How to teach your cat to use the litter box is not a problem for most owners – many cats will already know how to use the litter box when they arrive home, but there are some stray cats who have never touched a litter box, let alone how to use it. This article provides a brief introduction.
How to choose a litter box
Nowadays, there are two types of litter boxes in use: the open type litter box and the closed type litter box (the so-called cat litter box). There is also an induction type litter box, which is basically used by wealthy cat owners due to its high price. In this article, we will first briefly introduce the features of open and closed litter boxes.
1. Open top litter box: The advantages of this type of litter box are that it is cheap and made of simple materials. Sometimes when you suddenly have an extra cat at home, and you don’t have enough time to buy a litter box, you can just take a bigger one from home. It’s also very easy to clean, just use a litter scooper or other tools to remove the contaminated litter.
2. Covered & Enclosed litter box: The advantages of this type of litter box are that it has an obvious odor-isolating effect, does not cause a mess around the box when the cat pulls out the litter, and ensures the privacy of the cat’s toilet. As we all know, cats are very sensitive animals, so some of them would rather hold it in than go to the toilet in front of people. But at the same time, closed litter boxes are more expensive than open ones because they use more materials, and they are a little more difficult to clean than open ones.
As for how to choose a litter box, it depends on the cat owner’s tolerance. If you don’t mind the smell of cat feces in the air and the occasional scattering of litter around the edge of the box, then an open type litter box is more affordable; if the cat owner’s tolerance is poorer, then a closed type is more suitable. Of course, regardless of whether the litter box is open or closed, the quality of the litter box is the most important thing. Since litter boxes are basically made of plastic, a bad quality litter box will easily carry a strong odor that will not dissipate for a long time, which is a test of your cat’s tolerance to go to the bathroom in such a place. In addition, the plastic used in bad quality litter boxes is very thin and is prone to cracking when the cat goes to the toilet and the owner moves it.
How to choose cat litter
The four types of cat litter that are commonly used and more readily available on the market today are wood shavings, paper shavings, crystal cat litter, and condensed cat litter. See the table below for the differences in composition, texture, and deodorizing function.
The choice of litter is based on the cat owner’s personal preference. You can also buy some of each type of litter and let your cat choose for itself. However, the most important point is that some cat litters are scented in order to deodorize, which is actually a stimulus to cats.
How to train your cat to use the litter box
1. After purchasing a new litter box and cat litter, you should first allow your cat to go through an adaptation process so that it knows that it is not dangerous and accepts its presence. You can carry your cat into the litter box at the right time to get used to the feel of the litter and allow it to pull on the litter.
2. Carry your cat into the litter box when you realize that your cat is going to the toilet, or keep your cat in the litter box in a relatively small space after it has eaten and drunk enough.
3. You may choose to use a lure or something similar.
4. After your cat learns to toilet in the litter box, you should move the litter box to a well-ventilated, dry and relatively inconspicuous place, but you must let your cat know where the litter box has gone.
In fact, toilet training for cats is relatively simple and can be successful if owners are patient.