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Once the vet gives your cat a clean bill of health, it’s time for a psychological assessment. If your kitty won’t use the new litter box or suddenly starts peeing inappropriately around the house, the first step is to rule out any medical condition like bladder stones or an infection. This reward should help your cat form positive associations and encourage them to pee in the right spot. You could also stoop to bribery by offering treats when you catch your cat interacting with the new box, whether or not they actually use it.
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It will be easier to clean should your cat rebel and poop or pee outside the box.Ĭonsider using an attractant or catnip to lure your cat to the new box. You may want to place potty pads around the new litter box to make your life easier. Use the same litter and avoid any unfamiliar litter deodorizers or cleaners. If you’ve decided to switch from one type of litter box to the other, there are some tips to make it easier.Įnsure the new box is still in the same spot as the old one.
Covered litter box how to#
Image Credit: Kachalkina Veronika, Shutterstock How to Encourage Your Cat to Use a New Litter Box If these aren’t readily available, it could make cleaning the litter box more expensive and less convenient. Self-cleaning litter systems or disposable boxes, which may be uncovered, also need a specific type. Some self-cleaning litter boxes (most of which are covered) require special litter. On the flip side, your cat may feel more secure in the covered box and refuse to use more open locations. Huge cat breeds can struggle to fit into many covered cat boxes. Cats that are constantly on the lookout for other pets may fear being trapped in the covered litter box and avoid it. If they’ve never used one before, they may not like the idea of peeing in an enclosed space. It’s hard to predict how your cat will react to a covered litter box. Image Credit: Lightspruch, Shutterstock Will My Cat Use a Covered Litter Box? Waste sometimes gets caked into the corners of a covered box as well, making it a bit tougher to clean. Cats that don’t squat completely while peeing may spray the seam of the covered box and cause a mess outside the box. Once that’s completed, there’s not much difference between scooping the two types of boxes. Unless you get a self-cleaning covered litter box, you’ll have at least one extra step involved in cleaning a covered litter box: removing the cover. Inexpensive covered litter boxes can suffer in quality, often with messy results. This is especially true for the litter box hideaway furniture options. Overall, covered litter boxes are more expensive than uncovered ones. Sometimes they’re also trying to keep it out of sight. People often choose covered litter boxes because they’re trying to minimize the mess and smell associated with them. Most are rectangular, but some are designed to fit into a corner.
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They may have an opening in the top or the front, and some include a door flap.
Covered litter box full#
Overview of Covered Litter Boxes: Styles of Covered BoxĬovered litter box styles range from simple pans with a lid to elaborate furniture pieces designed to hide a full litter box from view and give you somewhere to set your evening wine glass.
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In this article, we’ll compare the two types of litter boxes side-by-side to help you decide which to pick. While styles and sizes vary, most litter boxes can be broken down into two categories: covered or uncovered. If you’re considering a new litter box purchase or getting your house ready for your first cat (congratulations!), you might have questions about which type of box is best for you. Unfortunately, opening your home to a cat also means tolerating the presence of at least one litter box. Snuggling with a purring cat can be one of the most relaxing experiences.
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