10 Tips for Improving Litter Box Appeal

Pam Johnson-Bennett, CABC on November 03, 2010

The litter box is very important in your cat’s life, yet we don’t always do our part when it comes to making sure the box meets the cat’s needs. Because it’s one of the least appealing aspects of cat ownership, we often under-appreciate the relationship the cat has with that deceptively simple plastic box.

Cleaning and maintaining the litter box probably isn’t your favorite thing to do but it’s crucial to your cat’s health and happiness. Litter box aversion issues are probably the most common problems that behavior experts get called about. Often, the cause of the problem is that the box conditions are unacceptable to the cat.

Here’s a list of 10 tips to improve litter box appeal:

1. Cats generally prefer a soft substrate. Texture matters to cats and the feel of soft litter on the paws is usually preferable. Choose unscented or low-scented litter because with a cat’s highly developed sense of smell, some litter fragrances can be overwhelming.

2. Use an uncovered box to allow for maximum comfort and to increase escape potential. Cats in multicat environments need to feel they can easily escape from the box in order to avoid potential ambush by another cat. Covered boxes also contain the odor inside – something you may like but your cat won’t!

3. Keep the litter level at about three inches. As soiled litter is scooped, top off the box to maintain a consistent level.

4. Scoop waste twice a day.

5. Completely dump the used litter and scrub the box once or twice monthly.

6. The box should be an appropriate size for your cat. The length should be about 1 ½ times the length of your cat.

7. In multicat households, have the same number of boxes as cats.

8. Don’t line up the litter boxes in one room. Scatter them throughout the house so one cat doesn’t have to pass a more assertive cat’s area which could cause conflict.

9. Don’t place the litter box close to where the cat eats.

10. Don’t use litter box liners.

Basically, the ideal litter box set-up involves a basic, open box that’s filled with an appealing litter substrate. The box should be in a location that’s convenient for the cat to access and will also be convenient for you in terms of remembering to scoop it out regularly. Don’t be fooled into creating a complicated litter box set-up with the idea that it will clean itself or enable you to pretend a litter box doesn’t exist in your home. The more complicated the set-up, the less cat-friendly it probably is. Keep your cat’s needs in mind when it comes to the litter box.