Being an animal lover is one thing, and parenting one is another. Love can be free, but the latter comes with added responsibilities and costs. One must handle both carefully to keep their little kitty happy.
While a sense of duty emanates from your genuine affection for her, paying for everything she needs to lead a comfortable life involves juggling budgets and identifying the correct choices.
For instance, cat food and litter will be ongoing expenses, ranging from USD $20-50 and USD $10-20 monthly. Another unavoidable routine will be vet visits, which can cost USD $50 to USD $200 based on the cat’s health. You will also spend on pet insurance, grooming, and toys. Essentially, everything has a price tag.
All of them contribute to your little kitty’s life quality and safety. However, one unique yet essential thing gets special attention today. Do you wonder what it is? A cat litter box furniture!
You can check The Pet Staff article to understand more about this toilet item that has been revamped to make your cat’s bathroom habits easy and your life more sorted. If the old litter box is damaged or worn out, switch to the new furniture-style options for an enhanced experience. Select one after considering the box’s dimensions, your pet’s size, furniture material, spaciousness, and other factors.
Choosing a litter box sometimes feels easier than familiarizing your furry friend. That’s why one must know how to make this specific item more accessible to them.
At the same time, if the pet displays some unseen behavior, you must be able to figure out the possible reasons to address them adequately. So, let’s find out how to introduce your catty to the new litter box furniture and more.
Perfect location for cat litter box
The old pan versions of litter boxes needed to remain hidden from direct sight for their unimpressive aesthetics and nuisance. Hence, the best place for them one could ever imagine was the bathroom in most cases. With a larger area and ventilation, the bathroom has always been the first choice to store this portable toilet for your little cat.
This scene has changed due to the availability of furniture types of cat litter boxes. Modern design engineering has lent them an aesthetic exterior to disguise their most fundamental function under its decorative garb.
As a result, you can keep it in a guestroom or any other living area hesitation-free. The strategic high walls or closed designs retain the stinky odor and ventilate it without affecting the indoor air fabric.
Another suitable place for this furniture item can be a laundry room. Adding a litter box furniture piece here will be great since it is a less busy corner of the house and thus quieter. You will also have an easy time cleaning this pet item. Just ensure that noisy laundry machines are away from it.
After all, there shouldn’t be any distraction for the naturally curious feline friend. Or, you can choose your bedroom. It can be your pet’s favorite place for its airiness and light. Hence, she can feel most comfortable here. Since the hidden litter boxes look like furniture or have a private screen door, your bedroom’s sanctity (aesthetics and air quality) will be intact.
Worst location for cat litter box
Although furniture-style litter boxes have redefined your kitty’s basic instinct, beware of experimenting with anything new in all its suddenness, especially. And some choices are a strict no-no for the litter box’s placement.
For instance, keeping litter boxes in a darker area low on light and ventilation can be terrible for two reasons – hygiene and litter tracking issues. You cannot blame your pet for the mess because of the poor visibility in the chosen area. Likewise, busy corners with a lack of privacy will be unattractive for cats to relieve themselves. Think of a foyer or kitchen, for example.
A laundry room may also not be the right place if the washing machine and dryer are close to this utility furniture. The loud mechanical noises can distract or scare the cat away from the litter box. If this happens, you will have difficulty acclimatizing your cat to the new addition.
So, be careful. Avoid upstairs locations, especially if you have only one box. It will be best to keep it in a secure downstairs corner. However, you can use both upstairs and downstairs locations when you have more than one litter box to increase its accessibility for your kitty. Furthermore, the litter box furniture should be distanced from the cat’s eating nook for hygiene reasons.
Litter box training or retraining for cat
Training is another integral component of this whole bathroom habit reinforcement process besides correctly selecting and placing the litter box furniture. If you have a new litter box, you know that adding a recognizable scent to its interiors helps cats feel safe with it.
So, try that trick. If the kitten refuses to use it properly, you want to know the underlying cause to cure the problem. For example, a roomy litter box furniture piece can quickly become their playground, leading to the risks of litter accidents. Those should be taken as hints that your cat needs something more appropriate than this.
Another thing to watch out for is the litter box’s cleanliness. Pet-focused agencies say feline’s nose is home to 200 million cells sensitive to odor. Humans have just five million. As a result, you can easily predict their behavior toward an unclean litter box. That’s why frequent cleaning is essential. Some pet owners opt for daily cleaning, while others do it three or five times a week.
To reiterate, easy access to these furniture items for your cat is essential. So, you can buy one litter box for each feline pal. Online articles are a great source of knowledge for pet products like these.
You can read them to understand why a particular item is considered worthy and which brand or design is most suitable. If you absorb all the details well, finding the proper size litter box furniture for your cat and home will be effortless.
Benefits of Litter Box for Your Cat
A litter box is an essential item for cat owners, providing a designated area for cats to urinate and defecate. The use of a litter box offers several benefits for both the cat and the owner:
- Maintains Indoor Hygiene:
- Provides a contained space for your cat to fulfill their bathroom needs, helping to keep the rest of the house clean.
- Promotes Cat Comfort:
- Cats are naturally inclined to bury their waste. A litter box with suitable litter provides a comfortable and familiar environment for this instinctual behavior.
- Prevents Accidents:
- Having a designated place for your cat to relieve themselves helps prevent accidents around the house, promoting a cleaner living space.
- Convenience for Cat Owners:
- Offers a convenient and centralized location for waste management, making it easier for owners to clean up after their cats.
- Odor Control:
- Properly maintained litter boxes help control odors associated with cat waste. Regular scooping and changing of litter contribute to a fresher-smelling environment.
- Monitoring Cat Health:
- Regular observation of your cat’s litter box habits allows you to monitor their urinary and bowel health. Changes in litter box behavior can be an early indicator of potential health issues.
- Stress Reduction:
- Cats can be sensitive to changes in their environment. Providing a consistent and clean litter box in a quiet location helps reduce stress and anxiety.
- Easy Training:
- Kittens can be trained to use a litter box relatively easily. Providing a suitable litter box from the start helps establish good habits.
- Variety of Options:
- There are various types of litter boxes available, including covered or uncovered, automatic, and self-cleaning options. This allows cat owners to choose a style that best suits their cat’s preferences and their own lifestyle.
- Environmental Enrichment:
- Some cats enjoy digging and scratching in the litter, which provides a form of environmental enrichment and mental stimulation.
- Multi-Cat Household Management:
- In households with multiple cats, having multiple litter boxes can prevent territorial disputes and ensure that each cat has access to a clean and private space.
It’s essential to keep the litter box clean by scooping waste daily and changing the litter regularly. Additionally, choosing an appropriate type of litter and ensuring that the litter box is placed in a quiet and easily accessible location can contribute to its effectiveness in meeting your cat’s needs.