Before you decide to get a pet, it is crucial to learn more about its requirements. For example, the needs of cats are quite different when compared to dogs. While you can easily teach your dog where to go for its physiological needs, things with cats could be more complicated.
However, you can still manage to teach your cat where to use the litter box, but you will need to pay attention to some important things. Here are some tips that will help you solve the common litter box problems.
1. Secure the Privacy
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Even though your little friend might not seem as territorial, keep in mind that all cats prefer having their spot for the litter box. That means that they might decide to refuse to use one that you put in the wrong place. It could lead to issues because the pet might start using some hidden place, which means that you will have to deal with dirty spots all over your home.
It can be even more dangerous if you have small kids who could get in touch with the feces and even face health issues from that. Therefore, consider determining some corner where people are not passing through more often since that is the only way to secure that the pet will be using that spot. The great thing is that you can find some advanced models of litter boxes that can blend in your home, like some of the models that you can check on this site.
2. Follow the Behavior
You cannot expect that the process of getting a new box and placing it in the desired spot will be so simple. For example, if you place it in the main hall of your house, which might seem like a perfect place for you, chances are great that your little friend will refuse to use it because people will be passing through that hall all the time, which means that there so not enough privacy.
The best solution is to start tracking your pet from little age and see where it prefers to go while in the house. When it comes to litter boxes, it will easily recognize them and use them, but only if it is placed in the right corner.
Therefore, you can get several boxes and place them in different corners so you can check your favorite one. Also, keeping more than one box can be a long-term solution as well, which will help you avoid dealing with the dirt in other parts of your home.
3. Get the Right Model
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The size and design of the box can also be important. For example, if it is too shallow, or your pet simply doesn’t prefer the litter, you should consider changing the model and type of sand and rocks. The key is to allow the cat to hide the traces and smell. If they are not able to do so, they might start looking for some hidden spot.
Moreover, if you notice that your little friend prefers digging and spreading the sand around the box, you should use a different type of litter that won’t allow it to make a mess. However, if it refuses to use a new type, you should get a deeper box.
4. Never Be Harsh to Your Pet
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As we already mentioned, things are different with cats and dogs. If you had a dog before, and you recently decided to get a cat, keep in mind that these animals have completely different behaviors, which means that you cannot treat them in the same way. In that matter, getting angry and showing that to your little friend might lead to even bigger issues.
The most important thing is patience. You will have to let the cat to decide where it will go. They are not able to understand your behavior, and it might even cause them to start looking for hidden spots that you won’t be able to detect until there is bad odor all over your home.
5. Having More Than One Cat Is Even More Complicated
It is quite common that people with more than one cat are facing issues with sand boxes. The main problem is that your little friends won’t use the same one. Also, even placing two boxes at the same spot can be a mistake.
Since they are quite territorial, it can only lead to fighting for this spot, and only one of them will use it. If that is the case in your home, you can easily resolve it by choosing two different places. You can even get different models and types of sand and rocks.
6. Find a Solution To Deal with the Smell
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There are different solutions for this common problem. As we already mentioned, there are different types of litter you can find. Some of them might prevent the bad odor for a longer time, and you can simply replace it after some time. On the other side, you can get any type of litter, and simply clean it with a scoop once a day.
It is all related to your preferences and how much time you can spend to deal with this. In case that you are spending a lot of time outside your home, and you find it difficult to clean the box every day, then the best option is to choose the type that you can simply replace after some time.
The Bottom Line
The key is to never express anger and try to force your little friend to use the spot that you find as the most convenient. It simply won’t work that way. These animals require privacy and security, which means that the perfect solution is to find some corner where you are not passing nearby so often.
The interesting fact is that cats love boxes and will get into one wherever you place it. Therefore, it shouldn’t be so difficult to let your little friend know the purpose of the box that you filled with sand and rocks.
