Mary Allen
Cats are wonderful animals. They have their very own character, cuddle, play and do our souls good. But they also have a mind of their own, which you notice again and again in different situations. In order for the cat to feel comfortable in its home, several factors are necessary. For example, high-quality food, a cat buddy, and sufficient employment opportunities for the animals.
Another very important factor is the litter box, both for outdoor cats and for indoor cats. However, if you want to buy a litter box, you will quickly realize that this is not an easy task to solve.
No wonder, because the demands of cats on their toilet are very different and should be considered urgently. This article is about the different types of litter boxes, the litter that is used in the litter boxes, and many other formations related to this very important topic.
Why do cats actually need a litter box?
In contrast to many other animals, which don’t give a damn about their legacies, cats are particularly clean. In plain language, this means that cats bury their feces and urine. They don’t do it for no reason, however. This makes it possible to conceal the odors and eliminate the telltale traces. So cats do this for protection and out of sheer instinct.
And it is precisely this natural instinct that is why cats in your home also need this opportunity to be kept healthy and in a species-appropriate manner.
Because there, too, feces and urine are buried. While there are purely indoor cats, which of course need a toilet, outdoor cats keep coming home to rest, eat or cuddle with their owners. And even then, of course, a litter box is needed. However, it should be noted that cats have very different demands on their toilet. In plain language, this means that, for example, some house tigers would like to have a separate toilet for urine and another toilet for big business.
Good to know: When keeping cats in a species-appropriate manner, there should always be several animals in the household. The rule of thumb is that there should always be one more litter box in the household than there are cats in the household. So there are no discrepancies between the animals if one has been occupied or has just been used.
What are the differences in litter boxes?
As already mentioned, there are many differences in litter boxes that you as the owner have to be aware of. If you want to buy a litter box, you should think about what the cat likes. If the animal is not satisfied, it can quickly happen that the litter box is not accepted and the cat looks for another place for its legacies. But what exactly are the differences between the individual litter boxes?
The size
There are many different sizes and shapes of litter boxes. This is mainly due to the fact that the animals are different in size. When making your choice, it is important to ensure that the cat can stretch out fully and turn around without any problems. So the animal must fit completely into the toilet and still have space.
If this is not the case, it can quickly happen that you make a mistake and there is also a lot of litter when burying the remains. For particularly large pedigree cats, such as the Norwegian Forest Cat or the Maine Coon, there are special XXL litter boxes. These are specially built so that the cats have no problems and can rely on the comfort. When it comes to the size of the litter box, you should choose a litter box right from the start that will fit the cat’s final size. So if you have bought a pedigree cat that is getting a bit bigger, please use the large litter box.
Hooded litter boxes
Numerous litter boxes are offered with so-called cover hoods. This means that these are litter boxes that have an entrance and are otherwise completely covered. Many cats like these variations because they can completely withdraw to their natural businesses without being observed. Furthermore, the litter does not fly out too easily, as is the case with the open litter boxes. However, these litter boxes are also much more prone to odors. In plain language, this means that you collect the odors under the covers and cannot escape properly. Of course, this feature is anything but nice for cats, so some animals avoid these litter boxes and don’t want to go to waste after the first few uses. In this case, it can quickly happen that the animals visit the sofa, the bed, or other places.
Freestanding litter boxes
Most cats prefer a very typical and freestanding litter box. Since these do not have a hood, the air circulation is much better, so that the odor development is less concentrated. You should also choose a model whose side edges are slightly higher. You should make sure that your cats can easily climb over the edge. However, this can quickly become a problem even with older cats. In addition, the edge should curve inwards so that the cats do not carry too much litter outside when digging or when getting out of the toilet. Again, of course, it should be noted that the toilet must be big enough.
The cat litter
Of course, a litter box must also be filled with a sufficient amount of cat litter. This is the only way that the cats can bury their legacies in a species-appropriate manner. The bedding itself should be several centimeters high.
But even with cat litter there are many different criteria that should be considered when buying. Here, too, the cats have very different preferences, which you as the owner should first test.
