This week’s cat of the week comes to us straight from the instagram account kittyorphanage! We really appreciate their submission to our weekly cat competition and are proud to feature their kitten Sprouts!
When the KittyOrphanage team first got Sprouts she was about two months old and she was absolutely covered in fleas. You can see in this first picture Sprouts has just taken likely her first ever bath, and better yet, it was a flea bath to get rid of those pesky little buggers. Right after the bath Sprouts was wrapped up in a nice warm blanket!
As soon as Sprouts was cleaned up a little bit her personality started to shine through right away. She always gives an inquisitive look before she tries to jump and climb up your pant leg. While it is adorable, kittens climbing your pant legs feels like tiny little razors dig in, be sure to wear jeans folks!
Sprouts is the epitome of a well mannered cat and gets along wonderfully with all of the other cats at KittyOrphanage’s home. This makes even the old-timers feel young again which is great to see!
Sprouts has big ears, big eyes, and a big personality. She loves to play and will even reach out and swat at KittyOrphanage’s beard when he holds her. No surprise here as kittens are so darn curious and love to chase and explore new things.
Sprouts is a total cuddle bug as well. She’ll often cozy up right on a family member’s neck when they’re laying down. This of course leads to the human servants being stuck in that position until Sprouts wakes up. They wouldn’t want to disturb such a beautiful kitty cat during a nap!
Sprouts is smart, she knows that the area under the rug in the bathroom with heated floors is the warmest spot in the house and will wrap herself up underneath the rug. Now that is one smart kitty, she makes sure she stays extra warm with minimum effort. No jogging to stay warm for Sprouts!
While Sprouts is of course a wonderful loving little fur ball she won’t be with the family at KittyOrphanage for long. In fact she’s just been adopted out to a new family that is her forever home! While she will be greatly missed at KittyOrphanage’s home everyone knows she will flourish in her new environment.
Let’s meet a gorgeous calico named Harley! Harley comes calling from reddit user idlewildgirl and we thank her for her submission. Harley is three years old and was born in the wonderful spring month of March. idlewildgirl got her when Harley was only 8 weeks from a friend who got her as company for her older cat. Unfortunately the older cat and Harley did not get along too well and soon after Harley was was looking for a new home.
idlewildgirl saw a post Facebook about Harley and her situation on a whim decided that it was the right time in life for her to get a kitten. Harley is the typical feisty Calico cat we hear so much about! When Harley was in for her first vet checkup the vet told her mom that “you are going to have some fun with this one” and they were correct!
Harley enjoys sitting in the window perch, seems these days most cats love these things! Harley also loves running around the house at 4am and knocking things over, what I personally love to call “the zoomies” after having read it somewhere on Quora. Although my cats do this all the time too, it can help to gt them on a structured play schedule before bed time if you’re having any trouble sleeping!
Harley also loves putting holes in all the curtains in the house! She doesn’t have time for most people, whenever new visitors appear Harley tends to disappear under a bed somewhere and her mom needs to tell friends that it is nothing personal, she’s just your typical feline that isn’t terribly welcoming of brand new people!
Harley does love her mom though, she like a little shadow. Harley won’t even leave her mom alone in the bath without her coming in to sit in the sink to be next to her. This is fun until Harley starts to flick cold water at idlewildgirl trying to turn on the tap for a drink. It is pretty obvious that she does it on purpose!
All things considered though Harley has been a true blessing. After being blindsided by a break up Harley has been there day in and day out and is the best comfort available when sadness strikes. Although she had never had a cat before and didn’t think she would do, idlewildgirl thinks that Harley came into her life at just the right time. It is now hard to imagine being without her. Curtain holes and all!
The Pettsie breakaway cat collar with bow tie is specifically designed with your feline friend in mind. There are 4 major color/style combinations available for this particular collar set and they all not only look great, but they’re all incredibly well made and have all the necessary features for your cat to stay safe and sound.
The most important feature of any collar for a cat is the breakaway clasp or connector. If you’re not familiar with cat collars, this basically means that the collar should release under any significant amount of pressure and fall off of your cat. To say the least Pettsie has this part knocked out cold. The breakaway clasp in this collar works really well. It is firm enough that it’ll stay on pretty easily and it is super easy to put it on too. But on the more important side of things, it pops off when you need it to. You can test this easily yourself by just tugging on it.
Why you might ask? Well, our feline friends love to climb and walk into areas that their collars can easily get stuck on. If your cat happens to go up somewhere high and jump down for example, the collar could easily snag a branch and end up choking your poor kitty if you don’t have a breakaway clasp. This isn’t something we typically worry about with our canine friends because they stick to the ground for the most part.
As for comfort. A lot of collars out there on the market are made of things that might cause your cat to itch or be really uncomfortable, but the Pettsie collar is
made of 100% cotton so it is very comfortable to wear, really soft and really lightweight too. This means your cat hardly notices it is there. My cat Beast previously tried other collars and wouldn’t tolerate them very well, but she doesn’t mind the Pettsie collar at all. The bow tie is made of wood and is small enough to not bother your cat at all, but they certainly look dapper with it on!
What about size you may ask? It will fit a wide variety of cats because it is designed to be adjustable to a wide range of sizes. You’ve got a spread of about 3 inches total which is a lot of space for a cat neck. In this case it’ll run from about eight to eleven inches. If you’ve never measured your cat’s neck before, be sure you do so before you order this collar. You’ll want to leave space for about two fingers inside the collar as well so it doesn’t choke your cat!
One last thing worth noting is that this comes with a friendship bracelet for the human you are giving it to. My personal opinion is that the friendship bracelet is fine and it is comfortable, but I personally don’t wear mine around at all other than for silly pictures with my cats etc. See the picture to the left for both the collar and the bracelet in use. Beast wasn’t feeling very photogenic that day! I would say this is the one reason I didn’t give it 5 stars. I’d personally rather they knock a dollar or whatever off the price and ditch the bracelet. That being said, if you’re giving it as a gift it might be a perk for you.
Pros:
The breakaway clasp works incredibly well, it is really easy to put on your cat and stays on quite well, but with any significant tug it’ll pop off leaving your cat safe and sound
This collar is really fashionable and has four different color and pattern combinations available for you to choose from (you’ll see it features as my favorite of all Christmas collars!)
The collar is 100% cotton which isn’t too common among cat collars, super lightweight, durable and comfortable
A standard D Ring is include on the collar so you can attach any necessary tags for your cat like a rabies tag or a license or a lost and found tag
It is adjustable and has a pretty solid range of sizes available (8-11 inches) so you can easily fit any small or medium sized cat, be sure to measure for your large sizes
It does come in a very nice gift box that is easy to wrap and makes a wonderful present
Cons
My personal opinion is that the friendship bracelet it comes with is kind of corny and I’d prefer they just knock a few cents or dollars off the price of the collar
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the width of this collar?
It is about a half an inch in width.
What is the length of the collar?
The collar runs from 8-11 inches depending on how you set it up. It fits both my 8 and my 12 pound cat pretty easily with a slight adjustment.
How much pressure does it require for the collar to breakaway and does it work as expected?
