Why Am I Finding Urine On Vertical Surfaces
Urine left on vertical surfaces is called marking. Marking is not urination, per say, but the spraying of pheromones, a behavior which they accomplish by raising the tail and backing up to a wall, bookcase, sofa or other location. Most cats who mark do so out of anxiety or because they are experiencing conflict with another animal. Any cat can mark but it most commonly occurs in intact males.
The Sides How Tall Should You Go
The main things to consider on the height of the edges of the litter box is the age and size of the cat.
If you have a kitten, a high-sided litter box is a problem. He wont be able to get in without difficulty, which may easily detract from him using the litter box faithfully.
If you have an older cat, you also need lower sides to accommodate the slowing down and potential joint issues of kitty.
For young, fully grown to middle-aged cats, you may wish for the higher sides if kitty tends to be messy in the litter box. Otherwise, the height may not necessarily matter.
Why Is My Cat Peeing Outside The Litter Box
There are a variety of reasons why a cat may urinate outside of their litter box. Inappropriate elimination can occur when a cat dislikes the size or design of their litter box or the style of litter in the pan and has found another locationâa pile of laundry, a potted plant, a fluffy rugâthat better satisfies their desire to scratch and dig. Inappropriate elimination can also be a sign that a cat dislikes the location of their litter box. A box placed next to a washing machine or too close to the dog’s bed, for example, may cause anxiety that induces them to look for an alternative place to urinate. Lastly, a cat who suddenly begins to urinate outside of their litter box may be attempting to communicate a health issue such as an oncoming FLUTD.
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Natures Miracle Just For Cats Advanced High Sided Cat Litter Box Review
22.8 x 17.8 x 11 inches
This litter box emphasizes depth, but its also more spacious than many other products on the market, making it a good choice for large cats. The 11 sides are balanced by a lowered front that allows all cats to enter with ease.
Handles are built in on both sides of the litter box, making it easy for you to lift and transport.
Its made from non-stick plastic, discouraging sticky litter buildup. The antimicrobial coating helps to stop bacteria growth.
Pros
21.25 x 17.75 x 9 inches
This litter box is available in two sizes large and giant.
The giant size might be adequate for your large cat. In contrast to the deeply lowered entrances of most of the other products on this list, the Van Ness litter boxs entry area is only slightly lower than the other sides.
This makes it an ideal choice for cats who tend to miss the top of the box or scatter litter over the edge. According to Van Ness, the litter box has a polished finish thats odor and stain resistant.
The litter box is made in the United States from 20% recycled content.
Pros
- Might not be large enough for the biggest cats
Best Extra Large Litter Boxes For Big Cats
When looking for an extra large litter box for my cat, there were a few factors I took into consideration when trialing them out.
- Large Size: An obvious one, but if the litter box wasnt big, it simply didnt make the cut. I wanted a spacious litter box so that my cat could do her business in comfort.
- Minimizing Odors: As with all litter boxes, I want one that will reduce as many odors as possible so that my house is left smelling nice.
- Reducing Mess: My cat absolutely loves to kick litter out of her tray when shes going to the bathroom. Does she do it just to annoy me? Probably! But I wanted a tray that helped keep mess to a minimum.
- Ease of Cleaning: Nobody enjoys cleaning out a litter tray, so why add any unnecessary hassle? I wanted a tray that was easy to clean so that this chore was as stress-free as possible.
- Aesthetics: Lastly, a litter box that was pleasing on the eye was important to me.
So without any further ado, here are the top large litter boxes designed especially for bigger breeds, multi-cat households, or fussy felines who will only do their business if they have loads of space.
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What Are The 12 Best Extra Large Litter Boxes
Whether theyre a plus-size breed or obese, large cats need to be comfortable when doing their business. Investing in an extra large litter box is the way to go, as it provides your kitty with enough space to be comfortable.
Having the right amount of space is important so the cat has full evacuations, and isnt cramped when using the box.
As youll learn in this article, theres plenty of litter boxes designed specifically for large cats, and well tell you everything you need to know about each style so you can make an informed purchase.
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Petmate Clean Step Litter Dome
My favorite extra large litter box is the Petmate Clean Step Litter Dome. Not only is this litter box 50% bigger than usual litter pans, making it ideal for larger breeds, but it also has a ramp so is great for older cats that need a bigger place to go.
It comes in several colors, helps minimize odors, and easily fits my Maine Coon mix in comfortably.
Just in case this isnt the litter box for you, keep reading for all my other top oversized litter boxes for cats. There is bound to be one that you and your pet will love!