There is a product that clumps as well as cat litter that does not clump. And the material from which the litter is made also varies greatly from product to product.
For example, some cat owners use wood pellets and others use sand. But the very typical cat litter is also very popular with most animals. Some variants can even incorporate smells.
Clean the litter box
Of course, the litter box needs to be cleaned regularly. As soon as this stinks, some cats no longer like to eat it, which can quickly become a problem. Because house cats also avoid dirty toilets and in such a situation, in the worst case scenario, they would go to another place to relieve themselves where it doesn’t smell or where it’s nice and clean. For this reason, it is important to carry out a thorough cleaning.
Special cleaning shovels are offered for this purpose, with which the litter box should now be completely searched. With the clumping litter, clumps of urine and faeces remain on the scoop, while the clean cat litter gets back into the toilet from the sieve holes.
This has the advantage that the litter lasts much longer and only very rarely has to be completely replaced, which is also an advantage in terms of costs in the long term.
However, how often the litter box should be cleaned depends on how often it is used. However, it should be completely cleaned at least once a day by removing urine and feces. In addition, of course, the cat litter must also be changed regularly, whereby the frequency of replacement depends on the litter itself.
As previously mentioned, clumping litter does not need to be changed as often. In the case of purely indoor cats, it is even advisable for the toilet to be cleaned several times a day. As soon as you notice that the cat has visited the toilet, you can then remove the urine and faeces, because this is how the animals feel most comfortable and the development of odors is also limited.
The litter itself should be completely replaced once a week. You should also use this opportunity to clean the toilet pan as well, because residues quickly accumulate here too. To do this, the tub should be washed out with hot water and scrubbed. If necessary, a mild neutral detergent can also be used.
However, please do not use harsh cleaning agents. Its smell could settle on the tub and can unsettle or confuse the animals. This fact can sometimes lead to the cats no longer accepting the litter box and looking for another place. Incidentally, experts advise replacing the tub itself every six to eight months, as urine scale also settles here.
Where should the litter box be placed?
Not only the litter box itself, but also the location for this important cat accessory should be chosen with care. Here, too, the animals’ own preferences play an important role. You can find out what the perfect place has to bring with it in the following:
Possibility of retreat: A litter box should not be in the middle of the living room. Not only does it look ugly and it may smell bad. Of course, cats do not want to be observed on your toilet aisle. The litter box should therefore always be set up away from the typical walking paths in an apartment or house so that the animals are never disturbed.
A Fixed Place: Cats are one of those animals that need and love a fixed routine. For this reason, it is important to ensure that the litter box is in a fixed location. Once it has been set up, the location should not be changed. Changing locations could confuse the animal in the long run.
So what if your cat suddenly couldn’t find the litter box when it urgently needed to relieve itself? Some cats just go where the litter box used to be. It is often impossible to completely get the smell out of carpets and the like.
The visual barrier: A visual barrier is very important for cats because they are very reluctant to be observed on the litter box. It is therefore advisable not to place the litter box directly by the window or in front of the patio door, but to choose a place that is nicely protected.
Safety: Safety plays an important role in a cat’s life, even when it comes to litter boxes. In plain language, this means that the best place for the toilet is to be found in a corner of the room. Where the toilet is surrounded by as many walls as possible, the animal can relieve itself most easily in the future, as cats feel particularly safe and comfortable here.
Separate comfort zones: It is important that you separate your cats’ comfort zones from each other. This means that the toilet should not be right next to their favorite permanent sleeping spot or feeding station.
Accessibility: The litter box should always be easy to reach at all times. This means that you have to make sure that the litter box is always easily accessible for your animals and that no closed door can prevent them from going to the toilet. So you should know that sometimes things have to be done quickly, even with cats.
Conclusion
When looking for a suitable litter box, not only is the selection huge. There are also a few things to consider, with the cats’ preferences being particularly important. This also relates to the litter that is used. Furthermore, it is not only important to find the right place for the cat’s litter box, but also to keep it hygienically clean at all times. Only when all the criteria really fit and the cat feels comfortable will the litter box be accepted and used as such.