It definitely works as expected. It requires a significant tug, but any real weight on it would definitely result in the collar popping open/off. Your kitty is safe!
Can you remove the wooden bow tie?
It isn’t designed to be removed, but with some effort you could definitely pull it off. It might require a utility knife to cut the loop that holds it on though.
Tips for Getting Your Cat to Use It
Cats are pretty notorious for not really liking to wear collars. That being said, you really should have your cats wear a collar from a safety standpoint. Even indoor cats can benefit from a collar because a large percentage of indoor only cats do manage to get outside at some point in their lives. Not only this, but it is almost always on accident and they aren’t really used to the environment because they are indoor only! A collar can make all the difference in ensuring you get your kitty back. If you have any questions on why a cat should wear a collar be sure to read this article.
Here are the key steps I’ve used to introduce my cats to their collars:
Be sure you measure your cat first and buy a size appropriate collar
Introduce your cat to it over several days: let her sniff it, feed her treats while it is nearby, lay it on her and feed her treats
Put the collar on your cat for a few minutes and then take it off and feed your cat a treat or two
Slowly increase the length of the sessions with leaving the collar on
If you plan to attach bells or tags etc. to the collar wait until your cat is comfortable with the base collar alone before adding these items
Be patient, it may take a few days for your cat to adjust to wearing the collar
Wrapping it Up on the Pettsie Breakaway Cat Collar
That’s about all I have to say on the Pettsie Breakaway Cat Collar. It’s an excellent collar on the overall and it has all the key features you want in a collar for your feline friend: breakaway clasp, comfortable cotton material, D ring for tags and a bell, adjustable size wise, stylish and durable. On the overall it is pretty difficult to find a better cat collar on the market.
As I indicated, the only thing I don’t love about it is the friendship bracelet and that is just when I bought it for myself. If you’re buying it for a friend or as a gift it is kind of a nice little addition. But I could personally do without it.
Do your indoor cats wear collars? What about your outdoor cats? Please leave a comment below or email me directly at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com if you have any thoughts to add to this article. If you also have any comments on collars or recommendation on another high quality collar then please let me know!
StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Happy New Year Everyone! It is time to meet Nugget, an adorable little fur ball with quite the rescue story, it involves kitchen utensils so please do read on!
The day before Thanksgiving reddit user CatStoleMyPancake’s manager at work told her about a kitten some of the staff had seen outside of the building. After her shift she decided to go on a kitten search, luckily finding her huddled up inside of a metal steam vent. Nugget was cold and scared, her mom was nowhere to be found, and she was attempting to scare her rescuer away with constant hissing.
At this point it was about 11:00pm, and everyone had gone home from work aside from the night manager. Nugget had climbed up inside a very tough to reach spot, so CatStoleMyPancake ran inside to the kitchen to grab a spatula to attempt to scoop her out. After fighting Nugget for about 45 minutes in the cold and snow, CatStoleMyPancake got one good push and little Nugget dumped out of her hiding spot into waiting hands.
CatStoleMyPancake quickly swaddled the kitten up into a towel (that was also borrowed from work) so the kitten couldn’t run away. She was so exhausted from fighting for so long that she didn’t put up a fight, and rather simply passed right out for the whole car ride home. Once Nugget got inside she zonked out on the heating pad all night while CatStoleMyPancake watched her all night to make sure she was doing alright. On that note, that’s how the name Nugget came to be- it only felt right to name her after a food since she was retrieved her with a spatula.
Nugget was willing to drink some formula for the time being and then got her first to the vet the day after the holiday. At the vet they found out that Nugget was a girl, about 4 weeks old, and she weighed a whopping one pound! Luckily she had no infections, just fleas, which she begrudgingly got a flea bath for. After some encouragement she was eating her wet food regularly, and moved on to dry food without a hitch.
A couple of weeks later Nugget did have to go back at the vet to get some treatment for pink eye (she’s all better now!) and she was already whopping two pounds, almost double her weight! Soon she’ll be big enough to get her vaccinations and be spayed! Be sure to read up on spaying your cat here. She’s on her way to becoming a happy healthy adult kitty.
Now Nugget spends her days snuggled on her heating pad while looking out the window. Maybe someday she’ll get a window bed if she’s a good girl! Some of her favorite activities include wrestling with her big brother Cooper, playing with her string toy, watching Netflix while sitting on mom’s chest, and climbing up her mom’s back and sitting on her shoulder! She’s extremely excited to have a big house to run around in, it seems likes there’s always something new to explore, and having a human to sleep on at night doesn’t hurt either. Sounds like Nugget knows how to play, but if you are looking for ways to play with your cat check this page out!
If you’d like to track down additional photos of Nugget as she grows up then keep an eye on CatStoleMyPancake’s reddit feed right here.
The Air Wand is a toy made by Petmate and endorsed by Jackson Galaxy. When my wife and I first got our cat Beast we had heard a lot about Jackson Galaxy online and across TV based on his show My Cat From Hell. Given this we figured the guy would only endorse a high quality product and while we were walking through PetCo we decided to pick one of these up.
The toy has three really handy functions that sold us on it with the endorsement from Jackson:
Extendable Wand: The wand itself is made up of six total segments that slide into each other to collapse when you’re not using the toy. This means instead of a traditional single piece wand toy that this wand folds down to about 8.5 inches. When it is fully extended it is about 32 inches in total length.
Retractable String: Several other wand toys I’ve purchased continually have the string exposed. While they tend to be made of much heavier duty string I am still not a fan of leaving them exposed due to the potential choking hazard. This string extends about 22 inches and is very easy to retract or pull out with the simple push of a button.
Interchangeable Feathers: If you’ve ever been out fishing and been able to easily witch lures out without having to tie off a completely new knot then you’ll be familiar with the mechanism that enables you to easily switch out features. There’s a small snap lock on the end of the string that means you can pop feather ends on and off in seconds if yours becomes damaged or if you’d like to try a different one out.
We’ve had this toy a solid year and and it has stayed in great shape and been through a bunch of different play sessions with both my resident cats Lexi and Beast and also through plenty with our foster cats as well. One thing I will call out is that neither of my resident cats are big chewers. The string on this toy does look pretty light weight, but I’ve personally never had any trouble with them attempting to chew it.
As with any toy, once in a while my cats will ignore if they are not in the mood to play, but I’ve had great luck with this wand. There’s a bit of finesse involved in finding just the right speed to rotate the wand with the included feathers, but once you do they spin and make a sound just like rustling bird leaves. When I get the toy moving like this neither of my cats can resist and they’ll both come right out to play.
All in all I have had an excellent experience with this wand and would highly recommend it to anyone that doesn’t have cats that like to play really rough. The reason I’ve given it 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the number of other folks I’ve seen complain about its ability to stand up to cats that are more aggressive and rough in play. I’m lucky I haven’t had this issue, but you should definitely note that this toy does not look to be manufactured to handle really rough play sessions or chewing on the string.
The Pros:
Extendable Wand: The wand shrinks to a length of 8.5 inches and when fully extended it is about 32 inches in total length.
