General

Why do Cats?

By Craig / July 25, 2017

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If you’ve got a feline friend in the house odds are you’ve attempted to pick her up at least a few times in your life.  You might have one of those cats that absolutely loves it, my cat Lexi doesn’t seem to mind it one bit. You can rock her like a baby and lip her upside down and she just rolls with it. When she wants down she’ll let you know by starting to push against you, but for the most part she’s pretty accepting.

On the other hand you might have a cat like my cat Beast as well. She tenses up immediately the second your hand hovers over her neck for more than a second and will bolt if possible. Even though I use the vet recommended method of sliding one hand under her chest and one under her hind to hold her up she still is wound up like a spring the entire time you hold her. You can tell she is not happy about the situation and wants out as soon as possible.

So why is that Lexi loves being picked up and Beast is absolutely horrified of it? Why do some cats not like to be held? Let’s look at a few potential reasons why this might happen and then point you to some resources to try to change this behavior.

You Don’t Know What They Know

Lexi and Beast are both adopted and both were several years old when adopted. Unfortunately the shelters really didn’t know much about them so they didn’t have anything to share other than Beast came from a hoarding situation and was mostly locked in a room on her own her entire first two years of her life. Beast is a little socially awkward if you can imagine, but she’s a total sweetheart! If you’ve adopted a cat you’ve probably heard similar stories or even far worse ones, but unfortunately without know the whole past of your cat it is difficult to determine if it was some experience that caused this or if it is just their personality.

That being said, one of the most likely reasons your cat doesn’t like being picked up is that she may have had a negative experience while being held in the past. Perhaps she was dropped as a kitten a few times, or someone pulled on her ears and her tail, who really knows? All it takes is one nasty experience to make it a very uncomfortable experience for them.

On the same token it could come from an experience we might not register as traumatic as humans, but your cat might. Key examples are visits to the vet and the groomer. Your cat is typically restrained in these situations and often has a negative experience (you probably didn’t like a thermometer up your butt as a kid either).  It is pretty easy to see how a cat might start to see being picked up for one of these activities and being picked up in general as negative things.

It is simply scary for your cat

You’ve probably never seen a cat pick another cat up if both cats are adults. The only time you see this happen is with a mother moving her kittens from place to place and the kittens biologically know to go limp when mom picks them up.

Adult cats on the other hand tend to very slowly approach one another and if they are both friendly you might see some sniffing at an initial introduction. We humans on the other hand are not only much much larger than our feline friends (even you Maine Coon owners) but we often go straight to picking them up.

Imagine yourself in a situation where someone 10 or more times your size showed up and simply picked you up and rubbed the hair on your head when they ran across you. You might freak out too! They could easily crush you on accident or on purpose if they had any inclination.

A potential sickness or injury is afoot!

If your cat used to like being picked up but bolts every time you attempt to get near her then two things are possible. We’ve already discussed a bad experience, but if you can rule that out then your cat might be sick or have an injury.

At this point it is probably worth setting some time aside with your vet to check for injuries or medical conditions that could be causing pain when you pick your cat up. Even after the condition is treated it’s possible that your cat will still avoid being picked up because they might associate the feeling with the pain they experienced in the past.

Nowhere to Run

Similar to my article regarding cat carriers and why cats often don’t like them, being picked up is a form of being restrained. Even if it isn’t true every time a cat is picked up, cats don’t have a hard time drawing the conclusion that restraint means the humans are going to do something I don’t like: clip my nails, bathe me, take my temperature, stick me in the carrier, etc.

Knowing How to Pick a Cat Up

If you’re not sure how to pick a cat up then you should definitely learn the appropriate way. You should not be scruffing your cat, it is far too easy to permanently injure your cat if you’re not properly trained on how to do this. Instead you should focus on the standard two point pick up method. Check out this video below from VetStreet to ensure you’re pick up your cat in a safe manner!

Wrapping It Up:

At the end of the day, answering the question why do some cats not like to be held up is pretty tough unless you’ve known your cat since they were a kitten. Even then it might not be easy to identify the specific reason as it could be their personality or it could be driven by some experience they had when you weren’t home.  Your cat might also simply be scared of being picked up because of your size or because they know being picked up sometimes results in a trip to the vet or the groomer.

This article isn’t aimed at modifying this particular behavior and I would encourage you to simply respect your cat’s preferences as much as you can. I know we all get the desire to pick our cats up from time to time and just can’t resist. If you are interested in getting your cat to enjoy being picked up you can check out this article, but my experience has been mixed with it being effective.

If you’ve got any other thoughts on holding your cat and why some cats do not like to be held please do share them below!  If you have any additional items you’d like to see added to this post then please comment below or directly email me at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update the information here.

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.

General

How to Guides

By Craig / July 21, 2017

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Your first instinct when you hear the sound is to yell ‘No!’ at the top of your lungs. That’s usually because your cat is in another room, I think they wait for us to leave or they purposely go find another spot because they know we don’t like, but it clearly doesn’t stop them.  You know what I’m talking about, they are scratching up your carpet or your rug, again!  You’ve probably found yourself yelling “ No!” your cat countless times by this point.

The bad news is that there isn’t really a way to stop a cat from scratching short of declawing, and declawing is not a choice you should really consider. The good news is there are a lot of ways you can combat this behavior, but naturally and through training your cat. Don’t worry, it won’t require a whistle and a stop watch. Let’s get into the question at hand how to stop cats from scratching the carpet?

So why do cats scratch?

Cats have claws that grow rather quickly and will continue to do so their entire lives. Cats claw and scratch things to shed off the outer shell of their current claw and reveal the newer layer underneath. In case you care to learn the technical term, it is called stropping. This has two primary impacts, first and foremost they need to find something to scratch to get the old layer to fall off. The second is that of course your cats nails are going to get sharper as the nail gets longer and they continue to shed the outer layers which makes them better hunters, but also better carpet destroyers.

There are two other key reasons cats scratch. It provides solid exercise and keeps their muscles in tip top shape which again goes back to their nature to hunt.  Last but not least, cats are territorial and they actually have glands in their paws that release a scent that marks their territory. So scratching is very beneficial for your traditional outdoor cat in that it provides 3 key benefits all at the same time.

How do cats scratch?

Cats scratch by extending their claws and dragging them “downward.” This can be done on either horizontal or vertical surfaces and it should be noted that every cat is different in this regard. Both of my cats Lexi and Beast go for vertical scratching as have most of my foster cats, but I have experienced the horizontal scratch as well.

You’ll even experience some cats that scratch by lying down and pulling themselves across a room, if you don’t care about the carpet it is quite interesting to watch. One additional note is that for scratching to effectively remove the husk of the nail the surface has to be rather solid. If it simply moves with the cat it won’t have any impact, hence the reason carpet and furniture make good targets for your cat.

