Category: Litter boxes

Reducing Your Cat’s Carbon Pawprint: Sustainable Cat Litter

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

In celebration of Earth Day, this week’s post continues to focus on sustainable cat care. One of your cat’s essential resources is his litter box. Litter boxes are typically made of plastic but there are many choices of litter box filler. How can your choice of cat box filler help in reducing your cat’s carbon pawprint?

What makes a cat litter sustainable?

  • Made from renewable resources
  • High absorbency to reduce the amount needed
  • Biodegradable

Reducing your cat’s carbon pawprint: sustainable cat litters

the scoop on kitty litter

Kitty litter is the brainchild of Edward Lowe. He began promoting fuller’s earth, an absorbent clay, as  a cat box filler in 1947. Previously sand and ashes had been used as cat box filler – neither had the absorbency of the new clay product.

Clay cat litters are still with us. The original kitty litter was a non-clumping litter. In 1984, Thomas Nelson developed clumping cat litter using calcium bentonite. Clay materials dominated the cat litter market in 2021 with a share of 83.6% per Grandview Research

Clay Litters are not sustainable

These materials come from strip mines. Not only are they not renewable (at least in our lifetimes), they wreak havoc on the environment. They are not biodegradable. They are, however, relatively inexpensive.

Alternatives to Clay Litters

Other types of litters include those made from silica, recycled paper, wood, corn, peas, walnut shells, coconut husks, and grass.

Cat litter made from silica (crystal litters) and diatomaceous earth also must be mined. Diatomaceous earth is the fossilized remains of tiny aquatic organisms called diatoms – again, these litters are not renewable and not sustainable.

Recycled Paper

Litters made from recycled paper come from sustainable sources. However, some paper litters are not very absorbent and have to be changed frequently.  This may contribute to increased mass in a landfill. Paper is biodegradable.

Clumping or non-clumping?
Clumping litters make it easier to scoop the litter box frequently (at least once a day!) The clumping litter sticks to the waste and keeps it from contaminating the remaining litter. It more likely that you will dump non-clumping litter more frequently because the soiled litter with  mixes the non-soiled litter.  Using non-clumping litter may increase the amount of litter in the landfill.

Plant-based Litters

Plant-based litters are made from corn, peas, wheat, wood, and even tofu by-products. Starch and plant fibers such as guar gum make these litters clump. These litters tend to be lighter, less dusty and more absorbent than clay litter and are biodegradable. They are unfortunately more expensive than the old clay standby but they are sustainable.

  • You can grow more plants to produce more litter.
  • The growing and harvesting methods do not damage the environment as much as strip mining.
  • Plant-based litters are more absorbent than clay and less plant-based litter is needed for the litter pan.

A Better Mousetrap?

The Tidy Cat Breeze system uses zeolite pellets on a grate with a disposable pad underneath to catch liquid waste. Per the manufacturer, the pad is changed every week and the pellets monthly.

Zeolite is another mined material so loses some marks in sustainability although some people wash and reuse these pellets. This can extend the life of the pellets by a few months. The absorbent pad is plastic-backed so this is more plastic to go in the landfill.  Another downside to this system is you may have to train your cat to use it – cats prefer softer finer particles in their litter.

litter in the landfill

 Disposal options for cat litters include landfills, flushing down the toilet, and composting.

  • Clay litters cannot be flushed down the toilet or composted.
  • Even biodegradable litters may not degrade much in a landfill.
  • Although much of the plant-based products can be flushed, there are the risks of clogged plumbing and introduction of pathogens into the water supply.
  • These litters can be composted although there are concerns about parasites and bacteria from decomposing pet waste.

Composting cat litter
This is a controversial topic. Although plant and paper-based soiled cat litters can be composted, home compost piles do not get hot enough to kill pathogens so you certainly do not want to use composted cat litter on vegetable gardens.

Reducing Your cat’s carbon pawprint using sustainable cat litter

As the sun sets on 2023 Earth Day, here are some conclusions:

  • Clay and other mineral based cat litters come from limited natural resources and are not sustainable.
  • Paper and plant-based litters come from renewable resources, are biodegradable, and more sustainable.
  • Paper and plant-based cat litters absorb more liquid than clay litters so not as much litter is needed in the litter tray.