Retractable String: The string fully retracts into the head of the wand and when extended it is about 22 inches in length.
Interchangeable Feathers: Switching the feathers out is super easy with a snap and swivel piece on the end of the line.
Price for Value: This toy is dirt cheap and gets the job done well for my cats and I. I use it every single night before bed to help tire Lexi and Beast out and they are both engage with it and have never damaged it.
Durability of the Feathers: The feathers are actually real from what I can tell. I’ve never seen bright green feathers on any animal before, but I can’t imagine that it is too hard to dye them. That being said, my cats love it. The feathers have also stood up to numerous play sessions over and over.
The Cons:
The string is quite light weight and numerous users have complained that their cat chewed through it in only a few play sessions. If you have a cat that loves to chew this is not the toy for you.
The wand is made of relatively lightweight metal to keep it easy to handle, but that also means if you have a rather aggressive cat there is the risk of the retractable pieces bending and no longer working properly.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Are the feathers real or plastic?
There’s been a large amount of debate on whether or not the feathers are real or not. I’m going to assume they are real even though I have bright green feathers. In my experience the feathers are rather durable, but the break apart and fray like real feathers do too.
How do you change out the feathers on the end of the wand?
It uses a snap and swivel system similar to those used it fishing. You pop open a clamp and the feather attachments can be switched in and out in seconds. It is very simple and straight forward.
How durable is it given its extendable wand and retractable string?
I’ve personally had zero issues with the wand or the string, but I’ll freely admit that my cats don’t play as rough as many I’ve encountered at the shelter.
You would definitely not want to let your cat chew on the string given the thickness of it, it wouldn’t hold up to an extended chewing session.
If your cat is pulling on the feathers you should not yank back or you’d be liable to break the wand itself.
Wrapping it Up on the Jackson Galaxy Air Wand
While there are mixed reviews of this wand on Amazon, my personal experience with it has been wonderful. I’ve had it well over a year and only lost 1 of the 4 pieces that were attached to the original feather end. With the three that are still there it is working well and my cats both still love it to death and bat it all over the place every night before bed time.
I highly recommend this wand toy to anyone looking to pick up a good quality wand for their cat or cats.
Do you use any wand toys that you have particularly liked? Have you tried out this one and actually found it to be a better experience than the one I’ve had with it? Perhaps you’ve used DaBird and have a comparison? Please tell us about your experiences so everyone can find the best cat toys! Please leave a comment below or email me directly at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com if you have any thoughts to add to this article.
StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
I bought this toy for the specific reason that it had an automatic timer built into that I thought would be incredibly helpful for keeping my cats active when I left the house for a few minutes. Or maybe even distract them as I walk out the door since they like to check out any door that opens up. The toy has a built in 15 minute timer so you can flip it on, walk away, and then the toy will run for 15 and turn itself off. While the timer worked great, the toy itself did not turn out to be as much of a good idea as I thought it would be.
A quick rundown the Frolicat Flik first off. It has a rotating arm on the inside that has a string attached to it and as the motor spins the arm it launches the string out the side based on the centrifugal force created. Basically, there’s only a hole for 1/3rd of the outside, so the string flies out for a few seconds. Pretty straight forward. You throw a 3 AA batteries in and you’re good to go.
The toy is intended to be random, but it doesn’t seem all that random, seems to just pop every few seconds and launch the string. I’ll freely admit I have never timed it to check, but I certainly haven’t noticed long gaps then really short gaps of time as I would have expected. Even if the timing isn’t random that hasn’t taken anything away from my cats being interested in it. They absolutely love watching and attempting to pounce on the string as it bounces around.
The toy is super easy to operate in that you simply push the one button on it to flip it on and if you want to manually turn it off you push that button again. Otherwise the timer will kick in and it’ll close itself down. That being said, I don’t think this is a toy you’d really want to leave your cats alone with despite the timer.
There’s one primary reason I don’t love the toy. My personal opinion is that the string included poses a pretty significant choking hazard, and if nothing else it could leave your cat pretty sick if swallowed. The problem is this string isn’t anything special, it is just a piece of string that one of my foster cats managed to snap off with about 2 minutes of using the toy while supervised. I guess it really depends on the cat, because my resident cats Lexi and Beast did fine with it for multiple play sessions. But I don’t think I’d really want to risk it with cats when I’m not home. Young cats or cats that are known to chew on strings would be an absolute no no.
A few other things that are worth noting though. The toy is a little bit loud, especially on a wood floor. Part of this is likely because it is lightweight, there’s no insulation inside the toy to keep the noise from the motor down. Added on top of this is the fact that the toy gets easily dragged around or pulled all over the place if your cat happens to grab hold of the string. The toy is easy to move due to the lightweight and while it does have rubber feet I haven’t found them terribly effective given how easy it is to pick it up.
On the overall it is a good interactive toy if you’re home and available to keep an eye on it, but given my particular intended usage of kicking it on when I walked out the door I wouldn’t recommend it. Freely admit as well, the directions do state you should never let your cat play with this toy unless they are supervised, so they have noticed this and documented it. I just wish I had read that piece before I made the purchase.
See the Frolicat Flik Interactive Cat Toy in action!
The Pros:
It tosses a string completely hands off and does a solid job of it, because the string comes out of a hidden area each time your cats will stay interested
It is engaging for cats of all ages including kittens and seniors, I had foster cats age 14 play with it and my cats age 2 and 3 enjoyed it as well
It has an automatic shut off to keep it from killing the batteries or to stop play time after 15 minutes so your cat doesn’t get too worked up
The engine in mine has been incredibly durable and has lasted a good long time even with cats holding the string when it tries to rotate
The Cons:
Beware the choking hazard: The string is something your cat can easily bite off and then eat if not supervised at all times
The toy itself is super lightweight so your cat can easily pick it up and drag it around damaging it or other things with it
It is pretty noisy, especially on a wood floor where the sound isn’t dampened at all
The string does sometimes get caught inside the toy as well, having a fork or a metal hook is a necessity to pull it out
Frequently Asked Questions:
How effective is the automatic timer? Do you have to set it manually?
The timer is built right in, there’s no way to turn it off. The timer lets the toy run for 15 minutes and then it automatically shuts off. If you want it to run longer you’ll have to flip it on again manually by pressing the on button.
Can you replace the string if your cats chew it off or it snaps?
You might be able to open the toy up and completely replace it, but it doesn’t look like it was designed to allow for this.
That being said, there’s plenty of space to tie a tight knot right onto the left over bit to make the string as long as it once was. Obviously you’ll want to use a high quality lightweight string again.
What kind of batteries does it take and are they included?
The batteries aren’t included and it takes 3 AA batteries.
Can you use this toy on carpet?
Absolutely. You can use this toy on any surface including carpet, hardwood and tile or any variation in between.
Can you use rechargeable batteries with it?
Yes, rechargeable batteries will work with this toy without any problem.
Wrapping it Up on the Frolicat Flik Interactive Cat Toy
If you’re looking for a good toy that you can used in a supervised fashion then this is a good option. It will keep your cats entertained for periods of time. My specific goal with it was to keep my cats entertained when I’m not around, which looking back probably wasn’t the wisest decision to begin with given the potential hazards.
