How to Set up a Cat Litter Box

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Does your kitty spray and do her business outside of the box? You have been setting her litter box up all wrong! Cats are our family and like other members, they need their stuff to be perfectly placed. Yes, for instance, their litter box shouldn’t be under the car in a garage just because you won’t have to look at her poop.

There are many other things to consider while setting up a litter box. So it’s always better to focus on the correct way to set up a litter box rather than only researching and testing automatic cat litter boxes in order to solve litter problems.

How Many Litter Boxes Do You Need?

Have at least one litter box per cat, plus an extra one. That means you’ll need 2 of them if you have a cat, 11 for 10 cats, and 5 for 4 cats. Keep in mind that all the litter boxes are not in the same room placed side by side.

The ideal no. of litter boxes is no. of cats + 1 and all of them should be placed separately in different rooms at ‘socially important places’. So that your cat will have enough litter boxes to spray and poop in to mark her territories.

In a nutshell, it is important where you place them. If your cats are doing fine otherwise, never spray or poop outside the box, you have limited space in the house, and your cat litter problems are solved then there’s no need to put extra ones out there.

Place Litter Boxes at Socially Important Places

Some of you believe, your cat needs privacy to do their business. They need a box which has a hood over it or the litter box which is disguised as a cabinet in your drawing room. But that’s ridiculous because if your cat had her way, she would poop and pee in your yard in front of the door. It’s us who don’t like to see her litter box open.

People would put litter boxes where they don’t have to look at her poop often such as behind the washing machine, in the mudroom, under the car in a garage, or in the bathroom etc. I too resent it but the truth is you should do the exact opposite. Put the litter box in a drawing room or in the bedroom. Socially important places are important for ‘catification’.

Well, “Catification is the art of making changes and adjustments to your home that meet the needs of both you and your cat (aesthetically and spatially).”, according to Jackson Galaxy, aka Cat Daddy.

Moreover, if your cat is feeling insecure and marks territory in some places, place the litter box on that spot. That will help you solve litter problems.

No Deodorizers Around

Cats have aversion to  some scents and that includes the scents of deodorants. That said, you should not use any plug-in or sprinkle-on deodorizers around their poop box. I don’t believe in using scented litter because a cat always like a clean litter box and a clean one never stinks.

All you need to do is scoop litter regularly and wash the box every week. This will keep the litter box fresh and it won’t stink. Deodorizers and scents may lead to an aversion to the area and the litter box which will add to litter problems.

Provide Multiple Exits to the Litter Box While Catifying the Setup

As we discussed, catifying is the process of environmental enrichment for you and your cat without precluding your aesthetic sense. So when you catify the litter box arrangement, you might want to put the whole box in a corner or the way one of its exits/entrances facing too close to a wall making it only open from one side.

When another cat, dog, or a human comes behind them while kitty is doing her business inside, she won’t have any option left but to feel being ambushed. This situation can trigger fear, stress, and anxiety in a cat.

So make sure the covered cat litter box has multiple (most commonly 2) doors so that cat can leave the box whenever they sense danger from other pets or humans.

Try Different Litter Boxes of Litter Problems Are Not Solved

It is possible that you have tried everything but still, your kitty sprays and mark territories in the house. Some of the adopted cats might have a bad memory with their litter box in their previous parents’ home. When they are confronted by the similar litter box in your home, that might trigger fear and anxiety as a result of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

To litter train your cat, use litter boxes of different, color, shape, size, and depth. There’ll be at least one box which will be the most suitable to her.

Final Thoughts

Setting up a litter box for a cat is not difficult but there are certain points to keep in mind. Wrongly set up boxes can lead to cat litter problems which are harmful to you and your cats. Keep these points in your mind and that will be all to easily set up the litter box. However, cat litter problems won’t disappear if you do not clean it properly. If you have to share something with us, drop a comment in a comment section below.

Author Bio:

Clara Lou is Co-founder and the Head of Marketing at Petlovesbest.com. Petlovesbest is a one-stop solution for all your pet supplies shopping and pet-related queries.