as a day job, i conduct virtual adoption interviews for the NYC cat cafe Meow Parlour. the other night, i got to sit in on a zoom workshop with cat behavior specialist Beth Adelman.

topics ranged from how to discourage nipping to the efficacy of time-outs, but my favorite topic was (and always will be) —

THE IDEAL LITTER BOX:

big. Beth suggested something akin to those long, shallow under-the-bed storage bins.
uncovered. despite how trendy and aesthetically-pleasing contained litter box units are right now (and how helpful they can be in odor-control), covered boxes might contribute to a cat feeling trapped.
filled with soft-grain litter. basically, litter that mimics what they would use in the wild (soft dirt or sand). not necessarily those eco-friendly pellets, unfortunately.
scooped twice a day. because if given a choice between a rancid, visibly ‘used’ port-a-potty and a clean, quiet, private spot in the woods, which would you choose? (now, just swap in ‘a dirty litter box’ and ‘the soft patch of carpet behind the sofa.’)
located in a low foot-traffic area. cats are vulnerable when using the bathroom. a quiet corner can be a great spot for the box because it offers both the safety of walls and the option of escape.

obviously, your cat’s mileage may vary. but according to the research, this is what resonates with feline behavior. helpful guidelines to remember, especially when a cat is having litter box issues in a new home.