Experts Urge 1 Extra Litter Box per Cat, Daily Scooping for Feline Health

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 16

Veterinarians and cat behavior experts say households should keep one litter box per cat plus one extra, with at least one box on each floor in multilevel homes.
Most cats do best with an open box about 1.5 times their body length, placed in a quiet area away from food and water and filled with 2-3 inches of unscented, clumping litter.
Daily scooping is the minimum standard, they said, while full litter changes can range from every 2-3 days for some paper or pine litters to monthly for clumping clay; boxes themselves should be replaced every 1-2 years.
Warning signs of a poor setup include foul odors, crying, perching on the box edge, rushing in and out, scratching nearby walls or floors, and avoiding the box altogether.
Avoiding the box can signal more than hygiene problems: experts said unclean boxes may contribute to painful urinary tract infections, and accidents outside the box warrant a prompt vet visit rather than punishment.