Merry Products Nightstand Pet House
Alternatively, you can disguise some of those extra cat litter boxes as furniture* instead!
This might sound even crazier than a corner which isnt a corner, but the 2000+ happy reviews mean this manufacturer is definitely onto something!
These night stand/table/towel rail/litter box hybrids come in multiple colors and finishes to blend in with any home.
Multiple Cats Need Multiple Litter Boxes
Each cat in your home should have its own litter box plus one extra. For a household with three cats, for example, experts suggest that you have four litter boxes. This assures that each cat has its own place to go and an extra one if all of the litter boxes are dirty or otherwise disagreeableyou know how cats are.
Can Cats Share A Litter Box How Many Litter Boxes Per Cat
ByDr. Hannah Godfrey BVetMed MRCVSpublished 9 January 22
Ever wondered whether cats can share a litter box? So, how many litter boxes do you need per cat?
If you live in a household with more than one feline family member, you might wonder whether your cats can share a litter box, or indeed how many litter boxes per cat is required, particularly if you feel like you spend most of your time cleaning up their kitty toilet.
It can also be frustrating if one of your cats is prone to peeing outside the litter box or seems to want to urinate in the bath or a particular corner of the living room. What if the litter box options you’ve provided for your cats are the reason why their toileting isn’t going to plan? Can cats share a litter box? Or do they need one each?
This article will explore the best number of litter boxes to provide in your household, as well as answering common questions you may have about your cats’ litter box habits.
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Choose Litter Box Location Carefully
As already mentioned, your cat sometimes needs to be alone, and going to a bathroom for them is the perfect moment for privacy so when choosing a place for their litter boxes, you should always keep the following in mind:
- Dont put them near loud and hot appliances, like a washing machine or an air conditioner, because the sound and the heat can cause anxiety.
- Keep litter boxes accessible, especially in a room with a door .
- Dont put litter boxes near their water and food bowls because the foul odors can prevent them from eating.
Why Do Cats Need Separate Litter Boxes
When it comes to sharing, cats arent big fans of the idea.
Yes, two cats can love each other, eat from the same bowl, and sleep in one bed.
However, theres always the potential for jealousy and bullying when cats share resources.
So, having a single litter box for two cats can lead to many behavior problems and bad bathroom habits. Allow me to walk you through the main reasons why cats shouldnt share a box.
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Can I Put Two Litter Boxes Next To Each Other
For most people, positioning litter boxes is the biggest headache of owning a cat.
Lets be honest, theyre pretty big, they dont fit in with the decor, they smell after being used, and wed rather just have them out of sight, wouldnt we?
But they are a necessity. Unless you have a well trained outdoor cat, however. But thats a topic for another day.
Focusing back on indoor cats or cats that like to use their boxes, most people end up with a spot they want to use for litter trays. Typically in a bathroom, utility room, garage, or somewhere out of the way.
If you have more than one box, youre going to want to put them in the same location too.
This is another thing that vets and cat behavioral experts are going to advise against. Theyll say that you should place one box per floor, on opposite sides of the house, and not next to each other.
This is great advice. However, I have put two boxes close together in the same room before and it was perfectly fine.
So, again, its about giving it a go and making the best of the situation. I kept on top of cleaning them out to make sure I didnt give my cats any excuses to poop outside of their boxes, and it worked.
Your Cat Is Very Young Very Old Or Ill
Anything that limits a cat “litter box range” is a problem. Senior cats may take longer to get up and make it all the way to a litter box in the other side of your home, especially is their arthritic. A cat with diabetes or urinary tract infection will need to pee more often and again, would need a nearby litter box. As for kittens, when they’re a few weeks old, they may not be able to reach the box in time too, if it’s too far away.
Even with a healthy adult cat, a sudden onset of diarrhea may mean several rushed visits to the litter box – and there better be one that a quick dash will get Kitty to.
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More Options To Choose From For Their Bathroom Business
Owners who utilize more than one litter box have the advantage of trying different approaches. For instance, you could try different litter types in each box to see what they like more. It’ll help create a more comfortable bathroom experience for your favorite cat.