How to stop cats from scratching the carpet?

Now I’m sure you’re saying great, thanks for the biology lesson, but I promise it does help with resolving the problem. If your cat is scratching up the carpet your cat is likely one of those cats that likes to scratch horizontally. While the most common method to stop your cat from scratching up things you care about is to buy your cat something you want her to scratch up, you need to make sure you choose something your cat will be interested in scratching.

This means that if you’ve got a horizontal scratcher you might need to trade out your scratching post for a scratching mat or rug.  Another option would be to make sure your scratching post is wrapped in carpet which may just be your cat’s preferred material.

Now if you’ve already done this and you’re not having any luck getting your cat to use it there are a few things you can try to help convince them to do so:

• Variety: You may have selected a material that simply doesn’t interest your cat, or perhaps selected an option that isn’t stable/fixed. You might need to try more than one type of horizontal scratcher before you find success. The two most common types of scratching material are cardboard and sisal. My personal recommendation is sisal.
• Location: If you’ve got a good solid scratching mat or object be sure it is in a location that your cat will use it. If they are constantly scratching one particular location try moving the mat to that location. You can also try placing something the cat won’t scratch (double sided tape is a great option) in the current location and locating your new mat right next to it so they redirect their attention to the mat or scratching post.
• Catnip: For cats that go bonkers for catnip there’s a great solution, rub some of the catnip into the scratching mat to create a doubly rewarding activity for your cat.
• Treats: Be sure to reward your cat once they use the scratching mat that you’ve selected for them. This will teach them that they get rewarded for scratching this particular area or object. Be sure to reward them immediately after or even while they are scratching so they make the connection, keep treats on hand!

Minimizing the damage from scratching…

While you’re still in the process of teaching your furry friend the ropes, it may make sense to consider a few other things.

• Blunt Claws Are Less Damaging: Maintaining a proper grooming schedule for your cat should be part of cat ownership in general, and that should include frequent nail trimming. When you trim your cats nails they become blunted on the end and are far less damaging to whatever they scratch. Check out this article from Asthma Cats on how to clip your cats claws if you don’t know how already.
• Put a Cap On It: Nail caps are another option. Similar to glue on nails for humans you can purchase Soft Claws Nail Caps which are easy to glue onto your cats nails. They last about a month and won’t interfere with the daily life of your cat. These caps minimize the damage caused by scratching behavior.
• Spray The Area: There are numerous sprays available on the market that have a scent that humans can’t really detect, but tend to drive cats away from a specific area. This Bitter Apple Spray for Cats is one of them. If you have a specific spot or spots you don’t want your cat to be scratching you can reapply these sprays every couple of days or weeks depending on the directions and it will help deter your cat.

There are some other options you can explore to as deterrents in this article on how to stop cats scratching furniture, but use them with caution. As documented in that article they can often result in the cat simply becoming afraid of you instead of whatever behavior you are trying to stop.

Whatever you do don’t declaw your cat…

Declawing your cat is really not an option you should consider unless you’ve exhausted every other option under the sun. Not only it is incredibly painful for your cat, but it also causes long lasting damage to your cats paws and can result in all sorts of other negative consequences from behavioral issues (like increased likelihood to bite) to physical issues (like difficulty walking properly).

Start them as kittens

This section only applies to people who happen to be reading this in advance of getting a cat. Whenever possible, start cats young with appropriate scratching behavior. The younger you get them started the more likely they will be to behavior appropriately as they grow into adults.

Let’s recap quickly…

• Understand why your cat scratches, it is natural behavior.
• Provide an option that meets your cat’s scratching preferences.
• Make the place she’s been scratching unattractive or inaccessible.
• Keep your cat’s claws trimmed on a consistent basis.
• Nail caps are an additional option, but will require reapplication ever 1-2 months.

Another important point is that you need to be persistent & consistent with your cat. Training a cat to do what you want requires time, patience and persistence.  Be sure to reward your cat immediately after they scratch on the post and do it every time you see it happen initially. Progress may take a few weeks, but keep at it and definitely let us know of your results.

If you’ve got any other thoughts on how to stop cats from scratching the carpet please do share them below!  If you have any additional items you’d like to see added to this post then please comment below or directly email me at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update the information here.

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.

General

Why do Cats?

By Craig / July 12, 2017

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It’s 3:00 AM, you’ve just woken up to it again. She’s walking around through the entire house meowing over and over for no apparent reason. You’re wondering why you adopted this cat, you’re wondering if she is just doing this to drive you nuts, but most of all you are wondering why does my cat keep meowing?

This is an incredibly frustrating behavior for you to encounter as a cat owner, I should know, both of my cats Lexi and Beast do it from time to time.  The good news is that there are a couple of common reasons your cat might be doing this. Even better, there are a couple of simple methods to help decrease the frequency of this behavior.

A Few Things Worth Noting

Two things worth pointing out before we get into the why of this article:

• Cats in general aren’t known to meow at one another. Meowing is a behavior that was picked up by cats to communicate with humans, they don’t use it among themselves.  This means if your cat is meowing they are trying to tell you something.
• Cats are crepuscular creatures, but you can work with them to adjust their sleeping schedule to be in line with your own. While excessive meowing is annoying during the day, it is 10 times more annoying if it impacts your sleeping schedule.

Now that that’s out of the way let’s get to why you came here…

So Why Does my Cat Keep Meowing

So let’s get into the meat of it, let’s look at the most common reasons your cat is meowing up a storm and some of the easiest fixes in the book:

1. Your cat is bored our of her gourd: Just like a human a cat can get bored, really bored, especially if you are gone for long periods of time and your cat is left on her own.

• Make sure you organize time to play with your cat and make sure she gets exercise. Without a good workout your cat is likely to strut around meowing to let you know she isn’t too happy. Check out my article on playing with your cat for a few ideas. Or go straight to checking out some of the top 20 toys StuffCatsWant recommends for your cat!

2. Your cat is stressed out: Stressed out cats tend to meow a heck of a lot more than their otherwise calm counterparts. My cat Beast meows 2-3 times as often when I have a foster cat in the house, even if they are separated into another room. Changes you might not think matter to a cat like a move or the loss of a family member can result in a lot more vocal cat.  

• Do your best to identify the recent change and if possible remedy it.  If there’s not much you can do to remedy the specific cause then give your cat extra attention and be sure she has a quiet and safe location that can help soothe her.
• If you do have a new cat in the home you can also check out Feliway Multicat, read my review of it here.

3. Your cat wants her breakfast or dinner: You know how your stomach growls when you’re hungry? My cats meow when they are hungry. Well, let me rephrase, Lexi meows like a nut when she is hungry and she knows she gets fed at 8 AM and 9 PM daily. Check out this video of her when she knows it is dinner time.

