The Cat Friendly Home: the Hi Tech Litter Box

Posted on June 28, 2020October 31, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Kitty litter has come a long way since Edward Lowe started marketing bentonite clay as a litter box filler in 1947. What options has high tech provided you and your cat?

More than just clay…

Litter boxes are being filled with lots of different materials these days. There are litters made from grass seed, corn, wheat, recycled wood, and coconut, to name just a few. So why all these other alternatives to the traditional clay litter?

A Look at Bentonite…

Clay cat litters are made from bentonite clay, named after Fort Benton, WY where the largest deposits of bentonite clay are found. Bentonite is a natural resource – it is formed after volcanic ash ages. It is strip mined, then processed for commercial use. Once it is used up, it is gone. Clumping clay cat litter is made from sodium bentonite, which absorbs water, swells and hardens into a clump.

Not Eco-friendly…

If you are looking for an eco-friendly cat litter, clay litters have some strikes against them:

bentonite is not renewable
strip mining for bentonite can cause environmental damage.

Eco-Friendly Litters…

Sourcing…

Plant-based litters are made from corn, wheat, wood, and even tofu by-products. Starch and plant fibers make these litters clump. These litters tend to be lighter and less dusty than clay litter.

you can grow more plants to produce more litter.
the growing and harvesting methods do not damage the environment as much as strip mining.

Disposal…

Disposal options for these litters include landfills, flushing down the toilet, and composting.

Even these biodegradable litters may not degrade much in a landfill.
Although most of these products can be flushed, there are the risks of clogged plumbing and introduction of pathogens into the water supply.
These litters can be composted although there are concerns about parasites and bacteria from decomposing pet waste

Composting cat litter

THE LITTER CAFETERIA:
To find out what you and your cat prefer, set up a litter cafeteria – have boxes with different types of litters and track the use, ease of scooping, odor and tracking.

Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Boxes

There are several styles of these – the Litter Robot which rotates automatically and dumps waste into a tray on the bottom of the unit; the Litter Maid rakes the waste into a cartridge on the bottom of the tray.

Pros:

litter box is scooped regularly
you don’t have to handle the litter

Cons:

it is difficult to monitor your cat’s health – when manually scooping, you are more aware of changes in frequency and volume of urine, or softness of stool
the mechanism may startle and frighten some cats; from the cat’s perspective, this may be no better than having the family dog waiting to snatch up the “treats”
you may be limited in your choice of litter

If you have an automatic box, consider also having a traditional litter box. Watch and see which one gets used more.

Teaching Your Cat to Use the Toilet…

This may seem like a nifty trick OR NOT…

Cats’ natural behavior is to dig a hole and eliminate in it. Kittens start using the litter box around 4 weeks of age, following cues from their mother. Using the human toilet is NOT A NATURAL BEHAVIOR.
you will not be able to easily monitor urine amount and frequency or if your cat has diarrhea
cats have been know to fall in – toilet seats are designed for humans.
if the lid is not up, your cat may need to take care of business elsewhere

Blending Your Cat’s Litter Box into Your Home…

There are many creative ways to make your cats’ litter boxes less noticeable. Here are just a few.

Privacy screens
Screen with plants (if using real plants, make sure they NOT toxic to your cat)
Hideaways – A cabinet can be repurposed as a litter hide.
Make sure the hide is BIG enough – about 1.5 x your cat’s length (not including the tail).
Beware “Out of sight, out of mind” and SCOOP DAILY

A privacy screen for a hallway litter box.

There is room for a litter box beneath the cat tree in the entry way.

The Cat Friendly Home: Litter Box Basics

Posted on June 21, 2020October 31, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Did you know that kitty litter has been with us since 1947? Edward Lowe began promoting fuller’s earth, an absorbent clay, as a cat box filler in 1947. Our cats began to lead an indoor existence. What do cat guardians need to know about this essential feline resource – what are the litter box basics?

In the wild…

Cats look for a secluded quiet place to relieve themselves as they are vulnerable to predators while eliminating. They prefer sand or fine dirt for elimination; they bury their waste when in their core territory. Feces and urine can be used to message other cats, so outside this core territory, cats will sometimes leave their waste unburied.

A cat’s core territory is his home base, where he can shelter and rest. He will actively defend this area.

The Cat Friendly Home: Litter Box Basics….

The Box…

There are litter boxes with covers, litter boxes without covers; top-entry litter boxes, litter boxes that fit in end tables. Choose a litter box that suits your cat’s personality and physical condition.

The litter box needs to be large enough for your cat to turn around. This box is large enough for Gus.