Another useful experiment would be trying out different litter box types. You can put a covered litter box in one room and an open option somewhere else. It’ll then be simpler to determine what one works best for your cat.
As a result, you’ll no longer find yourself wasting money on an undesirable box or litter type. It’s an outcome that could make your life as a cat owner much more manageable.
Why Is The Plus One Litter Box So Important
There are several reasons for that:
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Your Home Has More Than Two Floors
Regardless of your overall floor space, you would do best to keep one litter box per floor level. That includes the basement, if Kitty is allowed to explore there. Again, you’re trying to save your cat from this dilemma: Should I run down/up a staircase with a full bladder, or maybe just go on the nearby rug?
How Many Litter Boxes Should You Have For One Cat
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Single cat owners often find themselves wondering one simple question, how many litter boxes is enough? It’s a common thought for new and experienced owners, which tends to many different answers. But we’ve done extensive research into the topic and found a definite one capable of quelling your concerns.
The right number of litter boxes for a single cat would be at least two. If you live in a larger home with multiple levels, you should adopt a one or more per floor motto. Senior cat and kitten owners should have more than two litter boxes as they’re more prone to bathroom issues.
However, there’s a bit more to the discussion than this simplified answer. Our following sections will take you through several related topics to ensure all your questions get covered. We’ll help make sure your cat has the best litter box setup possible!
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Keep Litter Boxes Away From Strong Smells And Sounds
Cats are extremely sensitive to smell, so be sure to place your litter boxes away from their food and waters bowls, as well as where you cook. Cats also prefer a quiet space to go. The laundry room might be convenient for you, but the noise of the washer and dryer may distress your cat. Find a quiet place free of smells to place your litter boxes.
Do Cats Get Mad When Their Litter Box Is Dirty
Stress. A cat that uses constantly a dirty litter box is an unhappy cat. The area where cats do their business is very important for them and the lack of cleanliness every time they need to use them makes them feel just as you would feel if you had to do your business in a dirty public bathroom every time.
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How Many Litter Boxes Are Needed For Two Cats
Do you already own a pet cat and brought home another one? You are not the only one! Not only are cats extremely adorable, but they also make great house pets! They are loving creatures that are clean and tidy and love the stability of routine life.
Lets say that now you have two cats at home. They share the same food and water bowls and also play with the same toys. But how many litter boxes are needed for two cats? One would naturally assume that one litter box is enough and both the cats can share it. Or perhaps two litter boxes, one for each cat. But experts have figured out that the answer to how many litter boxes are needed for two cats is neither one nor two! It is actually 3. If you have two pet cats, you should own 3 litter boxes.
Why I Dont Use More Than 2 Litter Boxes
For that classic litter box formula, I believe it would make sense in a spacious home with multiple floors. Cats do not want to walk all the way downstairs to relieve themselvesespecially not older cats.
Similar to humans, we enjoy it if our bathroom is within a couple of steps of where we are. If its too far away, we might use something else .
However, If you imagine a studio apartment where every single inch of floor space is treasured, it becomes a real issue. Especially in Asia, which has a very high density of people, the living space is quite less than the normal apartment.
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Buying The Right Height Litter Box
If your cat is not a sprayer and does not normally kick the litter outside the box, a box with 5 -7-inch-high walls is great, especially if it is large in size.
If your cat is a sprayer or has bad aim, try getting a larger litter box with 8-12 inches walls, or perhaps an enclosed box where your cat can easily jump in and do its business.
The Arm and Hammer 22195 Rim Waved Pan is a good option to avoid litter scatter. It also has a low entry for your cat to jump in easily.
The Size Of Your Home
If your home is large or has multiple levels, you may want to make things easy for the cats and have litter boxes on each level.
Think about how annoying it would feel to you, if you were on the 3rd level of a town house and how to go down 4 flights of stairs to the basement, every time you needed to use the bathroom.
Please be considerate of your cats.
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How Many Litter Boxes For Two Cats
You should know the answer by now – a minimum of three boxes. Yes, sometimes two cats manage with a single box. Not always though. Two boxes is better than one but if you want to make sure scooping once a day is enough, get three litter boxes for your two cats.
