[mainecoonmama]

Just wanted some opinions here. I have three minions. When I adopted Kieran, Archibald and Winston had been sharing a box. Not by my choosing but because While I had provided one for each, Winston immediately began using the one Archibald used and after months of having a full clean un-touched box I got rid of it. Then came Kieran, and again I provided another box. When he was in his 'safe room' he of course used it, and when we swapped out the other two used it too. Now that everyone is friendly theres no need for the safe room ( according to Kieran it was kitten jail anyways) I have the same unused fresh pristine box of litter just chilling. I am planning to get rid of it if after the next month it remains untouched. Opinions? Also, are my cats weirdos? Ive never seen cats share willingly when there are other fresh boxes available.

 

[jadis]

If it's working then I'd go with it. Maybe keep the second one around a while just to be sure. My three would never share one box, Tigerlily is a clean freak and basically has her own box. The others have access to it but choose to use the one downstairs. I actually just brought in an uncovered box when I got my fosters and they all are now seeming to prefer it.....I do have 5 with three boxes right now though and it's working, but I'm prepared to bring in a fourth, I'm waiting to see.

 

[spirite]

I had a brand spanking new litter box with clean litter in it for about 2 months before I gave up. I had bought it as a replacement for a box that must be 12 years old. I wash it with mild detergent (Palmolive) about once a month, but at this point, there's a certain amount of staining and odor that just won't go away. The new one sat there for a week and my girls would not use it. Sniffed inside every now and then but preferred to share just the one box. So I put it in a different room as a third box, just in case. Now it's just a brand spanking new, but empty, litterbox.

 

[cinderflower]

i had one cat for seven years, then another came along so i got another box but they only used the one so i got rid of it. then one died but i got another one and i think i bought another box at the time, i can't remember exactly when i did. i added a third but it was never used. i actually had four at one time but one was just a cheap emergency one and i threw it away.

if they share without a problem, i think it's fine. my three might even share one, but i don't know how i feel about potentially creating a problem where i have none so i'll just stick to two.

 

[kty78]

I have two cats, two litterboxes side by side. They use them both. One gets pooped in more than the other. I got both kittens when they were 5 months old, they were littermates and used to sharing one litter box, but the box was getting too small for the bigger male cat, so I bought a larger version of the same box. Put them next to each other to get them used to the new one, they took to it right away and kept using the old one as well. I just never felt a need to move one to another location so they still sit side by side by the back door. No issues with anyone going potty anywhere other than the litter box. Even poor Miley who just came back from being MIA for a week, is right back to using the litter box... which is currently in the laundry room with her until we are certain she didn't pick up any diseases while she was gone.

 

[silly]

I have two litterboxes for my two cats, and they share them both. One seems to be the poop box and one seems to be the pee box. I think cats are going to decide for themselves how they work the litterbox thing.

 

[Mitts & Tess]

Ive never gone along with a litter box + 1 theory. Do what ever works for your cats. The best thing you can do is to keep it scooped constantly to prevent going outside the box.

 

[yingying]

I have two cats and one litterbox. I use to have two smaller ones, but my cats always want to use the same litterbox (could be either one, depends on which one the first cat got into). They would rather wait in line than going to the other box. So I replaced the two boxes with a larger one. And everyone in my home is happy. My cats have no problem sharing it. They sometimes even get in together :lol:

 

[binkyhoo]

i had 2 cats and one big litterbox for a long time, it worked fine. Then I had to buy a new litter box and could not find a jumbo sized so I got 2 mediums. As it worked out they would pee in one and poo in the other. They do have their own agendas about certian things.

 

[dweamgoil]

I have 4 litterboxes for 4 cats. We used to have 3 and that was fine for a while, but once Sasha matured, he demanded his own. You are lucky that they willingly share...don't look at a gifted horse in the mouth

 

[marie73]

Ive never gone along with a litter box + 1 theory. Do what ever works for your cats. The best thing you can do is to keep it scooped constantly to prevent going outside the box.

Exactly.

I have 3 cats and I just went from 2 litter boxes to 1. It's WONDERFUL to not have the second litter box, mostly because of its location.

 

[Calisphere]

Three cats here and 3-4 litter boxes depending on the week. My cats all love the biggest box which is a Steralite container turned into box. The strange thing is that they will go to each box, dig around in it, possible drop a number 1 or number 2, then go to the next box until all boxes have been visited. It's amazing that all three of the cats do this. It's not as if each has different litter or anything.

 

[jadis]

Yeah I just saw Tigerlily tonight go pee in one box and then hop in the one right next to it and poo. Funny little cat.

 

[scottd]

I just have 1 box and 1 cat.

We have 4 boxes at the animal shelter for usually 15-25 cats. We had another box but it disappeared and I couldn't find it when I changed the litter. The 4 boxes work okay. I don't know if they just don't care or would rather potty in a box than the floor.

 

[love.my.cats]

As many others have said, just go with whatever works for your cats. I have 3 cats and two litter trays. One tray gets used a lot and the other hardly ever. The second box used to get used for poo a fair bit, while the other was mostly wee but now, the second only gets used once every couple of days.

 

[mainecoonmama]

I have 4 litterboxes for 4 cats. We used to have 3 and that was fine for a while, but once Sasha matured, he demanded his own. You are lucky that they willingly share...don't look at a gifted horse in the mouth

I say this about my boys all the time, and not just about the box. We really did luck out with these three. Ill leave the unused box a little longer. Though it has now gone days unused. Maybe around the end of September I will remove it and see what happens Glad Im not the only one who doesn't see the need for 4 litter boxes. At that point im sure they would just think I was crazy.

 

[LaurulFeatherCat]

I have 11 cats and six litter pans; three downstairs in the catroom, one in the upstairs bathroom and one in my bedroom and one in the spare bedroom. Most of them use the downstairs boxes and ignore the upstairs ones unless they are sleeping with me in the bedroom; then they will use that box. The box in the bathroom is the convenience box, apparently, and any cat that follows me into the bathroom and figures out I am eliminating, will eliminate in the bathroom box; I guess in sympathy. (HA!) The multiple boxes have cut down on inappropriate elimination behavior greatly and seem to be the best arrangement I have yet found for managing such a large number of cats.

Also, the cats tend to use one pan exclusively for pee and the other two exclusively for solid waste. Go figure!