About Litter Boxes

Litter boxes are a waste disposal system for small animals, primarily cats, that live indoors. They come in a few varieties, based on the animal owner's preference. The litter box requires little training for the cat, reduces mess and smell, and is easy to clean and care for.

Function

A litter box is a repository for the fecal matter and urine of cats who live or spend some of their time indoors. The litter box gives the cat an indoor, contained place to relieve itself that is compact, easy to store and easy to clean. The litter box allows the cat to roam the house rather than be confined to one outdoor or newspaper-lined location. For this reason, litter boxes are sometimes used for other small animals, such as rabbits or ferrets, when their owners want to keep them outside of a cage.

Features

A litter box is usually made of hard, stiff plastic in the shape of a rectangle and filled with a sandlike substance of cat litter. Often the box will be enclosed with a large plastic dome covering that has an opening at the front for the cat to climb through. This prevents humans from having to view the waste inside and reduces spillage. Another option for reduced mess is a litter box with raised sides, which lessens the chances of the cat kicking litter out the side or missing the box when attempting to use it.

Usage

The litter box is filled with cat litter (or "kitty litter"), which absorbs the moisture and odor of the cat urine and feces. The cat litter is normally made of a sandlike substance that causes the urine to "clump" together for easy scooping; sometimes it is made of biodegradable pellets. A plastic scoop with grates for the excess/clean litter to fall through is usually used to remove the feces and urine-soaked litter from the box. More expensive litter boxes, however, are self-cleaning. The box should be cleaned regularly, ranging from every day to once a week, with fresh cat litter poured on top as needed and the litter being entirely replaced every few months.

Training

Cats are usually trained by their mothers as kittens to use the litter box and to cover up their waste when finished. For this reason, litter box training is usually unnecessary for cats and kittens alike. Once a new cat or kitten is brought into a new home, it should simply be showed several times throughout the course of a few hours where the litter box is, and the cat will go to the litter box on its own. A cat's strong sense of smell, however, will lead it away from a litter box if it's unclean, which is why it's important to empty the box regularly.

Warning

Cat feces may contain the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Though usually harmless to humans and cats, the parasite can have devastating effects on a developing fetus. For this reason, pregnant women should avoid litter boxes and ensure that the litter box is cleaned daily by someone else if a cat is living in the home. Flushing cat feces should also be avoided, to prevent Toxoplasma gondii from being introduced into waterways.