Once you have more than one cat, there’s the added issue of: What happens when more than one cat needs to use the litter box at the same time? Which brings us to the next question –
Manual Vs Automatic Litter Boxes
Two cats usually arent too much of a hassle to take care of. But as you start expanding your cat family further, scooping up their excrement can start to feel like a day job.
Luckily, we live in modern times when robots can do our bidding. Really! Self-cleaning litter boxes automatically remove any feces and soiled litter from the pan without you touching it. Just empty out the compartment every few days and youre good to go.
A happy medium for those who dont like to scoop, but arent ready for robots to take over, are sifting litter boxes. These have holes in the bottom and a closed compartment underneath. The dirty bits fall through and get hidden away from your sight and smell. All thats left for you to do is remove the poops. And empty the compartment, of course.
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Can Two Cats Share A Litter Box
We know that cats can be picky about where they go to the toilet.
And sadly, going to the toilet in the wrong place is most likely reason for a cat to be left at an animal shelter.
Being forced to share a litter box can be the reason a cat starts to use other places as their bathroom.
We know that cats prefer a clean litter box.
When a litter box is heavily used by more than one cat, it can quickly become too unappealing to bear for some pets.
The RSPCA and the Humane Society of the United States both recommend having one litter box for each cat, and one spare.
Lets take an example
How Many Litter Boxes Do I Need
Imagine coming home, bladder bursting, and walking into your bathroom to see that your roommate has left it reeking, the toilet unflushed, toilet paper everywhere. It would give you a moment of pause, no matter how badly you needed to relieve yourself. The same can be true for cats who share litter boxes.
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Jackson Galaxy, cat behaviorist and star of Animal Planets My Cat From Hell, says litter box issues are one of the top three reasons cat parents hire him. But for multi-cat households, the solution can be as simple as having the right number of litter boxes. The rule of thumb is one litter box per cat, plus one extra, Galaxy says.
The cat-to-litter box ratioAs a cat foster mom, I recommend that new adopters have at least 1.5 litter boxes per cat. So if you have one cat, you need two litter boxes two cats, three litter boxes.
Some cats just dont like sharing litter boxes, and this ratio lets each cat claim his own. Even if they dont mind sharing, keeping extra litter boxes around ensures that, if one of your cats is using one litter box and the scary washing machine is running next to the litter box in the basement, there will still be an appropriate place for your other cat to relieve himself.
Tell us: How many litter boxes do you have?
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How Can Cats Share A Litter Box Happily
According to a recent 2017 study from researchers in Missouri, one of those rules is more important than the rest.
They found that the problem most likely to put cats off a litter box, was the physical presence of obstructions.
So, a box with odorless spills and faux-fecal logs was actually less appealing than a box which had been sprayed with the scent of urine and poo, but didnt really contain anything.
This suggests that scooping out your cats litter box regularly is the most important thing you can do to make it acceptable to them.
You Live In A Very Spacious House
If you’re fortunate enough to live in a small mansion of 3000 square ft and above, you may need to consider adding more litter boxes and spreading them around. Don’t expect a cat to have to run for hundreds of yards whenever she needs to pee. If your home exceeds 3000 square feet, we bet you have at least three bathrooms, right? Your cat deserves nothing less.
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How Many Litter Boxes In A Household With One Cat
Yes, we already answered this very question but a. it bears repeating the answer and b. there are a few things to elaborate on here.
The answer we gave earlier was two .
The advantages of having more than one litter box even if you have only one cat –
- Your cat gets more options to choose from
- The litter boxes will be – on average – cleaner
- You may be able to clean less frequently
The more litter boxes you offer, the cleaner they are, on average. Let’s say you can only get to cleaning the boxes once a day. With two boxes – assuming Kitty uses both – each box will have less waste in it by the end of the day. It also means that at least twice that day, your cat had a perfectly clean box to use. The other times, he had a cleaner box to use than he would have with just a single box.
And yes, that does mean you could get away with scooping less often. This isn’t a license to get lazy with your litter box cleaning duties, mind. It just means that if you were to clean a single box twice a day, with two litter boxes, you can scoop once a day without affecting the overall level of cleaningness.