Anyone with a cat understands the important algebra of considering the number and placement of litterboxes in the household.    It’s easy to underestimate the appropriate number of needed boxes, assuming cats will “automatically” use whatever is available.  While that’s often true, a number of factors can lead to a more complicated situation, and “coaxing” a cat to use a box or to correct an established habit can be challenging.

While sometimes people think “cats should just adapt,” let’s consider for a visualization:

Imagine being stuck in a car with a growing, immediate urge to go to the bathroom.  Bladder full and uncomfortable until -relief! A rest stop sign appears.  Charge toward the public bathroom, fling open the door, and . . . Whoa! Step back . . . got an image in mind?

Sure, it could be used just as it is.  Some people may opt to flush first, while others would walk to the next stall.  The point: When “what’s available” varies, standards of acceptability change, and if you’re a cat, that’s around the time those closet corners may become a bit more appealing.

Cats are territorial and fastidious, who may have this experience every time they step into a letterbox. Multiply that consideration for homes with more than one cat. All of a sudden that “annoying bad habit” of peeing outside the box starts to make a little more sense. Remember, those “out of the box” behaviors may indicate a serious health problem, so visit a veterinarian asap.

A good rule of claw: number of boxes = one box per cat and one box per story + 1

Prevention is the best cure!  Forget that tucked away corner of the basement where the box fits.  Consider privacy and convenience as priorities for box placement, allowing plenty of distance from feeding area. Per the Queen, make time for scoop outs between changeovers.  Check out these helpful tips from the Humane Society.