Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
Even when your cat has entry to outside area, you continue to want to offer them with a litter field in its place choice. A litter field may also help scale back the chance of accidents round the home, in addition to scale back the chance of stress and bladder or bowel issues. However organising a litter field in your house comes with just a few guidelines and suggestions to make sure that it’s good to your cat.
Key Takeaways
The proper location helps cats really feel secure and in a position to see what’s round them once they use the litter field.
Guarantee you will have sufficient litter bins for the variety of cats in your own home—a minimum of one per cat, plus another.
Retaining your cat’s litter field very clear and can encourage your cat to make use of it.
Cats go to the bathroom a median of three to 5 instances every day, they usually have a pure intuition to dig and bury their waste. Usually, cats select to remove in a secure and secluded spot someplace on the sting of their territory.
More often than not, cats select to go exterior if they’ve entry to it, but when the climate is dangerous, it’s nighttime, or they merely don’t need to go exterior, they may select to make use of an indoor litter field. To make sure your cat truly makes use of the field, you’ll have to get it arrange accurately.
Do I Want a Litter Tray if My Cat Goes Outside?
Even cats that spend time outside want their very own litter field indoors. supply: Shutterstock
A lot of cat house owners assume that if their cat has free entry to outside area, they don’t want to offer a litter field. However this isn’t the case, as there may be a number of causes your cat may need to go to the bathroom inside.
Cats is perhaps having issues with a neighboring cat on their territory, or it is perhaps raining, chilly, or darkish exterior. All the time give your cat the selection. Offering a litter field provides them the choice to go indoors in a secure place in the event that they don’t need to or can’t get outside.
Additionally Learn: Ought to I Let My Cat Outdoors?
Selecting a Litter Field
Litter bins are available in many various sizes and kinds, and cats have particular person likes and dislikes. Liz Coleman / Cats.com
Cats are very picky in terms of litter bins, and most different issues, too. You’ll want to decide on the fitting kind of field to your cat, however with an entire vary in the marketplace, which one is finest?
Additionally Learn: The 11 Greatest Cat Litter Containers in 2024 – We Tried Them All
What Sort of Litter Tray Ought to I Get?
Each cat is completely different, they usually all have their preferences. However most cats favor a litter field that’s simple to get out and in of, giant sufficient to show round simply, and supplies some feeling of security or privateness. Aged cats and kittens may want a field with decrease sides to allow them to get out and in simply.
Some litter trays have a canopy or lid; others are open. Usually, cats truly like to have the ability to see what’s occurring round them once they go to the bathroom. It is determined by what number of cats you will have and the place you set the litter field.
Most cats adapt to utilizing a coated litter field, however others really feel too trapped. An uncovered litter field is perhaps extra appropriate you probably have multiple cat—that manner your cat will have the ability to see if one other cat is approaching or if the field is already occupied.
Computerized and self-cleaning litter bins are rising in recognition as a result of they’re cleaner, extra hygienic, and save us from having to wash them as regularly. However the motors can truly be fairly noisy, and if it disturbs your cat whereas they’re going to the bathroom, it might put them off utilizing the field subsequent time.
Relating to choosing the proper dimension litter field—we suggest that it’s one and a half instances the size of your cat from nostril to tail. Cats want area to show and dig with out restriction. Kittens can have smaller litter bins however bear in mind they may develop out of smaller bins rapidly.
Additionally Learn: The 7 Greatest Litter Containers for Giant Cats
What Sort of Litter Ought to I Use?
Typically, most cats favor a tender, fine-textured and unscented clumping litter. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
It would appear to be there’s an awesome quantity of alternative in terms of litter bins and litter, however it all comes again to cats being choosy and their particular person preferences. You’ll quickly get to know what your cat does and doesn’t like, as a result of in the event that they don’t just like the litter or the field itself, they merely gained’t use it. Cats develop their preferences as younger kittens, so maintain a psychological notice of which litter they preferred finest.
Litter may be product of something from paper to wooden, plastic, silica, soda, and even recycled supplies. Most cats favor one thing that resembles sand, they usually undoubtedly favor unscented as many cats discover sturdy scents offensive to their delicate noses.