I know in general there are not a ton of toys that meet this type of requirement, but this one having an automated timer really led me to believe it would be a good fit. The simple fact is it is too dangerous to leave cats unsupervised with toys they can swallow and choke on. Also the damage to the toy itself just becomes a hassle.
I definitely would not say this is a bad toy, it certainly isn’t. I recommend it to people that want an interactive cat toy available during supervised play sessions as opposed to unsupervised play sessions.
Do you use any automated interactive toys that you particularly like? Have you tried out this one and actually found it to be a better experience than the one I’ve had with it? Please tell us about your experiences so everyone can find the best cat toys! Please leave a comment below or email me directly at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com if you have any thoughts to add to this article.
StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Everyone meet Luna. This gorgeous feline was submitted by Instagram User Miaeatsfire and we thank her for her submission!
5 years ago while walking across her apartment complex to the onsite laundry facility Miaeatsfire suddenly heard a loud meowing sound. She set her laundry down to started searching for source of the meowing, certainly a distressed cat was somewhere nearby. A few feet away she found Luna in the grass, Luna was so in shock she didn’t even move when she was approached.
So Miaeatsfire scooped Luna right up and took her back to her apartment and gave her tuna and decided to name her Luna. Her big beautiful green eyes were round like the moon, her spirit reminded Miaeatsfire of Luna Lovegood. While a considerable effort was made to locate an owner of Luna, over 3 months had gone by searching and not even one response was received! The final conclusion was that Luna had been abandoned, but fortunately in this case it ended well!
You can see in this fine photo that Luna wears a collar. Collars are essential if you ever worry about your cat getting outside and wanting to find her. My personal opinion is that cats should absolutely wear collars and should always be microchipped! Luna’s mom was absolutely overjoyed to keep her. Luna is extremely well behaved, even today her husband isn’t totally convinced that Luna was “found.” Luna’s favorite things include slinging hair ties across the room and into random places like the sink. She also loves rubbing her head across feathers.
Her favorite place to sleep is below her humans’ feet and under the blankets. She’s a very timid cat but when its quiet and calm she loves to be social. One of her favorite games is playing a parachute game with the sheets. If you’re a newer cat owner always be sure to play with your cat, it is great for their health! She loves the air bubbles and we will spend 10 minutes before bed playing the game.
Over the years Luna and her family have built a special bond. They belong to each other and Miaeatsfire truly feels like they were meant to find each other. She is a perfect example of how cats can really build a bond of trust and pure love. You can even see above that she gets along well enough to jump in the bath tub with the family dog! Anytime Miaeatsfire meets someone skeptical of cats being able to love she always talks about Luna’s loyalty. Luna is her best friend and her family!
We purchased this Sophresh litter box for our cats after a specific week of our cats kicking litter all over the darn place from our first traditional litter box with low sides. We were looking to help minimize litter tracking more than anything and this litter box really fit the bill. The litter box is made up of two completely separate pieces that can be purchased distinctly, but they combine to make a far better product than either piece alone. Kind of like Voltron, or perhaps the Power Rangers. Blue ranger anyone?
Anyhow, that aside, this litter box has been a total success for us on every front. It has done wonders to help us control our previous litter kicking and tracking issues. Both Lexi and Beast really like to scatter litter all over the place once they’re finished going. Sometimes they’ll stay in the litter box for 2 or 3 minutes just mucking around and making a mess. This being fully enclosed heavily reduces the amount of litter that gets booted out the sides.
On top of this, once in a while Lexi has a really bad smelling trip to the litter box and even though she covers it we used to have problems with it causing everyone in the room to vacate the premises for the next 10 to 15 minutes. This litter box does a heck of a lot better job containing the nasty odors that once in a while waft out of the litter box from our feline friends. It also does have a built in air vent on the top that comes with a filter, but I’ll freely admit I haven’t changed the filter for an extended period of time and I’ve noticed little to no difference in its ability to contain/control scent.
As for construction, pretty straight forward. It has two simple plastic clips attached to the top section of the litter box. You simply set the top right on top of the bottom section and snap them closed. Voila! You’ve got yourself a fully covered litter box that is ready to go. Both pieces have held up incredibly well to the wear and tear of two cats entering and exiting consistently. The swinging front door still works great.
As for scooping, super simple. You don’t even have to take the top off to scoop. The door is designed to flip up and stay in a “locked” position until you put it back down. This makes it a breeze to scoop quickly and then drop the door right back into place.
Cleaning has proven to be a really simple process as well. Given that the litter box top comes off so easily you can quickly remove it and take dump the litter then spray the whole thing down with a hose and a scrubbing brush with some strong bristles.
The only piece of the cleaning job that can be a bit of a hassle are the 4 little divets in the bottom section of the litter box. If your cat pees near this, which they inevitably will, the litter can get stuck in here pretty easily and cause a bit of a hassle. From looking at the newest model of this litter box it looks like their design team has removed these little spots which is a great choice as they were functionally useless anyway.
The Pros:
It does an excellent job of controlling litter tracking by enclosing all of the sides and the top.
The scent control is a significant upgrade over any open litter box.
Scooping is a breeze with the flip up and lock front door, it only takes a second and works great.
Durable construction that has lasted a ton of moves within the house and two cats constantly using it plus daily scooping.
It is super easy to construct, maintain, and clean when it needs a deep cleaning.
It is a very affordable litter box compared to a lot of the more advanced ones on the market.
The Cons:
It wouldn’t be ideal for large cats as it isn’t an extremely big litter box, my cat Lexi is 12 pounds and she does fine in it though.
The 4 little plastic divets in the bottom section are pointless functionally and are a hassle to clean when your cat pees in them.
Note: These look to have been removed from the newest model which is a great modification.
While it does have an easy to carry handle built in I wouldn’t recommend using it while it is filled with litter, it just seems like it would really strain the clips holding the pieces together.
Tips for Best Usage:
Keep about 2-3 inches of litter in this litter box at all times, I keep my litter pail nearby to top it off as necessary.
It isn’t a huge box so I’d highly recommend you scoop it every single day, especially if you have two cats.
Be sure to place it in a location where the front is easily accessible with your dominant hand for scooping purposes.
Give the litter box a deep clean by dumping all the litter and washing it with a hose/shower & soap every 2-3 weeks.
If you can keep it in an enclosed space with your litter mat(s) in place so your cats shake off the last of the litter while walking out. I keep mine in my closet with the doors mostly closed, I’ve opened them up for the picture to the right so you can see how mine is setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the dimensions of the base ?
The base is about 15 inches wide X 20 inches long and about 5 inches tall.
What are the dimensions of the hood?
The hood is about 15 inches wide X 20 inches long and about 10.5 inches tall.
Is it easy to scoop, many covered boxes are a hassle?
This particular model was special designed to make it easy for you to scoop. The front flips up and out of the way and stays locked there until you manually move it back into place. The opening is easily large enough to fit any litter scoop inside to clean up.
Has the door ever gotten stuck closed?
