Litter box design, placement, maintenance, and number are among the most important and frequently overlooked contributors to domestic cat wellbeing, with inadequate provision linked to stress, health problems, and relinquishment.
Litter box inadequacy is a surprisingly serious and common welfare problem for domestic cats. Cats are fastidious eliminators with strong preferences for substrate, location, and cleanliness. When litter provision does not meet their needs, the consequences include stress, suppressed elimination (which causes urinary tract infections), and behavioural problems that lead to relinquishment. The cat welfare community has identified litter box problems as a major driver of shelter surrender, yet most owner education focuses on other aspects of cat care. Providing adequate, large, clean, appropriately placed litter boxes with suitable substrate is one of the highest-impact low-cost welfare improvements available to cat owners.