If you are interested in reducing your cat’s carbon pawprint, consider trying the paper and plant-based litters.

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Dealing with Anxiety and Misbehavior in Your Cat

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Sometimes when your cat behaves “badly”, you are able to address what triggers the misbehavior and life goes back to “normal”: you add a new litter box and the house-soiling stops; you start taking your “bully” cat for walks on a leash and everyone settles back down again. Problem solved!

Other times, you feel you’ve taken care of what triggers the misbehavior but your cat continues to, say, pee in the bathtub. And in still other instances, you can’t eliminate the stressors triggering the behavior, and the behavior persists. For example, you just don’t have the finances to get a bigger house but you don’t want to re-home any of the cats.

Anxiety and misbehavior in your cat

When your cat is stressed, he can become anxious and fearful. Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and helps the cat respond to perceived danger.  One way your cat may let you know she is anxious and fearful, is by “misbehaving”.  She may avoid her litter box and or hide and strike out at you when you try to pick her up.

Your vet might recommend a behavior modification plan and an anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) medication to deal with the anxiety and misbehavior in your cat.  Behavior modification aims to give the cat a way to cope with the stress that is giving rise to the “misbehavior”.   Anxiolytics reduce your cat’s anxiety and put him in a positive emotional state, making him more receptive to behavior modification.

Fluoxetine: Rx for anxiety

Let’s take a look at Fluoxetine, a medication that is frequently prescribed by veterinarians to treat anxiety.

In human circles, fluoxetine is more commonly known by the brand name Prozac.  It is a “selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor” (SSRI).
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that carries “messages” between neurons. Neurotransmitters are typically reabsorbed in the neuron once the “messaging” is done but SSRI’s keep serotonin from being reabsorbed, resulting in more serotonin being available to carry messages between neurons. Serotonin is thought to regulate mood, digestion, and sleep among other metabolic processes (see SSRIs mayoclinic.org).

Your cat should be calmer and less anxious when taking fluoxetine.

House-soiling and aggression toward people are two of the more common behavioral problems in cats. Let’s take a quick look at two cases where  fluoxetine and behavior modification helped manage feline anxiety and misbehavior.

Susie, a 13 year old female cat

Problem Behavior: House-soiling in variety of locations with chronic diarrhea

When Susie was 11 years old, her feline house-mate passed away and her owner adopted a younger cat. Susie began pooping outside the box. After most of a year, the owner felt the cats got along OK but house-soiling and diarrhea continued. The owner found Susie “aloof” and difficult to handle. Susie was surrendered to a veterinary clinic when she was 13 years old.

A Plan for Susie

Medical plan: treat the diarrhea

Behavioral plan:

  • Desensitize Susie to interacting with people
  • Gradually introduce Susie to the other cats in the clinic

Susie’s Timeline:

  • Susie is surrendered to the vet clinic in  mid-May 2021. She is fearful and reluctant to interact with people and other cats and is placed in a “room of her own”.
  • In early July, Susie begins taking a steroid medication and also starts fluoxetine. The diarrhea starts to resolve in the next few weeks.
  • By early September, Susie is becoming less fearful and is interested in coming out of her room. She starts to accept being handled by the clinic staff.  She is not pooping outside the litter box as much.
  • In November, Susie starts having supervised visitations with staff and other cats outside her room.
  • By next March, Susie is able to be out unsupervised in the clinic during working hours.  House-soiling is better – she poops right next to the litter box and not in random locations.

Susie had a long history of house-soiling. Treatment of her medical problem and reducing her anxiety has improved her quality of life. She remains on a low dose of fluoxetine which helps her cope with the stress of interacting with strange people and cats that come to the vet clinic.

Gus, 3 year old male feral cat

Problem Behavior: Aggression toward people

Gus was an intact male cat that was trapped in a live trap. He is positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and was not eligible to be released after being neutered.