I’ve never once had the door get stuck closed, my cats have never been locked out of or inside of the litter box.
Is a deep clean easy?
Yes, deep cleaning is very straight forward. Pop the top off, dump the remaining litter in the garbage and then you can easily hose it down outside or with a shower head. If there’s litter stuck to it be sure to scrub that off outside, it shouldn’t go down your drain.
Are there liners available for this model?
Yes, liners are available directly from Sophresh. You’ll want the 17 inches by 30 inches liners for this model. Keep in mind though with the hood on it would be a bit of a hassle to use the liners as you’d have to remove the hood each time.
Wrapping it Up on the Sophresh Litter Box – Flip Top Version
By this point in my cat care “career” I’ve gone through numerous litter boxes, from the simple rectangular tray to the top entry to the covered and hooded version. I will say this is by far one of the best litter boxes I have owned, especially given the fact that it comes in a heck of a lot cheaper than a lot of other litter boxes out there on the market.
The litter box does an excellent job on controlling litter tracking, which is by far the most important aspect from my personal point of view. On top of this it has added benefits of helping with odor control, but not making scooping a total pain in the neck like several other covered litter boxes I’ve used in the past.
The only real drawback I ever identified with this litter box was the design of the bottom piece being a little odd, but it looks like the newest versions of the product have remedied this particular issue. The only other considerations I’d take into account are if you have a very large cat or a cat that won’t used an enclosed litter box.
A special note, you do have to purchase the two pieces of the litter box as separate items from every vendor I’ve been able to find. Check out both links below to find the matching pieces.
Do you use a covered litter box or a flip top litter box of some sort? What has your experience been with the one you’re using? If you’ve used something else please tell us about it! Please leave a comment below or email me directly at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com if you have any thoughts to add to this article.
StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Having litter tracking troubles at home, or perhaps a cat that simply won’t use the cat litter box you’ve purchased? This can be an incredibly frustrating experience, especially given it is likely just as frustrating for your cat!
Selecting the right litter box can be a difficult process, especially given the number of litter boxes on the market and the lack of clarity on what works and what doesn’t. Check out the quick guide to find tips on how to choose a litter box.
If you'd rather get right into it just check out the key highlights and choose from the best litter boxes of 2018.
The Catit Jumbo covered litter box allows your cat or cats plenty of space to take care of their business. Seriously, it is quite large, 3 cats could probably fit inside it at the same time if they wanted.
A single cat will not be crowded even a bit and will get the privacy they want. But just as importantly you get the cleanliness and the scent control you want.
The swinging door ensures the whole litter box is enclosed when your cat goes in so kicking and pawing doesn’t spread litter all over the darn place. On top of this you have a built in air filter on the top so any air that comes out gets at least one cleaning before it makes it to your nose, extra bonus!
This litter box is super easy to put together (snaps and locks in) and very simple to clean. The large hood lifts up for easy access for cleaning, while the built-in bag anchor helps keep the bag open and frees hands for scooping.
It pops open using the four clips on the side, it only takes a couple of seconds to unsnap them. If you’re lazy like I am though you can simply swing the door up and out of the way and clean it with your scoop from outside then just let the door slide back shut.
A few notes:
Fully enclosed with a swinging door for great litter and scent control
Super easy to scoop right through the large front door, you don't have to take the top off
Lots of space for your cat inside and a carbon filter on top to help control scents
Dimensions of the litter box & top: 22.4 inches long x 17 inches wide x 18.3 inches high
Dimensions of the door opening: 10.4 inches high x 9.6 inches wide
A couple of cautionary items for this litter box:
The top fits over the bottom, not in the bottom so if you have a cat that sprays it might leak
Favorite’s Large Top Entry Enclosed Hooded Cat Litter Box
Top entry litter boxes are excellent for helping control the amount of litter that gets tracked all over your house. The primary reason is that they are truly fully enclosed on all of the side walls, not much can sneak out through a swinging door or an open side.
On top of this they force your cat to hop in and out of the box which shakes off a good chunk of the litter.
As an added benefit, some cats simply prefer this type of environment for their pooping and peeing, it is very private which means nobody is going to bother them while they go.
My cat Lexi loves to wait outside the litter box and pounce on Beast when she exits, but she doesn’t bother her while inside. So having a fully enclosed environment where Beast doesn’t see Lexi is very helpful.
While scooping top entry litter boxes tend to be a little more complicated than ones with a front door, Favorite makes it easy as pie. There are 4 snaps total, two on each side, that easily pop off and let you remove the top to scoop for your cat. Just as easily it snaps right back on.
A few other things worth noting:
Top entry provides great litter tracking control by making your cat jump in and out
The outside & inside are both non-stick surfaces for easy cleaning
If you’re looking for liners for this particular model you’ll want the Johnny Cat Heavy Duty Liners
Dimensions: 25 inches long x 19.5 inches wide x 16.5 in high
Definitely avoid top entry boxes for arthritic or senior cats
One cautionary item definitely worth noting:
Avoid this type of litter box for senior cats, arthritic cats, or kittens that don't yet know how to use the litter box
If you’re looking to keep your cat litter box hidden out of the way, or maybe hidden in plain sight, this is definitely the right choice for you. Good Pet Stuff designed this litter box to fit right in with your home decor while holding a litter box inside of it.
Or more accurately, simply being a litter box. It is intended to look just like a normal clay terracotta pot and they’ve hit the nail right on the head.
That serves to make the product even more of a gem compared to other versions. You’ve got an ok (fake) plant on top that will stay green and clean all the time, you can quickly dust it off if it ever looks a little down.
But most importantly, you simply turn the litter box entry door away from view and voila you’ve got yourself a hidden litter box!
It is worth noting that you can replace the plant with any kind of decor you’d like and many people do this with great success. Arts and crafts stores like Michael’s will have everything you need to remedy that particular problem!
Most folks use some form of silk flowers and love their results. There’s a whole built into the top where you can slide most any kind of stem right into it in place of the included plant.
A few key items worth noting:
Perfect for hiding your litter box in plain sight and easy to decorate yourself
Dimensions: 19" in diameter 20" tall, including the plant it is 42" tall
You don’t need to put a liner in it, or another litter box, but some folks do this due to personal preference
There’s plenty of room to scoop the litter box from right outside of it given the size of the entry
If you’re someone that would prefer to have a litter box that can be disposed of for one reason or another, the Nature’s Miracle has you covered. I found this incredibly helpful when I had to move out of my house for a few weeks due to some insurance related work and didn’t feel like moving all of my cats’ supplies with me.
These fit the bill perfectly and my cats used them without any issue at all.
This particular type of litter box is made from recycled paper and is 100% landfill safe and will biodegrade over time with no special chemicals etc. Even given that, it is also leak proof and your cats would have to make a very very concerted effort to shred the box in any way shape or form.
The above means you’re also good to go with pretty much any litter of choice, this includes anything from your standard clay clumping all the way to your absorbent crystal options.
They’ve also built in baking soda to the design to provide extra protection against odors, a nice perk given the material itself actually absorbs liquids to a large extent.
