When bringing home a new feline member to your family, here are somethings to keep in mind when making sure your home is ready. Here in this blog you will find some helpful information on making sure you have the right litterbox, how to litter train if your new member is a kitten, as well as just some other information to take into consideration to make sure your feline family member is happy.
Cats are a pretty low-maintenance and clean pet. Kittens usually know how to relieve themselves and burry their waste material, making it easy for them to learn to use the litterbox. Making sure to choose and maintain the right litterbox to meet your cats needs will help prevent house accidents and will promotes them to have healthy elimination behaviors from the get go.
“Litter-training” Cats– If you have very young cat(3-4 weeks old) this is the age that they start to play, explore and start to “dig” in loose and or soft material. Once this behavior starts it can soon lead to them eliminate in these areas. When “litter-training” a cat it is not like house training a dog. The best way to start this process is to provide acceptable, accessible litter box for them. Determining what is acceptable and accessible is from your cat’s point of view, not yours. Consider the following factors when you setting up your litterbox.
Size Matters- The bigger the litterbox the better. Cats like when they have room to dig, and cover their waste, as well as turn around without touching the side of t he box. A small rule of thumb when looking at size the box should be 1 1/2 time the length of the cat from their nose to the base of their tail.
Litter Depth and Type– The amount of litter in the box can also make a difference in what your cat likes. Usually 2-3 inches of litter is usually sufficient, this amount will still allow your cat to cover up their waste without sinking into the litter to much. Longer haired cats may prefer a smaller amount or more of a smooth surface. Always keep in mind that cats are clean animals and a dirty litterbox is usually a common reason that cats start to eliminate outside of it, so just adding more litter to the box will not replace the need for regular cleaning and scooping.
Choosing the type of litter can also help keep your cat happy. Most cats like a fine-grained litter because of the softer feel. Usually clumping, dust-free, non-scented are usually a safe options as most of these are the fine-grained litter.
Avoid changing types or brands of litter once you find one, if you are always changing the litter this could lead to problems. Make sure to keep in mind that many cats are put off by scented or odor-repellant litter. So placing room spays or air fresheners near the litterbox might be objectionable. To help absorb odors, you can place a thin layer of baking soda on the bottom of the litterbox. If a litterbox is kept clean, the odor should not be an issue.
Location- The location of the litterbox in out-of-the-way spots are convenient for the owner, but is less than ideal from the cat’s perspective. Things to keep in mind when choosing the location, is that kittens may not be able to navigate long flights of stairs in time to get to the litterbox. If it is placed near a furnace or washer/dryer, when it suddenly turns on it might startled them, which then leads them to have negative thoughts around the litterbox.
When making sure you have the best area keep this in mind. Always place the litterbox in a quiet, low traffic area with an easy escape route if they need. Make sure that there is at least one box per level of the house and also make sure to keep the box away from where their food and water is located. If you did want to make it more of a compromise you could place the box in a closet, if you do make sure to have to wedged open from both sides to prevent your cat from getting trapped either inside or out. It you have your litterbox on a smooth, slick or cold surface, think about placing a rug or towel underneath it.
Types of Litter Boxes– Just like with the location, making sure to offer different types of litter boxes can help cater to each cat’s unique needs. Litterboxes come in many shapes and sizes. While larger is generally better, each cat may have a individual preferences. An open box is usually preferred over the covered ones but they do provide less privacy. A hooded box offer the privacy but they can have poor air circulation which could also deter some cats. The self cleaning box are a convenient option, but could also scare them with the noise.
How Many Boxes should I have?– A good guideline to follow is the number of cats + one. If you have multiple cats in the house it is always a good idea to make sure there is litter boxes in various location, this gives the cats option if another box is occupied. Doing this can help prevent territorial disputes, bullying or guarding of the box.
Maintenance- Always keep in mind that cats are do not like strong smelling chemicals or cleaning products, so when cleaning the box using just warm water and soap should be sufficient. Litterboxes must be kept consistently clean, make sure that the feces(stool) is scooped out of the box daily. How often you need to change the litter will depend on the number cats and the number boxes in the house. Usually twice a week is a general guideline, but depending on circumstances, the litter may need changing every other day or only once a week. If you notice an odor or the litter seem very wet, it is probably time for a change.
If your cat stops using the litter box, your first call should be to your regular veterinarian. Many medical conditions can cause changes in litterbox habits. If your veterinarian determines your cat to be healthy and this is more of a behavioral issue. If behavioral house-soiling, environmental changes are often needed, punishment is never the answer. If you have any question or concerns with your cats bathroom habits, please call your veterinarian and they will be able to help you.
Information came from veterinary partner.