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Can You Move A Cat’s Litter Box

How To Successfully Switch Litters For Your Cat

Molly

July 25, 2019

Weâve all been there. We run out of our usual cat litter, run to the nearest store, and purchase whatever cat litter brand or type they have available. Go home, fill the box, and donât give it a second thought.

Well, I can assure you that your cat may have a thought or two regarding this new cat litter occupying its box. It smells different, it feels different, and your little feline friend may decide that he or she will have none of it. What happens next? Youâre picking up cat poop and cleaning cat pee everywhere in the house except the cat litter box.

Itâs quite simple to introduce a new litter box to your cat with success. But itâs important to keep a few things in mind when switching your catâs litter brand or type. We all want to avoid upsetting kitty and consequently finding little gifts in inappropriate places in the house.

Moving A Cats Litter Box: How To Avoid Accidents

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If youre thinking about moving your cats litter box, its important to take the right steps to ensure they dont get confused or upset. Cats are typically very particular about their litter box situation and theyre also not fond of change. So if they go to use the litter box one day and its not there, it can stress them, which can lead to them eliminating somewhere else in the house.

 

Here are some tips to make moving your cats litter box successful.

 

 

How Many Litter Trays Should I Provide

When cats go to the toilet outdoors they generally prefer separate locations for peeing and defecation. So, if you wanted to create the ideal alternative indoors you would provide two trays for one cat, located in different areas.

When there is more than one cat in the house the general rule is that the perfect number is one per cat plus an additional one extra.

For example, in a household with four cats there would be five litter trays in various locations. If, however, the cats within the home are all very social with each other they may be comfortable sharing.

What Is A Litter Tray

A litter tray is a term used to describe a receptacle or container with a loose granular material known as cat litter inside, that cats will use as a toilet. It can also be described as a litter box.

Cats generally dont need to be trained to use a litter tray, as their natural instincts are to go to the toilet in a material where they can dig and bury. This behaviour tends to occur naturally when they are tiny kittens and, if a litter tray is nearby, they will instinctively use it.

Should I Line My Cats Litter Tray

Pin on Cat Litter Box

Some people recommend using polythene tray liners or newspaper to line the bottom of the litter tray to make it easier to clean out. In reality these tend to leak as they are prone to puncture marks and tears. Cats can also get their claws caught in the polythene while attempting to dig and bury which is not a pleasant feeling for them.

During: Move A Cat Litter Box To Another Room

The best strategy for moving a cat litter box is to take things slow. One approach is to put a new litter box in the new location, but keep the old one at first. Gradually move the old one towards the location of the new one until the cat is comfortable in that area, and then remove the old litter box. If you dont want to introduce an extra litter box, just gradually move the original to the new location, but go at a pace that is comfortable for your cat.

The 9 Secrets To Successful Litter Box Locations

September 08, 20173 min read

Are you looking for the best place to tuck a litter box among your furnishings? Its not easy to find that just-right spot where your cats happiness and your decorative style meet.

Using our nine secrets, however, you can find a successful litter box location even if you live in a small house or apartment.

What Do You Do

Because cats are very sensitive to changes in their environment, it is important to avoid moving the litter box unless absolutely necessary. This is definitely something to be aware of when choosing a location for your cats litter box, especially if you are bringing a new cat or kitten into your home for the first time. However, if you do need to move your cats litter box after he or she has already become accustomed to a particular location, it is important that you do so in a way that causes the least confusion and disruption for your feline friends potty patterns.

First, it is important to help your cat become accustomed to a new litter box location slowly, and one way to do this is to introduce a second litter box in the new location. Take your cat gently to the new location and allow him or her to explore this new litter box placement and get comfortable with the new sights, sounds, and smells that may be different from those at the site of the first litter box. If your kitty responds well to the new litter box and has begun to use it when needed, allow your kitty to use both boxes for a transition period, and eventually remove the original litter box.

Another option for slowly transitioning the placement of the litter box is to do just that! Simply move the litter box a few inches at a time each day toward the new location until the litter box is in the place you would like for it to be.

Height And Size Of Litter Box

Some cats, especially females, may pee high, meaning they do not squat very low. Shallow litter boxes with low sides may not contain the urine, even if the cats physical body was in the box! Youll want to switch to a box with higher sides, or a top-entry box that your cat has to jump up into to enter.

 

A higher-sided box is not a good idea for an older cat who may not be able to jump inside, or a kitten who also will have difficulty climbing in to use it.

