Helpful Tip: Put Two Litter Boxes Side by Side
Here is a tip that might decrease or eliminate inappropriate elimination problems among the felines in your home. In all areas where you have a litter box, place another one right beside it.
Why Do Side-by-Side Litter Boxes Help Cats?
Many cats like to urinate in a different litter box than the one in which they defecate. This probably has something to do with separating and concealing their scents when they were wild or possibly with extending the area over which their scent could be placed to mark their territory.
Regardless of its cause, it holds true for many cats, and if there is no second box, some of them will use the available box for one type of elimination and then go outside the box for the second.
Learn the best spots in your home to place side-by-side litter boxes here: "Tips for Good Litter Box Placement."
Having Two Boxes Together Can Also Provide Cats More Choices
Even if your cat doesn't mind urinating and defecating in the same box, it can still help to have two boxes in every litter box area because if one happens to be a bit dirty, the other one might be clean and inviting. That can help decrease the chances that your cat might go outside the box if he arrives and finds the only available box too dirty.
Don't forget; the veterinarian should be your first stop if your cat develops inappropriate elimination, to rule out a medical problem.
You Should Still Provide Boxes in Each Area of Your Home
Ideally, providing your home has enough space to do so, you should count the two side-by-side litter boxes as one box when deciding how many litter boxes you need. For instance, you should always have as many boxes as you have cats plus one, and you should have a box in every area of your home. So if you have two cats and two stories on your house, you'd put a set of two boxes on each story plus another set in a third place.
Find out what type of litter to use in your boxes: "What Is the Best Type of Cat Litter?"
For more tips on what to do if your cat is eliminating outside of the litter box, check out this article and the ones it links to: "Cat Not Using Litter Box? Inappropriate Elimination in Cats."
You May Also Like These Articles:
Tips for Helping Your Cat Drink More
Cat Not Using Litter Box? Inappropriate Urination in Cats
General Tips for Solving Inappropriate Urination Problems in Cats
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