picture coming home from a party with friends. You had more than your fill of beverages, so your bladder is about to explode. You quickly barge into your shared bathroom, only to find that your roommate has left the toilet reeking and unflushed, with toilet paper thrown all over.
How would you feel then? Would you be able to simply go? Of course not! No one in their right mind would see anything wrong with this setting youd at least hesitate for a moment regardless of how urgently you need to pee. Its pretty much the same for cats who are forced to share a single litter box.
Just like us in such a scenario, cats wont only pause to think about using the bathroom, but theyll also go as far as not using the litter box and just look for an alternative spot. In other words, in a multi-cat household, you should give each of your feline pets their own litter box.
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Can I Place The Litterboxes Next To Each Other
In most cases, there should be no problem with placing two litterboxes next to each other, and you can use this configuration if it makes it easier for you. If your cat prefers a cleaner box or likes to pee in one and poop in the other, it can use its nose to determine which one it wants to use and will not mind if they are next to each other. The only time you are likely to have a problem with them so close together is if you have two male cats with a territorial dispute. When this happens, the dominant cat might claim the room as its territory and fight with other vats that try to enter, but this scenario is not too common and is unlikely to be an issue in your home.
Why Cats Dont Like To Share Their Litter Box
Cats need privacy when going to relieve themselves. Even though they may have a close bond with their sibling, they still want and need that privacy.
Hey, kind of like us!
Not having that privacy can stress a cat out and may lead to them going out of their box for a place to go.
Not only do cats crave privacy when relieving themselves, but they also like a clean space. Cats are tidy creatures and prefer things to be tidy as well. Sharing a box with their sibling will cause the box to fill up pretty quickly.
They dont want to get their paws into waste that isnt theirs. If a cat owner isnt fast enough in cleaning it out, it can deter the cat from using the box!;
Another very important reason cats dont like to share their box with their littermate is that they are territorial. A cat may claim a litter box as theirs. They claim the box by using it.
Their waste and scent are their way of marking it as theirs. If one cat has already claimed the litter box, seeing their sibling use their box may cause a fight to ensue.
The fear of aggression from their sibling may cause the other siblings to not want to use the box. Its very important that cats have their own space due to their territorial nature.
If they are forced to share something as private as their box, this can lead to territorial aggression.
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Best Litter Box For Two Cats
Lets say hypothetically that youve got one cat, and youre bringing home another.
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Youre suddenly going to jump from needing one litter tray, to three!
I dont know about you, but find three quiet, uncornered spots for litter trays all out of earshot of each other would not be an easy job in my house.
Luckily, with some creative thinking, we might have just the solution you need!
Afterwards, well look at what whether cats can share a litter box in some special circumstances.
Should I Choose Clumping Or Non
Cat litter comes in either clumping or non-clumping varieties. As the name suggests, clumping litter clumps together when your cat goes to the toilet on it. This makes it easy to scoop out small parts of the litter as necessary. Non-clumping litter simply absorbs urine, which means you will need to change the whole litter tray at regular intervals. Whichever you choose, if the tray starts to smell you may need to change the type of litter you use or clean the litter tray more regularly.
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Why Your Cat Needs Two Or More Litter Boxes
There are several reasons why having two or more litter boxes is a good idea for a single cat household. In fact, experts often recommend cat owners follow a one litter box per cat, plus an extra, philosophy. Some exceptions do exist to this guideline, such as a larger home should have at least one box per floor.
But most people find the two litter box policy a more than an adequate method of dealing with their cats bathroom needs. Here are a few explanations for why this rule is worth following:
Help Ensure That Your Cat’s Litter Box Is Set Up The Best It Can Be
- Have an appropriate number of litter boxes
- More on setting up cat litter boxes to prevent peeing and pooping outside the box.
Incorporate these steps and youll and other problems for your cats, as well as frustration for you. For more information on the importance of litter boxes, please read our Inappropriate Elimination in Cats: Why It Happens And How To Prevent It article. And check out 7 ways to reduce litter box smells .
Please help us gain more insight into the litter box and feeding habits of cats everywhere by completing and sharing our short feline care survey. Thank you!
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Your Cats Litter Box: 8 Mistakes To Avoid
The cats relationship with the litter box is more complex than many cat parents realize. We typically assume the litter box to be a place where a cat simply eliminates. Its the place we want kittys pee and poo to be exclusively deposited and as long as kitty follows the plan, everyone is happy. For the cat though, the relationship to the litter box is more complicated than just an elimination spot. Its important to look at your cats litter box set-up from his perspective to make sure it meets his needs and not just our convenience. The needs of a young kitten may be different from the needs of an adult. The needs of an overweight or senior cat may be different from those of an active young cat. If you live with more than one cat, the litter box needs will be different than when there was just one kitty. You have to make sure the set-up works for YOUR cat.
When it comes to the litter box, there are certainly more than just 8 mistakes that cat parents can make but here are the ones I tend to see most often during my consultations.
Can Two Cats Share A Litter Box
We know that cats can be picky about where they go to the toilet.
And sadly, going to the toilet in the wrong place is most likely reason for a cat to be left at an animal shelter.
Being forced to share a litter box can be the reason a cat starts to use other places as their bathroom.
We know that cats prefer a clean litter box.
When a litter box is heavily used by more than one cat, it can quickly become too unappealing to bear for some pets.
The RSPCA and the Humane Society of the United States both recommend having one litter box for each cat, and one spare.
Lets take an example
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How Can Cats Share A Litter Box Happily
According to a recent 2017 study from researchers in Missouri, one of those rules is more important than the rest.
They found that the problem most likely to put cats off a litter box, was the physical presence of obstructions.
So, a box with odorless spills and faux-fecal logs was actually less appealing than a box which had been sprayed with the scent of urine and poo, but didnt really contain anything.
This suggests that scooping out your cats litter box regularly is the most important thing you can do to make it acceptable to them.