The Rules of the House: Appropriate Litter Box Etiquette
The litter box must be kept clean. This means scooping the urine and fecal material from the box at least daily (preferably twice daily) and changing the ENTIRE box once weekly, even if you use clumping litter. It is also recommended to clean the box with a mild soap and water solution at least monthly if not weekly. Make sure to rinse the litter box well as smells of disinfectants and cleaners can deter some cats from the litter box.
Use a litter box that is at least one and a half times the length of the cat from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail. Your cat needs room to “move around” in the box.
Avoid covered litter boxes if possible. If a cover must be used and there are multiple pets in the household, cut a second entrance in the cover.
Avoid having the litter box in a noisy, drafty, high traffic, or other undesirable locations. This includes near washer/dryer, heating/AC units and other appliances that may “suddenly” turn on and off.
Provide at least dim light during the night.
If the cat is very young, old, obese, or disabled, cut a low entrance into the litter box.
If the cat does not dig in the litter and cover its excrement, simultaneously offer two or more kinds of litter in separate boxes and keep a log of the cat’s preferences. A number of different litters may need to be tried before the owner can identify one that the cat prefers.
If there is a history of suspected learned aversion (painful urination, being attacked or frightened in previous litter box, etc.) it is recommended to offer the cat a new litter box in a new location.
If there are multiple cats in the house, provide as many litter boxes as there are cats, plus one more litter box. Litter boxes placed next to each other count as ONE litter box.
Place the litter boxes in multiple locations. If you have a multi-level home, you must place a litter box on each level of the house. If you have a larger single story home, you should place a litter box on both sides of the house.
If there is social conflict between any of the cats, address the conflict.
If the cat has long hair, trim the hair between the toes and around the rectum.
Make sure that the areas where the pet has previously eliminated are cleaned well. An enzymatic cleaner is recommended (such as Nature’s Miracle- available at pet stores) to help break down the smell. Even if you can’t smell anything, remember that your cat has a very accurate nose and may be able to detect even the slightest smell.
If you have followed all of the “Litter Box Rules” and you are still having problems with your pet eliminating outside of the litter box, please schedule an appointment to discuss medical issues and possible medications available to help.
