Despite what some experts say, evidence suggests that cats are OK with covered litter boxes. As long as they’re clean. Why Trust Us? DOES YOUR CAT DISLIKE USING THE SAME TRAY FOR BOTH PEE AND POO? Add a new tray so that it can urinate in one and defecate in the other. Odd but some cats definitely prefer this. Some cats that were OK about peeing and pooing in the same place change their minds about it. Just putting two trays side by side may not work. Cats may need two separate locations.

Whereas the other products on this list are desiged to house a litter tray, this IS the litter tray. So you pour the litter directly into it. DO YOU HAVE A LITTER TRAY? If you don’t, you must install one NOW. All cats, even those who usually go outdoors, need a litter tray. It’s no good expecting a cat to lead its life according to your standards. A cat that is urinating/defecating in the house may be afraid of doing it outside. So install at least one tray now.Researchers from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine studied this. They published their findings in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. The bottom line was that; Neilson, J. C. (2004), ‘Feline House Soiling: Elimination and Marking Behaviours’, Clinical Techniques in Small Animal Practice, 33, 287-301. DOES YOUR CAT HAVE CYSTITIS OR SOME OTHER ILLNESS? As many as one in three cats who uronate outside the tray may have cystitus or bladder problems (Ramos et al 2019). Cystitis symptoms include straining, pain when urinating, blood in urine, frequent urination, urinating in the wrong place, lots of tiny urinations instead of several large ones. The pain may make the cat dislike the litter tray or the need to go so often means it cannot get to the tray in time (Gunn-Moore 2002). Sometimes cats with cystitis go in multiple places because they use a place, experience pain there, and feel they must find a new place. More common in long haired, overweight, neutered males. Diabetes, kidney problems or any illness which involves lots of drinking may also result in urine outside the litter tray. Geriatric confusion can also lead to litter tray difficulties (Bowen 2010). IS THE CAT FRIGHTENED ON ITS WAY TO THE TRAY? In a multi-cat household a bullied cat may be being ambushed while on the tray. Add trays where the cat can reach them without having to pass through enemy territory. It’s unkind to make a cat run the gauntlet of its enemies to get to the litter tray. That’s why you need a litter tray for each cat and one extra in different locations. At 57.5cm long, 53cm wide and 48cm high, it’s a decent size. It would work well as a lamp table, bedside table or bathroom cabinet.

Overall, K. l., & Dyer, D., (2005), ‘Enrichment Strategies for Laboratory Animals from the Viewpoint of Clinical Veterinary Behavioral Medicine: Emphasis on Cats and Dogs,’ ILAR Journal, 46, 202-216. Ellis, J. J., McGowan, R. T. S., & Martin, F., (2017). ‘Does previous use affect litter box appeal in multi-cat households?,’ Behavioral Processes, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2017.02.008 If you want something other that a piece of furniture, take a look at the Good Pet Flower Pot Invisible Litter Tray.Some people might say there is a major difference between open and closed litter boxes, but this isn’t necessarily true. Most cats simply want a clean place to use the bathroom…” Neilson, J. C., (2009), ‘House soiling by cats’, in eds Horwitz, D. F. & Mills, D. S., BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioural Medicine, Second Edition, Quedgeley, Gloucestershire, BSAVA, 117-126. Percy, our test cat loved it and needed no encouragement to get in. That said, it’s a good idea to keep the doors open so your cat can find it. No one likes the sight of their cats littler tray. Still, hidden cat litter boxes aren’t super common.

Have you noticed that your cat would rather use a plant pot to urinate or defecate, rather than their litter tray? Many cats like to eliminate in soft places, and it’s not particularly uncommon for them to shun the litter tray in favour of their preferred place(s). This can extend to bedding, clothing and furniture, as well as soil. HAS YOUR CAT HAD AN UNHAPPY EXPERIENCE WHILE ON THE TRAY? Has your cat experienced ambush by a companion cat, ambush by a dog, pain, stomach pains while eliminating (from diarrhoea?), human interference while using the tray, a sudden loud noise while on the tray, pain from cystitis, recent illness of any kind, recent trip to vet for something which seems unconnected with litter tray pain but might be. If so, the cat may mistakenly decide that the tray isn’t safe any more or the tray caused the pain. Therefore, experiment with a new (yes, new- don’t be mean – you can use a baking dish if you don’t want to shell out) tray. Bowen, J., (2010), ‘Neurological disease and behaviour’, Proceedings of the Southern European Veterinary Conference. Available at: www.ivis.org/proceedings/sevc/2010/lectures/eng/Bowen2.pdf Accessed 12 July 2011. All that said, the entrance is quite small at 20cm high and 16.5cm wide. This makes it better suited for smaller cats. To stop this behaviour, you’ll need to find ways to make the offending plant pots become an unattractive prospect that is best avoided, while also encouraging them to start using the litter tray instead. Using Unpleasant SmellsAdding the divider also increases the sturdiness and weight limit. Without the divider, the weight limit is 50kg so you can’t sit on it. When you add it’s double the weight limit to 100kg. The medium size has a 50kg weight limit. If you don’t have the space or budget for our first two choices, have a look at Yaheetech’s Cat Litter Enclosure. It has two front doors and the lifting lid is also a nice feature too. It makes scooping, hoovering and cleaning easier as you can go in through the top instead of having to kneel down. The hinges are quite stiff but that means the lid will stay open while you’re cleaning. It also stops the lid from slamming shut. If you don’t want to use the lid, it looks lovely with a plant on it. If your cat is open to it, they’re a good idea. Especially in a small home where you want to maximize space at the same time.