• Do your best to set a schedule when it comes to feeding and talk to your vet about the appropriate amount of food for your cat. If you can’t be home to provide food on a consistent schedule consider an auto feeder. Free feeding your cat with dry food is not the answer.

4. Your cat is in heat: If your cat isn’t already spayed or neutered then they are likely to be a heck of a lot more noisy (some of the time). When they are in heat female cats are going to yowl and as soon as a male smells a female in heat he’ll start doing the same thing.

• Do yourself (and the world) a favor and get your pet spayed or neutered.

5. Your cat wants to be where you are: Despite popular belief that cats like to be alone, most cats do actually enjoy companionship of their human friends. If you sleep in a room with the door closed at night and your cat is meowing outside this is a great example.

• The simplest solution might be to simply open the door and let them come into whatever room you are in. If that isn’t an option you can try things like a treat puzzle to keep them busy while you are in the other room.

6. Your cat is getting older: While the average lifespan of cats is expanding with better medical care, there are many of the same problems that humans run into regarding staying sharp as they age. Cats can become disoriented and will meow for no reason other than to let their human know they are confused. This is especially common at night.

• Veterinarians can prescribe medications that help these symptoms and they might have other recommendations depending on when and how the behavior is triggered.

7. Your cat is sick: If none of the other items here seem to be the culprit then a thorough checkup by your veterinarian is in order. Numerous diseases can cause a cat to feel hungry even when they aren’t. There’s also the potential problem that your cat might be in constant pain which can lead to constant meowing.

• WebMD also indicates that elderly cats can develop an overactive thyroid or kidney disease and that both of these can result in excessive meowing.

8. Your cat is welcoming you home: Many cats meow when their people come home, mine both meet me at the door and then promptly run off if I try to pet them for some reason or another.

• If this is the worst you have then I’d say you’re doing pretty well!.

Note that nowhere above did you see me indicate the solution is to yell at your cat. Yelling at your cat, spraying your cat with a squirt bottle, shaking coins in a can, these methods will not solve the root cause of the behavior. More than likely they’ll just make your cat afraid of you instead!  Do your best to identify the root cause and then work with your cat in a positive way to solve it.  Always keep in mind that a tired out cat with a full tummy is likely to get some sleep!

Time for a Quick Recap

So now you’ve got several answers to the age old question why does my cat keep meowing!  The general idea is that your cat is trying to communicate something to you. It is your job to figure out specifically what and do something about it.

I hope that the solutions under each of the major causes come in handy and help you make progress with getting your kitty to quiet down!  If you have any other thoughts on why your cat might be meowing incessantly or how you’ve managed to put a stop to it then please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update 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.

General

Why do Cats?

By Craig / July 12, 2017

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Your kitty is sleeping in the litter box all of a sudden and you don’t know why. What happened, what’s going on? You’re asking yourself why is my cat sleeping in her litter box and how do I fix it!?  The good news is there’s usually a pretty straight forward reason for why your cat is sleeping in the litter box.

The better news is there are several good ways for you to be able to combat this type of behavior.  Let’s take a look at the most common causes and then we’ll dig into how to help fix the root cause.

Why is My Cat Sleeping In Her Litter Box

Sleeping in the litter box is a very common behavior for cats that are under a lot of stress. This stress can be caused by a lot of things, but the most common reasons for this type of stress are:

1. You’ve recently moved your cat to a new and unfamiliar space
2. You’ve introduced another pet (cat or dog) into your resident cat’s space
3. You’ve introduced another human into your cat’s space
4. Your cat has a sickness of some sort
5. Your cat is pregnant and doesn’t have a spot to give birth

Now while this behavior probably seems disgusting to you as a human and you probably haven’t seen your cat spend so much time in the litter box since they were a kitten (those kittens certainly love play in there!), it is a perfectly logical behavior for your cat.

So why does the litter box strike your cat as a good place to sleep?  There are a couple of theories behind this behavior, but the most commonly accepted theories are:

• Cats mark their territory with urine and the litter box smells like their urine so they consider it to be their own territory and thus safe.
• Your cat might be reinforcing their ownership of the territory (in the case of a new cat being introduced) by not only peeing in a space, but also physically occupying the space as well.
• The litter box is very similar to other places your cat likes to sleep in that it is small and limits approaches so your cat can see who is coming and going. This makes your cat feel safer when in a new environment.
• If your cat is pregnant and doesn’t have a place to give birth (a box with warm fluffy towels that is enclosed and away from all the busy places in the house) she might determine the litter box as the next best place because it meets most of the criteria.

How Do I Stop My Cat From Sleeping In Her Litter Box

There are several remedies available to help you combat this behavior, but they’ll have different results depending on the problem that is driving the behavior. If you’re in a new space your cat should gradually adjust over time and stop sleeping in the litter box as they get more familiar with the space.  That being said you probably don’t want them sleeping in there if you can avoid it…

While I’ll leave it to you to determine which one you want to try, I did my best to categorize them into logical groupings:

• New Place / Environment Remedies:
  • Provide another litter box (identical if at all possible) right beside the one your cat is sleeping in, but instead of filling it with litter go for warm blankets or your cat’s favorite bed.  Even a towel with your cat’s scent on it (or even your own scent) might help entice them out of the litter box. If a towel or bedding doesn’t work give shredded paper a shot as well.
  • Place a Feliway Diffuser in the room your cat is spending the most time in to help them relax and feel more comfortable in the new space. You can read more about Feliway here if desired, but the general idea is it is a synthetic pheromone that helps calm cats in stressful situations.
• New Pet / Human Introduction:
  • Ensure you have a sufficient number of litter boxes in the house, especially if the new pet introduced is a cat. This is a common problem when you have a cat going outside the litter box as well. It is generally recommended that you have at least 1 litter box for each cat and if you have room add an extra one. This ensures there’s plenty of room and privacy in the boxes.
  • Make sure your cat has their own safe space in the case of a dog being introduced, perhaps put up a baby gate to provide safe room just for your cat.
  • Be sure the litter box is in an out of the way location away from the normal foot traffic in the house.
• Medical:
  • If there haven’t been any other major changes in the household recently and this behavior persists more than a few days you should get your cat to the vet ASAP to ensure there aren’t any medical issues causing your cat to sleep in the litter box.
• Pregnancy:
  • This one is probably pretty obvious because you’ll know if you have a female cat that hasn’t been spayed and likely know if she is pregnant too. The easiest solution here is to provide an alternative space that is safe, enclosed, warm, and out of the way for your pregnant cat.

