I Had To Buy A Third Litterbox

I've been working long hours this past week and I've been using only 2 litter boxes for my 4 cats without any problems until this morning. I usually only clean out the boxes once a day in the morning before I go to work. Well this morning I was still very tired so I got up and just fed them and gave them fresh water and then went back to bed.
When I cleaned out the litter boxes in the early afternoon, I noticed that one of my cats had peed outside the litter box onto the mat and small piece of carpeting that I have there. This litter box was pretty dirty but the other litter box which is out in the living room was fairly clean. I guess whoever did this didn't want to use the other one.
So I had to rearrange my bedroom a little bit so I could make room for a third litter box. I sure hope that this works out. I don't think that any of my cats have UTI's or anything like that but I'll continue to watch them. I guess I shouldn't have waited as long as I did to clean them. I know that Cirrus and Sky love to use clean litter boxes so it may have been one of them. I guess that's what I get for sleeping in and not cleaning the litter boxes right away.:)

Those types of accidents happen from time to time. I think that some of them happen when their feet are in the box but the butt hangs over the edge. If it was dirty and they wanted to deposit in a clean spot, maybe the only clean spot was over the edge.
But anyway, I am glad that you got the 3rd box. You won't regret it. Even if they had no accidents, as they age they may need to have that extra place to go potty. And another thing I always think about: If one had diarrhea and needs to go FAST, or worse, if 2 have diarrhea.........well, you get the idea.
Hope there is no medical problem.

I have always heard that there should be one box per cat. I have chosen to go that route most months but in the summer, leave on huge box on the porch (screened in) so that I don't have to smell the nasty odor in a non-air conditioned room. It seems to work for them.

I usually buy storage containers rather than litter pans and make my guys leap into them. They seem to track less litter outside the box that way.

Right now I have three boxes going. One in the kitchen, since little Ms. Chloe was digging around in a spot that looked appealing to her....rather than ruin the carpet, I put a box there. Now all three cats love that box. It is under a chair.....near a corner.....but ewwwwww, the stink is horrible when they use it. Oh well. Cats.

I have heard that you should actually have one more litter box than you do cats. That would mean that I should have four boxes for my 3 kitties, but my small house just does not have the space for that many - I only have two boxes. However, one is a large plastic storage box that is double the size of a traditional kitty litter box. I keep it in the shower of the cat's bathroom because my boy, Bo, tends to stand and pee sometimes. So even though the box is nine inches high, he'll shoot over the top of the box.

He will ocassionally use Trixie's box too (which is in a carpeted room) so I have to put down a plastic disposable tablecloth so try to prevent urine stains. Sigh...even though I don't have a male in my home that leaves the toilet seat up, I still have to deal with male bathroom problems.

May I interject a thought here........
A lot of people talk about the SIZE of the box. (i.e. I have only 2 boxes but they are larger than regular litter boxes). I really don't think this matters unless 2 cats would be able and willing to use it at the same time. I always took the "rule" of at least one box per cat to mean that IF all cats had to potty at the same time, they'd have a place to go. See my point?

I have two boxes and they are kept in the basement and located side by side. My thinking is what you said Jen - what if they both have to go at the same time? Since I have to feed my boys separately now with Trevor's diabetes, I often just stay downstairs until they are finished eating. Andy is fed in a large dog crate and when he is finished I let him out. Trevor is done way before Andy - no surprise there! Anyway, after Trevor eats he goes to Litter Box #1 and pees and then jumps every so gingerly into Litter Box #2 and does the other. :rolleyes:

My 2 cats use the same litterbox but only as long as there is very little (like one time pee or so) in it. This is why they have two. If both are used, Tigris will come and complain. And of course we are five stars as a cat hotel: the customer is the king and service is provided at any hour.

After adding Joey to the household, I now have 5 indoor cats
but always had 5 litter boxes. They are all in the basement, 3
in the family room & 2 in the larger laundry/work shop area. I
too always thought the "one more than you have cats" idea
was probably a good idea. For my feral Momma & Baby kitty, I
have 3 litter boxes in the garage in different locations. Seems
to work pretty good that way.:)

p.s. I've never seen more than one cat use the box at a time.

That's a good idea! Like Harley has said, the best is having one more box than you have cats. Even this wouldn't work for Miss Luna if I would only clean them once a day, so I have to do it twice.

Obviously yours are more tolerant, so you're very lucky! :)

Kirsten

I always thought the one per cat idea was that if they were picky about sharing, then they could each have their own ... with their own scent? I don't know, but my cats do share boxes, and I have seen more than one go at the same time!!! :rolleyes: :D

I've got 2 cats, usually have 2 boxes for them. It's amusing to me that they'll usually pee in one box and poop in the other.

I have four boxes for my three cats but I had no choice since big ole Ripley has man sized BMs. The few times my husband has cleaned the litter boxes he usually tells me we should charge Ripley rent.:D

:D Mine also prefer separate pee and poo boxes:D :D Not exclusively, but a definite trend. I have two jumbo boxes for the three cats.

My cats have two litter boxes. I would like only one.

The only room I can put them in is the bathroom and it gets crowded in there.

All the other rooms have wall to wall carpeting and sometimes Felicia pees over the side.

I have thought about getting a bin with higher sides.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Felicia's Mom
Felicia pees over the side.

I have thought about getting a bin with higher sides.

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Have you tried covered boxes?

Well so far so good.:) They seem to love the new litter box and prefer to use it over the other two litter boxes now. Hopefully my peeing problem won't return.:)

Quote:

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Originally posted by krazyaboutkatz
... Hopefully my peeing problem won't return.:)

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Fingers crossed that you've solved the problem.

Jen -- I used to have a covered box, but Cassy would sit atop it and terrorize his more timid brother (not let him in, or out, as the case may be.) So for a while I kept it open, until I realized how much room it took up. It seems like covered boxes work better with more social minded cats... :rolleyes:

I used to have box covered and one box uncovered. Felicia never used the covered box. I'm afraid if there was only a covered one she wouldn't use it (at least she is inside the box).

Glad that worked for you, Tracey. :)

We have three LARGE, covered litter boxes in the den. One in the living room...Phoebe's choice spot to go. And a Booda Dome litter box in our bedroom...in case Livvy gets traumatized. That's five boxes for eight cats.

I clean them daily and it works for us. :)

Figure this one for me. Our fist six never cared about litter, how many boxes, nothing. These feral kittens are way peticular! If the boxes aren't cleaned after one day, Phoebe and Sampson will pee directly outside the box in the living room! Not on the carpet, but in a cat bed or a piece of paper left on the ground. I can't tell you how many times I've washed their beds because I get home from work and school exhasted! Grrr! :rolleyes: