Cat Facts
CAT FACTS: LITTER PANS
Basically there are two types of litter pans, covered and open.
Some covered pans have filters which absorb odors, but must be changed
on a regular basis. All are made of poly-plastic materials that can
be scrubbed and bleached, do not absorb odors, stand up well to repeated
use/cleaning, and all types of litter. A rule of thumb is two boxes for 3
cats, although some cats prefer their own box.
The box must be large enough for the cat to turn around comfortably.
Covered boxes look nice and help contain odors. They take up more room
than open boxes and are often too deep for easy access by small kittens
or geriatric cats. Open pans are less expensive than covered ones, which
cost $15-25 dollars. A single cat gets along fine with an open pan,
but covered pans are recommended for multi-cat homes.
There are "self-cleaning" boxes advertised, which automatically rake
through the litter at a set time after a cat leaves the box, but these
are expensive and only available through specialty catalogs and stores.
Collection and disposal of the waste is required and since electricity
is needed, there is a limitation of where it is located,
the electric cord is tempting to some cats for chewing, plus the
cost of the electricity and the less than perfect performance of the raking mechanism.
A helpful hint to help minimize tracking of litter is to place a doormat
(rubber on the bottom to keep it in place and outdoor-type carpeting on the top)
to catch the litter from your cat's feet, just outside the litter pan.
It's much easier to pick up the mat and shake it off outside than to chase
litter around floor surfaces. Another good idea is to buy an open box with
a wide lip to limit the amount of litter kicked out of the box, which is a
large plus for a covered box.
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