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You, your cat and the litter tray

On the cute kitty ads for tinned foods on TV, you never see a litter tray anywhere. There's a reason for it – litter trays, though essential, are not very pleasant to have around. But it's even more unpleasant not having one around.

If you keep a cat in a flat, or it does not always have access to the Great Outdoors, a litter tray is non-negotiable. But how does one get a cat to use it, and how do you keep it clean?

Veterinarian Dr Malan van Zyl and animal behaviourist, Karen Gray-Kilfoil, answered questions from Cybervet forum users regarding cats’ toilet habits and their uses, or non-use of litter trays. The following tips, or snippets of information, are based on the answers they provided.

Where should I put a litter tray?
Please make sure the litter tray is in a quiet place, which is not close to the feeding area. It must also be fairly secluded, so that the chances are not high that someone will come round the corner while the cat is doing his business and give him a fright. This could give the cat negative associations with using the litter box. Keep in mind that litter boxes are not always the greatest things to have around, so you don't want to put it under your dining room table or in your lounge. In the pantry or on the back verandah (if you have one), or even in the bathroom, are probably best.

My cat pees all over the house. What should I do?
If there are many cats in the house, the cat could be marking its territory. It is also possible that it is being bullied outside by other cats, or that there is a dog present in the yard that is intimidating the cat. Get the cat to a vet, as it might have an infection. The cat could also be re-suing places that are smelling of cat urine, so spray on the surfaces that the cat has messed on with some Pheroma Odour neutraliser. This will help take away all possible traces of cat urine. Make sure the cat litter tray is in a quiet place and that the cat knows where it is.

My cat keeps urinating in the pot plants. What now?
Cats see pot plants as an ideal place to do their business. It contains soil in which they can bury what they've produced, they're in the house, so they don't have to brave the elements and it contains a plant behind which they can hide. But your plants will die if the cat continues to do this. What could work is to put some cotton wool soaked with citronella oil in the planter box. This should prevent the cat from using it again.

How do I get my kitten to use the litter box?
A lot of kittens don't take to the litter box immediately and end up using a different part of the house. The best you can do is to move the box to where the kitten is going at the moment and then slowly move the box to a place which is acceptable to you. This can be done slowly – 30cm at a time. He might have negative associations with the litter box – always praise him when he uses it, or even better, leave the room. Cats can sometimes be very private creatures.

How often should I clean the litter box?
If you remove the poo from the litter box, the sand can last a couple of days. If you start to smell the litter box – it's time. A cat will also not use a filthy litter box and may start to use other places in the house or flat. Use a litter lifter to remove the faeces – it is never a good idea to handle it directly. Wear gloves for this task. Wash your hands properly after doing this, as there are all sorts of nasty bacteria in cat faeces, that you don't want to have lurking about your person.

I have heard about a new type of cat litter. Can you tell me more?
Vets sell cat litter that consists of crystals. It is quite revolutionary, as you only have to change it every twenty days or so. The crystals absorb liquids, and if you remove the dried out stools from the crystals, this type of litter tray doesn't smell at all, or so say those who have used it. There is a thick, absorbent pad underneath it all, which only needs to be changed every twenty days or so. Makes for a nice change.

(Susan Erasmus/Health24, updated July 2010)

- Have a question? Ask CyberVet

Read more:
Caring for your cat
12 interesting facts about cats

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