# Keeping litter in the box/box area



## Delraypete (Jul 29, 2009)

Does anyone have any tips or tricks to keeping the kitty litter in the kitty box (or in whatever you use to keep it in the kitty litter area)? 

We have ours in a closet with 2 'kitty litter mats' and there is still constantly kitty litter scattered on our floors. We have all tile floors so it's beginning to get annoying. The cats aren't flinging it out or anything - just from normal use. 

I'm thinking about putting it in our spare bathtub, I'd just prefer to avoid having the wonderful smell filling that room and flowing out into the hallway.


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## Delraypete (Jul 29, 2009)

It's pretty smelly, but that's not the issue. The bigger problem is with the tracking. 

They're still kittens (9mths) and we're hoping that (and kitten food) has something to do with it. Plus they tend not to cover their #2's. 

There is no way we're going to scoop twice a day. Not happening. Sorry. :wink:


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## Lacie (Sep 12, 2009)

Not sure why you wouldn't want to scoop twice a day (I do it in the morning and evening along with right after #2's if I'm home) as that will help a lot in getting rid of the smell.

As for tracking litter, I can't offer any advice there. My litterbox area is surrounded with stray litter that I brush up with a dustpan and dispose of once a week. I think it is due to my kitten jumping out of the box, which is the simple uncovered pan style. Furious digging is also a factor. If a non-tracking litter exists, I don't know of it!


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## Tortietudelove (Nov 24, 2009)

Delraypete said:


> There is no way we're going to scoop twice a day. Not happening. Sorry. :wink:


I was wondering the same thing as Lacie...why is scooping twice a day "Not happening"? We have 6 cats and even with a litter box for everyone, our boxes get scooped twice a day. By doing this, litter isn't sticking to their feet as much and isn't being tracked. Ours are different ages: Siana (7-8wks), Malyka (15-16wks), Isabella (16wks), Tatonga (1yr), Teya (2yrs), and Sara (6yrs). Not everyone covers theirs very good, either. I can not stand nastiness, smelliness, or clutter, so I would definitely notice litter being tracked out, and I'm not having an issue by keeping the boxes scooped out. You said that the boxes smell. Yes, I saw that you said this wasn't the issue, but this should be addressed. If they're 9 months old, I'm assuming they have been fully checked by the vet, so there is no chance of any kind of health problem going on, right? Also, you didn't mention if the stool is firm or runny. If it's runny, they could be stepping in it and therefore more litter would stick to their paws, leading to more on the floor. I've found over the years of having a multiple cat home, the litter can be a big culprit on what ends up on the floor as well. If it's the cheap dollar store brands, they tend to not do anything for smell and the tracking is horrible. I'm not saying that the most expensive is the best by any means, but you might want to look at what kind of litter you are using and try other kinds that may work better, such as the less tracking litter type. Just some suggestions.


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## Jack&Harley (Nov 2, 2008)

I use special kitty clumping from walmart and currently my boxes are in my dining room on real hardwood floors. There is some tracking but I usually just take the broom to it twice a week. Nothing major. I scoop daily. I also have long hair cats, but of the three two eat raw, so the trips to the box are minimal.

Leslie


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## Mikayla (Aug 14, 2009)

I find that using a Rubbermaid bin that's deeper then a regular litterbox helps a lot with keeping more of the litter off the floors.


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## Heather102180 (Nov 19, 2003)

My litter boxes used to be in the laundry room right off all the hardwood floors. The litter tracked more off my bigger cat. It's like he purposely shoveled it out, lol. The only suggestion I have is sweep everyday...


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I have 8 cats and have had as many as a dozen _AND even more when I foster litters of kittens to raise and socialize for adoption_. I only scoop once a day. I will use 1 litterbox in the bathroom (tub) for the foster kittens, 1 jumbo litterbox in the Master bedroom for kitties who sleep in the MBR behind a closed door and a home-made "LitterChest" in the office that is 2'x2'x4' and looks like a Hope Chest with a cat-flap in the front/center. 

I have found, with kitties who don't cover their poo, after the poo dries on the outside it stops smelling OR if I smell it, look in the L-box and kick a little litter over the offending fresh-poo, it stops smelling until evening scoop-time.

*As for tracking litter out of the box ... it is simply going to be a FACT of using litter with pieces small enough to get trapped between the kitties furry toes and it *will* be more noticeable on hard floors vs carpeting.* I keep a small whisk broom/pan near each L-box for a quick and easy sweep. Also, I just got a battery powered (chargeable) sweeper called a 'Shark' that works great at picking up kitchen crumbs AND loose bits of litter that make their way to the wood floor in the hallway.

Shark:


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

See the pix I just posted in another thread for ideas:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=63879


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