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Petphabet Covered Litter Box Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Box Extra Large
Petphabet Cat Litter Box best for Multiple Cat Households. This litter box is suitable for the average size cat. This cat litter box has a proportion poop Fest in a jumbo litter box. It has a detachable and transparent top cover that helps to see so well what you are lifting.
Transparency of litter boxes saves lots of time especially and reduces the amount of litter residue. The Head of this jumbo litter box is broader than its bottom which helps to lessen the spill over. The front is high enough that it helps to contain the litter within the litter box.
Cats feel free in this jumbo litter box or like they could be aimlessly trapped with a litter box for cats. It has a wider bottom thats why cats can move freely, and it is easy for the user to remove the litter and to clean too. It has the colour slip that fits over the opening. It has such a big opening so the more litter may out.
This litter box has a wide opening that helps the cats for effortless entry and exit. The dimension of this litter box is 24.8L x 20W x 16.5H and door opening size is 8.2 X 7.8 inches. Cat litter box litter is made up of reliable non-stick and antimicrobial plastic also covered the top of the litter box for trouble less cleaning.
PetphabetCat Litter Box
- Has no filterand door may cause the odour of fresh poop
- No handle onthe lid for easy moving
- Have a Wideopening so that the litter may out of the box.
The Hooded Options Good Or Bad Choice
Hooded litter boxes have upsides and downsides to them, which youll have to weigh and balance for yourself on the priorities.
Positives:
- Hooded litter boxes can usually help control odors better than open-air litter boxes.
- They can help reduce dust clouds in the home.
- Enclosed boxes can help reduce litter tracking.
Negatives:
- Hooded litter boxes rarely have the ventilation or filtration necessary for protecting kitty against harmful lung conditions brought on by the inhalation of spores from feces/urine and litter dust.
- Some cats will refuse to use a hooded litter box for any number of reasons After all, theyre cats.
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Jumbo Cat Litter Box Similar To Our Overall Winner
This litter box is similar to the overall winner, but differs in 3 areas.
- First, the configuration is different, there are no side areas to hold the scoop, bags, and wipes. This makes this model about 9 inches less in length.
- Second, this giant box is approximately 1.5 inches less in width. The height are the same.
- Third, the plastic is not Microban coated, to prevent odors and bacteria.
Flaws But Not Dealbreakers
For every feature we like about this box, theres almost guaranteed to be a reviewer on Amazon or Chewy with a cat who feels the opposite. We think the boxs entry is low enough to allow easy access for most cats but still prevent them from peeing out the front. Yet some reviewers thought it was too low, saying their cats tracked litter or managed to pee out the front some others, conversely, said their cats had a hard time getting in and out because the entry was too high. Most of the Natures Miracle boxs features are a great compromise between the needs of cats and people, though, so we still think its the best option overall.
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The Best Hooded Litter Box For Large Cats
- Size: 24.8 x 20 x 16.5 inches
Many humans and their cats are at odds when it comes to hooded litter boxes. You might like that the enclosed design contains litter, but your large cat might not fit comfortably in an enclosed box. Well, this litter box is jumbo-sized, with a large hood to match, to make both you both happy. Constructed from a sturdy plastic with a smooth finish, the box can hold two average-sized cats at once â or one sizable cat â and is big enough to fit your feline without them feeling like the walls are closing in.
Positive Amazon review: âI have a rather large cat, and this works perfect for him. Heâs a little overweight but heâs also bigger than your average cat. I have been through so many litter boxes because they’ve been too small and his butt hangs out. This one is perfect. Super easy to clean and a cute color.â
How To Pick A Large Self Cleaning Litter Box
Cleaning litter boxes can be a real hassle if youre busy with other things in your life and if you have grown up large cat you want to get them a box thats big enough for them to comfortably do what they need to so choosing the right large self-cleaning litter box can be a challenge on its own if you dont know what youre looking for.
Access Hole/Ramp If youre getting a litter box that has only one access hole or door make sure you do your research To find out about the dimensions of the hole because some cats might not fit through the hole even though it is built for cats of all sizes.
No Direct Contact With Litter Every once in a while, you will have to clean the litter and the litter box. Just because the box is self-cleaning doesnt mean that it still doesnt require your hand to assist with cleaning after some time so if you want to make that painless as possible look for disposable litter trays or sifting litter boxes because this will help with cleaning when its time for it
Added Expenses Most additional expenses come with buying an automatic litter box and they mostly have something to do with odor control. That usually includes a carbon filter for ventilation and disposable litter containers. You do get some with the box but if you want for your only additional expense to be smallet consider buying a different type of box or use an air purifier for cat litter.
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Petmate Giant Litter Tray
Another option for your large cat is the Petmate Giant Litter Tray. With an open-top design, this is a great choice for any cat that doesnt like enclosed spaces. However, measuring 10-inches high at its tallest point, this litter tray still does a good job at containing mess.
