Did you know that litter boxes can have a significant effect on your cat’s health and behavior? Poorly maintained litter boxes, inadequate sizes, inappropriate locations, and even the number of litter boxes, all have an influence on a cat’s toilet habits.

When it comes to the number of litter boxes, a rule of thumb is allocating N+1 litter boxes for each pet cat. For example, if you have N=3 cats, you need to have N+1 or 4 litter boxes. Having an extra box to maintain is a much better option than having to deal with your pet’s spray marking, elimination problems, and other undesirable feline behaviors that are associated with litter boxes that are not properly maintained.

Take note that cats are territorial creatures, and they prefer not to have other cats do their business in their “claimed’ litter box. Extra litter boxes in strategic places around the house gives each cat an opportunity to pick his own litter box.

Consult with your Thousand Oaks, CA veterinarian if you have any concerns about your pet’s behavior.