Largest Litter Box?

[elecmohwk]

Hey folks.

We have 7 cats/kittens now, and of course surface area of the litter box is at a premium! Even with being scooped 3 times a day, it's just a constant battle. The days when everyone is out running around working and doing errands, it's just horrid by the time we get back and can do something about it. So...

We have a fairly deep litter box (which helps, since urine doesn't fuse to the bottom! easier to scoop!)... with a big cover/filter over the top. We love it. Keeps the smells and the excess litter inside (to a degree). What I would love even MORE, is one just like this, with more surface area to the litter pan.

I've thought about getting one of those huge flat "under bed" storage containers from wall mart and putting that somewhere but, there's no way to keep the cats from scooping the litter out to the floor everytime they cover their business.

Any suggestions? Experiences? Products you know of? Speciality sites/shops?

My only other option is to find these particular size boxes at Petsmart again and get a second one going. I am hesitant to get a smaller one as a second one, because it'll just be a half step if anything...

 

[rosehawke]

You have seven cats/kittens and one litter box? Ah-hah! I think I've found your problem

! Generally speaking, the rule of thumb is to have as many litter boxes as you have cats, optimally to even have one more. Otherwise perhaps you could get one of the super-huge tubs and cut an access in one end/side so that purr-folks wouldn't have to jump into the litter box. That would keep the litter contained for the most part I think.

Cindy
Mom to Narsil, Mithril and Kellie da Peke

 

[jennyr]

I have three cats and five litter boxes - different sizes depending on where they are. The smallest I keep in the bedroom to save them having to go downstairs at night. One is on the balcony to stop them digging up the flower troughs! I have two in the main bathroom to prevent battles.

But it really is better to have several small ones and the work actually seems less. Also I find that only one or two get used for poo as they like to separate their 'business'.

 

[coaster]

You could make your own litter box with a large plastic storage container & lid. Cut the hole in the lid. If the cats go in through the top, then they won't kick the litter out. I think this might work since they're already used to a covered box. They only have to learn to go in through the top.

(There is actually a commercially made litter box of this type of design sold at Petsmart, but it might be too small for you)

Yes, and dittoes to the suggestions for another/more boxes.

 

[cyberkitten]

I have three cats at the moment - mine plys two fosters - and thus I religiously follow that golden rule. One litter box per cat plus one tho I have an extra two in the basement. It really works!!! Try it and I bet your concerns will be at least partly solved!

 

[zeusmom]

i just have 1 cat and 1 litter box. i could not imagine scooping that box 3 times a day for 7 kitties. i would go insane. my 1 big boy is enough in that box.. and its a big deep one too. i would have to agree with everyone else and say your main problem is u definatly need more litter boxes!

 

[momofmany]

I have a large rubbermaid-type bin with about 14" sides. They can't kick the litter out even when I fill it 5 inches. For the kittens you will need something not so tall.

I agree with others, if you have 7 cats you simply need more litter boxes.

 

[daidreamer]

Actually what we did was have one made for them. It is 3 feet by 3 feet and it seems to work out great for 8 - It is cleaned every morning and one big thing, when we changed our babies to the maintenance diet they eat less because they are full longer and they use the bath room (POO) less because of the fact they are not eating as much as before. I was concerned about this at first but my vet said, that is how a good maintenance diet should work. It will have more of the proteins and complex foods they need and much less corn and other things that go threw them fast, so they will eat less and poo less. They pee a bit more because of the amount of water around the house for them. It actually has worked out very well. So a great idea if you can if have one made for them or make one yourself or two or three how ever many you think will work.

 

[elecmohwk]

Well looks like this site has opened my eyes once again. I'll look into additional boxes in the very near future... or into making one or two very large ones on my own out of some old rubbermaid storage containers (big and deep!)...

Thanks.

We really haven't had all that much problem with the one litter box though to be honest. As long as it's clean, they're happy and so are we. I was really just trying to find a way to make it so we could go longer without having to scoop the poop!

 

[wellingtoncats]

Yup more litterboxes is definitly the key!

 

[hissy]

I use the underbed storage containers as well as a small child's wading pool for my crew. I don't have problems with litter pan accidents or litter being thrown about- you don't need a lot of litter in these containers

 

[cagnes]

I have 6 cats & 2 litter boxes. I wanted to keep the litter boxes confined to my laundry room so I bought 2 of the biggest Rubbermaid-type boxes that would fit in the space I had.

I actually went through several different containers until I found the perfect box. I got them at Bed Bath & Beyond, it's called a "Buckle Up Box"... dimensions 17 13/16"W x 32 5/8"D x 13"H. These boxes are great because of the size (they have lots of space to turn around) & the bottoms are completely flat. All of the other rubbermaid-type boxes I tried had grooves & stuff on the bottoms that made them hard to scoop.

I've also heard of people using cement mixing containers from Home Depot or Lowes. I had checked them out, but the ones I found didn't have sides that were high enough to keep the litter from getting kicked out.