Litter box provision and management is fundamental to cat welfare. Understanding cat litter preferences and ensuring adequate provision prevents significant behavioral and health problems.
Litter box welfare is both a behavioral and health welfare issue. Inadequate provision leads to cats eliminating in inappropriate locations, creating conflict with owners and often resulting in surrender. Cats who avoid their litter box are often communicating something important: the box is dirty, too small, covered, in a poor location, associated with negative experiences, or painful to use. A cat with arthritis needs a box with low entry sides; a cat with urinary disease needs immediate veterinary attention. Good litter box management — sufficient boxes in quiet, accessible locations, cleaned daily, using substrate the cat accepts — prevents most litter box problems before they start. Sudden changes in litter box use in a previously reliable cat always warrant veterinary investigation.