Wrapping It Up

When you’re wondering why is my cat sleeping in her litter box you should definitely dig into the root cause and figure out what is going on. If you’ve already gone through the motions of ensuring there isn’t a medical reasons then consider what other changes have gone on recently in your household.

While small changes may not seem like much to you as a human, they can often be incredibly impactful to your sensitive little fluff ball and she’s likely hiding in the litter box because she thinks of it as a safe spot.

If you have any other thoughts on how to keep your cat from sleeping in the litter box then please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update 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.

General

Why do Cats?

By Craig / July 9, 2017

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Ugh. You just found pee on the floor again, or worse yet, poop!  Fluffy was using the litter box habitually for the past year and all of a sudden she stopped! What happened? Why do cats stop using their litter box all of a sudden when they’ve never had problems before?  While this may sound uncommon, it really isn’t and you might find that you are the cause.

It is also important to note that your cat isn’t doing this all of a sudden to spite you or just to make you angry.  There’s usually a relatively simple reason your cat stopped using the litter box all of a sudden and you should be able to at least narrow down the cause on your own.  So let’s first take a look at some of the most common causes, how to identify them & then how to resolve them as well.

The Litter Box Itself Is Often the Problem

The most common reason a cat will stop using the litter box is the litter box itself.  If something has changed recently this can often drive a cat to stop using the litter box. Great examples of this are things like:

• Cleaning: If the litter box is being scooped/cleaned less commonly than normal this can often cause a cat to stop using it. You don’t like using a dirty bathroom, your cat doesn’t either. Be sure to scoop your litter box on a consistent basis, especially if you’re in a multi cat household. If you can’t scoop it yourself then consider an automatic litter box.
• Litter Change: If you’ve recently changed the type of litter in the litter box this can often have an adverse effect as well. Changes in the litter can include any of the following:
  • You’re trying a new scent – Cats have a highly developed sense of smell and a slight change can turn them away.
  • You’re trying a new type (wood/clay/crystals) – Cats have very sensitive paws and can find new types of litter uncomfortable to stand or walk on.
  • If there’s a distinct need to switch litters then be sure to do it gradually, consider this article from FloppyCats on how to switch your cat litters.
• Declawing: While I’m personally very against declawing for a laundry list of reasons, it should also be noted that declawing your cat can cause litter box issues. Declawing leads to even more sensitivity in their paws and walking on litter can be incredibly painful, especially right after the surgery. If you’ve recently had your cat declawed and a litter box problem has developed then this is likely to be the culprit.
• The Location: If all of a sudden a new person has appeared in the household and they are creating additional traffic near the litter box this can cause your cat stress. Common examples are long term house guests or a kid coming home from college for the summer. If your cat was used to a nice calm and quiet space and now it is noisy and filled with new scents and people this can cause them to avoid the space. Either adjust the location of the litter box or adjust the location of your house guest to ensure your cat has a nice quiet spot they feel is their own.
• No Privacy: Cats in general tend to prefer their own litter box. While many will use a single box even when there are multiple cats in a household, if you’ve recently introduced a new feline to the household and there is only one litter box this can often cause your resident cat to take offense. The general rule of thumb is to have at least one litter box available for each cat in the household and if possible have an extra.
• The Litter Box: If you’ve recently switched out your old litter box for a new one this might be the cause. If your new box has higher sides, is covered, is top entry or in any way different from the previous litter box this can cause your cat to change their tune on wanting to use it. Try switching back to your old litter box temporarily to see if this resolves the problem.

A few general rules of thumb to follow to keep your cat using their box

Keep these things in mind for any litter boxes you setup in your house:

• Most cats prefer less litter as opposed to more (about 1-2 inches tops). Not only is this good to know for litter box use, but it tends to minimize litter tracking as well.
• Most cats prefer unscented litter. Scented litter is for the benefit of humans.
• Most cats prefer clumping litter.
• Most cats don’t like lids on their litter box even though we humans often prefer them for scent control and litter tracking purposes.
• Cats like their litter boxes located in a quiet location and don’t want to feel trapped when using it (another reason they don’t like lids). Cats prefer to be able to watch all approach paths.
• The majority of cats prefer large boxes that they can enter easily. Be sure to buy one size appropriate for your kitty.
• Most self-cleaning litter boxes have gotten smarter these days about building delays into the scooping function because it can scare cats. That being said, if you’ve recently switched and your cat stops using the litter box it is pretty easy to put 1 and 1 together.

Sickness

Another common reason a cat would stop using the litter box is due to some form of sickness. The most common sickness that would cause a cat to stop using the box is a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) which makes urinating incredibly painful for your feline friend. This makes your cat start to associate pain with the litter box and thus they start to urinate elsewhere not realizing that it isn’t the litter box causing the problem.

While UTIs are one of the most common reason there are a multitude of other potential sicknesses like bowel disease, diabetes, arthritis, kidney, liver or thyroid malfunction and many more that could all impact your cat. Bowel disease, constipation, diarrhea and UTIs will typically be easily treated with medication. If this does happen to be the problem then she should return to using her litter box as soon as her discomfort fades away.

On the other hand if you determine that your cat is suffering from a more permanent issue you might need to make some adjustments to ensure your cat can comfortably use the litter box.  A good example might be an arthritic cat, you might need to get a litter box that has far lower sides so it is easy to get in and out of it.

How do I Identify The Problem

The easiest way to help you identify the problem causing your cat to go outside the litter box is to separate your cat into their own space and observe them.  You can use the process of elimination to knock out all of the easy ones, particularly those associated to the litter box itself and any recent changes in it.

You’ll want to provide a well cleaned litter box that is in the form your cat was using before the problems started. If you have to pull out an old one that you’ve recently changed then go ahead and do so.  Be sure it is in a quiet and secluded space so your cat is comfortable and doesn’t feel like their space is being invaded.

If in this new space your cat continues to avoid using the litter box then you can start to narrow down the causes based on what is happening.  Observe the cat and notice if she is straining to go and/or crying out while eliminating.  If she is it is definitely a medical concern at this point and you should talk to your vet as soon as possible.

If you’re unable to identify the specific reason, but it is clear your cat is in pain then you should get your cat to a veterinarian as quickly as possible to get a full checkup. Not only can your vet help you identify potential reasons for the lack of litter box use based on your cat’s behavior, they can also provide more pointed recommendations on what might help provide relief for both you and your cat.

It Is Important To Note

As soon as you recognize your cat isn’t using the litter box you should do your best to narrow down the reasons why.  Keep in mind your cat isn’t doing this to cause you trouble, they are trying to notify you that there’s a problem. Cats often don’t understand what is happening and they are just trying their best to be happy and avoid pain so this can be a bit like solving a puzzle for us humans.