Mine easily lasted the 14 days we were in a hotel, most folks indicate somewhere between 4-6 weeks before you need to pitch it and replace it, but it depends on the number of cats you have and how much they happen to drink and pee etc.
Additional notes:
Disposable boxes are excellent options for short term needs during travel or emergencies
You can also use them as liners for many plastic litter boxes to make it easier to clean, just toss it and drop in a new one
These come in a two pack so you can easily switch them out then wait until you need to order your next set
Dimensions: 21 inches long X 15.2 inches wide X 7.8 inches tall
A few cautionary items worth noting:
Disposables very quickly absorb scents and smells from cat pee especially
Even though they are made of recycled materials they are rather wasteful environmentally
If you’ve got a cat that doesn’t happen to like doing their business in a fully enclosed location, but they still love kicking cat litter all over the place, then you should definitely be focusing on a high sided litter box.
High sided boxes will help minimize litter tracking compared to your more traditional litter box or litter pan, but they also give some cats the security they need to keep an eye on their surroundings while they go to the bathroom. Guess I can’t really blame them, especially if you’ve got a multi cat household.
This particular model is a great help for folks that have a litter tracking issue but aren’t able to take advantage of totally covered options like a hooded or a dome litter box simply won’t because your feline friend doesn’t like them.
You might wonder how it helps with the dipped opening, but more than 75% of the walled in area is much higher than a traditional box so it will heavily eliminate the bulk of the litter that would normally get kicked out of a short sided box.
Additional notes:
A perfect option for cats that won't use covered boxes but kick or spray litter
Dimensions: 22.8 inches long X 17.8 inches wide X 11 inches tall (on the high sides)
It is about 5 inches high at the opening so you're still getting a lot of great litter tracking coverage
The surface is completely non stick so it is super easy to spray things or wipe things off
Also serves as a wonderful cat cave if you flip it over and put a blanket or bed inside it
This is the only really traditional style litter box I specifically recommend, and I only recommend it for specific situations. It is ideal for those of you that truly have a large cat that needs extra space to use the litter box.
Or perhaps you have multiple cats and you aren’t available to scoop consistently so you need a larger litter pool.
This box is huge compared to others on the market and it might not look it from the picture, but the sides are actually quite high as well, almost as high as your standard high sided litter box.
To give you a frame of reference, it’ll easily hold 30 pounds of standard clay clumping litter and the sides are about 10 inches tall all the way around.
You might also be wondering what the ‘pockets’ are for on the edges. These are built in areas to hold all of your supplies to clean up after your kitties. A traditional scoop easily fits into one of the pockets and you can hold whatever else you might need in the other one.
Key features worth noting:
One of the largest litter boxes on the market and can hold tons of litter
Dimensions: 34.7 inches in length x 19.8 in width x 10 inches tall
One of the best options available for extra large cats or multiple cats
There aren’t any liners designed for this litter box due to its unique size and market
A few other items that I will caution you on with this litter box:
It is an open box and has no cover or hood so there's limited scent control
Finding a litter box liner for it is difficult due to the size of it
Nature’s Miracle Advanced High Sided Corner Litter Box
If you’re looking for high sides and you’ve also got your litter box kept in a specific corner then this is the best box out there for you. It was specifically engineered to fit into a corner space as opposed to your traditional rectangular box.
Although pretty much any litter box can fit in a corner, access can be a little goofy. This being corner specific means that the entrance actually points right out of the corner for your cats to get into it.
As the title says, it also has very high sides. While the picture may not show it well, the sides come in at 10 inches all the way around. This means that it’ll be pretty difficult for your cats to kick litter out the sides leaving the only place the entry point.
If you accompany this model (and any model with a dipped entry) with a high quality litter mat (like the smiling paws litter mat) then you won’t have any problem what so ever controlling litter.
Additional notes:
Perfectly fits into corners while still providing excellent access for your cats
It measures 26 inches on the long side (the front) and 23 on each of the sides going to the back corner
The sides are 10 inches tall everywhere other than the entry point
The entry point is about 6 inches at its peak which is quite high compared to other dipped entry boxes and helps provide more litter control
The entry point is also designed as a pour spout to make it easy to dump the litter out when it is time to switch it
Petsfit Double-Decker Pet House Litter Box Enclosure Night Stand
The Petsfit Double-Decker Pet House is a pretty cool piece of furniture that doubles as place for you to store your cat litter box or perhaps as a cat cave depending on your particular goals.
As you can see it has a small entry way on the second floor of the stand and through there is a drop down into the bottom floor where you can easily store your litter box.
One thing to note is you would need to buy a standard litter box to go inside of this enclosure. But given that the environment is quite restricted you can really only fit a traditional litter box inside of it or a high sided litter box. Be sure to measure before you purchase the litter box itself.
This is really the Cadillac of places to store your litter box and let your cat do her business. It is totally secluded and on top of this it has multiple forms of cat litter control built right in.
A few additional notes:
The base is enclosed so any litter that gets kicked up will stay inside the stand
The cat has to jump out from the box to the second level shaking off a good chunk of litter
The cat has to jump out of the second level which shakes off the remainder of any litter
Dimensions of the base are 21 inches by 23 inches and it is 35 inches tall
The inner shelf is 13 inches off the ground leaving lots of space for larger
The inner shelf is not removable in case you were wondering
Litter domes are another rendition of your covered litter box, but they are a little bit different in design and in execution. On the overall though they are very effective in providing a good enclosed space for your cat to take care of business while minimizing litter tracking.
This particular model also has a built in litter capturing stairwell that helps knock litter off your cat’s feet as they exit.
A few notes on differences in case you aren’t familiar. Clearly you see the dome is more circular than square, which can make liners more complicated to use.
The other thing worth noting is that the front entrance is always open in domes, they don’t swing closed like most covered or hooded litter boxes. Scent control is worse because of this.
The key saving grace is that the stairs on the way in are raised up over the height of the litter so they still do a solid job of controlling litter, especially compared to a traditional low sided litter box.
A few additional notes:
Steps provide a great way to remove litter from your cat on the way out of the dome
Dimensions of the base are 20 inches by 24 inches and it is 19 inches tall
The lid is very easy to remove which makes scooping and cleaning a breeze
There are carbon filters built into the roof of the dome to minimize odors
If you’ve got an older cat or a cat that has a difficult time climbing into a traditional litter box then you’ll definitely want to consider this product from KittyGoHere.
This was specifically designed with senior cats in mind and is intended to easily enable them to get in and out of the box even with their more limited mobility.
The low and extra wide opening is engineered to make it far easier for your older or special needs cat to navigate entry and exit of the litter box. The entry point is a full twelve inches wide and is a mere three inches off the ground which is about half the height of a traditional entrance on your more typical litter boxes.
You can also consider this for kittens who might not yet be too familiar with litter boxes. Sometimes small kittens have difficulty getting in and out of a litter box with higher sides so something like this might ease the process.
