Cat litter box: how much does it cost and where to put it [Wet Karolina Cebulska

Cat litter box

Choice cat litter box it is, contrary to appearances, a very important matter. When deciding to adopt or buy a kitten, each responsible owner, at the beginning of his "cat's way", must obtain the layette necessary for Mruczek.

One of the things a kitten cannot do without is Cat litter box.

How to choose a litter box? Where to put?

I will answer these and other questions in this article.

• Cat litter box
• How to choose a cat litter box?
  • The cat's litter box is open
  • A covered litter box for a cat
  • A litter box with a strainer, the so-called. double bottom
  • Self-cleaning cat litter box
• How much is a cat litter box?
• Cat toilet covers
  • Additional equipment
• Cat litter
  • Bentonite cat litter
  • Wooden cat litter
  • Silicone cat litter
  • Scented litter
• What cat litter?
• Where to put the cat litter box?
• How to choose the size of the litter box?
• How many litter boxes does my kitten need?
• How to clean the litter box to avoid bad smell?

Cat litter box

For several years now, cats have become more and more popular pets.

This is because people are living faster and faster, so they don't have time to walk their dogs every day.

However, a cat, like other living creatures, must satisfy a pyramid of its needs, and one of the most important is to meet its physiological needs.

Cats, who live freely, take care of their needs in the yard, but with those who do not go out, cat inhabitants of housing estates or blocks of flats?

It is for these kittens that people have created a substitute for a plot of land, i.e the cat litter box.

Kittens are cleaners, so if they have no problems with stress or diseases, they are unlikely to pee or defecate in their place of residence.

Undoubtedly, matters related to home hygiene are also of great importance here.

You can't imagine cleaning your pet's puddles every day

…

If this happens to you from time to time, be sure to read the article "How to teach a cat to use the litter box and what to do when a cat pee outside the litter box? "

Another issue is the health aspect.

Cats that don't have a suitable one litter boxes, will suffer from constipation whether by not urinating for a long time, it can lead to:

• cystitis in a cat,
• kidney disease,
• urolithiasis.

Litter box, so as you can see, it plays a very important role in your kitten's life.

How to choose a cat litter box?

Currently, the market cat litter boxes is a constantly developing branch of the zoological industry.

What are the types cat litter boxes and how to choose the best litter box for your pet?

You will find out later in this article.

The cat's litter box is open

The cat's litter box is open

It is somewhat reminiscent of a square bowl.

It comes in various shapes - corner cat litter box, rectangular, with or without an edge preventing the spilling of litter.

It's convenient litter box for a large cat (e.g. Maine Coon), which often does not fit in closed litter box. In the eyes of the vet - these litter boxes require more frequent cleaning, so changes in the color and amount of urine or stools of pets are more often noticed - they are therefore safer for the health of cats.

The downside of this type of cat toilet are undoubtedly hygienic and aesthetic considerations.

These litter boxes they do not trap odors, right away you can also see when our kitten has defecated or urinated.

These litter boxes are easier too litter spills out, whether there are episodes dirt on the floor around the litter box - some cats do not fit into the litter box or have problems with hitting it.

A covered litter box for a cat

Closed cat litter box

Closed cat litter box it comes in various sizes, shapes, colors, fully or partially covered versions.

It has a door to prevent odors from escaping from cat droppings. Usually comes as cat litter box with filter.

It prevents the litter from spilling out - it is therefore a very sensible solution for intensely kicking kittens.

Often times cats have to get used to using this type of litter box - some suffer from something like that at first cat claustrophobia.

Some say that in a population of several cats, closed litter boxes can cause stress and argument - pets block access to the litter (when one is inside, the other wants to enter and cannot see why he cannot access his toilet).

Often, kittens have a problem with opening and closing the door - sometimes it requires taking them off.

A litter box with a strainer, the so-called. double bottom

Cat litter box with strainer

Litter boxes with strainer They consist of 2 parts - the upper (sieve) and the lower one, resembling a traditional, open litter box.