Behavior modification plan for Gus:

  • Desensitization to people
  • Clicker training for appropriate social behaviors toward people

Gus’s Timeline:

  • Early March 2019: Gus is trapped with a live trap
  • March 5: Gus is neutered. Gus is fearful, fighting and biting when handled.
  • Late March: Gus starts taking fluoxetine, to reduce anxiety and misbehavior.  He takes the daily fluoxetine tablet in a treat. At first the drug makes him sleepy but this passes in a few weeks and he is exposed to a variety of people.
  • Clicker and leash training begin in early June.  He learns simple commands to sit, follow a target on a stick, wear a harness and allow humans to pick him up.
  • Gus is adopted in early August. Owner continues clicker training and outdoor walks.
  • Gus is weaned off fluoxetine by the end of November, after 7 months of drug therapy. He tolerates people and no longer tries to bite them.

Anxiolytics combined with behavior modification can help you deal with anxiety and misbehavior in your cat.  In some cases, a cat can be weaned off the medication while in others, continuing to give a low dose helps when the stressors causing the misbehavior cannot be eliminated.

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When Your Cat Thinks Outside the Box: Part 3

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

outside the box

 

When your cat thinks outside the box, it may be due to medical, environmental or social issues or a combination of these. In the two previous posts, we considered some of the medical and environmental issues that can give rise to house-soiling. When your cat thinks outside the box, we must also consider his social environment: are his interactions with people and other pets positive?

 

 

 

When your cat thinks outside the box: the social environment

People and pets other than cats

Positive and predictable interactions with people are a key element of a healthy feline environment. Our cats should expect that we will:

  • allow them to choose whether or not to interact with us
  • pay attention to their body language
  • handle them in a way they accept

Following these simple guidelines can help reduce a cat’s anxiety and insecurity. Making your cat feel secure and confident can go a long way to avoiding house-soiling problems.

Do ask family and visitors to follow the CAT guidelines .

Do not punish your cat for house-soiling even if you catch him in the act. Most likely, he or she will not make the connection. Punishment will only increase his or her stress and may increase the motivation to pee or poop in less obvious places (ISFM House-Soiling Guidelines). Punishment may also cause your cat to be afraid of you.

Do consider restricting children and dogs from the litter box areas using baby gates and gadgets such as a “door buddy“.

Be proactive and try to anticipate how your cat will handle new situations: For example, if you are going to have house guests, think how your cat will react to these strangers. Say you have a litter box in the guest bath – you may want to close your cat away from that area when guests are visiting in your home and provide a litter box elsewhere.

dealing with Inter-cat issues

CATS OUTSIDE THE HOME

Neighborhood cats coming into your yard can impact your cat’s behavior. These cats may mark your doors or yard with urine

They may come to the windows and look in. In response, your cat may mark or soil near the doors and windows that lead to the outside. Cat doors may trigger a similar response.

In  the previous post, When your cat thinks outside the box: the environment, we talked about noting house-soiling incidents on a map of your house.

If the “x’s” on your house map are near outside doors and windows, neighborhood cats may be a problem.  (House-Soiling Guidelines)

Taking Action: Secure Your Cat’s Territory!

  • Move your cat’s food and water stations away from doors and windows
  • If necessary, block your cat’s view of the outside by using window film, cardboard, paint… so he cannot see the intruder.
  • If you see outdoor cats in your yard, consider a motion activated sprinkler or critter spikes (for fences) to discourage the neighborhood cats from coming into your yard.

CATS INSIDE THE HOME

Where are the “x’s” on the housemap?

If the “x’s” are in hallways, stairways, doorways leading into rooms (in the interior of the house), your problem may be coming from inside the house – other cats. (House-Soiling Guidelines)

Cats are socially flexible. They do very well on their own but can live with other cats if there are enough resources and if these are spread out.

Diagram social groups cats
There are 3 social groups in this 4 cat household.

Social Groups of Cats

Within a cat colony, there are often smaller groups of 2 or more cats that prefer to spend time together. These cats will often:

  • sleep together touching each other
  • groom each other
  • rub against each other
  • “play fight”

These social groups are comfortable sharing resources: food, water, litter boxes, sleeping and resting places. (See Social Groups of Cats)

Most of the time, things go smoothly and different social groups will take turns using the resources. However, occasionally a cat or cats will “pick on” a particular cat. In a wild setting, this cat could move on, joining another colony or living a solitary life. These options are not available to the indoor cat.

