Proof The Bible Is True

1.Cleanliness Is Key — Cats are often observed using their litterboxes immediately after they’ve been scooped, “confirming that litter cleanliness plays a critical role in elimination behavior,” researchers wrote in the journal Animals.³

Ideally, scoop the litterbox at least twice a day and do a deep cleaning, including changing out all of the used the litter for fresh litter, about once a week. The box should be cleaned with hot water and fragrance-free natural soap. Avoid fragranced products and replace plastic litterboxes every year or two.

2.Have Enough Litterboxes — Even if you have only one cat, you should have two litterboxes around your home, so your cat always has easy access to one. The general rule is that you should have one litterbox for each cat in your home, plus one extra.

So if you have three cats, you should place four litterboxes around your home, so your kitties always have an available box when they need it. One important point — don’t place the boxes next to each other, as this is akin to one large box to your cat. To give your cat the benefits of multiple boxes, you’ll need to place them in separate areas of your home.

3.Choose a Peaceful Location — Many pet owners place litterboxes in the laundry room or basement, but this can be problematic for cats. The loud noises from your washer and dryer could be startling to your cat, and if your kitty is older, it may not want to go up and down stairs to reach a litterbox.

Because distress in cats often leads to them eliminating outside of their litterbox,⁴ it’s important that their litterboxes are located in an area of your home that’s calm, secure and frequented by your cat.

4.Try a Large, Covered Box — Two four-week studies involving 13 and 12 cats, respectively, experimented with different types of litterboxes — covered or uncovered — in single-cat households.⁵ The cats tended to prefer the covered litterboxes, and this became even more significant when the covered litterboxes had a larger surface area than the uncovered boxes.

You will, however, have to experiment to determine which type of litterbox your cat likes best, including different types of litter. Regardless of what type of all natural, dustless litter material you decide on, make sure it’s made from 100% natural material. Never use scented litter, or any of the dozens of litters on the market with chemical additives, including “odor absorbing crystals” that can cause respiratory problems and contact dermatitis.

If your cat jumps in the box and quickly gets out, eliminates while perched on the edge of the box or will only put two paws in, there’s a good chance they don’t like something about the set up. This is particularly true if they’re also eliminating next to, but not in, the box.

It’s up to you to discover what your cat disapproves of. It could be related to the litter itself — granule size, depth of litter or type — or due to the litterbox being too small or another factor, such as lined or unlined or a self-cleaning box, for instance.

5.Think Like a Cat — Think about your cat’s ancestors — ancient, desert-dwelling felines — when it comes to setting up their litterbox. In the desert, cats would eliminate outdoors where they could move freely and dig. Dr. Fiia Jokela, owner of Chicagoland Veterinary Behavior Consultants, told Discover magazine that owners should “think like a cat” as they choose the best litterbox variety and location for their pets.⁶

This includes choosing unscented litter. “All that perfumy stuff is sometimes kind of annoying,” Dr. Jokela said.⁷ You can discover your kitty’s litter preference by buying the smallest amount available of several kinds of litter, and several inexpensive litterboxes.

Place the boxes with different litters side by side and see which box gets used most often. Once you know the type of litter your cat prefers, be sure it’s deep enough in the box, but not too deep (4 inches is recommended).

If your cat hops in the litterbox no problem and rarely eliminates outside of it, you’ve succeeded in creating a litterbox environment that’s suitable for your kitty. If, however, your cat frequently eliminates outside of the box, it’s time to make some changes to the cleanliness, type and location of your litterboxes, gradually, and see how your cat adjusts.

A trip to the veterinarian is also in order to rule out any underlying health issues — urinary tract infections, cystitis and Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD), hyperthyroidism, kidney disease and diabetes are just some of the health problems that may underlie litterbox problems in cats.⁸