I also rate that the front of the litter box is slightly lower than the back. This makes it easier for small kittens or senior cats to comfortably climb in and out of. Yet, by not having an extremely low entry point, it is again much better at keeping litter inside the tray than other litter boxes designed for kittens and elderly cats.
The downside of this design is that with no sort of cover or lid, any smells from your litter box will escape into your home. However, this is nothing that regular cleaning cant solve. Many owners actually find that having the litter and waste on show makes them more inclined to clean the litter box, so this could even be seen as a benefit!
Pet clean-up is also easy when using this tray. The open design means you can easily perform daily scooping with minimal effort. The reinforced and durable plastic also makes it easy to lift and move the tray, further aided with the rimmed sides for better grip.
Most importantly though, this litter tray is large! It measures 22.5 inches by 18.3 inches, which should provide the majority of big breeds with enough space to do their business in comfort.
Pros
Cons
Iris Filtered Lid Top Entry Cat Litter Box
I love top entry litter boxes. Here are my reasons why. One of the highest factor up on my list for preferring them, I dont need to buy a cat litter mat to catch all the stray litter , since top entry litter boxes essentially have built-in litter mats on top.
If I could get a hold of this IRIS filtered lid top entry litter box here in Portugal, I would, but right now I dont think its available on this continent at all.
A darn shame as it looks so good and is, in my opinion, probably the best top entry litter box currently on the market.
Only around 15 inches wide too, so Im pretty sure it would fit with plenty of room to spare in most of the spots I had in mind to keep a litter box.
IRIS, if youre reading this, pleasepleaseplease come to Europe!
Like the concept, but not this particular box? Alternative top entry litter boxes you may prefer:
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The Best Budget Litter Box For Large Cats
- Size: 25.6 x 18.3 x 10 inches
Looking for a litter box on budget? This open litter box boasts a large size at a reasonable price. Itâs slightly smaller than the first option on the list, but itâs still sizable enough for many large cats in need of extra room to do their business. Plus, the manufacturer specifies that the plastic litter box can hold up to 30 pounds of litter â a testament to its strength. The litter box features a wide base replete with high sides to keep litter from escaping onto your floor, as well as a smooth interior to make scooping waste quick and easy. It isnât designed with a cut-out entryway, but itâs slightly sloped towards one end for easier access.
Positive Amazon review: âI have a big cat. He needs a big box. This fits the bill.â
How Big Does Your Litter Box Need To Be
Truth be told, you dont need a large litter box. As long as your cat has enough space to completely enter and turn around when inside, its large enough to get the job done.
The more significant concern for high-spraying cats is the height of the box. We recommend at least an extra 3 to 4 inches from the top of your cat to the top of the box if you have a high-spraying cat. But keep in mind that this measurement is after you add the 3 to 4 inches of litter.
Because of this, many high-walled litter boxes wont cut it for larger high-spraying cats.
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How Many Litter Boxes You Should Have
Even in a one-cat household, it shouldnt be one and done when getting litter boxes.
Everybody likes to have options, and for many reasons its a good idea to give them to your cat too when it comes to where they pee and poo.
The general rule is to have one more litter box than the number of cats you have its called the n+1 rule. For example, 2 cats=3 litter boxes, and so on.
Having too few litter boxes is a common cause for many of the toileting problems that result in cats being brought to the vet or relinquished to the shelter.
Best Litter Box Overall
The versatile Nature’s Miracle Oval Hooded Litter Box is spacious, affordable, and easy to modify for sensitive cats.
Pros: Can be used uncovered, covered, or partially covered simple design spacious pan no swinging door snaps and handle on cover make it easy to remove and attach charcoal filter odor absorber affordable
Cons: Basic design might not be appealing to some people
Often what a cat desires in a litter box is not the same thing that appeals to our human interests. I saw this firsthand as my two cats tested the litter boxes for this guide. After speaking to Dr. Wailani Sung, a veterinary behaviorist at the San Francisco SPCA Veterinary Hospital, and cat behavior consultant Daniel “DQ” Quagliozz, what I’ve learned above all is that cats need choices in order to feel secure.
I selected Nature’s Miracle Hooded Flip-Top Litter Box precisely because it allows me to give my cats different options to best meet their toileting needs. The first option with this box is to use the base alone without adding the cover. With high, rounded sides, the 25.25-by-18.75-inch pan is spacious and sturdy.
The second option is to add the cover. It snaps into the base in four places and has a handle and a charcoal filter for absorbing odors. Unlike some covered litter boxes, there is no plastic door a cat will need to push through that may also swing disconcertingly once the cat is inside the box.
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