A Crappy Problem
Lots of people I talk to about having cats will say something like, "Well, I wouldn't mind having a cat; but I just couldn't stand the litter box."
...Yes, the title is a bad pun. So sue me. (Not that you'll get much, considering that, by law, I have to keep my net worth under $1500.)
So, let's talk litter boxes.
Here's the thing. Litter boxes are only a bad thing if you're not doing it right. If you are doing it right, saying "I just couldn't stand the litter box" is about as silly as saying, "I can't stand having a toilet right in the house like that! Outhouses are so much more sanitary!" (Apparently some people did say exactly this during the advent of indoor plumbing, though, so you wouldn't be alone.)
First of all, having cats is not all about cat boxes. Cleaning cat boxes is a two-minute job in the life of a cat owner; the other twenty-three hours and fifty-eight minutes of the day are non-cat-box-related cat ownership.
If you are doing it right, I guarantee your litter boxes will either not smell at all, or will have a completely bearable and unnoticeable level of smell about as easy to tolerate as your own toilet after a taco dinner. This comes from a smell-sensitive Aspie, so you can trust me on it.
1. Set up multiple boxes.
I cannot stress this enough. If you have cats, you need multiple litter boxes. One box is not enough even for one cat. If you have one cat, you should have two boxes, at least, one on each level of your house or one on each end of your apartment. If your cat has a choice, he will always be able to avoid a box that is too dirty for him without using your potted plants as an alternative. Older cats and kittens with pea-sized bladders will always be able to get to a box. If you have a particularly large house, get more than two boxes. If you have more than one cat, you should have more litter boxes than you have cats. I have two cats, so I have three boxes.
2. Learn the art of Feline Bully Prevention.
Cats can and do bully each other, and they often do it so subtly that it's difficult to see that it's being done. I had one cat who came from a house where she "refused to use the litter box". Turns out the other cats were just casually sitting in the room with the box, so this cat, at the bottom of the pecking order, simply couldn't get to the box. At my apartment, she had one accident when one of my cats discovered that this could be done to her. Then I moved the boxes to locations where she could never be blocked from accessing one. She never had a single accident after that.
3. Keep on top of health problems.
Cats are prone to urinary tract infections. If a cat gets one, it will be painful to pee. It will then associate the pain with the litter box. So, don't let this learning take place--watch your cats carefully and make sure that any issues of this sort get taken care of immediately.
4. Scoop often.
Even with a multiple-box strategy, you should be cleaning the litter boxes every day--before they ever start to smell. And don't get one of those dinky little litter box scoops, either; get a big, shovel-size one. It makes it much easier. Get one per box, and you don't have to carry it around or worry about where you've put it.
5. Choose litter that the cats like.
Cats do not think scented litter smells good. For that matter, I have no idea why humans think it smells good. It's a disgusting perfumey mess, and I don't blame cats for avoiding it. Unscented litter, all the way. Some cats will be particularly picky about texture, but most will do just fine with normal clumping litter.
6. Use clumping litter--and lots of it.
Clumping litter lets you scoop out the urine easily. This is important, because urea decays to ammonia, and amonia stinks. You don't want this; you want to get rid of the urea ASAP. Yes, clumping litter is more expensive, but you will use less of it because you don't need to change it as often. Keep the litter level in your litter pans nice and deep--don't just cover the bottom; make it at least three inches deep.
7. Use deep litter pans.
One of the chief annoyances of litter pans is that cats often scatter litter right out of them. The best way to prevent this is to use boxes with very high sides--at least 18 inches. They do not sell these as litter boxes, so you will have to go to the housewares aisle and buy plastic storage bins. I put my normal litter pans into the storage bins, and any litter my cats scatter gets caught against the side of the storage bin. If you have old cats, you're going to want to put these boxes next to something that the cat can climb to jump into them, or else cut a hole in the side of them through which your cat can step into the box.
8. Avoid covered boxes.
You don't need them, and if you use them, scooping is more of a hassle because you have to get the top off first. Plus, you'll be encouraged to forget about the cat box if you can't see it. Some cats like privacy; if so, buy opaque plastic storage bins.
9. Small litter pans are useless.
They really are. The cat can't turn around in them; and most likely, he'll hang his butt off the edge, anyway, and you'll have a mess to clean up. Use nice large roomy boxes, and you won't have that problem.
10. Some cats are picky.
It's a fact of life--some cats just care more about their boxes than others. You may have to adjust to the cat. Some cats like different sorts of litter; ex-ferals, for example, may want garden soil; a cat may want two boxes (one for urine, one for poop); a cat may want you to scoop more than just once a day; or a cat may only like a certain texture of litter to dig in. Give in to the cat; it's not worth the fight. Cats have sensory issues, just like humans do.
