Choosing the right cat litter box

Like any other animal, cats produce faecal waste, but like humans, cats prefer to have a 'special place' or litter box in which to carry out this most necessary of bodily functions. Choosing the right litter box for you cat is therefore quite an important undertaking. That said, you will be responsible for keeping this litter box in a clean state, so finding one that is suitable for you is just as important too.

Primarily, the litter box needs to be suited and appealing to your cat. A litter box that is perfect for you the cat owner, is useless if the cat ignores it, and soils other areas of your home. Keeping a few things in mind when considering the many types of litter boxes on the market will help you choose one that is perfect for your needs.

Depth and general size
The litter box needs to be big enough to accommodate your cat, and at the same time, deep enough for the cat to bury its waste. Some people will try and get a big litter box when they have more than one cat in the home. Experience though, shows that cat's do better where there is a separate litter box for each cat. Owners with kittens should aim for litter boxes that are no more than 3 inches deep. Any deeper, and the kitten will often struggle to actually get into the box, resulting in it finding an alternative spot in the rest of the home to soil. Adult cats do well with litter boxes as deep as 6 inches.

Construction materials
This varies from one manufacturer to the next, with many models available in wood and plastic. Needless to say, you want to select a box made from such a durable material. An added bonus is one that matches the general decor of the area of your home that you will put it in.

Ease of cleaning
The best boxes are those that are easy for the cat to use, and also easy for you the cat owner to clean. A clean litter box means a happy cat, and consequently, a happy owner. Simple designs are best for this. Anything not bolted to the floor, or requiring dismantling to clean is ideal. Do not be tempted to fix the box to anything to keep the cat from kicking it, and spilling any litter or sand out of the box. It is often much quicker to just have a brush and dustpan on hand for these accidents, without turning the cleaning of the box into an engineering feat.

Some owners do prefer to have automatic or self cleaning litter boxes. There are a lot of different models available on the market. These are only self cleaning in that the waste is raked or swept into a sealed container. This container itself will need disposing of every few days. Owners of kittens in particular, are well advised to check the safety features incorporated into any such automatic litter box before purchasing, in order to reduce the risk of injury to either the pet or little children.

One for everyone
As noted above, simple open boxes are often the best, as they are cheap, easy to use, and easy to clean. Some users though, will opt for higher end or designer litter boxes. These come in many different guises. Some designer litter boxes are built as disguised pieces of furniture, or plants. This makes them less obtrusive, as they blend in a lot more with the general decor of the room. The main thing to check when considering such a box, is to ensure that ease of use for the cat, and the size of the box have not been sacrificed to produce something that is merely visually appealing.

No article can cover all the litter boxes on the market, but keeping the points above in mind will help you pick the best litter box for your cat. Once you have your box, you do need to put it in a location within the home that is private and low traffic, yet easy for the cat to get to, and convenient for you the owner to access when you need to clean it out. You might need to try out a few different locations before you find one that suits both you and the cat.