 

If you have a kitten, its okay to have a smaller litter box. Just remember to reevaluate the size of the box once your small floof becomes a full-grown cat. If your cat cannot comfortably turn around in your litter box and squat without any of his body hanging over the sides, its time for a bigger box. Hopefully, the bigger box will fit in the current location, because moving a litter box can stress your cat and create litter box problems.

 

Litterboxes That Readers Love:

The NVR Miss Litter Box is a simple yet effectively designed litter pan. The litter trays high walls are perfect for avoiding spilling and litter scatter while the large cut out to the side of the box allows for easy entry and exit for your pet cat.

Purchase

LitterLocker Litter Box

The LitterLocker Litter Box is a high-quality product made by a Canadian brand that is designed to keep all the kitty litter scatters inside. It has two flexible high sidewalls that come with handles, a high back wall, and a short front wall. This will permit your cat to enter the box easily.

The size of the LitterLocker Litter Box is 22.3 x 17.6 x 16 inches, which makes it fit into most bathrooms, but also large enough for any cat. Its shape is designed especially to reduce litter scatter to a minimum.

The flexible sides make this litter box adaptable to small places. For instance, if you want to place between two walls or between a wall and your toilet, the sidewalls of the litter box can be bent to fit.

2.

The is a special mat that can be placed under or in front of the litter box to catch all the litter granules that cats track on their paws or when they toss the litter around to clean it. The mat is lightweight and it is also anti-slip. It is very easy to clean just by shaking it or vacuuming it, all the litter will be eliminated.

3.

I Have An Elderly Cat Should I Use A Different Type Of Litter Tray

If you have an elderly cat then, irrespective of their habits up to now, an indoor litter tray will probably be a requirement for their comfort in the future.

If your cat has stiff joints then it is a good idea to place a larger litter tray with a low entrance in an area that is easy for them to access.

How Do Cats Know To Pee In A Litter Box

Cats instinctively look for a pile of dirt- or sand-like substance to pee in. So utilizing a litter box is a natural transition for them.

It may require some training when you first introduce your cat into your home; even though he would naturally, in the wild, seek something like litter he may not know what to do in this new place.

Show your kitty where the litter box is and take some time to train him on how to use it. Fortunately, litter was created to replicate the same kind of material outdoor cats use for their bathroom, so the transition should be pretty natural.

The Best Way To Move Litter Box Option 2

How to Change The Location of a Cat Litterbox

Another way you can move your litter box is to just move it and show your cat where you have moved it to. It is ideal to leave a little pee and poo in it when you make the move. This is done so that the cat can recognize that this is his box, based off the scent. Once you have made the move, put the cat in the box and repeat this maybe every ½ hour to an hour. Cats are smart creatures and they will figure it out, but be prepared for those cats who may be resistant to the change.

Can You Move Your Cat’s Litter Box

Themoving a cat litter boxOnealitter boxthetheoneIf youlitter boxmove thetheayour cat

Don’t surprise your cat by moving the litter box all of a sudden. If you need to relocate the box, make sure to move it gradually, a few inches each day, until the box reaches its new destination, Garber says. Cats are very sensitive to sudden changes to their environment.

Additionally, how often should a cat’s litter box be changed? Twice a week is a general guideline for replacing clay litter, but depending on your circumstances, you may need to replace it every other day or only once a week. If you clean the litter box daily, you might only need to change clumping litter every two to three weeks.

Similarly, you may ask, how does a cat know where the litter box is?

The answer is that cats don’t know how to use the litter box. They do it by instinct. Cats always prefer to bury their waste, so the litter box feels like the only place in your house hopefully where they can do that. That includes hiding their smell, so burying their waste is one of their survival instincts.

Can I put my cat’s litter box in the bathroom?

3. In the Bathroom. There’s really no problem with keeping a cat’s litter box in the bathroom so long as you can keep the door to that bathroom open all or almost all the time. The issue with humidity, as I’ve already stated, can be remedied quite easily by having a dehumidifier in your bathroom.

How Many Litter Boxes Do I Need

This is a good place to start because its pretty simple. Experts, including the Humane Society of the United States, recommend a minimum of one litter box per cat in your householdplus one.

So, if you have four cats, that means five litter boxes. Some cats are finicky, preferring to pee in one box and poo in another. In that case, youll need to double up for your discerning doo-er. Theyll definitely let you know.

How Much Litter Should I Put In The Litter Tray

Most vets recommend a depth of 3-4cm of cat litter in a litter tray, but your cat may have a different preference, so its best to keep an eye out to make sure your cat is happy. Some cats prefer the litter to be as deep as possible, although in an uncovered tray this can lead to lots of litter ending up outside the tray due to digging and burying. If you find your cat is going to the toilet more than normal for medical reasons, you will need to adapt the amount of litter you use to accommodate this.