Is your house-soiling cat being picked on by another cat? Does your other cat:

  • stalk and track the house-soiling cat?
  • stare directly at her?
  • attack him? (do not mistake aggression for play: see Cats at Play)
  • block her from using critical resources – litter boxes, food, sleeping places?

 

The house-soiling cat may feel safest on the owner’s bed and use the bed as a litter box.

What to do:

  1. Diagram the social groups in your multi-cat household using the criteria above.
  2. Note on the house map where different social groups hang out.
  3. Draw the paths cats have to follow to reach food, water and litter boxes.
  4. Which social group does your house-soiling cat belong to?
  5. Does he or she have an open path to reach the litter box? Can a “bully cat” hide behind furniture and ambush him or her?

Taking Action – Make the house-soiling cat feel confident and secure again

  • Separate the different social groups.  Make sure that each group has all their resources (food, water, litter boxes, cat trees). 
  • Set up a time-sharing scheme for different social groups to use the common areas while you are resolving the problem.
  • Make sure that there are enough resources so that cats of different social groups do not have to share.
  • Move furniture if necessary to eliminate ambush spots in the litter box areas and on the way to the litter boxes.
  • Your vet may prescribe medication for the cats involved.

Taking Action: keep the “bully” cat busy and reduce boredom

  • food puzzles
  • regular play time
  • outdoor access on a leash

Once your house-soiling cat is using his or her box again, you can consider gradually reintroducing him or her to the other cats (see Introducing Cats). If he or she is the victim of a “bully”, be sure to go slowly and supervise the interactions between the bully and victim. This may not be successful and cats may need to remain separated or be re-homed.

This is the final part of “when your cat thinks outside the box”. These three posts only scratch the surface of a complex behavior that can be due to medical, environmental or social issues or a combination of these. Your first resource should be your veterinarian. Do consider making a house map and, if you have a multi-cat household, a social diagram. These simple tools can provide you and your vet insight into why your cat thinks outside the box.

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When your cat thinks outside the box: the environment

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

What can you do when your cat thinks outside the box?

Whether you are waiting for an appointment with your vet or are in the process of treating a medical condition, accepted guidelines (ISFM house-soiling guidelines) recommend that you do an environmental and social assessment of your cat and where he lives. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at your cat’s environment and what we might change  to resolve the house-soiling.

When Your Cat Thinks Outside the Box: First Aid

REDUCE THE TERRITORY OF THE HOUSE-SOILING CAT

The “core territory” is where the cat can rest, has shelter and feels safe from predators and other cats.
Consider temporarily confining the house-soiling cat to one or more rooms with all the cat’s resources – litter box, food and water stations, cat trees. This can make an anxious cat feel more safe – from the feline purrspective, he does not have as much area to defend from other cats, pets, and people.

DON’T HAVE THE SPACE?

  • Restrict this cat’s access to the soiled areas if you can.
  • If that’s not possible, try placing a litter box where the house-soiling is occurring.
  • If the cat starts to use the box, keep it in place for at least 2 weeks (ISFM house-soiling guidelines)
  • After two weeks of consistent use, you can gradually move the box to a more suitable location. Go very slowly for best results!

DAMAGE CONTROL

  • Use an enzymatic cleaner to clean the soiled areas.
  • If your cat is spraying, set up a spraying station: a litter box oriented vertically. Line walls and floor with plastic to minimize damage to wallboard and flooring.
  • There is a risk of a cat marking the cleaned area, so “clean and cover”, as described above.

When your cat thinks outside the box – A CLOSER LOOK AT YOUR CAT’S ENVIRONMENT

  • Sketch the floor plan of your house.

    House Map
    A house map showing areas where house-soiling has occurred.
  • Mark the location of doors, windows, stairways, closets and major pieces of furniture. Mark the location of litter boxes, feeding areas, water stations, scratching posts and sleeping areas.
  • Mark where and when (extra credit!) the house-soiling has occurred.

ELIMINATION: SOCIAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL?

The house map can give us an idea of whether the elimination problem is due to your cat’s environment or if the elimination problem is social, arising from negative interactions with other cats, pets or people.

WHERE DOES “X MARK THE SPOT”?

