If you could choose between one smelly, unflushed public toilet to use or a choice of stalls when nature calls—what would you pick?
Cats are like us and they need options when it comes to their toilet habits.
If your cat is kicking litter everywhere, eliminating outside of their box, or avoiding the kitty loo altogether, it may be a sign that they aren’t happy with their litter tray situation.
Does my cat need more than one litter box?
The general rule of thumb is that you should have 1.5 litter boxes per cat, so even if you have just one cat, it’s a good idea to have a spare litter box for them.
If you work long hours or forget to scoop out their poop one day (we’re all busy, it happens), an extra litter box will help make sure your cat isn’t stuck with just the one smelly box to do their business.
In the wild, cats don’t just pee or poop in one location and instead like to spread their scent in multiple places, so a choice of litter boxes in different areas of the house will make going to the toilet indoors feel more natural to your little wildcat.
How many litter boxes do I need for multiple cats?
If you have two or more cats, the 1.5 litter box rule should still apply.
So, for 2 cats you need 3 litter boxes, for 3 cats you should have 4 boxes, and so on.
Having extra boxes if you have more than one cat is even more important since many cats don’t like to share their litter box with other cats.
Having extra boxes on each level of the home is a good idea too so your cat doesn’t have to travel too far when they need to do their business.
If your shy kitty isn’t fond of your dinner party guests downstairs, or they don’t like the sound of the dryer coming from the laundry room, then having another litter box means they can go to the toilet feeling safe and secure.
Do I need a litter box for an outdoor cat?
If your outdoorsy kitty usually does business outside, you may wonder if they even need a litter box?
The answer is yes, even if your cat likes to leave little poop presents in your neighbor's yard, they still need a litter box inside for when the outside isn’t accessible.
Cats feel safer in their own home than they do out in the big wide world and they might not be keen on doing their business outside if it's raining, there are lots of noises outdoors, or another cat is lurking around outside that your kitty isn’t particularly fond of.
Having an indoor litter box means that your cat always has another option for when nature calls.
Why won’t my cat use her litter box?
If your fur baby is eliminating outside of their box, kicking litter out of the tray, or holding their bladder for longer periods, then it could be their way of telling you there is a problem.
Make sure the litter box is spacious and they have room to turn around and dig litter without feeling restricted.
The litter boxes should be placed in rooms where your kitty feels safe, so it’s best to avoid the most used or noisiest rooms in your home.
Cats are always on the alert, even when they are taking care of their bladder, so the litter boxes should be placed where they can see approaching danger.
You should also make sure the box is away from doors and cat flaps so that they don’t have to worry about anything unexpected coming their way.
Cats can be fussy by nature so you might even try using different types of litter and seeing what your kitty likes best.
If you use a scented litter, we recommend switching to odorless as scented litters tend to be too strong for our sensitive felines.
Scoop out kitty poops and soiled litter daily and change litter at least once a week or more if necessary. For more information on kitty litter hygiene, check out our other article on keeping litter boxes clean.
We love our cats and it’s important that they feel comfortable. If you need to upgrade to a second kitty litter box, then why not take a look at our stylish collection of enclosed litter boxes?