Covered Litter Boxes

Your cat’s waste is out of sight
Out of sight = out of mind ? It may be easier to neglect scooping the litter box.
Ambush opportunity: the cat using the box will not see other cats, people, or dogs approaching.

How Large?

The litter box needs to be large enough for your cat to enter and turn around, about 1.5 times her length (without tail)

High Sides?

An older arthritic cat may prefer low walls or a low door cut into the box.
Managing cats that urinate while standing might be easier with a high-sided litter box.

Location, Location, Location…

Where you locate the litter box can make all the difference to your cat. Choose a quiet, secluded place.

Avoid noisy utility rooms where appliances running can startle your cat.
Avoid high-traffic busy areas where toddlers or the family dog can ambush your kitty.
A gadget called a “door buddy” can make a closet a safe litter box location.
Bathrooms can be good choices for litter boxes – cleaning may be easier in these areas.

Litter boxes should be far away (at least 5-6 feet) from either food or water sources. After all, you don’t dine in your bathroom!

What Goes in the Box…

Cats typically prefer a fine textured, clumping litter
Cats have a sense of smell that is thousands of times more sensitive than ours. It is best to use unscented varieties of litter.
Experts recommend a litter depth of about 1.5 inches.

# of Cats + 1

A simple sketch of your house can help with locating litter boxes.

Experts recommend that there should be at least one litter box per cat plus one. This is not a hard and fast rule – it depends on the number of feline social groups in the house and the layout of the house itself. All cats must have ready access to this critical resource.

Social Groups and Litter Boxes

There is less conflict and less competition for resources among cats of the same social group. Cats of the same social group are less likely to engage in behaviors such as “guarding” a litter box from each other.

House Plans and Litter Boxes

Larger houses and multi-story houses may require a different litter box allocations. Once again, the goal is easy access – for example, in a 3 story house, there should be at least 3 litter boxes, one on each floor of the house.
.

How do I know which cats are part of a social group? Look for “affiliative” behavior: cats belonging to the same social group will groom each other and sleep together.

Scoop, Scoop, Scoop!

A storage tote has been repurposed as a litter box. The front opening is low and was cut with heavy duty shears and a hacksaw. A trash can for scooping is nearby.

Scoop the boxes once or twice daily.
Keep a small trash can next to each box to make this chore easier or use a higher-tech solution such as a Litter Genie Pail.
Cleaning the box and changing out clumping litter can be done every 2-4 weeks IF YOU SCOOP DAILY.
Respect the cat’s sense of smell and use a mild detergent when cleaning the box.

Feces and urine smells are not as distasteful to cats as they are to us – urine and feces can convey messages between cats. Scooping the box MORE frequently and changing out the litter LESS frequently will keep your cat happier by maintaining the scent profile of your cat’s home.

The Cat Friendly Home – Resources: Food and Water

Posted on June 14, 2020August 8, 2020 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

The Cat Friendly Home: Resources – Food and Water

Our cats’ closest relative is the African Wildcat. What is the wildcat’s day like?

The wildcat’s day has already started by the time the sun starts to come up.
the wildcat’s excellent night vision allows him to hunt at night although the rodents that make up most of his diet are mainly active at dawn and dusk.

Small Frequent Meals

The wildcat must remain on the prowl at dawn and dusk since he needs to eat about 8-10 mice daily or starve.

Variety is the Spice of Life

If our wildcat is lucky, he may catch the occasional rabbit or antelope fawn. Insects, lizards, and snakes are also on the menu.

The Solitary Hunter Dines Alone

Once our wildcat catches a morsel, he will take it somewhere he can eat without becoming someone else’s meal – some place quiet, secluded and protected.

As the sun becomes higher in the sky, our wildcat will find a cool, secluded place to rest during the day before resuming the hunt at dusk.

At the Waterhole…

Not Much Need to Drink…

A wildcat gets most of her water from the prey she eats; her kidneys are very efficient.

Wide, Flat Watering Places..

If she does stop at a waterhole, she will choose a place where she can use the water as a mirror to see if anything is coming up behind her.

No Drinking While Eating…

She does not drink while eating nor does she bring food to the waterhole. She avoids contaminating the water source with the guts of her prey.

Our “Wildcats” at Home…

Like his wildcat relative, your cat gets most of his nutrition from meat. He is designed to eat 8-10 small meals a day and be on the prowl most of his waking hours, looking for food. He is hardwired to hunt, regardless of how well fed he is. Cats have been known to stop eating to pursue prey.

Feeding behavior…

It is normal for your cat to eat a few mouthfuls, go away and return later to eat more. Of course, this may be a problem if another cat eats all the food. One way to dispense small meals is to use several puzzle feeders located at different locations in your house. Your cat “prowls” around looking for feeders

Gus and Zelda eating from the Catit Food Tree

and collecting snacks along the way (See Your Cat’s Diet)

It is hard to dispense with “meal time” feeding, especially with canned food. If you have more than one cat, separating each cat and his food dish can help with aggression and gorging at feeding times. Ideally, each cat should be out of sight of the other cats.

