IIPTF PET FESTIVAL PUNE Vol 12 Issue No 10 October 2019 | Page 26

Feline Care
HOW TO MANAGE YOUR
CAT’S LITTER BOX
By Batool Khan*
Scoop out the waste at least once in
a day, and always put the poop in a
sealed or tied bag. Never fl ush it unless
you are using litter that is specially
formulated for fl ushing. 
The litter box should be washed once in
every 1-4 weeks using only unscented
soap and hot water. Refrain from using
products that have chemicals and
ammonia in them.
L
itter box is a signifi cant tool for
a cat's healthy and happy life.
This makes it important for us
to properly maintain and manage the
litter box for our feline friends 
The litter box rule is to use one litter box
per cat plus one extra. For instance, if
there are two cats in a household then
three litter boxes would be the ideal
recommendation. This is particularly
important in situations when the
pet is dealing with problems like
inappropriate elimination.
The ideal litter box should be large
enough for your cat to enter, scratch,
eliminate and freely turn around, and
should be placed in quiet corners of
the house. Litter boxes should be made
available for outdoor cats as well.
If you have more than one cat, always
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Cats usually have the tendency to
scratch the litter box which will expose
it to bacteria and cause it to hold smell.
Hence, it should be replaced once
every year.
place their litter boxes in different areas
of the house. This not only makes the
litter boxes easily accessible to your
cats but also prevents one cat from
guarding the litter box to prevent the
other one from using it.
If your cat does not use the litter box
then try placing the box at a new site
(temporarily or permanently) as this
will help the cat to start using the litter
box again.
Avoid placing food and water close to
the litter box. Always place the litter
box in a well ventilated area. Keep
in mind that a warm litter box will
produce odour which will make it
stinky for your cat to use. Thus, keep
it away from household appliances
that produce heat. If it is placed near
a window, make sure that there is no
direct sunlight on it for too long.
Creature Companion | October 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 10 • Noida
Use a litter box that suits yours as well
as your cat’s needs, as failing to use
the litter box is commonly associated
with symptoms of stress in felines. If
your cat is pooping on the fl oor, take a
look at what is new in their life. Cats
do not like changes and become easily
stressed. This is also the reason why
many cats start peeing or pooping on
the fl oor.
As cat parents, it is our responsibility
to make sure that our cats have a safe
and healthy living environment and
effective litter box management is an
important tool to achieve this end.
* Batool Khan is the Founder and
Owner of The Catsperts. She is
a Certifi ed Feline Behaviourist &
Psychology Consultant, Animal
Communicator and a Pet Groomer who
has a compassion for animals.