It comes in 2 versions pebble and gravelless.

The first sieve improves the cleaning of the litter box - when the sieve is lifted, dirty litter and faeces are left on them, while its clean part is poured into the lower one.

The gravel-free version is especially useful for cat owners who frequently collect urine for testing.

In it, liquid impurities flow down to the bottom.

The problem is that cats often do not want to go to litter boxes without litter

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Double bottom litter box it also requires more frequent cleaning.

Self-cleaning cat litter box

Definitely the top shelf of the cuvettes. Self-cleaning cat litter boxes are available in a fully or partially automatic version.

The former are equipped with special motion sensors - after the cat uses the litter box, the device automatically collects the faeces into a special container and sprays odor neutralizers.

How much is a cat litter box?

The price range is huge - from a regular, open cat litter box, the prices of which are around 20 zł, to self-cleaning electric litter boxes, the prices of which even reach one thousand zlotys.

Not to mention the litter boxes specially designed for cats, the prices of which are even tens of thousands of dollars.

• Open cat litter box - approx PLN 20 to PLN 60.
• Cat litter box - from about PLN 50 to PLN 200.
• A litter box with a strainer - its price is approx PLN 50 - PLN 200.
• Self-cleaning cat litter box - price approx 1000 PLN.

There is also a model of litter boxes (Cat Genie) resembling a human toilet.

After the cat uses it, special rakes clean up the waste and discharge it from the sewage system.

The CatGenie litter box costs approx 2000 PLN.

You can see how the automatic cat litter box works in the video below:

Watch this video on YouTube

Cat toilet covers

Pet shops also offer covers for human toilet bowls.

Thanks to them, the cat is to learn how to use the human toilet.

I am not their supporter.

Why?

First of all, for me this is it unsanitary - increases the risk of human infection with cat parasites.

Secondly, it increases your kitten's stress while learning to use the toilet.

Thirdly, it prevents the owner from controlling the kitten's stool or urine.

The price of the cat toilet cover is approx PLN 100 - PLN 200.

Additional equipment

Spatula for the litter box

In addition to the litter box, you can purchase additional equipment:

• shovel into the litter box, for collecting dirty litter price approx 5-20 PLN,
• odor neutralizers put on the bottom of the litter box, price approx 20 zł,
• cuvette bags,
• rugs, pads in front of the litter box to reduce the spreading of litter,
• litter box cleaners that neutralize odors.

Cat litter

In fact, there is nothing to prevent your kitten from dealing with ordinary sand.

The problem, however, is that it is completely it does not absorb odors, cleaning it from the litter box is also difficult.

Probably that's why it started to be used cat litter.

Generally, we divide the gravel into 3 categories:

• bentonite litter,
• wooden gravel, made of natural fibers,
• silicone litters.

Bentonite cat litter

There is a bentonite litter the cheapest option.

Their price is around PLN 2.

They clump into lumps under the influence of urine, They also absorb odors quite well.

Their downside is the fact that they cannot be flushed down the toilet.

The cheapest ones, in contact with the liquid, form a kind of cement - very difficult to remove. Do not throw them down the toilet as they can clog it.

The used litter should be thrown into the rubbish bin.

Many people also use plastic bags, because after accumulating more used litter in the basket, it can give off an unpleasant odor.

As a rule, 1 packet of litter is sufficient for 1 to 2 weeks - depending on the capacity of the litter. Bentonite litter should be replaced completely, at least once a week.

Wooden cat litter

It is quite a large group of gravel.

Most of them consist of wooden sawdust, whether or not pressed.

Natural gravel is available as an option caking or not.

Their plus is:

• performance,
• odor absorption,
• the fact that you can throw them down the toilet.

Wooden clumping cat litter it is easier to throw away and does not stick to the cat's paws.