11. Spay and neuter your cats.
Intact toms will spray. Females occasionally do so, too. Either way, you'll want to have your cats neutered, because urine marking is about the most stinky, annoying problem you could ever have.
12. Don't declaw.
Cats who are declawed have serious pain in their paws, either until they heal or permanently in the form of nerve damage or phantom pain. When they have to scratch in a litter box with sore paws, they associate the litter box with pain and avoid it. If your cat is already declawed, make sure the litter is easy on his paws, and be aware you may have to make some serious adjustments. I've heard about cats who, after they were declawed, could only use shredded newspaper as litter; and others who, sadly, never managed the litter box at all. Scratching is another problem altogether, but it's a solvable one. The basic idea is to make scratching posts very attractive (hint: Catnip!), and other surfaces unattractive. You don't have to amputate your cat's toes to stop him from scratching.
13. Privacy is important.
Cats often don't like being disturbed in their bathrooms. They can't close the door like you can, but you can put their boxes in a relatively quiet place. Not too out-of-the-way; you want it easily accessible; but you don't want your cat to avoid the box because startling things regularly happen nearby. Cats may also bully each other by startling each other in the litter box; or overenthusiastic cats may try to start a game of chase with a cat who is currently using a box. Prevent this by providing multiple private locations where the cat using the box can see their surroundings--don't put boxes near possible ambush points.
13. Think about the cause of accidents.
Did your cat get blocked from the box somehow? Was the box dirty? Did you change the location to someplace that's not private? Has your cat been sick? If a cat that has used the box regularly his whole life has an accident, it could easily be a sign of illness, especially urinary tract infections. Your cat may never have an accident. I've seen it only once during the time I've had cats (Baby Girl having been blocked from the box, and having learned she had no choice but to use the floor). If a cat does have an accident, clean it thoroughly with enzymatic cleaner (this is the sort that breaks down biological molecules). Cats will go back to the same place repeatedly, and if it smells like a bathroom, they're more likely to repeat-offend on your carpet.
14. Be flexible.
If you have ever been owned by a cat, you know that you can't impose your will on a cat; you can only negotiate and agree on a compromise. You can't force a cat to do anything; unlike dogs, they are not pack animals and do not depend on you to know where their place in the world is. Cats will treat you as an equal; they don't have a clue they are legally your property, and if they were told, they wouldn't believe it. With a cat, the important thing is to understand each other. If you can do that, then you can solve just about any behavior problem that comes up.
...Yes, the title is a bad pun. So sue me. (Not that you'll get much, considering that, by law, I have to keep my net worth under $1500.)
So, let's talk litter boxes.
Here's the thing. Litter boxes are only a bad thing if you're not doing it right. If you are doing it right, saying "I just couldn't stand the litter box" is about as silly as saying, "I can't stand having a toilet right in the house like that! Outhouses are so much more sanitary!" (Apparently some people did say exactly this during the advent of indoor plumbing, though, so you wouldn't be alone.)
First of all, having cats is not all about cat boxes. Cleaning cat boxes is a two-minute job in the life of a cat owner; the other twenty-three hours and fifty-eight minutes of the day are non-cat-box-related cat ownership.
If you are doing it right, I guarantee your litter boxes will either not smell at all, or will have a completely bearable and unnoticeable level of smell about as easy to tolerate as your own toilet after a taco dinner. This comes from a smell-sensitive Aspie, so you can trust me on it.
1. Set up multiple boxes.
I cannot stress this enough. If you have cats, you need multiple litter boxes. One box is not enough even for one cat. If you have one cat, you should have two boxes, at least, one on each level of your house or one on each end of your apartment. If your cat has a choice, he will always be able to avoid a box that is too dirty for him without using your potted plants as an alternative. Older cats and kittens with pea-sized bladders will always be able to get to a box. If you have a particularly large house, get more than two boxes. If you have more than one cat, you should have more litter boxes than you have cats. I have two cats, so I have three boxes.
2. Learn the art of Feline Bully Prevention.
Cats can and do bully each other, and they often do it so subtly that it's difficult to see that it's being done. I had one cat who came from a house where she "refused to use the litter box". Turns out the other cats were just casually sitting in the room with the box, so this cat, at the bottom of the pecking order, simply couldn't get to the box. At my apartment, she had one accident when one of my cats discovered that this could be done to her. Then I moved the boxes to locations where she could never be blocked from accessing one. She never had a single accident after that.
3. Keep on top of health problems.
Cats are prone to urinary tract infections. If a cat gets one, it will be painful to pee. It will then associate the pain with the litter box. So, don't let this learning take place--watch your cats carefully and make sure that any issues of this sort get taken care of immediately.
