Choosing A Cat Litter Box Is More Important Than You Might Think

Cat litter boxes are an important part of the life of any cat that spends time indoors. How do you choose one and does it matter which type of litter you use?

You will find that there are many different kinds of litter boxes to choose from. There are even litter boxes that clean themselves. This can be great but owners should still remember to monitor their cat's litter habits. If you decide on a litter box that electronically cleans itself how will you know if your kitty has diarrhea? Sometimes cats prefer a really simple type of litter box and the more complicated litter boxes are not used as faithfully as you would like.

When you are ready to buy a litter box think about the size, age and health of your cat. Let's say you are planning on bringing home a tiny kitten. It would not make sense to buy the largest litter box available. Cat litter boxes that are too big discourage the cat from using them. If your cat is named Jumbo, a small litter box will not be appropriate and once again it may not be used the way you had hoped.

Basic cat litter boxes are rectangular in shape and made of plastic. Often new cat owners will buy a litter box that is too small. One way to judge the size litter box you need is to double the length of an adult cat and the width should be about the same as the cat's approximate length. Own more than one cat? Choose your litter box based on the size of the largest cat.

Covered cat litter boxes serve two functions. Litter, urine and poop will not be spewed around the litter box and the smell can be kept in check. This may sound good to human owners but unfortunately many cats do not share this opinion. Some cats are very uncomfortable in this type of litter box and while the odor is not being circulated around the room it is instead concentrated inside the box. Many felines take exception to this and will not use a covered litter box.

What about the litter that can be used in cat litter boxes? If you were overwhelmed by all the litter box choices just wait until you embark on the actual cat litter shopping. You will find that every cat litter manufacturer will advertise that odor control is a feature of their litter. Some may say their cat litter is dust-free. Some litter is scoop able and some is scented. What is a cat owner to do?

When choosing cat litter think like a cat. A cat likes a litter that he doesn't mind standing on. It should be loose enough so he can dig a hole fairly easily and cover it when he is done. Odor-free is preferable because a cat prefers his own scent he may not appreciate a perfumed litter.

Choose your cat litter boxes and cat litter carefully rather than buying the newest things on the market or the first things you see.