A few additional notes:
Specially designed for senior and arthritic cats to ensure they can easily access the litter box
Has an added dip at the front for super easy access, absolutely zero climbing required
Comes in two different sizes: 20" x 15" x 5" or 24" x 20" x 5"
Has various color options available (you might have to check out PuppyGoHere)
A few additional considerations for this box:
The sides in general are a little low and there is no cover or hood available for this litter box
If your cat happens to urinate outside of the litter box on accident because of the low sides you can consider adding an absorbent pad around or two to the area to minimize leakage, litter mats like the iPrimio Cat Litter Trapper might be a good choice as they have a space for an absorbent pad built right in
You’ll definitely want to add a good sized litter mat around this litter box if you’re using standard clay clumping litter, it will get kicked all over the place, especially if your cat is a knock litter kicker
If you're not a fan of scooping with your hand directly holding a scoop then the Roll & Clean option might be a great alternative for you. Basically the claim to fame here is that you can roll the box from side to side and it'll automatically sift the used litter out from the unused litter.
The key thing you'll want to keep in mind here is that you'll need the room available to easily roll the litter box over from side to side to perform the 'scooping' motion. This may be difficult in many households, especially for those of us that keep litter boxes tucked away in corners or closets with doors slightly ajar.
Check out the video below to see it in action. A few key notes worth calling out:
Roll & Clean technology keeps you from getting your hands dirty scooping
It has a built in litter "step" for the cat while they exit to knock off tracked litter
Has both a regular and large size depending on how big your cat is
The box itself is lightweight and durable so once litter is added it is still easy to roll
Simply put, stainless steel won't absorb scents and it won't provide a porous material that bacteria can seep into and grow in. This means stainless steel is far more sanitary and also a heck of a lot easier to clean and care for than other plastic litter boxes.
If you've got a scent related problem or you're very careful about germs then this is the litter box for you.
A few key features worth noting:
Made completely of stainless steel, won't absorb scents and will never rust
6 inch high walls ensure cats can get in easily while helping control litter
Super easy to disinfect and clean, can even spray it down with a power washer if desired
All the edges are rounded in design so there are no sharp or dangerous points
If you're not a fan of scooping but you also don't have room for something like the "roll and sift" technology than a traditional lift and sift option might be a good choice.
The design is simple. There are two layers in the litter box. One is a sifter and one is the actual box. After your cat uses the litter box you simply pick up the inner layer, shake it back and forth, and voila, you've got all the used litter and clean litter separated.
The only real drawback here is that when you use traditional litter the sifting process can kick up a cloud of litter dust which is never fun for us humans. Check out the video below to see how the technology works.
Key features worth noting here:
This model features a framed higher sided sifter for more litter control
Keeps your hands out of the litter box with the scoop
The plastic here is specially polished to be stain & blemish resistant
Absolutely hate scooping and cleaning? Just want to take the bagged up product out to the garbage can once in a while? If you answered yes to both of these questions then this is the option for you.
This model uses specially formulated crystals and an automatic sifting system to lock away urine and excrement until you're ready to make a trip to the garbage can.
As an added bonus, it runs hands free so you don't have to scoop it daily. It'll handle itself for extended periods. Key features worth noting:
Fully automatic and doesn't require any scooping by hand
The crystals it uses are dust free and limit tracking significantly
The trapping tray is 100% disposable so you can just pitch it
The tray is plastic and will ensure there's no leakage
It won't scare your cat, it has a 20 minute delay built in for cleaning
There are a couple things you'll definitely want to take into account before purchasing it:
Be sure to try crystals with your cat in a traditional litter box before switching, some cats will refuse to use them because it is painful on their paws
If you have multiple cats it definitely requires cleaning more often than suggested in the details
It may take a few weeks or months for your cat to adjust to using the new box, don't expect an immediate transition
The CatGenie is a totally different approach on dealing with cat waste. It basically removes the need for litter completely and instead uses a system of washable granules that your cat will go to the bathroom in.
Essentially, the CatGenie directly breaks down and flushes all of your cat's poop right down the toilet just the way we humans do. It uses a custom made solution to do so so you'll be purchasing that solution instead of cat litter on a consistent basis.
All in all it is a pretty slick solution worth considering, especially if you hate the idea of cat litter. Key items worth noting:
No litter ever again, instead you have washable granules
It is fully automated, just set the schedule and let it run
No more trips to the garbage and no more scooping
There are a couple things you'll definitely want to take into account before purchasing it:
It does require both an electrical and a water hookup to function, so it'll need to be placed in a bathroom or a utility room of some sort
Instead of purchasing litter you'll have to purchase the solution the system uses to break down solids
If you don't have traditional water lines available it may be complex or difficult to setup
There are a laundry list of different types of cat litter out there on the market. Which type you choose and the brand you select can’t easily be decided without trying them.
The primary reason for this is that in general cats are likely to care more about the litter than you do. A lot of cats simply won’t use certain kinds of litter due to the feeling on their paws, the smell associated, or any of 100 other things cats notice that we don’t!
That being said, here’s a quick rundown of the major types of litter out there.
Clay Clumping: This is the most common type of litter on the market and it is what most people use on a day to day basis. You’ll find this available from most major brands and typically at a pretty cheap price for about a 40 pound bag of it.
Clay Non Clumping: While not as common as clumping litter, it still ranks pretty highly up there in the overall types of litter available and in use. The key difference is it does a much worse job of controlling odors and making it easy to scoop for your cat.
Crystals: As opposed to clumping up, crystals essentially absorb urine and control odor for a period of time. While crystals have benefits, you do have to completely replace them quite often (weekly or every two weeks) depending on the number of cats you have. This can get quite a bit more expensive than traditional litter.
Paper: Paper based litter is similar to crystals in that it is focused on absorbing urine and controlling the scent. It is normally easy to see which bits have been used based on color/size, but you can end up scooping out a lot of it that you don’t mean to since it doesn’t clump. This can get pricy longer term since you can end up wasting unused litter.
Pine: Pine litters in general are an alternative to clay, but based on all of the information I’ve seen to date they have similar tracking problems. If odor control is a higher priority you might consider this.
If you’re looking for a specific recommendation on a litter then check out this article from Thriving Cats for the best litter out there. One thing I’d also keep in mind is that if you decide you’re going to transition from your existing litter (that is working) to a new one, then you should definitely do this gradually. There are a couple of options available to you:
The most common is to mix the new and old litters together and slowly change the ratio. You can start with say 80/20 then every 2 or 3 days adjust it another 20% until you’ve fully switched things over.
The second most common option is to set down an additional litter box and put the new kind of litter in it to verify your cat(s) will use it. If they immediately make the switch without issue then you’re likely good to simply transition to that litter in your existing litter box.
Every cat is different when it comes to their litter box. Some of them are far more lax when it comes to their litter box and some of them are extremely picky.
There are a few core factors you'll want to consider when selecting the litter box that's right for your home:
Size: If you get a litter box that’s too small you're likely to run into problems with your cat using it. Always err on the side of getting a litter box that is a bit bigger as opposed to potentially to small for your cat.
Covered or Not: Cats are both predator and prey in the wild. Because of this they often prefer to see around them while using their litter box. Covered boxes control litter tracking and also help minimize nasty smells, but they may also cause your cat to simply not use the litter box.
