The right box. The right cat litter. The right location. There are many considerations when setting up your cat’s litter box – and the answers aren’t always obvious. Luckily, we’re here to help you provide a set up your kitty will be comfortable with. Because if you get it wrong… well, we have answers for that, too.    

What type of box?

Aside from the more traditional open cat litter box, here are some other litter boxes you may encounter:

Covered boxes are intended to provide your cat with more privacy and keep odor contained. However, some feel they actually do more harm than good. By reducing air circulation, the cat litter can take longer to dry and the contained odor may be unpleasant for the cat. The covered box can also make larger cats feel cramped and reduce their means of escape should they be ambushed by another animal.

Automated and self-cleaning boxes are meant to make life easier for everyone. But again, their effectiveness is questionable. As well as sometimes being noisy and uncomfortable, the actual cat litter surface can be quite small. Not to mention, the owner is now unable to actually see what’s happening in the box. Not pleasant, but vital to monitoring your cat’s health.

Households with multiple cats may accept sharing a litter box as very young kittens, but as they get older they will need separate facilities.

What’s the right size?

Buy a box to fit the size of your cat, not your home. The box needs to be large enough that your cat can use it several times without the risk of standing on already soiled cat litter. A general rule: your box should be one-and-a-half times the length of your cat.

Where should it go?

Picking a location for the cat litter box is an important part of making your cat comfortable. It needs to be placed somewhere convenient and obvious (consider any physical limitations they may have), somewhere safe (no risk of ambush) and, if you have more than one cat, away from other cats. You also need to make sure it’s away from their feeding area and in a well-ventilated part of the house – for obvious reasons.   

What else do I need?

Some owners like cat litter box liners. These are designed to keep the box itself cleaner and make changing the litter easier. If you do plan to use liners, choose carefully – your cat’s claws can get caught, tearing the liner, and urine can seep through. Liners that are 2 mil thick are generally tear resistant, but it’s good to test and find out what works best for you and your cat.

Follow these basic rules and you’ll be well on your way to a happy kitty with a healthy bathroom routine. And once you find a spot for your litter that your cat is happy with, try not to move it.

Cats originated in the desert, so they instinctually prefer litters with a similar texture to sand. But what litters will work best for you and your cat? Clumping? Clay? Light? Here’s a quick lowdown on the types of cat litter out there, what’s in them and how they work – so you can make an informed decision.

Clay litter

As the name suggests, this is simply cat litter made from dried clay that easily absorbs urine. Its granulated texture allows cats to bury their business. Clay cat litter comes in most of the varieties below.

Clumping

Designed to make it easier to remove urine and solid waste from the box, clumping cat litters are usually made with a clay base that clumps together when wet. This allows you to remove the odor-causing clumps of waste, using a slotted scoop. For many owners, this means they don’t need to completely change the entire box as frequently.

Non-clumping

Non-clumping cat litters typically have larger size granules that absorb urine but do not clump when wet, so there’s no need to scoop out urine clumps. This can mean odor is better absorbed, but the litter may become saturated faster and require more frequent litter box changes.

Scented

Both clumping and non-clumping cat litters are available with some form of odor control. Some of these litters contain a fragrance to cover nasty smells with a fresher alternative. However, because of their highly developed sense of smell, some cats can be put off by heavily perfumed environments.

Unscented

Unscented cat litters are a good alternative for cats and owners who are allergic or sensitive to fragrance. These litters often have additional odor-fighting ingredients to help neutralize odor and keep your home smelling fresh without heavy fragrances.

The rest

Although clay is by far the most popular variety of cat litter, there are other varieties on the market. These include crystal litters and more natural options such as pine, wheat and corn. Another biodegradable option is litter made from recycled paper, which can have the same texture as clay litter and provide long-lasting odor control.

Cats are wonderful, complicated, curious creatures. And if we were to try to tell you all the examples of that – well, we wouldn’t have any time left to make our cat litter.

But we have put together some useful basic care pointers to give you a good overview. Please, though, if you’re ever in doubt, contact your vet.

 

If you’re anything like us, you’ll love learning about cats: where they came from, how they think, why each cat is different. So, we thought we’d put together a section that teaches you a bit more about the world of cats. And the best news? No exams.

Cat litter. It’s what we do. And with over 50 years’ experience of developing innovative and quality products to meet the needs of cats and owners alike, we’ve learned enough to fill a good-sized book. Perhaps even a library. Luckily, we’ve distilled the essentials into some handy tips and articles.

Today, domestic cats are everywhere: in the home, in the yard, on television and, overwhelmingly, on the Internet. But have you ever wondered where they came from and how they ended up as the world’s most popular pet? Us too. Here’s a brief history of cats – from being domesticated in ancient Egypt to wearing funny hats on YouTube.

In the beginning…

Thought to have descended from the African wildcat and used to catch vermin, the domestic cat can be traced all the way back to ancient Egypt 4,000 years ago (and perhaps beyond). By helping to reduce disease and protect crops, cats were quickly regarded as sacred creatures by the Egyptians.

The wandering cat

After the Egyptian dynasty collapsed, cats became popular elsewhere. In the Far East, cats were originally owned by the rich. As their popularity grew, the domesticated cat made its way to surrounding countries like India and Japan. This is when breeding also began, with breeds such as the Siamese and Burmese first emerging.

Meanwhile in Europe

It’s believed that Egyptian traders originally introduced cats to Europe, where the Greeks and the Romans used them as pest control. However, during the Middle Ages, cats in Europe became associated with superstition. During the Black Death of 1348, rulers ordered the killing of all cats, because they were suspected of carrying the disease. It wasn’t until the 1600s that their reputation started to recover.

Living in America  

During the 15th and 16th century, cats were welcome cargo on ships to minimize vermin and disease. It’s commonly thought that when Christopher Columbus discovered America, cats from his ship went ashore and flourished. In fact, this is where the American Shorthair is rumored to have originated.

Cats today   

Nowadays, cats are a key part of modern society – it’s estimated there are close to half a billion around the world. They continue to be an important and special part of our lives. We’re always looking for new ways to show them how much we care. So, actually, when you consider how revered cats were by the Egyptians – not much has actually changed.