  • Near door and windows where outdoor cats come? social?
  • Right next to the litter box? environmental?
  • On laundry piles or bath mats? environmental/social?
  • On your bed? social?
  • Quiet corners? environmental/social?
  • Near a noisy appliance? environmental?

AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: The litter box

ENOUGH BOXES?

  • Even this question is not straightforward. But let’s start with the commonsense basics. There needs to be more than one box even for one cat.
  • Some cats prefer to use one box for urine and the other for feces.
  • In a multi-story house, there should be a litter box on every floor the cat frequents.
  • The rule of thumb is #litter boxes = # cats + 1 but this is not a hard and fast rule.
  • Litter boxes need to be separated – cats view litter boxes next to each other as a single litter box.

SIZE MATTERS

The litter box needs to be large enough for your cat to turn around. This box is large enough for Gus.

How big are the boxes? Cats may turn around a few times before eliminating. The litter box needs to be large enough to accommodate this motion. The rule of thumb here is 1.5 times the cat’s length from nose to base of tail.

CLEAN ENOUGH?

A study sponsored by Nestle-Purina found that cats prefer a litter box free of clumps of urine and pieces of stool, so scooping the litter box frequently may avoid house-soiling problems. If you do not scoop the boxes daily, you may need more boxes and/or larger boxes.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

  • Litter boxes should be separated and not in areas a cat can be “trapped” in. Avoid high traffic areas frequented by lots of people and other pets.
  • Avoid areas with noisy appliances. Remember that cats have one of the broadest ranges of hearing of any land mammal, hearing the low tones of the human male voice and the ultrasonic squeaks of mice. Even our electronic gizmos may be emitting sounds that can make a litter box area unpleasant.

ESTABLISHING NEW HABITS

To break the house-soiling habit, we need to REWARD the cat for using the litter box. We can do this by making the litter box more appealing and pleasant to use.

Offering a new litter box is one way to break the habit of soiling in an inappropriate place.

  • Consider larger boxes with a cut out to allow easy access.
  • High-sided boxes will work for cats who spray or stand up to urinate.
  • It is best to ADD litter boxes at first. Once the cat has accepted the new box, you can remove the older one.

LITTER BOX CAFETERIA

  • Putting several litter boxes side by side with different fillers (include the original) can give you an idea what kind of litter your cat prefers.

KEEP IT CLEAN!

  • Consider having a “Litter Genie” or other disposal system next to each box so that it is convenient to scoop the box frequently.

THE BATHROOM IS SAFE!

  • Some cats respond positively to pheromones. The “Feliway” Classic or Comfort Zone calming diffusers give a message of security and calmness.
  • For cats who are spraying or marking, these analogs of facial pheromones tell your cat that this place is already marked.
  • You can also collect your cat’s individual scent and apply it to the area around the box – wood moldings, walls…

NO SNACKS IN THE BATHROOM!

  • Locate food and water away from the litter box. Cats do not eat where they eliminate and a litter box near food may discourage its use for elimination.

House-soiling can be a difficult puzzle to solve. When your cat thinks outside the box, it may be due to medical, environmental or social issues or a combination of these. A house map can help you locate the problem areas and optimize your cat’s environment. In the next post, we’ll use the house map to look for social problems that may be why your cat thinks outside the box.

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When Your Cat Thinks Outside the Box: Part 1

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

A common complaint of cat owners is that their cat does not always use the litter box. This can be a nuisance – cat urine can have a strong odor particularly if the cat is not neutered or spayed. Soft stools can be a challenge to clean up. I am always surprised at how many people accept the “out of the box” incidents and use potty pads or towels to manage the mess. What can you do if this happens to you?

Why your cat thinks outside the box

There are  a number of reasons cats may think “outside the box” and don’t use their litter boxes.  Sometimes, it is a marking behavior.  Other times, the litter box does not meet feline requirements, the cat is sick, or another cat is “guarding” the box.  These are just a few of the reasons that may lie behind feline house-soiling.