4. Scoop often.
Even with a multiple-box strategy, you should be cleaning the litter boxes every day--before they ever start to smell. And don't get one of those dinky little litter box scoops, either; get a big, shovel-size one. It makes it much easier. Get one per box, and you don't have to carry it around or worry about where you've put it.
5. Choose litter that the cats like.
Cats do not think scented litter smells good. For that matter, I have no idea why humans think it smells good. It's a disgusting perfumey mess, and I don't blame cats for avoiding it. Unscented litter, all the way. Some cats will be particularly picky about texture, but most will do just fine with normal clumping litter.
6. Use clumping litter--and lots of it.
Clumping litter lets you scoop out the urine easily. This is important, because urea decays to ammonia, and amonia stinks. You don't want this; you want to get rid of the urea ASAP. Yes, clumping litter is more expensive, but you will use less of it because you don't need to change it as often. Keep the litter level in your litter pans nice and deep--don't just cover the bottom; make it at least three inches deep.
7. Use deep litter pans.
One of the chief annoyances of litter pans is that cats often scatter litter right out of them. The best way to prevent this is to use boxes with very high sides--at least 18 inches. They do not sell these as litter boxes, so you will have to go to the housewares aisle and buy plastic storage bins. I put my normal litter pans into the storage bins, and any litter my cats scatter gets caught against the side of the storage bin. If you have old cats, you're going to want to put these boxes next to something that the cat can climb to jump into them, or else cut a hole in the side of them through which your cat can step into the box.
8. Avoid covered boxes.
You don't need them, and if you use them, scooping is more of a hassle because you have to get the top off first. Plus, you'll be encouraged to forget about the cat box if you can't see it. Some cats like privacy; if so, buy opaque plastic storage bins.
9. Small litter pans are useless.
They really are. The cat can't turn around in them; and most likely, he'll hang his butt off the edge, anyway, and you'll have a mess to clean up. Use nice large roomy boxes, and you won't have that problem.
10. Some cats are picky.
It's a fact of life--some cats just care more about their boxes than others. You may have to adjust to the cat. Some cats like different sorts of litter; ex-ferals, for example, may want garden soil; a cat may want two boxes (one for urine, one for poop); a cat may want you to scoop more than just once a day; or a cat may only like a certain texture of litter to dig in. Give in to the cat; it's not worth the fight. Cats have sensory issues, just like humans do.
11. Spay and neuter your cats.
Intact toms will spray. Females occasionally do so, too. Either way, you'll want to have your cats neutered, because urine marking is about the most stinky, annoying problem you could ever have.
12. Don't declaw.
Cats who are declawed have serious pain in their paws, either until they heal or permanently in the form of nerve damage or phantom pain. When they have to scratch in a litter box with sore paws, they associate the litter box with pain and avoid it. If your cat is already declawed, make sure the litter is easy on his paws, and be aware you may have to make some serious adjustments. I've heard about cats who, after they were declawed, could only use shredded newspaper as litter; and others who, sadly, never managed the litter box at all. Scratching is another problem altogether, but it's a solvable one. The basic idea is to make scratching posts very attractive (hint: Catnip!), and other surfaces unattractive. You don't have to amputate your cat's toes to stop him from scratching.
13. Privacy is important.
Cats often don't like being disturbed in their bathrooms. They can't close the door like you can, but you can put their boxes in a relatively quiet place. Not too out-of-the-way; you want it easily accessible; but you don't want your cat to avoid the box because startling things regularly happen nearby. Cats may also bully each other by startling each other in the litter box; or overenthusiastic cats may try to start a game of chase with a cat who is currently using a box. Prevent this by providing multiple private locations where the cat using the box can see their surroundings--don't put boxes near possible ambush points.
13. Think about the cause of accidents.
Did your cat get blocked from the box somehow? Was the box dirty? Did you change the location to someplace that's not private? Has your cat been sick? If a cat that has used the box regularly his whole life has an accident, it could easily be a sign of illness, especially urinary tract infections. Your cat may never have an accident. I've seen it only once during the time I've had cats (Baby Girl having been blocked from the box, and having learned she had no choice but to use the floor). If a cat does have an accident, clean it thoroughly with enzymatic cleaner (this is the sort that breaks down biological molecules). Cats will go back to the same place repeatedly, and if it smells like a bathroom, they're more likely to repeat-offend on your carpet.
14. Be flexible.
If you have ever been owned by a cat, you know that you can't impose your will on a cat; you can only negotiate and agree on a compromise. You can't force a cat to do anything; unlike dogs, they are not pack animals and do not depend on you to know where their place in the world is. Cats will treat you as an equal; they don't have a clue they are legally your property, and if they were told, they wouldn't believe it. With a cat, the important thing is to understand each other. If you can do that, then you can solve just about any behavior problem that comes up.