They are a bit more expensive than bentonite litter - their price is approx 2-3 PLN.

Silicone cat litter

Silicone cat litter

They are made of a substance called silicate.

They look like plastic, transparent or milk granules.

Silicone cat litter absorbs odors very well, is also the most efficient.

The cat's urine is absorbed into the granules, so the litter box requires less frequent cleaning.

Producers of this type of litter claim that the entire charge should be replaced once a month (in my opinion, it is necessary to replace it after approx 2 weeks).

The disadvantage is the price of silicone litter - it costs approx 3-5 PLN per kg.

Silicone litter does not look aesthetically pleasing in open litter boxes, because it turns yellow.

It can also cause allergies in cats and, when eaten, make them sick, especially in young cats. Cat silicone litter is not suitable for flushing down the toilet.

Scented litter

Cat litter is also available in a variety of fragrances.

In my experience, however, the best ones are natural.

Forest gravel, lavender cat litter or other sometimes they scare the kittens away or they cause allergies.

What cat litter?

Which cat litter to choose?

In most cases the cat chooses the litter in the litter box.

Some flies prefer the cheap bentonite ones, others will use a litter box in which only wooden litter is poured out.

It is best to try several types and choose them according to your and your pet's needs.

Where to put the cat litter box?

The most important thing is that the litter box is standing in a quiet place away from people - so that the cat has some privacy.

It is also important that the kitten has access to it at all times.

Keeping the litter box in a locked room is not a very good idea. Also, do not change the location of the litter box, because the cat may later associate the place with its toilet.

In my opinion, the best option is the bathroom, so that the smells do not disturb our guests or household members.

Putting a litter box in the kitchen or dining room is not the best idea.

However, it is worth remembering that the bathroom door should always be ajar.

You can also consider having a second litter box in case your kitten needs an emergency while you are taking a bath.

How to choose the size of the litter box?

Which litter box size to choose?

Choose the litter box based on the age and size of your pet.

The youngest kittens should have a toilet adjusted to their height, so that they can easily jump into it.

They seem to be the most suitable for kittens open litter boxes with low edges.

You also have to be careful with litter for little ones - those who are curious about the world may try to swallow it.

So it will be the best for little kittens wooden litter.

Older kittens, approx. 3-4 months, you can slowly get used to their adult litter boxes.

The litter box choose based on the planned size of your cat.

So if you are a lucky Maine Coon owner, choose the big one a litter box for a large XXL cat.

How many litter boxes does my kitten need?

As a general rule, the number of litter boxes in the house must be equal to the number of cats +1. Ie. if you have 2 kittens you should have 3 litter boxes, if 3 cats then 4 litter boxes, e.t.c.

However, this is an individual matter and depends on the nature of the kitten.

Some cleaning cloths do not spill into the litter box with traces of dirt.

Then, even with one cat, equip yourself with 2 litter boxes.

How to clean the litter box to avoid bad smell?

How to clean a cat litter box?

Cats are pets that care about cleanliness.

So if they don't have them at the right moment a tidy litter box, they probably pee elsewhere - in the closet, in the shoes.

To avoid this, follow these tips:

1. Remove soiled litter daily. A special spatula will help here.
2. If you have noticed that your cat has defecated - remove it immediately. This prevents unpleasant odors from being released.
3. Depending on the litter, replace the entire load once a week (bentonite litter, wooden litter), or every 2 weeks (silicone litter).
4. Also wash the litter box itself once a day 1-2 weeks. You can use warm water, detergents or specially designed liquids for this. This way you will remove the bacteria.
5. To enhance the absorption of odors, you can use special sprinkle neutralizers to the bottom of the litter box, be mixed with gravel.

Summary

I hope that my article helped you a bit in choosing the right litter box for your kitten.

I think you already know why Cat litter box is so important and how to choose the best cat litter.

If you have questions related to this topic, please add a comment under the article, I will reply as soon as possible.

Sources used >>