How Big Should a Litter Box Be?

Cats are very particular about their toileting habits, and a little fault that you may consider petty is an excellent deal for a cat and may end up discouraging her from using the litter box.

Therefore, it is worth noting that the litter box is an essential part of your cat’s wellbeing. So it will be useful to maintain high hygiene for the benefit of your best friend, place it somewhere it is reliable and flexible for her to access it, and consider using the right size litter box as she grows.

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How Big Should the Litter Box Be?

-For kittens

The best litter box for kittens or smaller cats will require lower sides, around 2-3 inches for easy access; the dimensions of the sides should be approximately 24” long, 15” wide, and 4” high for enough room for grooming, scratching, and comfort while attending her business.

 

-For large breed cats

For large breed cats finding the actual size litter box that will comfortably sit on while attending her business is not easy to get because it depends on the cat’s size.

As a general rule, a cat litter box for a large breed should at least 1.5 times in length and width; the lower end should be at least 4 inches high, then the sidewalls should be between 5-7 inches high for those that are not sprayers and for the sprayers should be 7-12 inches high.

 

-For multiple cats

For multiple cats, the litter box length should be at least 36 inches long, 21-24 inches wide, 7-12 inches high, and the lower end 3-4 inches high.

It should be that sometimes they can attend business at the same time, especially the ones that do not mind sharing. Therefore, if you find it more significant, the more the advantage.

 

How Many Litter Boxes Should You Have?

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One litter box is enough for one cat.

Still, according to the Vets rule of thumb, they suggest that you should have an extra litter box so that your cat has two litter boxes. This is because the cat litter box is a place where she attends her business and where she spends her private time; therefore, they don’t like sharing litter boxes.

Secondly, you will need an extra litter box. Suppose her litter is dirty, unappealing, and smelly, and you are busy tidying up.

In that case, the extra one will offer her somewhere clean to attend to her business to avoid spraying around the litter or any corner of the house.

 

How Tall Should the Litter Box Sides Be?

The side’s height of your cat litter box depends on her behavior while eliminating because some cats are sprayers and others are not.

Suppose you have one that is not a sprayer or don’t routinely kick out the litter box. In that case, sides should around 5-7.5 inches high, while for the sprayer or the one with bad intentions, the side’s height should be approximately 7.5-12 inches high to minimize the risks of urine splash and undesirable behavior.

However, it should be lower at the entrance side, around 2.5-3.5 inches high, to provide the right balance of ease and exit for cats’ sizes.

 

Do Cats Prefer Open or Closed Litter Boxes?

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Your cat’s preference to use either an open or closed litter box depends on her behavior and how you train her or personal belief. Hence, there is no actual evidence that suggests which one is the best for her.

According to studies, cat response to cat litter box had no specific preference for any particular litter box.

Still, only a few had shown a preference for the open or closed litter box. However, that does not mean you cannot decide which one to use because both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Funnily, the advantage of using an open litter box/closed is the downside of using a closed litter box/open. Therefore, your choice will depend on their benefits utmost.

 

Pros of using a closed box

• Hides litter away in the box.
• Walls are high enough to keep urine within the confined box.
• It prevents other pets from accessing the litter box.
• They are ideal for use in small apartments.
• It keeps insightful litter away, thereby improving the interior décor.
• It appeals more ascetically.

Pros of using an open litter box

• Cats do not feel cramped while using it.
• The box is open, giving your feline a comfortable and free space to do her business.
• It does not trap foul odor because there is free air circulation.
• You can easily clean it because it is visible compared to a closed one because it is out of sight and mind.
• Provides an emergency exit, hence do not feel trapped/limited to use any side for exit/entrance.
• It accommodates all sizes of cats compared to a closed one, which is limiting.

 

Overall, litter box hygiene wins in this argument because cats prefer using a clean litter box, which they found more appealing to conduct their business, whether it is the closed or open litter box.

 

Is Self-cleaning Cat Litter Box Worth Buying?

Yes. Basically, before going further, convincing you to purchase it. It is essential to know that a self-cleaning cat litter box is a litter box that features an automatic cleaning mechanism that eliminates the cat’s waste after a few minutes of conducting her business.

Therefore, the reason it is worth buying it is due to the following reasons, include;

    • Works wells with a fastidious cat because it will always clean and ready for them to use.
    • Suitable for multiple cat households because it keeps itself clean after every use making it conducive to be used by multiple cats, thereby saving you the cost of purchasing an extra litter box.
    • It eliminates the constant litter scooping making it versatile and reliable even if you are not around.
    • The self-cleaning mechanism keeps bad odor at bay, thus, making your home conducive and welcoming.

 

Where Should I Put My Cat’s Litter Box?

litter box size with cat size

Where you place your cat’s litter box is a significant concern for your cat because cats do like to attend to their business where it is private and secure as a human, the only difference is that cats do feel vulnerable.

Therefore, you should consider putting it in where it is easily accessible for both of you, private like the bathroom, or you may provide for her curtain, a place where there is low traffic, quiet and calm, and away from food,

but you should avoid areas where the cat might feel trapped, other pets from accessing it and avoid sending her to a haunted outhouse.

However, please do not make the mistake of placing the extra cat litter box next to the other because it may appear to be the same for her, thereby ignoring it.

Hence, it is good to be put the extra one in a different location, especially where she likes hanging out, for her to become fond of using it.

 

Conclusion

Choosing the right cat litter box and maintaining its hygiene is one of the critical factors that will always attract your cat to use it frequently, and also avoid the mess of your cat attending her business out of the litter box.

Besides, it would help if you ever considered checking the right size because it also contributes a lot to its usage.