Pet Care Articles
Whenever I am chatting with a friend who is as passionate about cats as I am, I find that after kitty “bragging” discussions are over, our conversations invariably turn to the pros and cons of the brands and different types of litter boxes which will keep our kitties healthy and happy.
And once we get into it and deeply delve into the topic, it’s darned easy to spend hours on end exploring the optimal size and shape of a perfect litter box, whether it should be covered or uncovered, scooped automatically or manually, where it ideally should be located and, to avoid “accidents”, precisely just how many boxes are necessary.
When the litter box talkathon is finally exhausted, it is immediately followed with a philosophical discussion of the merits of clumping litter vs. non-clumping, scented or odorless, manufactured out of clay, corn, cedar chips, or any other material. When it comes to the topic of litter and litter boxes, cat people can really get into it. And with the huge variety of these essential sanitary necessities that are available on the market today, it can become truly overwhelming when cat servants are trying to make a decision about what products are most appropriate.
Since cleaning kitty’s toilet is not generally one of the top 10 favorite kitty keeping chores, to some extent I understand why some folks tell me they prefer the self-cleaning and self-flushing automatic litter boxes. This said, however, in this cat servant’s opinion, it’s equally important to monitor kitty’s output as it is to stay on top of their food and water intake. Therefore I am not convinced that automatic litter boxes are preferable to those we manually scoop. While "power" boxes do offer some convenience, they can prevent us from picking up on serious issues that may be lurking.
One of the most common gripes I hear from cat keepers is that their cats are energetic “diggers” and make a huge mess by scattering litter all over the floor. And then there are those cats that prefer to pee standing up and leave puddles outside the box.
We solved the majority of these problems by using Clevercat litter boxes. Their high sides prevent spillage and the specially designed cover traps most of the litter that is kicked outside the box. Following the equation of one litter box per cat plus one, we have two cats and three boxes. To keep both cats happy, one is uncovered and two are covered.
“Scented” litter is a product made to benefit the owner, not the cat. Most cats dislike scented litter, since their “scent” is preferable. Anyway, keeping litter boxes clean and fresh prevents nasty odors from accumulating.