5 Litter Box Tips for Litter Box Issues

Wild cats separate their bathroom sites from their eating and drinking sites to prevent bacteria from getting into their food and water. In fact, they prefer to drink away from their food, to make sure bacteria from their meal (like a dead bird) doesn’t mix with their water. So, separate your cat’s food, water and litter box locations to help prevent issues.

However, if your kitty does go outside the box, put their water and food bowls on top of the inappropriate spot; it can stop them from associating the location with the bathroom — and therefore, stop them from repeating the behaviour.

Out in the wild, cats don’t want predators to know where they are, so clean-smelling bathroom sites are important to their survival. This instinct is still inside your cat, so keeping the litter box clean is key to her using it. Scoop litter at least once a day to help control odour.

Using multiple bathroom sites in nature is another survival instinct that helps cats stay safe from predators. You can mimic this behavior at home:

• Have two litter boxes in separate locations for a single-cat household.


• Have three boxes in at least two locations for a two-cat household; the rule of thumb is one litter box per cat, plus one extra.


• Make sure you scoop boxes frequently — and use a litter with extra odour control. 


• Empty and clean the entire litter box at least monthly, then replace with fresh litter.

Aside from trapping odours, covered cat litter boxes can also make cats fear being trapped by a predator as if they were out in the wild. That’s why cats prefer uncovered litter boxes over covered.

•  Remove the cover of your cat’s litter box to help your cat feel safer, especially in a multi-cat household.


•  Make sure litter boxes are large enough to allow your cats to cover their waste with fresh litter that is away from where they just soiled.


•  You can tell if the litter box is too small or the litter is too dirty if your cat is pawing at the edge of the litter box, or the wall or floor.


•  Maintain a proper litter depth of 3-4 inches as you clean, so your cat can satisfy her digging and covering instincts (another way they hide the evidence of their location).

Litter box locations should replicate closely what a cat does in the wild:

•  Some cats prefer more hidden areas, while others prefer litter boxes that are more out in the open so they can see their territory — and keep on the lookout for predators.
•  Regardless, make sure all litter boxes are easily accessible and in a low traffic area.