What Are The latest Cat Litter Tray Solutions For All Your Cat Care Needs?

Cat Litter issues are one of the most common problems cat owners have. Whether it’s the nasty smell they produce, the pure unsightliness of the tray and what’s in it, or just that your cat won’t use it properly. Everyone from time to time has to find solutions to their own particular problem.

One of my own peeves about cat litter trays is the fact that you have to have it in your home and often in plain view. As much as I love Little Mo, I really do find the sight of her, lets say, little messages, rather off putting. Especially as her tray is in the kitchen area near the back door. Luckily she doesn’t use it that often, as she tends to “go” outside. But on some occasions we get up in the morning and find litter scattered all over the floor, just what you need when you wake up.

However help now seems to be at hand. I was amazed at all the different types of cat litter trays and cat furniture now available. Things have certainly moved on in the last few years in the world of cat litter, including automatic self cleaning trays to trays that look like little houses or elegant furniture. So we thought we would share with you some of the various designs now available and also a few tips on the different types of cat litter there are, and how to get rid of any other cat urine odours etc that may occur. Whoops!

What to consider when buying a cat litter tray?

Just a few things to think about before you go ahead and buy your tray:

Is it easy to clean?
Will it be tough enough to withstand constant cleaning?
How much space does it take up and will it fit into your home?
Is it suitable for your cat? – i.e. is the opening big enough for your cat?

Think about these things carefully before you purchase anything. It is important to provide your cat with a suitable cat litter tray early on to avoid any mishaps and behavioural problems associated with it. Little Mo for instance, is afraid to go through holes, so boxes with a small opening do not suit her. We have to make sure that access to her tray is very easy and not scary at all.

Cat litter furniture

Deluxe Poop Box – If like me you don’t have a lot of space but also don’t like to look at an open litter tray, than this is a good solution. Not only is it quite compact but it looks great as well. The outside of the box is covered in soft carpeting with 4 scratching posts attached so your cat can make the box their own. The inside is designed to eliminate odours and also be easy to clean. I love this; just think no more litter kicked all over the floor in the morning, hooray!

Kitty Cottage – This is so cute and practical at the same time. It is handcrafted and painted to look like a lovely little village cottage. It is designed to cover a normal cat litter tray and has space in the roof to either store fresh litter or can be used by your cat as a little hideaway. Smells are also eliminated with a special filter, which will last upto 6 months. No one would guess that this covers your cat’s litter; you could even invite the neighbours round again.

Litter Cabinet – this litter box just blew me away. This is absolutely ideal if you live in a small apartment and you have to have your litter tray in your main living area. It looks like an elegant piece of normal furniture made out of solid pine with a choice of various stained glass fronts. Not only is it your cat’s litter tray but also it can store all your spare bulky bags of fresh litter and the disposable bags. This can quite happily sit in your main room and no one would suspect what it is used for. This has to be the ultimate in kitty litter style.

Booda Doma – Now for something in a more futuristic design. This specially designed box is big enough to accommodate all sizes of cat and because your cat climbs into it via some steps they can dig in their litter until their hearts content without spilling any on your floor. Made from plastic it is lightweight and very easy to clean.

Self-cleaning Litter boxes

I have never seen these before but think they are a great solution for those of us who find it difficult to clean litter trays ourselves or just never seem to have the time to do it as often as we would like. Three designs caught our eye, they range from the fully automatic to the semi automatic and we felt they represented the best of the self-cleaning litter trays.

Litter Robot – This is a full automatic self-cleaning cat litter tray that also provides privacy for your cats and eliminates nasty smells from escaping. It looks a little space age but because of its shape doesn’t take up as much floor space as the conventional trays do. It sifts the waste from the litter and stores it in a special box inside a conventional carrier bag, which you can simply throw away. It also saves on the amount of litter that is used and so saves you money. This is a great option for those of you who like to spend the weekend away occasionally. You can enjoy your trip knowing that your cat will have a clean and safe place to use while you are away.

Simply Clean Self Cleaning Litter box – This system rotates slowly all the time, one rotation an hour, so slowly that your cat will not even notice. The waste is scooped up and deposited into a separate box and so keeping your cat litter clean and fresh 24 hours a day. If your cat is afraid to enter an enclosed area this may be the solution for you.

Round up One Touch – This is a semi automatic system. 30 minutes after your cat has used the tray you simply press a button and the tray removes the waste into a sealed box ready for disposal. This tray can be used open or with a separate hood, depending on your cats preferences.

What types of cat litter are there?

I used to think that there was only one type of cat litter, I never really thought about what it was made of. However as you know cats are very particular about the texture and smell of their litter and some just won’t use their tray if the litter isn’t right. The most common form of cat litter is clay based, but there are types available which may suit your cat better.

Wheat Litter – This as the name suggests is made from natural processed wheat and so contains no chemicals or fragrances and is also biodegradable. It is a softer option than clay and is more comfortable for kittens and sensitive paws. It clumps well and the natural enzymes in the wheat reduce any odour.

Pine Litter – made from 100% natural ponderosa pine this litter is virtually dust free and free from silica particles. A percentage of sales of this product also go to the “Feed them right” Institute, which researches the proper way to feed your pet.

Corn litter – made from whole kernel corn. This litter clumps when first wet but then disintegrates with contact with water a second time so can be safely flushed down the toilet afterwards.

Cat Attract litter – A clay and natural herb based litter that is designed to help encourage cats to use their litter tray. It is also ideal to be used with the automatic self-cleaning boxes.

Something for those little accidents

Sometimes accidents happen and your cat may mess outside their cat litter tray. When this happen you are left with nasty cat urine odours and stains, which can be difficult to remove. The best thing to do is to use something that is specially tested and is the most effective at getting rid of these particular types of stain and odour. We all know just how pungent cat urine can be.

Nature’s Miracle Stain and odour remover – this product uses natural enzymes to remove those extreme cat urine smells and stains. It is scented with natural citrus and is non-toxic so is safe to be used around pets and children.