Marking

Cats use urine to mark territory, advertise for a mate or let other cats know that Mr. Fluffy has been here (feces may also mark terrritory but urine is more common in domestic cats). The urine mark not only gives information as to the sexual status and general health of the marker, it also has a “time stamp” indicating when the mark was made. Cats, being solitary hunters, avoid confrontations to reduce the risk of injury. This “time stamp” may help cats avoid encountering each other.

Such urine marking is often but not always sprayed on vertical surfaces. It is typically characterized by small amounts of urine. This is usually a behavior of intact males and sometimes females but can occur with neutered or spayed animals. (Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 16(7):545, 10.1177/1098612X14539085)

PROBLEMS WITH THE BOX

  • Box is too small
  • Box is in a busy location near noisy appliances or in a high traffic area
  • Box is located near a window where neighborhood cats come
  • Box is not clean – remember to scoop at least once a day

A research team at Nestlé Purina found that cats prefer to use unused litter boxes. However, this preference for unused boxes did not seem to be due to odors. Cats did not seem to care whether or not the litter box smelled of urine or feces. But cats did not want to use litter boxes with actual urine clumps and feces nor did they want to use litter boxes with simulated urine clumps made from salt solution or “faux feces” made of gelatin. Ultimately, it appears that it is important to scoop frequently, removing physical obstructions from the litter box.

“Does previous use affect litter box appeal in multi-cat households?”
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2017.02.008

MEDICAL PROBLEMS

Pain and discomfort when eliminating can result in a cat associating the litter box with pain. Ongoing pain can be frightening for a cat and cause him to be anxious, exacerbating urinary and gastro-intestinal problems.  The cat may choose not to the use the litter box he associates with the painful elimination.

When your cat thinks outside the box, it could be due to medical issues, including:

  • Urinary tract infections
  • Bladder stones
  • Arthritis – can make it difficult for a cat to squat or step over a high side to get into the litter box
  • Constipation and diarrhea
  • Cognitive dysfunction in older cats ( Cat Dementia: How Can We Manage It?)
  • FIC (feline idiopathic cystitis) – (see “Is My Cat Sick from Stress”)
  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Diabetes
  • Kidney disease

Social problems

  • The litter box is being “guarded” by another cat
  • The family dog is coprophagic and “haunts” the litter box
  • A toddler wants to “play in the sandbox” too
  • A house guest kicks his shoes off and they hit the wall; the noise startles the cat in the box

When your cat thinks outside the box – make an appointment with your veterinarian.  Your vet can:

  • Assess your cat’s overall health
  • Collect blood, urine and stool samples for diagnostic screening
  • Take X-rays if there are concerns about bladder stones or arthritis
  • Prescribe pain medication
  • Prescribe anti-anxiety medication while house-soiling issues are being resolved

It is wise to act promptly when house-soiling issues arise. When house-soiling continues for a long time without resolution, we run the risk of “coping behaviors” becoming habits. For example, a cat may choose to urinate in the shower or bathtub, defecate in a quiet corner in the front entryway, or eliminate right next to the box. Once these behaviors are established, it is sometimes difficult to break these “bad” habits.

Our next post will look at what you, the cat guardian, can do to encourage new habits and help remedy house-soiling, when your cat thinks outside the box.

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Setting up a cat-friendly home

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Moving can be hectic and stressful for both people and pets. When you move your cat, he is uprooted from his territory, a place where he feels safe and secure – where he can rest, has shelter, and is safe from predators. What do you need to consider when unloading the boxes and positioning the furniture?

Setting up a cat-friendly home can help reduce the stress of the move and help your cat quickly establish her new territory.

setting up a cat-friendly home

The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) list five things that make a healthy environment for a cat.

  1. Resources : food, water, litter box, shelter
  2. Safe access to resources
  3. Environment that respects the cat’s sense of smell: territory
  4. Human interaction: predictable
  5. Predatory behavior

Needs of Domestic cats

  1. If we organize these needs in a pyramid diagram, the lowest tier includes those needs essential to survival: food, water, and litter boxes.
  2. The next level ensures that these essential resources are available to each cat to use safely, without fear. We cat owners must provide multiple, separate feeding and watering stations and litter boxes.
  3. Another of the AAFP requirements is that the environment respects the cat’s sense of smell.  Such an environment is the cat’s territory. Cats will mark walls and furniture in the home with scents from glands in their faces and mark scratching posts with scents released when scratching. Your cat belongs to his territory.
  4. The final two tiers deal with how we interact with our cats and…
  5. Offering them an opportunity to exercise their hunting skills.

