All About Litter! 

Visit our "Shop & Support" page to purchase our suggested litter supplies while supporting our rescue.

 

Litter for Kittens:

• Use unscented, non-clumping clay litter, until 6 months of age. Kittens are just like babies and will put anything in their mouth and try to eat it; non-clumping is less harmful if ingested.

• Kittens use the litter  box more frequently than adults due to the higher volume of food they consume. This slows down a bit as they get older.
   

Litter for Adult Cats:

• We suggest you stick with an unscented litter. Scented litters can lead to irritation of the lungs, skin and urinary tract.

• If a clumping litter is chosen, low dust is preferred. Some good brands are:

  • Arm & Hammer Slide - Multicat​

  • Worlds Best 

  • Boxicat

  • Dr Elsey’s - blue bag (can be too dusty for some cats)

  • Dr Elsey’s Cat Attract - good for any going-outside-of-the-box issues (can be too dusty for some cats)

  • Pro Tip: if you switch litters, try mixing the new litter in a little at a time so your cat doesn't reject it.

 

Litter Box

• Experts recommend 1 box per kitten/cat, plus one; 2 cats = 3 boxes ; one on each floor of the house

• Litter box should be uncovered, easily accessible and not in a high traffic area; not all cats will accept the enclosed boxes.

• High back and sides will help keep the litter from getting on the floor when they are digging.

• Kittens/cats like clean litter boxes! This cannot be overstated. All boxes should be scooped at least once a day. Following this guideline is one of the most important things you can do for the well-being not only of your cat, but the rest of the family as nobody wants the problems associated with unmaintained boxes (behavioral or medical). No one wants to use or smell a dirty toilet.

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Help! My cat is peeing outside of the litterbox!

• Questions to ask yourself:

  • Am I scooping the litter box everyday and keeping it clean?​

  • Is the litterbox in a location where my cat feels safe to use it? 

  • Is it uncovered, or did I put it in an area that is not easily accessible? (Yes, litterbox furniture is cute, but sometimes they hate it)

  • Did I change the type of litter?

  • Are there stressful changes happening in my home? New pets without slow Introductions, new family members, etc.

  • Is another pet terrorizing the cat when they try to use the box?

• If your cat continues urinating outside of the litter box after troubleshooting, please speak with your veterinarian immediately to rule out any medical issues including urinary tract infections and urinary crystals, which are serious if not treated.

• Cats do not urinate outside of litter boxes to be “spiteful” - they are telling you something is wrong that needs addressing.

• If you see your cat straining to urinate in or out of the litter box - this is a medical emergency.