Gus is much more relaxed when eating away from the other cats.

Although cats that belong to the same social group may seem comfortable eating next to each other, watch for indicators of distress: “scarf and barf”, aggression, and standing while eating.

What to do with Water…

Wide, flat dishes mimic the puddles and water sources where cats can monitor for things behind them.
A pie plate has been repurposed as a cat water dish. Water is greenish due to a dental additive.
Wide water dishes don’t interfere with the whiskers.
Water bowls in more than one place in the house gives kitty more opportunity to drink. This is especially important when feeding dry cat food and to avoid competition in multi-cat households.

Things to consider…

Canned food can provide a lot of your cat’s water needs
Water fountains for cats are popular – there are many styles. However, there are cats that prefer drinking from a dish or a dripping faucet
Cats have receptors on their tongues that let them know when they are drinking water – they may prefer filtered water (See What does my cat taste?)

The Cat Friendly Home: Safe Places Outdoors

Posted on June 7, 2020October 1, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

The Cat Outdoors…

The cat is a born hunter. In the wild, a cat will spend a large part of its time on the prowl, looking for food. His vision is geared toward surveying the landscape for something moving; his large conical ears and broad frequency range of hearing, help him locate prey and also predators; his sense of smell too plays a role in seeking prey and avoiding predators and danger.

Being outdoors gives your cat opportunity to hone her hunting skills, and in doing this, she will be entertained and allowed to “be a cat” and do “ cat things”. What is a safe place for cats outdoors?

Risks of being an Outdoor Cat

Injury or death from predators (dogs, wildlife such as coyotes)
Injury or death from cars on nearby roads
Contracting illness from neighborhood cats
Injury due to cat fights
Infection with parasites due to hunting or exposure to other animals

Benefits to being an Outdoor Cat

Fewer behavior problems (urine marking, scratching furniture, aggression toward housemates)
Opportunities for exercise – reduced risk of obesity
Opportunities for hunting and exploration – mental stimulation
Stimulation from a varied environment – e.g. changing weather

The Cat Friendly Home: Safe Places Outdoors

If you have a yard with a high fence, you may already have a purrfect safe outdoor place. If you need to, you can “cat proof” your fence if it is 6 feet high or more. You can install rollers on top of the fence (Oscillot.com) or use a system with overhangs on the fence (Purrfect Fence). Both systems keep your cat from jumping out and can keep neighborhood cats and coyotes out. A fenced-in yard may still need safe places for your cat such as low shrubs or dense foliage to hide in.

Larger screened-in patios called catios give both people and cats a place to relax – once again, cat trees and plantings my be needed to provide safe places for your cat to nap or just get away from things. Don’t forget – you can play with your cat outdoors!

Other options for smaller yards or apartment balconies include cat enclosures, oversized metal dog crates, portable enclosures that can be set up and collapsed when not in use (kittywalk) and cat “window boxes”. Plants, scratchers, and places to hide may be added to these to provide stimulation and safe places.

A commercial cat enclosure kit has inside access from a pet door in the sliding glass door.

This backyard has a high fence to keep kitty in. Some supervison may be needed for the fish ponds.

How do Cats Feel about Cat Enclosures?

Cat enclosures may frustrate some cats, particularly those who were previously free-roaming. We are all familiar with becoming annoyed or angry when we are unable to get what we want – from struggling with leveling up in a video game to having difficulty finishing that project at work. If your cat seems frustrated – pacing and trying to break out – encourage some other behaviors to help him cope with frustration.

Providing your cat with ways of coping with the frustration of being restricted to a yard or enclosure.

DO PROVIDE:

posts/logs to scratch on
puzzle feeders with snacks
places to hide and play in
cat grass to nibble on
SUPERVISE YOUR CAT AS NEEDED

DON’T:

place bird feeders close to enclosures or window boxes – this could increase frustration as your cat can’t capture the birds. It is like putting ice cream in front of a person on a diet

Jail Break and What Keeps Gus Safe

Gus is a 3 year old neutered male cat who was previously free-roaming. The second floor porch is enclosed with a railing with mesh and wire on it. Neighbor cats have not gotten in; the other 3 cats in the house do not get out. Gus can pull himself up through the wire.

THE PROBLEM: Gus squirming through the wire at the top of the fence.

THE SOLUTION: repurposed chicken coop is placed next to the screen door leading to the porch. A pet door in the screen gives cats access from inside.

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