Unlike dogs, cats don’t need to be potty trained. Cats naturally do their business on places that have a sand-like substance where they can paw right through it. And that’s when a litter box comes into use.
Where you place your cat’s litter box plays an important role, so if you have placed it in the wrong place, your cat might just do their business on your carpet, or on any other inappropriate places. Here’s why it matters where you put your cat’s litter box.
1. Placing Litter Boxes Near Food
One of the cat’s survival instincts is to not eliminate near where they eat, sleep, or raise their young ones. This is to prevent the scent of her waste from attracting predators that might harm her and her kittens.
The reason why cats cover their waste is to prevent them from being detected by predators. Therefore, if you place their litter box near their feeding station, they’ll probably not use the litter box and just choose to eliminate somewhere else.
2. Place it in a Secure Place
If a cat doesn’t feel safe on its own litter box, there would be no reason for her to use the litter box again. If you have more than one cat in your household that ambushes another cat in the box, or maybe a dog that goes after her or barks at her while eliminating, or any other reasons that make her feel anxious for her safety, your cat will seek out for other options.
So make sure to place it where she can’t be disturbed by your kids, or from any other pets that you have in your household.
3. Don’t Place it on Uncomfortable Places
The litter box’s location should be about the convenience of your pet and not yours. Don’t place the box where your cat needs to squeeze itself through a pet door, or from other furniture before they can get to their boxes, especially if your cat’s a senior.
Keep in mind that older cats have limited mobility, which makes it harder for them to reach their boxes, unlike their younger years. So make sure to place it somewhere that provides ease and comfort of use for them.
4. Don’t Make it Too Private
Some cat owners think that cats also need their privacy when doing their thing, which makes them place their pet’s litter box in closed places such as the cabinets or drawers. Cats, however, don’t need much privacy as you think.
As long as your cat feels safe when eliminating should be enough for them. There’s no need for you to place it on hard to reach places, you may even tend to forget about it if you placed it on an isolated place, so make sure to look for a location that is easy for the both of your to access it.
5. Keep the Box’s Odor at Bay
Do not consider placing your pet’s litter box in a small enclosed place such as cabinets or closets. Your cat would not be the only one having a hard time getting out from the cabinet, but also the odor.
The odor may be bearable to you, but not to your cat. Remember, animals have a stronger sense of smell than us humans. So if the cabinet where placed your pet’s box smells to offensive for them, they’ll avoid going to their boxes. Therefore, place the box in well-ventilated areas.
6. Choose a Quiet Area
Another mistake that cat owners do is by placing the litter box in the basement, and most basements are where the washing machine or water tank is located. Another bad location is by placing it in the garage area.
Avoid placing the litter box in noisy places as this will disrupt your cat’s business, it would also scare them away from their litter box. Place it in a quiet area where they can eliminate in peace.
Conclusion:
Cats don’t need much privacy when eliminating, unlike us humans. However, they would want to eliminate in an area that is comfortable, peaceful, and very accessible to them. And one of the best places that you can put your cat’s litter box would be the kitchen, the place where you cook your food.
The kitchen is not too noisy for your pet and very accessible to both of you. Just make sure to place it somewhere that is not near from where you cook and where you eat.