RHRQuality Cat Litter Tray "Flower" with hood XXL - Invisible Cat Litter Tray with Lid 51 Diameter x 55 cm (Grey)

Product Information

Have you noticed that your cat would rather use a plant pot to urinate or defecate, rather than their litter tray? Many cats like to eliminate in soft places, and it’s not particularly uncommon for them to shun the litter tray in favour of their preferred place(s). This can extend to bedding, clothing and furniture, as well as soil. Bowen, J., (2010), ‘Neurological disease and behaviour’, Proceedings of the Southern European Veterinary Conference. Available at: www.ivis.org/proceedings/sevc/2010/lectures/eng/Bowen2.pdf Accessed 12 July 2011.

It’s super easy to put together. We tested the XL model and it took us about two minutes. The four walls are all one piece, all you need to do is unfold them. Then drop in the bottom and internal panels and put the lid on. That’s it. The trays are made from sturdy and durable materials that are designed to protect the seeds until they are well established. You can then pot them on or plant them using other products in our gardening and lawn care range. Once filled, you can place your plant tray on a sunny windowsill or greenhouse where you can easily see the progress of your seedlings and cuttings and water them whenever necessary. Ellis, J. J., McGowan, R. T. S., & Martin, F., (2017). ‘Does previous use affect litter box appeal in multi-cat households?,’ Behavioral Processes, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2017.02.008 Sometimes a cat who has been happy with the existing set up changes his mind. For example a cat that has been happy to share a litter tray with his companion cat now refuses to share. Or a cat that was happy to pee and poo in the same tray changes his mind. Do not assume that because yesterday’s set up was OK, it still is!

QUESTIONS TO ASK IF YOUR CAT STOPS USING THE LITTER TRAY

Building it is easy enough. That said, we did find the instructions a little more difficult to understand than our first offering. You can have the entrance panel at either end and the entrance hole is huge at 30.5cm high and 23.5cm wide. A small dog could get through it. Some people might say there is a major difference between open and closed litter boxes, but this isn’t necessarily true. Most cats simply want a clean place to use the bathroom…”

IS IT THE RIGHT LITTER? Offer several types of litter and see which is used. Then slowly change once the tray is being used (see above). In general cats prefer thin-grained litter to large grained (Neilson 2004). I use fine grained litter which is expensive. But it clumps well and works out not too costly because you can lift out the soiled area. NOTE. Using Feliway Classic, while appropriate for cats that are marking their territory with urine, can be counter productive if the cat is merely having trouble with its litter tray. Sometimes out of the blue a cat will stop using the litter tray or litterbox. You may notice early signs of this when your cat doesn’t dig into the litter, or goes into the tray and comes out without using it (Mills et al., 2013). Most owners just think “Oh, an accident!” and clear up. Then it happens again…. And again. Pet cats normally urinate 2-4 times a day and defecate 1-2 times a day (Overall & Dyer 2005). That’s a lot of times if it is not going into the litter tray! Persians seem particularly prone to difficulties in using a litter try (Bamberger, 2006). There are certain smells that are very off-putting to cats, and these can be used to discourage your pet from eliminating in your plant pots. Unpleasant scents that fall into this category include citrus smells such as lemon.

IS THE LOCATION RIGHT? Cats don’t like going where there is a busy thoroughfare or where there are worrying noises. Nor do they like urinating too close to food bowls or beds. A secluded place like a utility room, under stairs, broom cupboard, but away from noises either on stairs or from household appliances (Heath 2005). Don’t put the litter tray next to a noisy vibrating washing machine, for instance. Some cats may also find it worrying if the litter tray is kept near a shower or lavatory, that are used while they are using the tray (Mills et al., 2013). Cats don’t like being overlooked by cats outside – ie if the litter tray is too close to patio doors where outside cats can look in or too close to the cat flap. If you are not sure, install another tray in a different location and if the cat uses this one instead of the original tray, only then get rid of the original tray.

It comes in two pieces and is dead easy to put together. The top half clips to the bottom and and then you just need to add the plant. ACT NOW. Cats learn to feel a certain substance under their feet. For most cats this will be the litter, itself. But if (for some other reason) the cat has not been using the litter, it will start getting used to the feel of, say, carpet. And once carpet becomes the substance which triggers urination or defecation, you are in trouble.HAS YOUR CAT HAD AN UNHAPPY EXPERIENCE WHILE ON THE TRAY? Has your cat experienced ambush by a companion cat, ambush by a dog, pain, stomach pains while eliminating (from diarrhoea?), human interference while using the tray, a sudden loud noise while on the tray, pain from cystitis, recent illness of any kind, recent trip to vet for something which seems unconnected with litter tray pain but might be. If so, the cat may mistakenly decide that the tray isn’t safe any more or the tray caused the pain. Therefore, experiment with a new (yes, new- don’t be mean – you can use a baking dish if you don’t want to shell out) tray. Putting aluminum foil around the plant pot(s) can act as a strong deterrent for approaching it again in the future, especially if it is combined with an unpleasant smell as well. Encouraging Your Cat to Use the Litter Tray

DO YOU HAVE A LITTER TRAY? If you don’t, you must install one NOW. All cats, even those who usually go outdoors, need a litter tray. It’s no good expecting a cat to lead its life according to your standards. A cat that is urinating/defecating in the house may be afraid of doing it outside. So install at least one tray now.Bamberger, M. & Houpt, K. A., ‘Signalment factors, comorbidity, and trends in behavior diagnoses in cats: 736 cases (1991-2001),’ Journal of the American Veterinary and Medical Association, 22, 1602-1606. Guy, N. C., Hopson, M. & Vanderstichel, R., (2014), ‘Litterbox size preference in domestic cats (Felis catus),’ Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 9, 78-82.