Want to know why I sometimes snub the litter and pick your laundry basket instead? Nine times out of ten, the problem isn’t the litter itself: it’s the box. Too small, too enclosed, badly placed, poorly maintained… For us, the bathroom is sacred. Here’s the full spec sheet, negotiated by a very demanding user.
Size: the golden rule everyone ignores
The ideal box measures 1.5 times my length (from nose to the base of the tail). For a standard adult cat, that means a box of at least 50 to 60 cm. Most boxes sold in pet shops are far too small, it’s like asking you to aim straight inside a phone booth.
- Kitten: low sides (5 to 7 cm) so they can climb in without a workout
- Adult: big box, sides 15 to 20 cm
- Arthritic senior: at least one low side, my joints thank you
Open or covered? The great debate
My vote: open. The covered box mostly pleases humans (hidden smells, contained litter). For me, it’s a box that concentrates odours (picture a toilet with no ventilation), stops me from watching my surroundings, and can trap me if another animal corners me. If you’re set on a covered one: take off the swinging flap, clean twice as often, and check that I use it without stress.
The perfect spot: the checklist
- ✅ Somewhere quiet: not next to the washing machine that screams during the spin cycle
- ✅ With a clear view: I want to see who’s coming
- ✅ Far from the food bowls: we don’t eat in the bathroom (and neither do you, I hope)
- ✅ Far from the water fountain, see my guide on cat hydration
- ✅ Accessible 24/7: never behind a door that can swing shut
- ❌ Not in a cupboard or a damp cellar: concentrated smells and possible ambushes
What litter should you put in it?
The box is the container. For the contents, plant-based, mineral, clumping, silica, I’ve already compared everything in my natural litter comparison. Spoiler: clumping plant-based litters win on almost every front.
As for depth: 5 to 7 cm of litter. Too little and it sticks to the bottom; too much and I fling it everywhere while digging (with great pleasure, by the way).
The maintenance that changes everything
- Every day: scoop out waste and clumps with a proper scoop – Amazon
- Every week: top up the level
- Every 3 to 4 weeks: full empty-out plus a wash with hot water and mild soap (no pure bleach: the smell attracts me AND irritates me, a strange feline paradox)
- A litter mat – Amazon under the box catches the stray granules that travel
Peeing outside the box: the hidden message
If I snub a box that’s the right size, clean and well placed, it means I’m trying to tell you something else: stress, a territorial conflict, or a urinary problem (cystitis). Start by rereading my anti-stress guide, and if it lasts more than a few days, especially if I keep going to the box for tiny amounts, it’s straight to the vet.
In short
A big open box (1.5 times my length), a quiet spot with a view, far from the food bowls, daily cleaning, one box more than the number of cats. Stick to this spec sheet and your laundry basket will go back to being just a laundry basket.
Purrs, Sachat 🐾
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Frequently Asked Questions
What size litter tray should I choose?
About 1.5 times the length of the cat, so at least 50 to 60 cm for an adult. Most trays sold are too small.
How many litter trays do I need?
Rule of thumb: the number of cats plus one, spread across different spots. Two cats means three trays.
Why does my cat toilet outside the litter tray?
A tray that is too small or dirty, a poor location, litter it dislikes, or stress and a urinary problem. See a vet if it persists.