Clean Litter, Happy Cats

Sure, we can put it in the wrong place or get the wrong kind of box or the wrong kinds of litter. But we can make up for any number of errors if we only clean the litter.

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Our Litter Robot Story illustrates how much the pull of clean litter can overcome even the shyest, most suspicious, cat’s trepidations about litter box challenges. James “Caution is his middle name” Bond was not pleased when we first acquired a mechanical litter box device.

Yet, despite asking him to change his litter posture, accept an enclosed box, and get his privacy levels adjusted… James wound up not only using the Litter Robot, but loving it.

That’s how strong the pull of clean litter can be. Why?

As with all of their behavior, what cats do has a strong survival component. In the case of litter behavior, they are prodded by their instincts to behave, as much as possible, as though “this doesn’t happen at all.”

In the wild, it takes such forms as burying and covering, seeking out as much privacy as possible, and choosing a new site each time. We help our cats comply with the clamor of their instincts by giving them a deep box with generous amounts of litter, choosing a site that is quiet and quickly accessible, and keeping the litter clean.

It’s not just fastidiousness; though cats are very clean animals and will always seek that if possible. It’s also giving the cat two clear signals that make them want to use this litter box: the “it’s okay, this doesn’t belong to another cat’s territory” signal, and the “it’s okay, you are using a fresh spot” signal.

This is why cats often have problems sharing a box; finding another cat’s leavings triggers their worries. This is why cats will “go” on a spot beside the litter box; the box might not be clean, and they observe that such activity gets cleaned up right away! Unlike the litter box itself.

In the home, the best way to keep any cat happy is to make quick and easy cleaning an automatic part of our day. If our present litter box setup does not offer such ease of use for both us, and our cat…

There’s your problem.

For the complete guide to caring for your cat, AND fixing problems when we don’t know what we are doing wrong, see my specialized book, Cat 911.

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So it was excellent timing. I could evaluate the seven pound bag I received as the only litter in our Litter Robot.

I was pleased!

It worked quite well. The usual lack of odor continued, and my three cats did not make any complaints to management. This litter clumped well and was low dust, as advertised.

Another bonus was that it was more lightweight than my usual clumping clay. I was pleasantly surprised when I went to change the bag.

While I was not able to continue using the World’s Best, since at the time my local stores did not carry this brand, I was happy with its performance and will consider it in the future. So I do not know how it might fare long-term in a litter saving appliance like the Litter Robot.

In the month or so since I evaluated this cat litter, we adopted tiny Tristan, he started using a litter box, and our local stores started carrying it. Since all these things happened in the order described, I have not resumed use of World’s Best. Though when I ran out of it, it worked well with having clay litter added on top.

I am an environmentalist, and appreciate the fact that this litter is made of vegetable matter, which is a renewable resource. This angle is slightly undercut by the fact that at present, corn is a rather intensive monocrop which uses petrochemical fertilizer. Still, it is an undeniable advantage to have a biological basis for such a substance that is in constant demand.

So, bottom line: this litter is low dust, low weight, clumps well, does not annoy cats, and plays well with other litters.

Get a free bag.

I was provided with a bag of World’s Best Cat Litter, for the purposes of doing a review.

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With all this working for us, we don’t actually have to train the cat. It actually makes more sense to say, “litter train the person.”

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We must be alert for, or eliminate, the two big reasons for litter box problems:

The cat is not altered.

What people call “litter box problems” can often be territorial spraying. Boys have the notorious reputation, but girls do it too. The latest research indicates the traditional “waiting period” before altering was never adequately tested, and the recommendations are now that if the kitten is in good health, and over two pounds, go ahead.

The cat is sick.

Once we have a routine going, and the cat suddenly doesn’t use their litter box, get them to the vet right away. This is a distress signal. We can’t fault the cat’s logic; this is a big red flare sent up into the night sky, impossible for humans to ignore.

Don’t put it off, thinking the cat is not acting sick. They don’t do that. In the wild, a cat’s survival depends on them not acting sick. So they don’t. Litter box accidents are a way of the cat sending a signal that fits with their instincts. So get them vet-checked, and head off worse problems.

Another pitfall is unknowingly having what I call a Marginal Litter Box. It’s not ideal, it’s only adequate. If we place the box in the wrong place, or don’t clean it enough, we are lowering the cat’s litter comfort. We can get away with a marginal situation as long as the cat puts up with it. If anything adds to the cat’s stress, then they can’t handle a dicey litter box arrangement, and they start having litter box problems.

If we are alert to not only have the cat use the litter box, but enjoy using the litter box, we have bullet proofed our housebreaking situation. It will then be a reliable warning sign; the cat is very upset to not use their box.

The number one thing we can do to make our cats happy with their arrangement is clean litter. By a wide margin.

Clean litter can trump all kinds of other preferences. Mr. Bond did not take to the enclosed Litter Robot as quickly as Puffy did because he is a large cat who dislikes a claustrophobic box. Yet the always-clean-litter inside the Robot motivated him to find a way to like it. Now, he loves it, and fusses over the operation like a construction boss.

Cats, being naturally clean, will avoid dirty litter. They need something clean to dig in, for instance. And since we have a lot of close contact with the cats, this is to our advantage, too.

The second thing they like is a calm, easy access, location. Just as some restaurants never prosper at a particular address, a poorly sited litter box will make this essential cat accessory something the cat feels torn about using. Even with the litter kept clean, a loud or unpredictable noise will make the cat feel tense. This should never be a time or place for the cat to feel tense.

More tips:

If we listen to the cat, we don’t have to figure out how the cat wants their box.

They will tell us what they want from their box.

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I moved my 16 year old female cat’s litter box from the spare bathroom to my closet. It fits fine and we get no more water splashes from the shower and litter on the guest room floor. BUT – while she uses the box in its new location, she still uses the old bathroom floor and rug. How do I stop her from using the old bathroom as her litter box?

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Dear Reader,

She’s sixteen, which means she relies a lot on her old habits. If she gets an urgent call of nature, and heads to where she’s used to going, there might not be enough time for her to realize her mistake and doubleback to where the new box is.

And she is willing to use her new box. I’m betting she just forgets.

Help her remember by:

Leaving the bathroom door closed for now. This is an immediate signal that indicates the old place is no longer available.

Give her time to make new habits.

And if she has a pattern to when she uses the litter box, be alert at those times, and remind her by showing her where the new box is. Make it a happy time; tell her how glad we are she is using the new place, praise her for doing so, and tell her we are reminding her where it is.

How many times have we moved something, and then kept going to the old place where it was kept? Lots, I bet. The cat can go through the same thing.

If this doesn’t work, try a strong scent to drive them away. A rag sprayed with that orange cleaner works well, or peppermint scented candles, anything with that sharp scent. If it makes our eyes water, it will do worse to the cat’s nose.

Also, since cats tend to not go where they eat, put some bowls of food there, or feed her treats there. Or stack some precariously perched empty cardboard boxes or empty tin cans there, so brushing against them causes them to topple.

Making it an unpleasant place to go will remove the urge to keep going there.

Just wanted to say thanks again for your great advice. I have been feeding her there and the behavior has stopped. You are the cat whisperer!

You are welcome.

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My Robot Experience

What to expect?

How the cats will react?

How it improved all our lives?

Well, that’s how it got so long! With some favorite pictures of my Cat Boys.

It will be up top in my Pages section, on the left hand side of the header.

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There’s more to raising and training a cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See my CAT TRAINING TIPS.