Basic Litter Box CareTo avoid this, some attention must be paid to the litter box. Solids should be removed daily and the whole thing cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis. Also, the litter will spill out no matter how clean your cat may be, and need to be swept up and cleared away. There are mats designed to trap the escaping litter, and the most novel and effective is The Paw PathLitter Mat . There are boxes of all sizes - many with privacy screens - available. There are so many types of cat litter on the market, that it can be hard to decide which one to use. What arrangement is the right one for your cat? Pick a litter box with good vertical sides that your cat can easily enter and exit. If your cat likes to really dig in the litter, use a deeper box and add at least 3" of litter to the box. The cat sould be able to comfortably turn around in the box and not have to position it's rear end over a small area. The type of litter presents opportunities for experimentation. Try several different types until you find the litter your cat prefers. Don't mix litter types. Some cat litters have chemicals added for odor control that can cause unpleasant reactions when mixed with other litters. Most of all, keep the area around the box and the litter clean. Your cat is very fastidious and may refuse to use a litterbox that is soiled. Ammonia builds up rapidly, and may deter your cat from using the litterbox. If this occurs, try one of the clumping litters for urine odor control. Remove all the clumps daily. There are scoops available to remove solids from the litterbox. They come in plastic and metal models. Find the type you like and use it. They all seem to only last about 6 months when used daily, but even so, I couldn't do without one. Thoroughly clean the litter box at least monthly if you use a clumping litter. Most other types of litter require weekly cleaning. Toss all the litter into the trash and wash out the litter box. I use plastic trash bags for this purpose, and tie them securely to trap the odors. Wash the litterbox with warm water and a mild soap. Rinse thoroughly, and use MicrobeClean Odor Eliminator to rinse out the box when you finish cleaning it. You should wash the inside, outside and rim carefully. Remove all waste that sticks by scrubbing softly. Try not to scratch the plastic, as this provides a foothold for bacteria. Replace the box if it is scratched or there is an odor after washing. Dry thoroughly after washing before adding litter. Your cat will watch your care of its litter box with full attention. Many cats look upon this activity as an example of the love and care you have for your cat, and your cat is interested. Don't be concerned that your cat will need to use the litter box during the cleaning. Unless your cat has an underlying medical condition, there should be no problem during the brief period the box is unavailable. Each male cat in your home should have their own litter box. They may share, but it is always better to have enough boxes for each male cat. If a cat is new to the home or territorial in behavior, this is even more important. If your new cat is not using the new box but the other cats are, try a clean setup and put some of the urine smell from the new cat on the rim of the box. This will mark the box as belonging to that cat and deter your other cats from using it. Be sure to treat the areas the cat has soiled outside the box with a probiotic odor control treatment so that it won't be tempted to continue to soil where it has in the past. Follow the directions on the container faithfully for the best results. If your cat refuses to use the box and the box is clean, it may have a developing problem in the urinary tract or be disturbed by the type of litter you are using. Take the cat to the veterinarian, test the urine for pH and bring a sample with you. This can help your veterinarian diagnose the problem. If everything checks out OK, try another litter type. For further assistance with this issue, contact the Cat Whisperer for help. There are definite training techniques for a cat with troubles in this department!
Cat Care Advice for Cats Who Don't Use the Litterbox Why Cats Sleep in the Litterbox Urine Odor Control Process Litter Box Problems - FLUTD
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