Are you meeting your cat’s litter tray needs?

Cats can commonly develop urinary or bowel issues. This can include discomfort or straining when toileting, toileting outside the tray, constipation, bladder inflammation, or signs of stress. In severe cases cats can develop urinary blockages which can be life threatening. 

In many cases these issues can be prevented by ensuring there is a litter tray system at home that aligns with your cat’s needs, to encourage them to use the toilet frequently and comfortably. 

Below are some factors to consider when managing your cat’s litter trays. 

1. Are the litter trays in a suitable location? 

Choose locations that are easy for your cat to access, in a calm and quiet space. In many households, the laundry or bathroom may be an appropriate space, but consider if there are any physical barriers such as doors that are sometimes closed. Litter trays that are placed next to something loud such as a washing machine might be intimidating for a nervous cat. If you have a dog that can access to the litter tray area, your cat may feel reluctant to use the tray as they feel most vulnerable when they are squatting to use the toilet.  “Hidden” litter tray strategies, such as placing it inside a box or cupboard, are usually not inviting for your cat as they can feel trapped inside it (plus smells tend to build up in the enclosed space). Outdoor trays, such as inside a cat run or enclosure, might be less inviting in cold or wet weather.  

Ideally the litter trays should also be separate from any food or water bowls, so that any smells from the tray do not discourage your cat from eating or drinking. 

2. Is the type of tray inviting? 

For most cats, the preferred option would be a simple open litter tray, as they can access it easily and escape it quickly if ‘danger’ approaches. Luckily for us, this is a cheap and easy option! Ensure it is large enough to suit your cat’s body size.

A flat litter tray option (such as a puppy pad with litter material sprinkled on top) may be more appropriate for cats with mobility issues, such as older or arthritic cats. 

A hooded or covered tray may be okay for some cats, but some cats do not like them – they tend to encourage smells to build up, and the cat might feel trapped inside it, especially if there is another cat or a dog in the house that might come sniffing at the entrance. If you are using this type, ensure it is fully cleaned frequently (see below). 

We do not recommend trays with sieve floors or automatic cleaning abilities, as they can be very intimidating for many cats and can become very smelly. 

3. Is the litter always fully clean? 

Cats are very particular about toilet hygiene, and often reluctant to return to use litter that has already been used. Even if the “chunks” are scooped out frequently, the smell will remain, and cats have very sensitive noses. Just think, we humans would like the toilet to be flushed after use, and would find it very unpleasant to have to use a toilet that already had urine or faeces in it! Cats have a similar attitude to toileting. 

We recommend fully emptying the litter tray as often as possible, and refilling it with fresh litter. Ideally, this would be done after every single use, if you can. More practically, especially for those with a busy lifestyle, we suggest aiming to do it once per day. Using a sheet or two of newspaper in the bottom of the tray makes scrubbing the bottom of the tray usually unnecessary, and so emptying and refilling the tray can be a very quick job, resulting in a completely clean toileting space for your cat to use when nature calls. 

If the tray does need a more thoroughly cleaning (eg mess stuck to the plastic), just use hot water and regular dish soap. Please do not use cleaning chemicals or sprays to clean the tray as some can be toxic to cats. 

There are a variety of litter materials to choose from, and most are fine. Your cat may have a preference for a particular type, especially if they are used to it. However, litter material that is marketed as ‘clumping’ or ‘odour reducing’ should not be used in place of refreshing the tray frequently. In our hospital, we tend to use the simple recycled paper type (eg Breeder’s Choice, available in a large cheap bag from supermarkets) as it is very affordable, which is helpful if you are refreshing it daily and therefore going through a bag more quickly. 

3. Are there enough litter trays?

Cats naturally use urine and faeces as scent markers and often will be stressed if they have to share a tray with another cat. The general guidelines are to provide at least one tray per cat, plus a spare. Eg if you have one cat, provide at least two trays. If you have two cats, provide at least three trays, and so on. If any of your cats have a history of toileting issues, you could even try to provide extra trays. 

If you have multiple trays, they would ideally be in different locations around the house. 

If it is not possible within your household to provide enough trays for each cat (eg a small apartment) you will need to be extra diligent about fully refreshing the trays frequently.

Of course we do understand that all of these factors are not achievable in every household situation, but we hope you may find this information helpful to make a plan that suits your family and your cat. Your cat will likely thank you for providing them with a clean, comfortable space, and we certainly find this helps to reduce stress and toileting issues. If you have any further questions about what might work best for your cat, please feel free to discuss with any of our team. 

This post was written by our clinic’s Dr Grace Woodward.