Clumping litter makes it a lot simpler for us to wash out, because the litter clumps collectively as soon as moist with urine. This implies you don’t want to alter the entire field as typically.
Additionally Learn: 12 Greatest Cat Litters of 2024
The place Ought to I Put My Cat’s Litter Field?
When you’ve chosen a litter field and litter, you’ll have to get it arrange appropriately. All of it comes right down to location, location, location.
It’s finest to unfold litter bins out in several rooms, inserting a minimum of one litter field on every flooring of your property.
Putting litter bins in the fitting place is essential as they should be in areas the place your cat feels secure. Usually, discreet corners or adjoining to the wall is a good suggestion—your cat ought to have a 180-degree view of the encompassing space however nonetheless have some safety.
Don’t put your cat’s litter field anyplace close to the place they eat or sleep and ensure it’s at all times accessible. Don’t put the field in a rest room or laundry room with a door that will get closed typically. Additionally keep away from inserting the field in high-traffic areas like hallways the place cats can simply be disturbed. Take into account the area that most closely fits these standards inside your property.
How Many Litter Containers Do I Want?
Present a minimum of another litter field than the variety of cats in your house.
The variety of litter bins you will have in your house is determined by what number of cats you will have, and that is extraordinarily vital. As a rule, we suggest having one litter field per cat plus one extra litter field.
So you probably have two cats, you’ll want three litter bins. It would sound extreme, however cats prefer to go to the bathroom in their very own non-public areas, and never having sufficient bins can result in some critical issues in multi-cat households.
Not sufficient litter bins trigger cats to really feel burdened and might set off episodes of feline decrease urinary tract illness, urinary tract an infection, and behavioral issues, together with inappropriate elimination.
Additionally Learn: How Do Cats Know To Use A Litter Field?
Sustaining Your Cat’s Litter Field
Getting the fitting setup and choosing the proper litter field is step one to making sure your cat makes use of it and likes utilizing it. However sustaining good litter field habits is what is going to guarantee your cat returns to the litter field.
Additionally Learn: How Typically Ought to You Change Cat Litter?
How Typically Do You Actually Want To Clear Your Cat’s Litter Field?
Scooping each urine and stool out of your cat’s litter field a minimum of as soon as each day actually can’t be overstated. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
Litter bins should be cleaned usually. Cats are meticulously clear creatures, and they’re going to refuse to make use of a grimy litter field and select as a substitute to go to the bathroom elsewhere in the home. Take away feces and clumped moist litter as quickly as you recognize it’s there. Retaining a scoop close by makes this simpler.
Ideally, you need to clear out the entire field each day. Empty it and clear it with heat water and a pet-safe disinfectant, then dry and refill with recent litter. In case your cat doesn’t use it very regularly, you may get away with much less cleansing. Litter field liners may also help make the cleansing course of simpler.
Additionally Learn: How To Clear Your Cat’s Litter Field
How A lot Cat Litter Ought to You Use?
Fill the litter field with 1 to 2 inches of litter so your cat has sufficient to dig and bury.
Be sure to fill your cat’s litter field with the correct quantity of litter to permit them to dig and bury their waste. We suggest a depth of 1 to 2 inches of litter, however some cats may favor kind of than that.
It’s vital to set issues up proper from the beginning. Get to know your cat’s preferences, and also you may have to strive a few completely different litters or areas earlier than you get it proper. In the event you observe our easy information, together with choosing the proper field and site, you’ll be prepared for achievement!
Additionally Learn: Why Do Cats Bury Toys In The Litter Field?
Steadily Requested Questions
What’s the easiest way to arrange a litter field?
Select a litter field that’s the proper dimension to your cat and select a litter you recognize they like. Ensure the litter field is in a quiet and accessible a part of the home, both in a nook or towards a wall the place they will see a lot of the room.
How do you appeal to a cat to a litter field?
Litter field placement is most vital. To make it extra enticing to them, it ought to be in a secure and quiet place, comprise sufficient of the litter they like, and at all times be clear.
