Finding the Right Box for Your Finicky Cat

The biggest mistake cat owners make when purchasing a litter box for their fussy cat is that what you may think looks like the perfect box may be anything but that to your kitty. Manufacturers design boxes that will appeal more to the buyer, in many cases, rather than what your cat will actually use. Understanding what constitutes an acceptable box for your cat will help keep waste where it belongs – in the litter box.

Choosing the Right Box

You might find that there is a rather bewildering array of litter boxes for sale. Long gone, evidently, are the days when cat owners cut a cardboard box in half and filled it with litter. Not only can you cat use a basic plastic box, there are also enclosed boxes and mechanical self-cleaning boxes and special boxes that fit on your toilet. A good deal depends upon the personality of your cat – a laid back kitty will be more apt to take whatever you give him or her, while a nervous cat might be spooked a fancier box.

• The plastic pan is probably the most widely used of boxes. These boxes should have the litter changed completely once a week. Washing them before putting in new litter will keep the box smelling nice longer. If you are getting a plastic pan for a kitten, make sure it’s low enough to allow the kitten access easily.
• Covered boxes look neater, but some cats don’t like going into a dark spot to eliminate. These litter boxes also take up a good deal of room.
• Mechanical boxes that automatically remove waste are not only quite expensive to buy and maintain, but many cats are afraid of the noise and motion.
• Toilet seat boxes may be the ultimate in sanitary treatment of cat waste, but it can often be difficult to get the cat trained to use this kind of litter box.

You can help make it more likely that your cat will accept the box you have chosen if you put it in the right area – somewhere private, but not dark and cold, and somewhere still close to the main part of the home.

If your cat absolutely refuses to use the litter box you have purchased, it would probably be easier and less stressful for both of you to simply try another kind of box.