How many kitty litter boxes

Posts by:. Justine A. Cat Behavior. Reviewed by:. Sarah Tasse, DVM. Reviewed on:. Purrfect and Tigress have adapted to sharing things and people in their multi-cat household. The reasons cover a wide range, from their origins in the wild, the hierarchy they have established among themselves, and their individual personalities and characteristics, to how they express their feelings and maintain their territory.

Cats, unlike dogs, are not pack animals. Even if they are siblings from the same litter, there will be times when each kitty wants her own space. And when they are doing something as private as elimination, sharing the same litter box can be stressful for some cats. Ideally, a multi-cat household should have the same number of litter boxes as the number of cats, plus one extra box; in other words, for two cats, there should be three litter boxes.

Cats that are territorial tend to carve out their path of travel throughout the house and, if the alpha cat is aggressive toward the beta cat, the bully can block the litter box entry. There's really no such thing as "litter training" a cat in the same way one would housetrain a dog. You actually don't need to teach your cat what to do with a litter box; instinct will generally take over. You do need to provide an acceptable, accessible litter box, using the suggestions above. It's not necessary to take your cat to the litter box and move their paws back and forth in the litter.

If you move to a new place, however, you will need to show your cat where the box is. If your cat begins to go to the bathroom outside the litter box, your first call should always be to your veterinarian. Many medical conditions can cause a change in a cat's litter box habits. If your veterinarian examines your cat and gives them a clean bill of health, your cat may have a behavior problem that needs to be solved.

Punishment is not the answer, nor is banishing your cat outdoors. For long-standing or complex situations, contact an animal-behavior specialist who has experience working with cats. Preventing litter box problems. Covered boxes Some people prefer to provide their cats with a covered litter box.

Pick of the litter There are several different types of cat litter on the market. Top 10 tips. Get Your Copy. Set up Most people tend to place the litter box in an out-of-the-way spot to minimize odor and prevent cat litter from being tracked throughout the house. Keep the litter box in a spot that gives your cat some privacy but is also convenient. With four cats and three litterboxes, scooping them every other day would be best.

If you have trouble remembering to clean the litterbox, a self-cleaning or automatic litterbox could be a great solution. Do you have any other tips for new pet owners? Roslyn comes from a family of animal lovers and has a B.

She has volunteered with various animal rescues in Tennessee and South Carolina. Roslyn currently shares her home with four cats. All Rights Reserved. Content is provided as a public service. Links and views may lead to companies that may or may not be affiliated with PetSafe or other brands of Radio Systems Corporation.