Greetings everyone! We learned that tomorrow, November 19, is World Toilet Day. The United Nations is highlighting the sanitation crisis in much of the world. We really don’t know (or care) about humans and toilets, but it did getting us thinking about kitty waste.

In the wild, cats usually try to find soft or sandy soil for their toilet. It allows for easy burial. Outdoor kitties use their paws in a backwards, sweeping motion to bury their leavings. A litter box tries to replicate this experience. Humans usually refer to litter boxes as a cat things, but other animals use them too. Rabbits, ferrets, miniature pigs, and small dogs have all been litter-trained. The difference is is that we cats generally do it instinctively. (The humans won’t say it, but we’re smarter.)

Humans like litter boxes because they contain our waste. We like litter boxes because we are generally clean animals and like to be able to cover up our waste. A clean litter box helps us be happy, healthy members of the family.

There are a wide variety of litters. Generally speaking, we kitties prefer unscented, low-dust varieties. We have sensitive noses that are easily offended by strong smells (unless it’s mackerel). We need two to three inches to allow for proper burial. And it should be scooped daily. The most common type of litter is clay-based. They also make silica-based litter. Silica is dangerous if you eat it. (Although we do not recommend eating any type of litter.) Other alternatives are wood chips, wheat, sawdust, grains, corncobs, and newspapers.  Some of it clumps for easier removal. We recommend you work with your human to find what’s best for you.

There are LOTS of litter boxes to choose from. Around here, you can spend anywhere from five dollars to several hundred dollars, depending on how fancy it is. The simplest ones are just a tray that your human fills with litter.  It should be big enough so you can comfortably get in it to do your business. You don’t want your tail hanging out the end. You also need to make sure the sides aren’t too high to enter and exit comfortably. Here are your choices:

Open Litter Box – These are the traditional litter trays. They are usually the least expensive, so they are a great choice if you need multiple boxes. Some kitties like them because they can keep an eye on what’s going on around them.

Designer Litter Box – These are made for the discerning cat. They look like high-end furniture and match the rest of your human’s decor. Needless to say, they may be a little pricey. But you’re worth it.

Sifting Pan Litter Box –  One box with a grate on the bottom sits inside a slightly larger pan. Your human lifts the first box, shakes it a little, and lets the unused litter filter through the holes in the grate. Then they dump the dirty litter. We have a couple of these. Our humans like them better than the plain trays.