- General requirements
- Cat litter: the most common types:
- Which tray is best for a cat, or "cat's house"
- Self-cleaning models
- Toilet for a cat on a stationary toilet - a myth?
- How to properly place the tray in the apartment?
- Hygiene issues
- Rules for accustoming the cat to the tray
- Why does the cat ignore the tray?
For cats is characterized by cleanliness and even some disgust. It is enough to look at the fluffy "princess", how carefully she licks her fur, not wanting to admit even the smallest spot on it. The tray into which the kitty copes its "tricks" must also be clean, and without foreign odors, otherwise - the capricious simply ignores it, choosing a secluded nook as a toilet and expressing its "fi" to the owners. Which tray is best for a cat and how to properly accustom a pet to hygiene - all the nuances of this direction in caring for an animal, we will consider in this article.
to the contents ↑General requirements
The main thing to consider when choosing a cat tray is convenience. The animal must sit down freely in it, otherwise - part of the excrement and filler will certainly be on the floor.
Important! It is also necessary to take into account that cleaning the "toilet" and changing the filler took a minimum of time. Be sure to determine the installation site, estimate the dimensions of the structure.
So, the main selection criteria are as follows:
- Price. The cost of the product should not be either ruinous or too low. You need to choose a solid and reliable "golden mean".It is highly desirable for the pet to use the tray for life, as changing the tray for an adult animal is more stressful than for a kitten.
- Size. It is important that the cat is placed in the toilet completely, and that she was comfortable there. Especially it concerns closed designs - "houses".
Important! When choosing a closed tray, be sure to rate its height. If you have a small kitten, the size of the tray should be oriented to the dimensions of the adult beast, adjusted for the breed. For example, Siamese is much more "compact" Maine Coons.
- Material of construction. It is necessary that it is strong and had a small mass. Plastic is the best option. At the same time, too light a tray that the pet, hiding "traces of a crime", has not turned over the toilet.
- Construction. A cat's toilet can be open or closed. Which tray is best for a cat - depends on the characteristics of the pet. A closed house is suitable for cats who love solitude. If the fuzzy is suffering from claustrophobia, the "cat's house" will not be the best option for him.
- Appearance. It is necessary to avoid brightly colored structures. A new tray should not have a strong "chemical" smell. This indicates a low quality of materials, and the smell can scare away the beast.
Cat's trays: the most common types:
- The simplest model, well known to all the co-owners. Plastic toilet with bows - and nothing more. This - an excellent option for teaching to the hygiene culture of kids, because climb into the tray will not be difficult even crumbs. As for adults, this is not the best option, since the cat instinctively bury its excrement.
Important! If you use a cheap filler, unpleasant "scents" can not be avoided. The advantages include low cost, easy cleaning, compactness( you can take it with you on the trip
- Tray, similar in design to the previous one, but the sides have a large height and are bent inwards, the filler from it spills out less
Important Lack -Complexities with cleaning: When turning the tray a part of the filler granules gets stuck under the edge
- Toilet plastic with mesh. Model with low sides, the smell does not hold. The mesh is very low, so the paws and tail of the animal get wet. Often, the owners simply throw out the net, because it is almost useless.
- Model with high sides and thickened edging at the edges. If you choose which tray is best for a cat - this is a very good and convenient option. The granules of the filler do not scatter, the floor near the tray remains clean.
Important! Cleaning is simplified by the fact that the rim is made removable. This allows you to use plastic bags: spread polyethylene, and from the top snap the edge. Wash the tray much less often.
- Model with mesh. The grid in these models is located at a fairly decent distance from the bottom. The feet of the animal remain dry. This tray can also be used without filler( however, a small layer for odor retention will not be superfluous).Much depends on the pet. Some of them basically do not recognize the lattice, because claws cling to it. Other animals relate to this detail quite calmly and gently use the tray.
Important! You can make a mesh design with your own hands, made of two metal or plastic cans. Insert one basin into the other. In the top, make a lot of holes. Toilet for the pet is ready.
to contents ↑Which tray is best for a cat, or "cat's house"
This option is for cats who actively bury "traces of crime", as well as for shy beasts who prefer solitude. There are many models of such "houses".
Consider the most common ones to understand which tray is best for a cat:
- A small house with the simplest construction, but has a number of useful options. The door is made of a transparent material, so you can easily check the purity of the cat's filler. The top is removable, which makes cleaning easier.
Important! The most pleasant option is a carbon air purification filter. You can completely avoid unpleasant "scents".
- "Snail".This model is very popular in the West. The toilet is produced in a variety of modifications: from a tiny "house" for kittens to solid designs, where fit and such a gigantic as Maine Coon. Advantages of this toilet are enough: steps from the textured material( they collect the pellets adhered to the animal's legs), a removable top, and the odor retention inside due to the spiral design.
Important! Minus only one, but significant: "snail" is not suitable for a close room. The design takes up quite a lot of space.
- Corner tray. This is an excellent option for a small room. This can be both a conventional and a closed container with a door made of transparent material, with a carbon filter to hold the odor and a removable top.
- Interior detail. Can a cat's toilet bowl decorate a room? It turns out, maybe. This tray is made in the form of a bedside table of two compartments. At the "entrance" is a mat made of textured material, collecting granules from the paws. Here you can store sovochek for cleaning excrement and a package with filler. The second room is the toilet itself. There is also a special slot for removing the tray. There are also designs with a removable cover made on runners or hinges.
