what's the scoop on litter boxes?

​    Litter box drama is a commonly presented problem in veterinary offices when it comes to kitties and it doesn’t have to be.  We’re going to try to simplify litter box issues for you, right in this blog post.
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If you think about it… Cats aren’t too different from people.  I mean, the reality of the situation is that most of us don’t want to use a dirty bathroom.  We’ve all been there right? You go into a store and you can’t hold it any longer so you decide to use the dreaded public bathroom, except for when you get into the bathroom, it’s so disgusting you turn right back around and come out and decide to hold it until you get to a better situation?  Well, it’s the same for cats! Litter box hygiene is very important to maintaining a healthy home balance with kitties and humans, especially in homes where there are multiple cats. We’ve listed some general “rules” of litter box. We hope these simple rules will help simplify litter box issues in your home.  As always, if you have any questions regarding litter box hygiene or anything else pet related, please contact us!

1. Multiple cats= multiple litter boxes.  A good general rule is that there is an even litter box to kitty ratio in the house.  Most pet experts agree that even having one more litter box than total number of cats in the house is the absolute best rule of thumb.  Litter boxes should also be easily accessible to kitties. For instance, if you have a large house and one cat, two or three boxes spread throughout the house would be the ideal amount of coverage.
   
   
   
2. Scoop that poop.  Contrary to what some believe, cats are actually very clean animals.  They want to be clean and the want to go potty where the box is clean. Scooping the boxes at least daily is so important. 
   
   
   
3. What goes in the box?  Choose a litter that is low in dust and perfumes.  Some kitties will avoid using a litter box that is perfumy or dusty.  Some perfume additives and even dust can cause respiratory issues in cats.  Never use perfumes or deodorizers as these can also cause respiratory problems and litter box avoidances.  Rolled paper or rolled pine litter is an excellent alternative to these types of litter. Whichever you choose and whichever litter your kitty seems to accept, it’s a good idea to stick with the same kind to provide consistency for the cat.
   
   
   

Replace the litter.  Preferably, a smaller more shallow level (2 inches and less) of liter is used in litter boxes and dumped daily.  Having a deeper box of litter is not more appealing to cats.  They actually prefer to be able to gain some traction under their feet in the litter box.  However, if a deeper load of litter in the litter box works better in your household, the box should be dumped and new litter put in at least twice weekly.