The first three tiers are ones that are physically affected by moving from one place to another.

  • Where do you locate litter boxes and feeding stations in your new home?
  • Where can you locate safe places for your cat to chill, nap and keep on an eye on the household?
  • How do you help your cat establish a territory and maintain the scent profile of the home?

I have recently moved from my townhome of 13 years into a 2 story, unattached house. Placing cat resources is a work still in progress – here is my “first cut”. Join me and take a look at the placement of my cats’ resources and the pros and cons of my choices. I hope you enjoy The Purrade of My Home!

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The Cat Friendly Home: the Hi Tech Litter Box

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Kitty litter has come a long way since Edward Lowe started marketing bentonite clay as a litter box filler in 1947. What options has high tech provided you and your cat?

 

More than just clay…

Litter boxes are being filled with lots of different materials these days. There are litters made from grass seed, corn, wheat, recycled wood, and coconut, to name just a few. So why all these other alternatives to the traditional clay litter?

A Look at Bentonite…

Clay cat litters are made from bentonite clay, named after Fort Benton, WY where the largest deposits of bentonite clay are found. Bentonite is a natural resource – it is formed after volcanic ash ages. It is  strip mined, then processed for commercial use. Once it is used up, it is gone. Clumping clay cat litter is made from sodium bentonite, which absorbs water, swells and hardens into a clump.

Not Eco-friendly…

 

If you are looking for an eco-friendly cat litter, clay litters have some strikes against them:

  • bentonite is not renewable
  • strip mining  for bentonite can cause environmental damage.

 

 Eco-Friendly Litters…

Sourcing…

Plant-based litters are made from corn, wheat, wood, and even tofu by-products. Starch and plant fibers make these litters clump. These litters tend to be lighter and less dusty than clay litter.

  • you can grow more plants to produce more litter.
  • the growing and harvesting methods do not damage the environment as much as strip mining.

 

Disposal…

Disposal options for these litters include landfills, flushing down the toilet, and composting.

  • Even these biodegradable litters may not degrade much in a landfill.
  • Although most of these products can be flushed, there are the risks of clogged plumbing and introduction of pathogens into the water supply.
  • These litters can be composted although there are concerns about parasites and bacteria from decomposing pet waste

Composting cat litter

THE LITTER CAFETERIA:
To find out what you and your cat prefer, set up a litter cafeteria – have boxes with different types of litters and track the use, ease of scooping, odor and tracking.

Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Boxes

There are several styles of these – the Litter Robot which rotates automatically and dumps waste into a tray on the bottom of the unit; the Litter Maid rakes the waste into a cartridge on the bottom of the tray.

Pros:

  • litter box is scooped regularly
  • you don’t have to handle the litter

 

Cons:

  • it is difficult to monitor your cat’s health – when manually scooping, you are more aware of changes in frequency and volume of urine, or softness of stool
  • the mechanism may startle and frighten some cats;  from the cat’s perspective, this may be no better than having the family dog waiting to snatch up the “treats”
  • you may be limited in your choice of litter

 

If you have an automatic box, consider also having a traditional litter box. Watch and see which one gets used more.

Teaching Your Cat to Use the Toilet…

This may seem like a nifty trick OR NOT…

  • Cats’ natural behavior is to dig a hole and eliminate in it. Kittens start using the litter box around 4 weeks of age, following cues from their mother. Using the human toilet is NOT A NATURAL BEHAVIOR.
  • you will not be able to easily monitor urine amount and frequency or if your cat has diarrhea
  • cats have been know to fall in – toilet seats are designed for humans.
  • if the lid is not up, your cat may need to take care of business elsewhere

Blending Your Cat’s Litter Box into Your Home…

There are many creative ways to make your cats’ litter boxes less noticeable.  Here are just a few.

