Perhaps a major point of "superiority" of cats as pet companions, over dogs, is their ability to self-manage their needs to urinate and defecate, using special toilets, thus relieving owners of this...scootura! The only obligation of the owners on their part is to ensure their beloved cats the appropriate conditions for using their toilet. Cat toilets are widely available on the market, they are basically plastic, they vary in dimensions and shapes, and they are of open and closed type. Closed type toilets are advantageous in that they are now odorless and "discreet" thus providing the possibility to be placed anywhere in the house. Some of them have ventilation grills that accept special filters and thus become odorless! Still other closed type toilets are designed with a special courtyard area in front of their entrance so as to collect there small amounts of substrate (sand), which may be carried away by the kitten when leaving the toilets. However, special fabric or plastic mats can be used for this purpose, in front of any type of toilet.
The cat naturally covers its dirt with soil. The role of soil is called upon to be played by a variety of materials, the selection of which is made based on their absorbency, their deodorizing ability, their friendliness to the environment and their acceptance by cats. Such materials are simple coarse-grained sand, crystalline sand, fine-grained sand enriched with "betonite", which increases its dehydrating properties by making urine immediately form "lumps", easily manageable by the owners, as well as organic fiber materials which are much lighter and under certain conditions self-degrading even in the toilet of our house.
Cats are clean animals. Any "failure" to use their toilet is usually due to inappropriate materials or the negligence of the owners. Sometimes we must not ignore that cats also have taste and opinion and some smells or textures of substrates create disgust for them! Thus, a substrate may smell good to our nose, but at the same time repel our cat! By the same logic, changing a substrate from a fine-grained to a coarse-grained one can displease our beloved companions. Usually cats choose the type of substrate from a young age.
By providing cats with good quality litter boxes, we ensure their well-being and eliminate the possibility of unpleasant odors in the home. After all, who doesn't want to enjoy the image of a calm and happy cat lazily licking and stretching, always ready for abundant and tender...caresses!!!
Tips
We choose toilets of suitable dimensions for small kittens, so that they can use them without a problem.
Some substrates that smell good to us may be repulsed by our cats.
We choose good quality "sand" from the beginning of coexistence with our beloved companions so that they get used to it from the beginning.
We regularly monitor and change the toilet lining.
Urinating outside the toilet or using it messy can be due to health problems, usually urinary tract diseases.