How to Put Cat Litter Into a Litter Box

Don't use clumping litter for kittens, because they can ingest it when cleaning themselves.

No cat owner likes the smell of a dirty litter box permeating the house. The sensitive feline nose will often cause a cat to eliminate inappropriately if the box reeks of urine or feces. The size of the litter box and its availability to your pet also factor in helping your cat use the box correctly. Veterinarian Stephanie Janeczko, Medical Director for Animal Care & Control of New York City, recommends picking a litter box at least one and a half times the size of your cat, and increasing the size of the box as the cat grows. Set up one more litter box than the number of cats in the house, scoop out waste daily, and clean and refill the box regularly.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic bag or waste can
• Dish-washing liquid
• Litter mat or newspaper

Instructions

1. Empty any dirty litter into a plastic bag or waste can, and clean the dirty box with mild dish soap and water. Cleaners with citrus oil or ammonia tend to irritate a cat's sensitive nose and deter them from using the box. Dry the box thoroughly before adding any new litter.

2. Pour the litter directly into the box until it reaches a depth of 3 1/2 to 4 inches. This keeps the cat feces and urine from reaching the bottom of the box or becoming stuck to the sides.

3. Place the clean litter and litter box away from your pet's food and water in a quiet room of the house on a litter mat or pages of spread-out newspaper. Covering the floor around the box in this manner helps later in clean up if your pet tends to send the litter flying when covering its eliminations.

4. Repeat this process twice a week for non-clumping litter or once a month for clumping litter.

Tips & Warnings

• By using a clumping clay litter -- preferable to most cats, according Sarah Hoggan of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University -- you can scoop wastes on a daily basis and prevent inappropriate eliminations. To determine which kind of litter your cat prefers, set up different boxes with clumping litter, pellets, and absorbent beads to allow your cat to choose.

• Consult your veterinarian if your cat continues to eliminate outside a clean litter box or if you notice your pet straining to urinate or defecate. Vets recognize these behaviors as a symptom of megacolon, urinary tract disease, or a blocked urethra. The latter disorder causes kidney failure and can be fatal in male cats if not treated.

• The Humane Society of the United States recommends against using scented kitty litter in the box or room deodorizer around the area, because those scents can put off many cats and discourage them from using the litter box. The Humane Society suggests pouring a thin layer of baking soda on the bottom of the box to absorb odors.

References

• Petfinder; What Size Litter Box Should I Have?; Stephanie Janeczko
• Petfinder; How Often Should I Clean My Cat's Litter Box?; Stephanie Janeczko
• Washington State University; Kitty Litter Preferences; Sarah Hoggan
• Humane Society of the United States: Preventing Litter Box Problems
• Humane Society of the United States: Solving Litter Box Problems

Resources

• CatInfo.org; The Litter Box From Your Cat's Point of View; Lisa Pierson; February 2011