Important! You can make a "cat's house" yourself, from an inverted plastic bucket. Choose a bucket with a lid and a control lock, turn the closed bucket upside down and at a distance of about 10 cm from the floor cut out the hole for the animal.
to content ↑Self-cleaning models
This is an option for constantly busy people who once have to monitor the cleanliness of the cat's toilet. Consider several options for this technical miracle, and you will be able to determine which tray is best for the cat:
- Toilet, equipped with a cleaning system. In the side of the structure is built in a sensor that fixes the approach of the animal. After the cat has made its "tricks", from the side of the device come out a special "rake", which collects solid waste and stuck together granules. All waste is collected in a special compartment, which must be cleaned periodically.
Important! The product is also equipped with a mat of textured material, so that the lump of the filler does not stick to the wool.
- This option is a real miracle of technology, but takes up a lot of space. This is a real stand-alone design, connected to the electrical and sewerage networks. As a filler, washable granules are used, which are thoroughly cleaned after the cat has visited the toilet. The owner only needs to periodically change the cartridges filled with detergent.
Toilet for a cat on a stationary toilet - a myth?
If you want to avoid unnecessary fuss with cat trays, there are special devices that are installed on a regular toilet. Experts recommend that the cat be taught to cultivate the way to do its business by installing the tray on the toilet first.
Important! If you install an ordinary tray, then it can fall, the cat is frightened. In this case, you can safely forget about training.
Toilet bowl includes oval tray and several rings:
- First, put the tray on the toilet without a hole, pour the filler onto the bottom. You accustom the animal to climb up.
- After the cat has learned this "science", the tray is replaced with a ring with a small diameter, then with a large one.
- Gradually, the beast will understand that it can stay on the side of the toilet, and the device can be removed completely.
The toilet problem is solved completely.
Important! This "training" device can be made independently from the plastic cover from the bucket:
- At first, the lid should simply be put on the toilet rim, previously cutting off the part that adjoins the rear wall.
- A week later, when "hiking on the tray" becomes commonplace, in the center of the lid you need to cut a hole.
- The further principle of operation is the same as with a prefabricated tray: the hole should be gradually increased.
How to properly place the tray in the apartment?
To decide which tray is best for a cat is not enough. It is important to properly place it indoors. The tray is placed in such a way as to provide easy access to the cat for it. As a rule:
- Install the structure in the toilet.
- The bathroom door is left ajar, or a special lazer is set up.
Important! You can not hide the tray in the furthest corner, because the beast needs space for a normal "solution to its problems."Cats reflexively scrub their paws in the filler, and nothing can be done about it.
to the table of contents ↑
Hygiene issues
The cleanliness and cleanliness of the toilet for the cat is a must. Cat feces are not just a source of unpleasant odor. It is a breeding ground for bacteria, they contain eggs of parasites, which can provoke disease of both human and animal. Especially it is dangerous for toddlers, weakened by illness of people, as well as pregnant and lactating women.
How to provide a full-fledged care:
- Every day, using special devices, remove the products of the cat's life.
- Change the filler and wash the tray at least 2 times a week.
- It is advisable to disinfect not only the tray itself, but also the place where it is located.
Important! Choose a detergent with a mild odor, so that an unfamiliar "scent" does not scare away the beast.
to the contents ↑Rules for accustoming a cat to a tray
Purchasing a cat's tray is half the battle. It is important not only to know which tray is best for the cat, but also to properly accustom the animal to it. The matter is complicated by the fact that cats are independent animals, forcing them to do something forcibly is useless. The easiest way is to teach the animal to the tray from childhood.
To do this, observe the following rules:
- Do not forget to watch the pet.
- It is necessary to regularly place the animal in the tray if it "looks for a place".
- Do not forget to praise your pet if it did it right.
- If it does not work, you can not raise your voice to the beast, let alone raise your hand.
Important! Of course, you can frighten the animal and, in the end, get it. But is it worth it? You will forever lose the trust and love of the pet. So it is better to show patience and wisdom.
To cultivate cultural skills to a mature animal is much more difficult. Perhaps the cat has already formed their own ideas about what a toilet is and how to properly attend it. However, patient and scrupulous training gives its fruits.
Important! If the animal stubbornly continues to go to the forbidden place, it makes sense to put the toilet there. Naturally, as far as possible.
to the contents ↑Why does the cat ignore the tray?
It happens that a cat or a cat who has never had problems with cleanliness, stop going to the proper place. The reasons for this may be several:
- Urolithiasis. One of the signs of it is frequent urination, so the cat just does not have time to reach the tray.
- Poorly washed tray. If you are too lazy how to properly disinfect it, then the fluffy purse simply ignores such a "dirty place".And of course, as a sign of protest, he will leave piles and puddles where he thinks fit.
- The toilet does not like the cat. It may not suit the shape of the product or the smell of synthetics, which comes from low-quality products.
- Not satisfied with filler. Moreover, it is almost impossible to guess here. Sometimes a thoroughbred beast with a pedigree "from the Rurikovich" quietly walks into a tattered newsprint, and the "courtyard" turns its nose away from expensive pellets. Therefore, if a cat has appeared in the house, it is desirable to try several kinds of fillers.
- Incorrectly selected installation location. Not the best option - to put the toilet in a crowded, well-passable place.
- Too high sides( this is important for kittens and elderly animals).
- Instinct of Reproduction. The desire to mark the territory( this may not necessarily be the secret of the glands, but also urine and even feces).Nature takes its own, and the pet temporarily forgets about the rules of good tone.
The obtained knowledge will help you correctly answer the question, which tray is best for the cat, and have no problems with the animal's training to cleanliness.