Location is everything. Your cat has an opinion about it, and they will share that opinion on your rug.
The short version
Quiet, easy to reach, and nowhere near food.
One box per cat, plus one more.
A cat avoiding the box is often unwell. Call the vet before you blame the cat.
Never next to food or water
Cats don't eat where they toilet, and neither would you. Keep food and water in a different part of the room, or a different room entirely.
Never beside something loud
The washing machine starting its spin cycle mid-visit is enough to put some cats off a spot for good. Avoid laundry rooms, boilers and anywhere that bangs, rattles or beeps.
Never in a dead end
A box at the end of a narrow corridor, or in a cupboard with one way in, can feel like a place with no way out, especially in homes with other cats, dogs or children. Cats like to see who's coming and to have a way out.
Never too far away
A kitten, an older cat with stiff joints, or any cat in a large or multi-floor home shouldn't have to make an expedition. In a home with several floors, put a box on each.
If the box is wrong, the whole house becomes the box.
The box itself
Count. The usual guideline is one box per cat, plus one extra, in more than one location. Two boxes side by side count as one.
Size. Bigger than you think. Aim for about one and a half times your cat's length, from nose to the base of the tail. Many commercial boxes are too small for a grown cat.
Litter. Many cats prefer unscented, fine, clumping litter. Perfumes are for you, not them.
Lids. A covered box is a quieter, more private place to go, and most cats take to one happily. What matters is that it breathes and that it stays fresh inside. Scoop daily, and when you do a full clean, leave it open to air for a while before the lid goes back on. Watch how your cat settles in over the first week. They will let you know soon enough whether the arrangement suits them.
Cleaning. Scoop at least once a day. Every one to four weeks, empty the box completely and wash it with hot water and a little mild, unscented soap. Skip strong disinfectants.
Worth knowing
Peeing outside the box is often a medical sign, not a protest. Bladder inflammation, infections, stones and arthritis all cause it. And a cat, especially a male, straining in the box and passing little or nothing is an emergency. Go to a vet now.
Choosing the spot is the hard part. After that it is only scooping.
Sources
- AAFP/ISFM Guidelines for Diagnosing and Solving House-Soiling Behavior in Cats
- AAFP client brochure: House-Soiling
- AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines (2021): general litter box considerations
Checked against published veterinary guidance. It is general information, not a substitute for your vet.
Catlas entries are general guidance, not a substitute for your veterinarian.