  • Privacy screens
  • Screen with plants (if using real plants, make sure they NOT toxic to your cat)
  • Hideaways – A cabinet can be repurposed as a litter hide. 
  • Make sure the hide is  BIG enough – about 1.5 x your cat’s length (not including the tail).
  • Beware “Out of sight, out of mind” and SCOOP DAILY
A privacy screen for a hallway litter box.

 

There is room for a litter box beneath the cat tree in the entry way.

The Cat Friendly Home: Litter Box Basics

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Did you know that kitty litter has been with us since 1947? Edward Lowe began promoting fuller’s earth, an absorbent clay, as  a cat box filler in 1947. Our cats began to lead an indoor existence. What do cat guardians need to know about this essential feline resource – what are the litter box basics?

In the wild…

Cats look for a secluded quiet place to relieve themselves as they are vulnerable to predators while eliminating. They prefer sand or fine dirt for elimination; they bury their waste when in their core territory. Feces and urine can be used to message other cats, so outside this core territory, cats will sometimes leave their waste unburied.

 A cat’s core territory is his home base, where he can shelter and rest.  He will actively defend this area. 

The Cat Friendly Home: Litter Box Basics….

 

The Box…

 

There are litter boxes with covers, litter boxes without covers; top-entry litter boxes, litter boxes that fit in end tables. Choose a litter box that suits your cat’s personality and physical condition.

 

The litter box needs to be large enough for your cat to turn around. This box is large enough for Gus.

Covered Litter Boxes

  • Your cat’s waste is out of sight
  • Out of sight = out of mind ? It may be easier to neglect scooping the litter box.
  • Ambush opportunity: the cat using the box will not see other cats, people, or dogs approaching.

 

How Large?

The litter box needs to be large enough for your cat to enter and turn around, about 1.5 times her length (without tail)

 

High Sides?

  • An older arthritic cat may prefer low walls or a low door cut into the box.
  • Managing cats that urinate while standing might be easier with a high-sided litter box.

 

Location, Location, Location…

Where you locate the litter box can make all the difference to your cat. Choose a quiet, secluded place.

  • Avoid noisy utility rooms where appliances running can startle your cat.
  • Avoid high-traffic busy areas where toddlers or the family dog can ambush your kitty.
  • A gadget called a “door buddy” can make a closet a safe litter box location.
  • Bathrooms can be good choices for litter boxes – cleaning may be easier in these areas.

Litter boxes should be far away (at least 5-6 feet) from either food or water sources. After all, you don’t dine in your bathroom!

 What Goes in the Box…

 

 

 

  • Cats typically prefer a fine textured, clumping litter
  • Cats have a sense of smell that is thousands of times more sensitive than ours. It is best to use unscented varieties of litter.
  • Experts recommend a litter depth of about 1.5 inches.

 

# of Cats + 1

A simple sketch of your house can help with locating litter boxes.

Experts recommend that there should be at least one litter box per cat plus one. This is not a hard and fast rule – it depends on the number of feline social groups in the house and the layout of the house itself. All cats must have ready access to this critical resource.

 

Social Groups and Litter Boxes

There is less conflict and less competition for resources among cats of the same social group. Cats of the same social group are less likely to engage in behaviors such as “guarding” a litter box from each other.

House Plans and Litter Boxes

Larger houses and multi-story houses may require a different litter box allocations. Once again, the goal is easy access – for example, in a 3 story house, there should be at least 3 litter boxes, one on each floor of the house.
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How do I know which cats are part of a social group? Look for “affiliative” behavior: cats belonging to the same social group will groom each other and sleep together.

 Scoop, Scoop, Scoop!

A storage tote has been repurposed as a litter box. The front opening is low and was cut with heavy duty shears and a hacksaw. A trash can for scooping is nearby.
  • Scoop the boxes once or twice daily.
  • Keep a small trash can next to each box to make this chore easier or use a higher-tech solution such as a Litter Genie Pail.
  • Cleaning the box and changing out clumping litter can be done every 2-4 weeks IF YOU SCOOP DAILY.
  • Respect the cat’s sense of smell and use a mild detergent when cleaning the box.

Feces and urine smells are not as distasteful to cats as they are to us – urine and feces can convey messages between cats. Scooping the box MORE frequently and changing out the litter LESS frequently will keep your cat happier by maintaining the scent profile of your cat’s home.

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