You must have patience with your cat to ensure she can get back to full health and start using the litter box again normally.  Note that just like anything with cats, punishing your cat by yelling at him or her isn’t going to help the problem, it will just make it worse.  To add onto the yelling thing, here are a few other notes you should keep in mind about punishing your cat as well:

• While you may have been told when you were younger that rubbing the nose of your pet in their accident can help them ‘make the connection’ to the problem before you put them where you want them eliminate, this has been proved to not work at all. Animals simply don’t connect things the way humans do and you’re likely to just scare your cat if you do this.
• Don’t try to put your cat into the litter box after an accident. She will not make the connection and may instead think she isn’t supposed to use the box because your cat will think the box is someplace where she gets punished.
• While I’ve mentioned this in numerous other articles, squirt bottles are not a great way to teach your cat. Your cat is far more likely to simply be scared of you as opposed to stopping whatever she was doing when you squirted her.
• While confining your cat to identify the problem is a good idea, confining your cat long term is not a solution. It doesn’t solve the problem that caused your cat to start going outside the litter box anyway.
• Never put your indoor cat outside because of a litter box problem. Indoor cats should be indoor cats and suddenly placing them outdoors can expose them to a multitude of problems both health related (fleas/disease/etc.) and danger related from predators and things like cars! You need to work to solve the  problem.

Spraying and Litter Box Issues Are Not the Same Thing

Spraying is a separate issue from regular litter box issues and is typically caused by territory issues. If your cat is constantly peeing on your furniture or in the same spot over and over your cat is spraying.  There are a multitude of great resources that can help you resolve issues with spraying, here are some the most well regarded:

• PetMD Guide to Spraying
• Humane Society Guide to Spraying

A Quick Recap:

So why do cats stop using their litter box and how do I solve the problem? For anyone who doesn’t want to read the whole article or wants a quick overview, here are a few bullet points that cover the highlights:

• The most likely reason a cat has stopped using the litter box is a recent change in the litter box we humans made: litter, location, traffic, cleanliness, etc.
• Be sure to make any changes to the litter box gradually so you can monitor the progress of your cat
• If you’ve eliminated all litter box related issues your cat may need medical attention, take her to a vet right away
• Don’t punish your cat for accidents, not only will she not learn from this, you will likely make the problem worse

If you have any other thoughts on the litter box issues you’ve encountered with your cat then please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update 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.

General

How to Guides

By Craig / June 30, 2017

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You don’t see a lot of cats going out for jogs with their owners, well, I certainly don’t.  This is due to a lot of reasons that we won’t get in to today, but it is important to note that cats still benefit greatly from physical activity.  It is basically ingrained in them to stalk, hunt & pounce. My cats are a trip and if they don’t get a play session they just run up and down the hallway at full speed from one end of the house to the other, I suppose this is their version of jogging!

That being said, if cats don’t get some exercise not only do they tend to get cranky and do things like meow all night long, they can also get in really unhealthy shape.  This is typically shown by them gaining a significant amount of weight which can lead to all sorts of problems. Given this it is important for you as a cat owner to ensure your cat is getting not only a healthy high protein diet, but that your cat is also getting lots of exercise! So let’s look at the options available to for exercise and how to play with your cat!

How To Play With Your Cat

There are a boatload of different ways for your cat to get exercise, so let’s take a look at a few of the most straight forward:

1. Curiosity Driven: Since cats are so darn curious use it to your advantage to keep your cat active. Every time you order a box or a package from Amazon or hit up the grocery store be sure to leave the bags and boxes out for your cat to explore.
2. Get Them Scratching: Cats absolutely love to scratch for a variety of reasons, but it is a great activity that helps them tone their muscles and get a full body stretch.  Be sure to keep a scratching post around for your cat not only for exercise, but to ensure they aren’t scratching up your furniture.
3. Tag Team Play: While not all cats will play well with others this can be a great option for cats that are social and playful. If you only have one cat at home consider another cat. While it may seem like more work there is actually very little impact to you as well introduced cats will often become best buddies.
4. High Flying Cats: Given that cats absolutely love to climb things and you’ve likely trained your cat to stay off your counters then be sure to provide something your cats can climb on.  I recommend a cat tree or a cat castle as not only does it make a good play place, it often doubles as a scratching post and triples as a bed.
5. Human Interactions:  Encourage your cat to chase toys like balls of yarn, string, little mice, etc. You can also consider a wand toy which my cats will bat around for ages. Laser pointers are another option but do be careful not to shine the pointer in your cat’s eyes.
6. Automatic Toys: There are a multitude of automatic toys out there that will help your cat find something to do if you’re too swamped to play with them. These will get you off the hook sometimes, but I highly recommend actual interaction with your cat.
7. Leash & Harness Training: Train your cat to become an adventure cat on a leash and a harness! Most cats will take to this training, especially if you start them  young. This will let you get your cat out into the great wide open on a hike or just a walk. Cats love going outside for the new scents and smells so long as they are in a safe environment. Be sure to get your cat flea prevention medicine if you do decide to take her outside.
8. Clicker Training: While not all cats are easy to train, those that are quite active already tend to respond the best.  You can train your cat to perform all sorts of tricks with a clicker. Check out this article for more details on clicker training your cat.
9. Food Puzzles: These puzzles are specially designed cat toys that require your cat to work to remove treats inside by batting the puzzle all over the place. Keep in mind this does often dump food all over your floor so it can make a mess.
10. Install a Bird Feeder:  If you have a window where you can install a bird feeder this is a great way to keep your cat engaged. Now there are obvious concerns depending on the cat so you need to be careful. My cat Lexi loves to just do her but wiggle and prepare to pounce while she watches the birds. This keeps here engaged for long periods of time during the day even if she isn’t running all over.
11. Cat Bubbles: A newer item on the market are catnip bubbles. They are totally safe for your cat, but I’ll freely admit I’ve had difficulty blowing a large number of bubbles at once. My cats have actually run off afraid of the bubbles, exercise of a sort I suppose!
12. Cat Exercise Wheel: If your cat is really active and needs a way to burn energy quickly you can train her to use an exercise wheel. Just like a treadmill for humans these wheels are intended for cats that have a ton of energy. It will require distinct training, cats don’t usually just figure it out on their own.

How Often & When Should They Play

At minimum an adult cat should have a least one structured play session per day.  That being said if you have additional time available and you can play with your cat before you leave for work or school they will definitely appreciate it. The younger a cat is and the more energy they have will dictate if you need additional sessions to tire them out and keep them on a workable sleeping schedule.

I’d highly recommend your last play session of the day be right before you feed your cat dinner because this will play off of their instincts and they’ll be more likely to follow the standard hunt, eat, groom & sleep pattern.

Are There Any Toys You Recommend?