Quiet Calm Low Traffic

Avoid placing the litter box in areas with high traffic, loud or abrupt noises, or where dogs can easily nose around. The litter box should be placed somewhere Kitty feels secure, so she never feels like she has to go elsewhere for relief. In small spaces, finding an always-calm spot may be challenging, so think beyond obvious spaces.

Reconfigure or repurpose furniture that already occupies your space to accommodate the litter box. and can be retrofitted . From the front you cant tell its been modified, but from the side, you can see a kitty-sized entryway. There are many DIY options, or you can buy pre-made multi-tasking items, like a .

Litter Boxes In Multi

Litter box placement can get complicated when multiple cats live under one roof, Garber says. What works for one feline may not be acceptable to the other kitty.

A client of Garbers placed litter boxes in the garage for his two cats. One cat uses the boxes, the other one doesnt, despite the cat door on the garage door. The garage is probably dark and probably gets cold in the winter time, Garber says. Its not convenient to the cat.

Since not all cats will share their litter boxes with housemates, its important to have enough boxes to take care of all your pets, she says. In multi-cat households, you definitely dont want to put litter boxes right next to each other, since cats will see the two as one litter box, Garber says. You want to spread the litter boxes around the home.

And because some kitties prefer to urinate and defecate in separate boxes, Garber recommends maintaining two litter boxes for each feline in the family.

Kitties feel vulnerable when theyre going to the bathroom, especially when there are other cats in the home, Garber notes. In her own home, she keeps a litter box right at the top of the staircase leading to the bedrooms. Hallways are open areas, Garber says. Cats feel safe. They can see other cats coming.

While an upstairs hallway can be peaceful, busy foyers are not ideal for a litter box, she says.

Changing The Way Your Cat Feels

If your cat associates her litter box with unpleasant things, you can work to help her develop new and pleasant associations. Cats cant be forced to enjoy something, and trying to show your cat that her litter box is safe by placing her in the box will likely backfire and increase her dislike of the box. Its usually not a good idea to try to train your cat to use her litter box by offering her treats like you would a dog, because many cats do not like attention while theyre eliminating. However, a professional animal behavior consultant, such as a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist or a board-certified veterinary behaviorist may be able to help you design a successful retraining or counterconditioning program. Please see our article, Finding Professional Behavior Help, for information about locating an applied animal behavior professional.

Sometimes retraining to overcome litter-box fears or aversions may not be necessary. Here are some steps that you can try to help your cat learn new pleasant associations:

Treatment for Household Stress

Treatment for Multi-Cat Household Conflict

Medications

Always consult with your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist before giving your cat any type of medication for a behavior problem.

Best Spots For Your Cats Litter Box

The old saying in real estate, location, location, location, applies to litter boxes, too.

Where you put the litter box can mean the difference between harmony and hostility between you and your pets. If you want your felines to feel comfortable doing their business and minimize the likelihood of soiling around the home, its wise to put some thought into where you place the litter boxes, says Blair de Jong, an ASPCA feline behavior counselor.

In the cat world, one of the biggest problems we hear about is litter box training and inappropriate elimination, de Jong says. Once they start, litter box problems are a pain to manage.

Help Hes Not Using The Litterbox

Can You Move Your Cat

Elizabeth Teal and Micky Niego, Companion Animal Services, ASPCA

Contrary to popular myth, Garfield wasnt born using a litter box, he was drawn that way! Cats do not come into this world knowing how to use a litter box, that is, a colored plastic box filled with sterilized clay gravel. Cats learn what and where the bathroom is from their mom at about four weeks of age. Learning can happen so quickly that the casual observer may be unaware that any active instruction has taken place. In the case of orphan kittens, the caretaker must introduce the box concept otherwise the kittens will randomly choose a spot and imprint on the texture . The kitten should be placed in the litter box upon waking, after meals and vigorous play. The front paws can be dragged through the litter to simulate digging/covering. Most kittens take over and successfully use the box. The trick is to keep watch to make sure that the box is the only spot the kitten uses. An unsupervised kitten can easily lose track of the litter box; if nature calls, the kitten will use whatever is nearby.

Strays and Feral Cats

Thinkstock

Is She Spayed Is He Neutered?

Spraying What Is It and WHY!

Clean Box Clean Cat

Is He Really Box Trained?

He Uses the Box Sometimes!

Dont Yell Clean It Up!

