Raise your hand if you’d rather use a smelly, dirt outhouse than a clean, attractive bathroom for your pottying needs! Ok, those of you who love backcountry camping are excused from reading the rest of this article.
Cats also prefer a clean, welcoming bathroom. They want a big litter box that gives them room to circle around, finding just that right spot to plop their butt. They want litter that is clean, where the particles aren’t very big and won’t hurt their paw when they dig, and that doesn’t smell strongly of perfumes. They don’t want a box that is covered, as it traps odors and makes them feel cornered (in case of attack). Cats would like to have more than one option for going to the bathroom, maybe one box for pee and one for poop. And, if possible, they’d love a bathroom on every level of the house.
Cats that don’t use their litter box to pee often are stressed by the state of their toilet. So making some improvements can make a huge difference in getting them to use the box consistently.
I recommended to this owner to cut down a big plastic tote and I love what they did! This is tall enough to help keep litter in, and roomy enough for the cat to move around. While it has a cover, it is mainly to keep litter from being scattered around and leaves plenty of light and air to keep the cat from feeling confined. And who doesn’t like a nice window into their bathroom? The little hook for the scoop is genius and makes it easy to remember to scoop every day.
So if your cat’s litter box isn’t what you’d like for a toilet, maybe it is time to upgrade and make your own! You might even be able to color coordinate with your own bathroom!
By: Dr. Scarlett
