March 18th, 2008 at 01:36pm
Under Cat Care+ Litter Box
By Julia Camden
Cats and their litter habits can be one of the main annoyances
of having a cat; it can often seem like they go to the bathroom
in places other than their litter box just to get back at you,
or annoy or get revenge on their owner somehow.
First of all, it is a myth that cats must be litter trained.
Cats are instinctively able to use the bathroom in the litter
box, but this makes other sand-like areas prone to defecation as
well, and that includes rock gardens, house plants, vegetable
gardens, or anything else of that nature.
Another one of the common litter-related problems that many
people experience with their cats is that they tend to spray to
mark their territory, and this is especially true with male
cats. In order to get your cat to be as gentlemanly as possible
when it comes to their litter habits, there are a few things you
can keep in mind that might help your case.
1. Location, Location, Location
Where you put your litter box has a great deal to do with how
willing your cat will be to use it, versus other areas in the
house. Wouldn’t you rather use the bathroom in a warm
comfortable area than a cold, dank one? For this reason,
basements, laundry rooms and other areas are not such a great
place to put the litter box.
Understandably, you probably want to put your litter box in a
remote area where people can’t see it and odors are less
offensive, but if you want them to use the box and not your
couch cushion, you should think twice about your location.
2. Consider the Litter
The litter that you use in your cat’s litter box is another
thing that must be taken into consideration. Cat litter with
large granules or a certain smell or texture that your cat does
not like or is not used to is a good way to discourage them from
using the box at all. It may cost a bit more, but the better the
litter, the more money you spend on buying a quality litter for
your cat box, the more inclined they will be to use that litter
box.
3. Keep it Clean
Cleaning your litter box as often as possible is the best way
to get your feline to use the litter box more consistently.
Think about it; do you want to use a nasty toilet? Cats are just
as finicky as you when it comes to where toileting is done, and
perhaps even more so.
If your cat is using other places than the litter box that is a
good indication that you aren’t keeping it as clean as they
would like. Consider self cleaning litter boxes that scoop waste
out of the bin shortly after it is deposited.
About the Author: Have a cat behavior problem that needs
solving? If so, you’ll want to visit
www.secretsofcats.com today to find out how to train your
cat and eliminate bad cat behavior quickly. Go to
www.secretsofcats.com
Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: www.isnare.com/?aid=159821&ca=Pets
By Fred
February 4th, 2008 at 12:54pm
Under Cat Care+ Cat Health+ Pet Care
By Nancy Wigal
Cat urine smell is one of the most powerful pet odors
imaginable. If you don’t scoop the cat litter box and dispose of
her waste, your kitty may deposit her waste all over your home.
This article gives you some advice on why you should quickly
remove kitty deposits from the cat litter box, and how it
encourages her from making your home her giant litter box.
Cats are fussy, clean creatures and they usually have high cat
litter box standards. You can help your cat maintain her good
litter box habits by developing one of your own - scooping her
deposits from the cat litter box as quickly as you discover
them. But, that’s only half the battle. If you keep the trash
can too close to the cat litter box, the smell may overwhelm
your cat and drive her away from her box.
Since cats have staff (us!), one of our jobs is to keep their
litter boxes very clean. If you develop the habit of checking
her cat litter box every time you pass by, and scoop out her
waste if you see it, this is a great partnership for maintaining
a wonderful relationship between you and your cat. She deposits,
you scoop, the box is clean again, and everyone’s happy.
Kitty sees a clean box every time she needs to relieve herself.
The urine clumps and other solid waste don’t lie in the box,
permeating your home with the odor.
The other critical part of this partnership is making certain
the scooped items aren’t in close proximity to the cat litter
box. Why? The smell is overwhelming to both you and kitty. Since
cats have a much keener sense of smell than you and I, she’s
going to get bowled over by the odor far earlier than you, and
she’ll find a fresher-smelling area to meet her litter box
needs. If that area doesn’t have a cat litter box handy, too bad
for you!
In order to keep The Cat happy, scoop out her production and
deposit it into a plastic bag. Wrap the bag tight, and select a
wastebasket that’s far enough away from the cat litter box not
to be noticeable by you and your cat. This might a neutral room
where the cat litter box isn’t located. Empty that wastebasket
early and often to keep that part of your home from smelling
like a litter box.
Even if you only have one cat, you may have more than one cat
litter box. There are many kitties who like to have one box for
liquid deposits, and another for solid waste. Here’s a good rule
of thumb for determining the minimum number of cat litter boxes
you need in your home:
“X” cats +1 = minimum number of cat litter boxes
Pretty easy, huh? If you have two cats, you need at least 3 cat
litter boxes.
So if you do have more than one cat litter box, you’ll need to
check all of them on a regular basis. Many cats evacuate their
bladder and bowels on a fairly regular basis, so you’ll get a
sense of the time of day and/or evening you need to make your
rounds. My cat Scout usually voids her bladder anytime between
4:30 AM - 5:30 AM. She usually passes solid waste about an hour
later. In the evening, she will urinate around 5:30 - 6:00PM,
with a feces sample shortly afterward.
By knowing the approximate schedule your cat uses the litter
box, you can plan your trips to check for scoopable products at
fairly regular times. Her box is always clean and up to her
standards. You can strategically position a waste can far away
enough from all cat litter boxes in your home to keep the smell
out of her cat litter box area, thus encouraging kitty to use
her box all the time.
About the Author: Nancy has successfully eliminated cat urine
odor from her home, and kept the kitty that caused it. The Cat
Urine Odor Advisor helps you save money and stop the damage in
your household by offering solutions that work together to
eliminate cat urine odor from your home.
www.cat-urine-odor-advisor.com Subscribe to the Cat Urine
Odor Solutions newsletter, and I’ll send you my free report
“Four Important Litter Box Basics For Your New Kitten.” Start
your new addition to the family off right, and never have a cat
urine odor problem! RSS feed:
quikonnex.com/channel/view/caturineodoradvisor
Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: www.isnare.com/?aid=5149&ca=Pets
By Fred