There are so many toys on the market that it is hard to keep up with them all!  The key for cat toys is having both a variety and ensuring that you as their owner are involved in their play.  If you’re looking for specifics then check out the article at the button below for my favorite cat toys.

See the Top 20 Indoor Cat Toys from StuffCatsWant

What Else Should I Consider

While cats in general are pretty active animals and they’ll often self regulate how rough or how wild they want to get with playtime, you should definitely talk to your vet on your next visit to ensure the type of play routine you’ve established is a good fit for your furry friend. If your cat has any health issues, ask your veterinarian to recommend activities that fit your cat’s individual needs.

And always be sure to choose toys wisely. You don’t want to pick toys that might break into small pieces that your cat can swallow as not only could it be dangerous for your cat, it could also run you a hefty vet bill. The ones I find worth keeping the closest eye on are string and wand toys. Cats are very prone to chow down on these kinds of toys if left unattended.

If you have any other thoughts on the why playing with your cat is important and methods to ensure they get great exercise then please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update 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.

General

Why do Cats?

By Craig / June 28, 2017

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You’ve probably realized by this point that your cat sleeps a lot more than you do and you’re probably not only jealous, but you might also be wondering why. Why do they get the joy of dreaming for so many more hours a day? Why do they get to laze about and snooze in the sun while we work to provide food for them? Why do they seem to wake up so quickly when you approach them while they are sleeping?  Why why why does my cat sleep so much? There are so many questions to answer about cats and sleep! So let’s get right into how much they sleep, why they sleep so much, and then dig into the types of sleep they have as well!

How Much Does a Cat Sleep Each Day?

Cats rank among the animals that sleep the most in the entire animal kingdom. Cats sleep somewhere between 16 and 20 hours a day and very young and very old cats might even sleep more than this! When they are first born in fact they sleep almost 24 hours a day.  While the latter situation is typically based on the fact that they are just born and can’t do much else, once they grow out of this stage they still spend a very large portion of their life asleep.

Why Do They Sleep So Much

There are numerous reasons cats tend to sleep so much, especially domestic cats.  First and foremost I think it is simply because they can.  Cats in general don’t have a lot that is necessary to do throughout the day as a domestic animal so they are free to get as much time asleep in as possible.

Now that being said, why they are prone to sleep like this instead of being more active like say a family dog, is based on their history.  Wild cats are predators, and your furball hasn’t changed much genetically from the wild cats of hundreds or even thousands of years ago.  Those wild cats were lone hunters and their prey wasn’t easy to catch in most cases, despite YouTube videos showing them taking down all sorts of animals with ease.

What this means is that, historically at least, cats had to do quite a bit of chasing before they could actually get something to eat. Stalking and chasing prey requires a significant burst of energy for the final take down whether it is a single leap or a few meter sprint. If the cat didn’t have sufficient energy to capture their prey they simply went hungry.

A good modern day example of this same kind of behavior can be found in large cats like lions and tigers. Lions and tigers both hunt prey and in a similar way in the sense that they typically require a huge burst of energy for their final kill.  The evolution of cats has resulted in their sleeping patterns shifting to allow for these huge bursts of energy.

While requiring huge bursts of energy drives a significant need to sleep, the counter reason for sleeping so much is that it conserves energy. If a cat is sleeping it isn’t exerting nearly as much energy as it would be if it was wandering around or playing instead.  This means that sleeping all the time ensures not only do they not need to eat as often, but that they are also saving up the strength to catch their next meal.

Do Cats Sleep Like Us?

Cats aren’t really programmed to sleep like humans. While there are some similarities, there are a heck of a lot of differences as well.  First and foremost it should be noted that cats aren’t generally very active during broad daylight. While you’ll generally hear that cats are nocturnal animals, this isn’t quite correct. Cats are actually crepuscular which means they are most active during the period immediately after dawn and that immediately before dusk. Many house cats will adjust to their owners schedules over time.

While cats do spend at least two-thirds of their lives in some form of sleep or another, they’re sleep is quite a bit different than that of humans. While cats do experience sleep like us humans in the sense that they have light sleep (Non-REM cycle) and deep sleep (REM cycle), they definitely experience it in different patterns than we humans do. Their cycles have been shown to last about 20 minutes end to end where 15 minutes of that sleep is in the light sleep phase.

These twenty minute cycles repeat over and over, but it is important to note that 75% of the time they are in the light sleep cycle. This is the reason that more often than not if you disturb your cat while she is sleeping she can spring up and be fully ‘ready to go’ without even a moments notice. During the light sleep phase it is almost as if they are sleeping with one eye open.

While this ability isn’t unique to cats by any means, many wild animals have it, it’s an ability that cats depend on to stay safe & well fed.  Although generally cats are the predator and even in the wild they don’t have an extensive number of predators, the ability to quickly identify a threat or a potential meal is a great survival mechanism. And while our “domesticated” furry friends certainly aren’t responsible for tracking down their own meals too often their genetics still haven’t changed because cats haven’t been selectively bred to focus on specific genes.

Can I Adjust My Cats Sleeping Schedule?

It is incredibly frustrating if your cat is up at the times when you want to sleep and then sleeping when you’re awake. This is most troublesome when you have a cat that loves to play in the middle of the night.  There are a couple of great ways you can go about helping your cat get onto a sleeping schedule that is more in line with your own, but the best method is based on their daily schedule.

If your cat sleeps all day they are far more likely to be busy at night when you are trying to sleep. Given this you want to tap into the schedule they’ve developed through thousands of years of evolution:

1. Hunt
2. Eat
3. Groom
4. Sleep

And no, I don’t mean you should let your indoor cat out into the open to go hunting. Instead what I mean is that if you go to bed at 10:00 PM, it might be a good idea to play with your cat at 8:30 or so for 15-30 minutes, feed her at 9:00, let her groom herself and then she’ll be far more likely to head off to sleep when you do.  By using their natural tendency to perform these actions in order you will not only tire your cat out, but you’ll help her fall into a more natural rhythm.

Do your best to play with your cat every day in structured sessions around this time and it will drive your cat to adapt to your schedule, research shows this. Once you’ve adjusted your cat’s schedule she’ll go and bother someone or something else to get some sleep, like this awesome video of a cat curling up right on top of an already sleeping husky!

Does Anything Else Impact Their Sleep?

Just like the cats coat and shedding are impacted by the weather, their sleeping schedule can be impacted by it as well. We humans often have the same problem, ever felt particularly drowsy on a dreary or overcast day? Cats can often be impacted in a similar manner. Cats tend to sleep more when the weather calls for it. It isn’t known if this is due to emotion or perhaps due to genetics.

It is absolutely more difficult to hunt when it is raining and more difficult to hunt when it is cold so perhaps felines have simply learned that it makes more sense to keep sleeping in this kind of weather. And yes, even if your cat never goes outside this kind of change in the weather can still have an impact on their sleeping patterns, I’m looking at you Pacific Northwest!

