Choosing Cat Litter

If you have a healthy cat, but they are having toilet accidents, it could be a litter problem. Various studies have been done to look at a cat’s preference for litter.

Here is a summary of some of the findings.
• Number of litter boxes:
- Too few litter boxes for the number of cats can cause problems
• Type of litter box
- Hooded boxes are avoided by some cats
• Size of litter box
- Larger litter boxes are preferable than medium or smaller ones
• Litter Type
- Heavily scented or deodorized litter (e.g. citrus) are often avoided by cats.
- Cedar scents tend to be more tolerated by cats.
• Odor control
- activated carbon can be found in some litter brands to help reduce odor. Studies have shown that cats may prefer litter with activated carbon.
• Recently changed litter brand
- cats hate change
• Is the litter too dusty?
• Clumping or not clumping
- studies suggest cats prefer clumping litter
• Dirty litter box
– is it dirty? Is it cleaned with chemicals that are too strong?
• Poor location
- choose a secluded area
• Litter box liners
• Litter box side height

Generally, all cats have their own preference. If you have a cat that is happy with its litter, don't change it. Cats hate change!