Top or Side Entry: Side/front entry is definitely the traditional format for a litter box, but there are all sorts of new formats out there today. Top entry litter boxes are great for helping to control litter tracking, but they can also be very tough on older cats or arthritic cats. Be sure to take this into account when you purchase.
Automatic or Not: Some cats are extremely finicky when it comes to using a litter box that is dirty. I guess I can't blame them, I hate using a dirty toilet too. That being said, if you have a cat that won't pee in a litter box that's been used once then you might need to consider an automatic litter box, especially if you work during the day. There's also the fact that some people just want nothing to do with scooping and thus choose an automatic scooping box.
Shape: Before you make a purchase you'll want to consider the location you plan to place the litter box. Purchasing a litter box of the correct shape will make it far easier for you to fit it in the appropriate location without creating a hassle for your cat to use it. There are two primary shapes, standard rectangles and corner boxes.
There's a pretty simple rule of thumb out there for people with multiple cats. You should have at least one more litter box than the number of cats you have. As a few simple examples:
If you have 2 cats you should have 3 litter boxes.
If you have 5 cats you should have 6 litter boxes.
But let's be honest, most of us probably don't want this many litter boxes in the house and many of us probably don't even have the space to scatter this many litter boxes throughout the house. If you live in the city this is even more the case.
I have two cats and I only have one litter box in use right now. But when I first got my second cat we had 3 litter boxes throughout numerous areas in the house. You try numerous areas cause some cats are more prone to use a litter box in one area than another.
We started to realize that they were really only using 2 of the litter boxes so we removed one of them completely. After another few months they started to center on one litter box that was tucked away in our closet. Given this we slowly phased out access to the remaining extra litter box and we've had no problems.
That being said you should explore this gradually if you're introducing a new cat to your household. You don't want to just add a cat and leave your home with one litter box. This can result in all sorts of negative behavior that could result in accidents and messes throughout the house which nobody enjoys.
Litter box placement is typically pretty straight forward, but sometimes it can be a little more complex if you have a cat that is picky. It really comes down to balancing two things:
Where the humans are willing to have the box
Where the cats are willing to use the box
Here are a couple key considerations from cats that might help you determine where to put your litter box. Cats generally like the following:
A place in the home that doesn't have a lot of foot traffic
Somewhere that random noises don't occur (avoid next to the furnace)
The ability to see all approaches to the litter box
There are lot of different reasons that cats won't use a litter box, but they usually fall within one of the following three categories:
Smell / Scent: Did you try a new litter? If so, be sure to make it a gradual change by mixing the old and the new over time.
Location: As referenced above, be sure to try varying locations if you're having litter box issues. Finding the right spot for your cat(s) is key.
Cleanliness: Is the litter box being cleaned and scooped consistently? If not, try scooping more times a day so your kitty has a clean bathroom.
There are of course other reasons that a cat might stop using a litter box, especially if they were using it consistently in the past and suddenly stopped. Check out this article for more details on the topic. If you're unable to identify a root cause talk to your veterinarian to find a resolution.
If your cat is sleeping in the litter box then you've likely got a cat that hasn't taken well to a recent change in their life. Generally cats sleep in their litter box for a few key reasons, for example you:
May have recently moved to a new or unfamiliar space
Just got another another new pet (cat or dog) and introduced it to your home
Have a new person living your home or staying with you
Have not realized your cat is sick and needs medical attention
Have a pregnant cat and she doesn’t have a spot to give birth
Check out this article specifically on the topic for more detail and ways you can help get your cat out of the litter box.
Given the wide variety of litter box types and the wide variety of models within each of those types it can be incredibly difficult to choose a litter box that will meet the needs of you and your cats.
Whatever you do be sure to make any changes with the litter box gradually. If your cats are currently using one litter box and you are going to switch it be sure to make the new one available side by side with the old one for a time.
This will ensure your cats can get used to the change before removing what they are used to. Big changes can often make cats very uncomfortable, they are creatures of habit after all.
Which litter box do you use? Do you have a favorite or a recommendation that I didn’t include in my list ? If you have any other ideas for please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.comso I can update this article.
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Like many of us, Scooter’s mom had been wanting a cat for a long time, but she was at university she wasn’t allowed to have one in the apartments with her. Right as she was getting close to graduation though a friend of her’s from high school posted on Facebook. The post talked about a stray cat that frequented his place recently and it had given birth to a bunch of kittens. He uploaded pictures of all the kittens, along with the names he had given them.
Scooter surprisingly did not get her name for her amazing Scooter riding skills, and here I had originally thought she could drive a moped. I wasn’t as disappointed as you might think though. Instead Scooter got her name because when she was scared, she would scoot backwards until she was up against a wall. Scooter is about a year and a half old now and her mom literally could not wait to take her home! Scooter’s owner drove directly from her college graduation to her friend’s house, only stopping at a Walmart on the way, to buy a cat carrier. Talk about dedication to getting that furry feline friend!
Scooter has since moved to a different state to follow her mom for grad school. She’s a dutiful little feline and she’s one of the main reasons that her mom has been able to survive graduate school! As you can see, she helps with work on the laptop too! They play fetch together (cats love play time) with bottle caps (there is a nice collection building up under the couch) and she curls up against her leg for a post-breakfast nap every morning.
Scooter is also known to sit between the shower curtains when her mom showers so she can hop into the residual water as soon as she steps out. If I had my guess, she probably laps some up too just like my cat Beast, cats are a bit silly when it comes to drinking enough water!
Scooter is also incredibly talkative, and regularly yells to get picked up when she’s feeling particularly needy. She also follows her mom around everywhere and if she leave’s a room, she’s right behind her. If she falls asleep on the couch, she’ll find that when she wakes up Scooter is right there on her lap!
Of course, like any other cat, Scooter can be kind of an jerk. But her mom “love’s the crap out of this little fluffball” like most of us cat owners. Scooter obviously returns the feelings, either that or she’s really really good at hiding the fact that she’s only using her for food and scratches. I wouldn’t put it past Scooter knowing my cats…
The Pettsie breakaway cat collar with bow tie is specifically designed with your feline friend in mind. There are 4 major color/style combinations available for this particular collar set and they all not only look great, but they’re all incredibly well made and have all the necessary features for your cat to stay safe and sound.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Interchangeable Feathers: Switching the feathers out is super easy with a snap and swivel piece on the end of the line.
How do you change out the feathers on the end of the wand?
I bought this toy for the specific reason that it had an automatic timer built into that I thought would be incredibly helpful for keeping my cats active when I left the house for a few minutes. Or maybe even distract them as I walk out the door since they like to check out any door that opens up. The toy has a built in 15 minute timer so you can flip it on, walk away, and then the toy will run for 15 and turn itself off. While the timer worked great, the toy itself did not turn out to be as much of a good idea as I thought it would be.
As for scooping, super simple. You don’t even have to take the top off to scoop. The door is designed to flip up and stay in a “locked” position until you put it back down. This makes it a breeze to scoop quickly and then drop the door right back into place.
It isn’t a huge box so I’d highly recommend you scoop it every single day, especially if you have two cats.