Let’s Wrap It Up

A quick overview for you if you only want to read at a high level or if you just want a recap:

• Cats sleep from 16-20 hours a day and this is even higher when they are kittens or seniors
• Cats sleep so much due to their evolution as a hunter: it creates energy stores for bursts of speed & conserves energy when not hunting
• Cats have some similarities to humans in their sleeping cycle, but they spend a lot more time asleep than we do
• You can use your cats natural tendencies to help adjust their sleeping schedule: hunt, eat, groom, sleep

If you have any other thoughts on the cats and their sleeping habits please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article. Also feel free to point any questions my way through comments or email as well!

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.

General

How to Guides

By Craig / June 26, 2017

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A typical situation:

Wife: “Today is Fluffy’s yearly check up with Dr. Clark. We’ll have to tag team catching her and getting her into the carrier.”

Husband: “Ok, you grab the treat bag and shake it until Fluffy jumps into your lap and then grab her. I’ll be waiting in the other room with the cat carrier. As soon as you get a hold of Fluffy let me know and I’ll come out with the carrier ASAP so we can put her in!”

Wife: “Great, I have the treats, you go in the other room and get the carrier.”

*Fluffy foresees what is happening and runs off and hides before the treat bag even shakes* (usually in the deepest darkest corner of the house behind the furnace where not only can nobody reach her, but she’s bound to come out covered in dust bunnies and who knows what else)

Husband & Wife 15 Minutes Later: “Where the heck is Fluffy?!?! We’re already running late!”

Everyone’s Favorite Activity

Is it that time of the year again for you and your fluffball? Time for your annual vet check up!  Let the games begin! The score in this game is massively skewed toward cat victories, probably something like 10,000,000 – 1. The cats are just really good at staying out of reach and fighting their way away from the carrier aren’t they?

If the above situation sounds anything like your standard experience with your cat then keep reading. First we’ll dig into why your cat is so afraid of the cat carrier and then we’ll spend some time looking at how to get a cat into a carrier the easy way!

Your Cat Hates the Carrier Because of How You Use It

More than anything, your cat likely hates the cat carrier because of the way you use the cat carrier.  Most cat owners keep the cat carrier stored in the closet or in some corner of the basement 99% of the time.

They only bring out the cat carrier when it is necessary to go on a trip and that trip is more often than not a very unpleasant experience for your cat.  Even if it doesn’t involve going to the vet, most cats don’t particularly love traveling and so getting into the carrier doesn’t hold a lot of fond memories.

Think of it this way, most humans don’t particularly love going to the dentist. If every time you went to the dentist someone put you in a small box to transport you there, and that was the only time of year you saw that small box, you’d start to very quickly associate bad things with that small box. Every time you saw it you’d think to yourself “Dang! I have to go the dentist AGAIN?!?” then run and hide.

So let’s take a look at what you can do to make your cat think of the carrier as a safe place, or at least a place that they aren’t perpetually afraid of.

Changing Your Cat’s Outlook on the Carrier

The first step in getting your cat in and out of the carrier easily is to make sure they associate the carrier with positive experiences. This means that they won’t bolt and hide under the bed the second they see it or hear the zippers clinking together. Let’s take a look at some of the most common methods that will help your cat feel more at home in and around the carrier:

• Keep It Visible Often: Your cat carrier should not be hidden away in a closet or a corner, at least not all the time. It should be out and around where your cat can see it and even interact with it on a daily basis.  Don’t get me wrong, you can put it away when company comes over, but do your best to keep it out on a consistent basis.

• Make it Comfortable: Even if you have a soft carrier that already has its own pad in it go ahead and place something that your cat sleeps on constantly inside the carrier. A blanket, a small bed, anything with their scent all over it. This makes it seem like part of their home turf, they might even decide to sleep inside the carrier.
  • Carriers actually make a great hidey hole for your cat. They have all the key things cats normally look for in a good place to sleep because they are small & cozy and your cat can only be approached from one direction.

• Get your Cat to Interact: Since cats are naturally curious, especially young ones, they’ll probably go right into the carrier from time to time. If your cat is already familiar with carriers and isn’t a fan you might have use some alternatives:
  • Place some treats or some food to get them to go in and out of the carrier. Don’t worry if they don’t go in and out of the carrier with you right there, they’ll still start to associate treats (a positive thing) with the carrier.
  • Play with your cat in and around the carrier. Use a wand toy near the door or a laser pointer and some of your other cats toys to see if you can get them to pop in and out of the carrier from time to time. If both ends open let them use it as a tunnel.
  • Use Feliway if your cat stays away from the carrier. Feliway is a synthetic pheromone that will help your cat relax in general. Spraying some Feliway onto the carrier will make sure it doesn’t carry any negative scents.

• Start Using the Carrier: The next thing you’ll want to do is actually start closing the door once in a while when your cat goes into the carrier. You don’t need to leave them in for a long time, but walking out of the room for 5 minutes and then coming back and opening the door will start to remove the association that your cat will get trapped in the carrier. Every time you let her out be sure to provide a treat!

• Transport Time: Your last step is to get your cat used to being transported in the carrier.  I personally walk my cats to the vet, so I took my cats on walks around the block the first few weeks I had them. This makes sure they don’t always associate the carrier with a dreaded trip to the veterinarian’s office!  If you normally drive there then you might want to pop the carrier in the car and go for a 5 minute drive then bring your cat home and let her out. Of course follow it up with a treat!

One other thing to keep in mind is that beyond associating positive things with the carrier, you should also make sure you choose a carrier that is appropriate for your cat and your own situation. If every time your cat gets in the carrier they get knocked around and flipped over then a couple of treats certainly isn’t going to change their mind.  Be sure to choose a good high quality carrier that fits your needs and that is size appropriate for your cat so she has plenty of room to move around.

Loading Your Cat into the Carrier

The above steps are primarily intended to get your cat in the right mindset and ensure they don’t only think bad things happen when the carrier comes out. While these steps are by far the most effective with a young cat, they can certainly help your adult cats as well.

Both of my cats, Lexi and Beast, were adopted as adults and were not fans of the carrier. This helped ease the process of loading them into the carrier significantly. So let’s take a look at that process of actually loading them in. Now the easiest method for loading a cat will heavily depend on the cat and on the carrier, but this is the easiest when it works:

• The Classic Bait and Zip: This is the oldest trick in the book (and the easiest). If you have a cat that isn’t afraid of the carrier and is food motivated simply throw a few treats into the carrier and zip it up or close the door behind them.  If your carrier has two doors make sure one is already closed/locked before you put the treats in. Note that if you’re going for a  yearly checkup where they are going to draw blood you can’t use this method because your cat shouldn’t eat beforehand!