Is It Spite? No, Its Stress

The Multi-Cat Household

Retraining Can He Be Helped?

Courtesy of

Look For Feedback And Adjust

Once you find the ideal place for the litter box in your small house or tiny apartment, pay attention to your cats behavior. Make sure your cat can get in and out of the litter box easily and that access isnt accidentally interrupted by laundry, shoes, grocery bags, or guests unknowingly closing doors.

If the location is working out, great! Otherwise, you may need to move the litter box to a more reliable location. If that is the case, its best to gradually move the litter box toward the new location instead of abruptly disappearing it. Or, temporarily, you may want to introduce a litter box in a new location and let waste accumulate in the litter box in the old location to make it less attractive. Cats prefer a clean place to go and the new, clean litter box will become her new top choice.

Recommended

How To Move A Cats Litter Box

To successfully move a cats litter box, you must move it slowly until it reaches the new location. You can also use a second litter box and place it in the new location, wait for your cat to discover and use it, and then slowly decrease access to the old litter box.

 

If you move a cats litter box too quickly, it can confuse and/or stress them, which can lead to litter box aversion. This is a more difficult behaviour to correct so its better to be preventative.

 

The following are detailed steps to take for each option.

 

 

We Answer 5 Top Litter Box Placement Questions

August 18, 20184 min read

Deciding where to place your litter box is important. You want it to match the feng shui of your home while also being safe and convenient for your cat to use. 

Today, we’re answering the top five questions about where to put your litter box.

Where can I put the litter box in my small apartment?

If you and your cat are living large in a small space, it’s especially critical to get your litter box placement right. Finding the balance between out-of-the-way and easy-to-access is hard enough in a roomy house. When space is at a premium, it gets especially complicated.Keep in mind the basics of litter box placement:

 Create a space in your apartment that fits these criteria. If you can find more than one spot, try them both and figure out which one your cat prefers.

 

Can I move the litter box?

What if your spouse, partner, or roommate doesn’t like the first spot you pick for the litter box? Can you move your pet’s box without upsetting her?

The short answer is – it’s best to leave the litter box alone once you’ve established its location. Imagine yourself trotting to the toilet only to discover someone had moved it while you were out. No fun.

Sometimes, however, you need to change the litter box location for some good reason. In that case, move it gradually. About an inch per day is a good rateseriously. 

 

Can I put two litter boxes next to each other?

 

What about individual rooms?

 

How can I minimize the smell of a central litter box?

 

How To Move Your Cats Litter Box

If the original location of the litter box is not convenient, you can move it. Moving it suddenly could cause your pet to become stressed or anxious and to toilet somewhere else in your home. However, to reduce any stress or anxiety for your cat, you should begin making small changes slowly. There are a couple of methods that you could try.

The first method is moving the litter tray a couple of inches closer to the new location every day. This option will take time and works well if you want to move it to a different place in the same area or the same room.

Alternatively, you could get a second temporary litterbox and place it in the desired location. You can then allow your cat time to get used to the new location while still accessing the old litterbox. This has the added advantage of seeing if your cat is happy to use the litterbox in the desired location and reducing the chances of unwanted toileting elsewhere in your home.

 

What Kind Of Litterbox To Choose

  • Do Open litter boxes are ideal In these, a cat can see everything in every direction, which will make it feel calm. Moreover, it will not feel secluded or pressured inside, which should help your cat accept the litterbox easily.
  • Do Closed litterboxes must have at least two openings to avoid traumatizing the cat, make sure your cat has at least two entrances. This will make it feel less confined when it is using it
  • Dont Closed litterboxes with only one entrance These can trigger a claustrophobic reaction in your cat. While the top makes it much easier for you, it makes the litterbox a hostile space for your cat. Some cat owners place these next to walls and sometimes even facing a wall, making it quite a dark scary place for the cat. If there are two cats using this type of litterbox, then one of them may end up trapped inside by the other, which can be a very traumatic experience, so it is best to avoid it.

Moving A Cats Litter Box Outside

In general, it is not recommended to place the cat litter box outside the house, especially if your cat is used to being inside. This would risk stressing him to go and face external dangers to go to do his business. The risk is above all that it does them inside!

If your cat does manage to get used to using an outside litter box, keep at least one inside, so that he knows he has a safe place to relieve himself.

And put the litter box in a protected place, so that kitty feels safe every time he goes to pee or poo.

Also install a so that he can access the garden whenever he wants. Dont keep him waiting, if you want to avoid accidents!

Moving a cats litter box in the garden Photo by from

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