More often than not though you won’t be able to simply set the carrier down and have your cat wander into the carrier. Instead you’ll need to actually place your cat into the carrier, a process that is usually easier said than done. If the above steps have been progressing nicely you’ll certainly have an easier time of it!

Let’s take a look at a few alternatives below. The next two methods both require you to pick your cat up, so be sure you know how to properly pick up a cat first. Check out this video below from VetStreet to ensure you’re pick up your cat in a safe manner!

• The Solo Act: This requires a little bit more preparation because you won’t have as many hands available, but you can get started like this:
  • Get your carrier prepared with only one door open:
    • For hard carriers the general recommendation is setting them vertically with the front door open
    • For soft carriers the general recommendation is to leave the top unzipped and set it in a convenient place
  • Be sure one of your cat’s favorite blankets is inside the carrier
  • Get a hold of your cat through whatever method has worked well in the past
  • Pick your cat up using the two handed method with one just behind their front legs and one supporting their butt
  • Lower your cat into the carrier butt first and then use your free hand to zip the carrier up or close it
• The Tag Team: This is simply a slight variation on The Solo Act, but it is much easier because you’ll have two people
  • Get your carrier prepared as with the above, include the blanket just the same
  • Team Member One can then get the cat in hand & pick her up the same way described above
  • Team Member Two can then bring the carrier and hold it open while the cat is placed inside & zip it up only letting go of your cat at the last second

Note that if you aren’t leaving quickly after placing your cat in the carrier then it often helps to place a towel or sheet over the top of the carrier to keep your cat calm. Some carriers also do have snap on covers for the sides you can use to achieve the same type of effect.

Let’s Quickly Recap

Loading your cat into a carrier can be a huge hassle, especially for cats that are already afraid of the carrier. Most cats are afraid of the carrier because every time they see it they end up going somewhere they don’t like to go! So you need to ensure they associate good things with the carrier. Be sure to make the carrier appealing to your cat by providing rewards for using it and ensuring they get lots of trips in the carrier that don’t result in a veterinarian visit.

If you have any other thoughts on the how you familiarized your cats with the carriers then please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update 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.

General

Litter Boxes

Product Reviews

By Craig / June 18, 2017

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Product: Litter Genie Cat Litter System

Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Litter Genie Cat Litter System Product Overview

The Litter Genie is a great product dedicated to making the lives of cat owners easier. It does this in a couple of different ways. First and foremost it was designed to contain the smell that comes from scooped litter. It does this by using a great bagging system that essentially seals the used litter away. It is just like a Diaper Genie for those of you out there with kids!

The second major purpose was to minimize the number of trips you needed to make either with a garbage can to your litter box or from your litter box to your garbage can. The Litter Genie can easily hold about two weeks of used litter from a single cat and it is designed so that it can fit in a bunch of tight places to keep it within easy reach while not being in the way.

• Scent Control: Since getting the litter genie we’ve had zero issue with scent from either of our two litter boxes.
• Pricing: If Andrew Jackson owned cats, he would certainly endorse this product, especially at the cost of one of his bills.
• Ease of Use: It doesn’t get much easier. You open the top, scoop the poop (and pee), close the top and pull the release to let the poop fall down into the sealed space. When it is time to empty it you use the built in bag cutter and toss it.
• Quality: The base product itself has taken quite a beating over the past two years with constant trips all over the place as we’ve moved our litter boxes, moved ourselves, etc. The only part that didn’t stand up great is the side attachment for the scoop.

There is one additional bit that is in all of the materials, the plastic has added antimicrobial materials to inhibit odors caused by bacteria on the pail. While I of course can’t comment on whether it is killing microbes, I can confirm that the pale doesn’t smell!

How Was the Setup & Use?

The setup was extremely simple.  Given the parts that come with it there really isn’t a ton to setup.  You most just take the following actions:

• Drop in the first bag refill that comes included in the box
• Pull the bag through and tie a knot in the bottom of it to seal it off
• Attach the litter scoop holder & drop the scoop into it and you’re done

Check out my video below for a full rundown on setup, use, and my general thoughts on the Litter Genie:

My General Take:

I give it a solid 4.5 stars, all in all it has made my life a heck of a lot easier as a cat owner. When I first got cats I was constantly dragging around a garbage can or using a boatload of shopping bags to get rid of litter and its associated smell ASAP.  With the Litter Genie you get to leave all that behind.

You can leave the Litter Genie Cat Litter System right next to your litter box and easily scoop litter into it in seconds. Not only does it take care of the smell, but it saves you numerous trips to the outside garbage by successfully capturing and covering the scent up.

The Pros:

• It minimizes the number of trips you have to take to the garbage or the number of bags you have to use.
• It helps contain the smell from a litter box way better than anything else I tried, especially scented litter.
• It holds a solid amount of used litter. With two cats mine gets emptied about once a week.
• The included scoop has lasted me nearly two years and still seems solid and durable.
• It is super easy to change the bags out when necessary, they even indicate when they are almost used up with a black plastic stripe built into the bag.
• It is really easy to clean as well. Since it is all plastic you can just spray it out with the hose every few weeks.

Room for Improvement

• The side attachment isn’t the most durable thing in the world. Mine had one of the two holding ‘hooks’ snap off after only a few months. Would love it if this was a bit more durable.
• Refills do indeed get a little pricy over the long haul since with two cats each refill only lasts about 4-6 weeks. Buying them in bulk helps, but still pricy. I get it though, they are selling razors to sell blades.

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What’s In the Box?

• 1 Litter Genie Plus Cat Litter Disposal System with Odor Free Pail
• 1 Scoop Holder Attachment
• 1 Kitty Litter Scoop
• 1 Litter Genie Refill

Frequently Asked Questions

• How large is the opening at the top of the Litter Genie?
  • It’s about 4-5 inches across. While your preferred scoop (if you don’t use the included one) might not ‘fit in’ so to speak, it doesn’t need to fit in to be able to drop litter into the required area. The only real concern would be the scoop might not fit in the holder on the side.
• How long does each cartridge last?
  • While this will vary depending on how often you change it mine normally last a little over a month. This is with weekly emptying and two cats in the household.
• How much will it weigh when ‘full’ of poop?
  • I checked mine the last time (the genie itself + the bag) it was full and it weighed just over 10 pounds when full. Note that you don’t have to wait until it is full to empty it, you just might use the bags up a little faster by emptying it more often.
• How sturdy are the bags?
  • The bags are very thick and solid. Even when full of litter there’s no chance the bag will rip or break if you tied the knot propertly.

If you have any other thoughts on the Litter Genie Plus Cat Litter Disposal System please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article.

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