Litter boxes for senior and arthritic cats

The best litter box for a senior or arthritic cat is a large, uncovered box with one very low entry the cat can walk into without jumping, filled with soft, unscented litter. Put one on every floor the cat uses. Most of the rest is detail.

The reason is arthritis. It is very common in older cats and easy to miss, because cats rarely limp. They just quietly stop doing things that hurt, and climbing into a tall box is one of them. See arthritis in senior cats for the other signs. If your cat has already stopped using the box, read the section on that below before buying anything.

What to look for in a senior cat litter box

Self-cleaning boxes often have a raised entrance or a step, and some make noise. Check the entry height before assuming one will suit an old cat.

Do-it-yourself options

A purpose-made box is not necessary. Some of the best ones are homemade.

• A storage tote with an entry cut out. Take a large plastic storage tote, leave the lid off, and cut a U-shaped doorway in one side, low to the floor. Sand or tape the cut edge so there is nothing sharp. You get a big box, high walls and a low entry in one.
• A boot tray or large shallow tray. For a cat who cannot manage any step at all. Litter and urine go over the edge more easily, so stand it on something washable.
• A puppy pad surround. Absorbent pads under and around the box, and against the wall behind it, catch near misses. Some cats who refuse litter altogether will use a pad laid in a tray.
• A ramp or low step. A short, non-slip ramp up to a box the cat already likes can be enough.

Senior cat litter: what is kind to sore paws

Most cats prefer a soft, fine-grained, unscented litter that feels like sand. For an old cat with sore joints or thin paw pads, that preference matters more.

• Avoid hard pellets, large crystals and coarse granules, which can be uncomfortable to stand on.
• Avoid scented litter and deodorizing powders. A strong smell can put a cat off the box.
• Use enough litter to dig in, but not so deep that the cat sinks and wobbles.
• Choose a low-dust litter if your cat has breathing problems.

Change litter type gradually. Offer the new litter in a second box beside the old one, or mix it in a little more each time, so the cat is never left with only something unfamiliar.

How many boxes, and where

The usual guide is one box per cat, plus one. For a senior, add a second rule: at least one box on every floor the cat uses. Stairs are a barrier for an arthritic cat, and older cats often get less warning that they need to go.

• Keep a box close to where the cat sleeps.
• Choose a quiet spot that is easy to reach, not a basement, a cupboard behind a cat flap or a space beside a noisy machine.
• Keep boxes away from food and water.
• Avoid dead ends where another pet can corner the cat.
• Make sure nothing on the route needs jumping, such as a pet gate.

How often to clean

Scoop at least once a day, and more often if the box fills quickly. Cats with kidney disease or diabetes pass a lot of urine and can soak a box in hours. Wash the box regularly with mild, unscented soap and water, and skip strong-smelling cleaners.

Scooping is also a health check. Noticeably bigger or more frequent urine clumps, very small clumps, or hard, dry or absent stool are all worth telling your vet about.

Night lights and traction

Old cats with failing sight or cognitive decline can lose their way at night. A plug-in night light near each box helps.

Put a rubber-backed mat or a piece of low-pile rug in front of the box so the cat has grip stepping in and out. Choose a soft mat rather than a ridged or spiky litter-trapping one, which can hurt sore paws. On slippery floors, a runner along the route to the box makes the trip easier.

Why an old cat stops using the litter box

When an old cat is not using the litter box anymore, treat it as a medical problem until a vet says otherwise. It is rarely spite, and it is often not purely behavior. Going outside the box can point to:

• Arthritis. It hurts to climb in or to squat.
• Kidney disease or diabetes. Far more urine than before, so the cat cannot reach the box in time or finds it already soaked.
• A urinary infection or bladder inflammation. Urgency and pain, which the cat may come to associate with the box itself.
• Constipation. Straining hurts, and stool is passed wherever the cat happens to be. See why old cats get constipated.
• Cognitive decline. The cat forgets where the box is or what it is for.

Your vet can tell these apart with an exam and urine and blood tests. A better box helps alongside treatment, not instead of it. Never punish a cat for accidents. There is more on the causes in why an old cat stops using the litter box and why an old cat pees outside the box.

If arthritis is the cause, pain relief is prescribed by your vet. Human painkillers such as ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen and aspirin can seriously harm or kill cats and must not be given unless a vet has specifically directed it.

When to call the vet today

• Straining, or repeated trips to the box with little or no urine. This is an emergency, especially in male cats, because a blocked bladder can become life-threatening quickly.
• Blood in the urine.
• Crying out in the box.
• Straining to pass stool, or no stool for a couple of days.
• Accidents together with not eating, vomiting, hiding or unusual tiredness.

Why is my old cat sleeping in the litter box?

A settled cat at home does not normally sleep in the litter box. In an old cat it can be a sign of illness or stress, and it needs a vet visit.

• A urinary problem. A cat who feels a constant urge to go may stay in or beside the box.
• Feeling ill or weak. A sick cat may look for a small enclosed space, or may not have the strength to climb back out.
• Stress or insecurity. The box smells of the cat and feels like a hiding place. This is common in shelter cats and in the first days after adopting a senior cat, and can follow conflict with another pet.
• Cognitive decline. Confusion about where to rest.

Book a vet visit promptly, and treat it as urgent if the cat is also straining, not eating or seems weak. In the meantime, put a covered bed or a cardboard box with a blanket close by, so the cat has somewhere better to hide.

Cat trees for senior cats, and the rest of the home

The same thinking applies everywhere else: lower, wider, softer, with grip.

• Steps and ramps up to the bed, the sofa and a favorite window sill. If your cat has given up high places, see why an old cat stops jumping.
• Low cat trees. Look for a wide, heavy base, platforms spaced closely like stairs or joined by a ramp, large flat perches with a raised edge, and carpet or another surface with grip. Add a horizontal or angled scratcher, since stretching up a tall post may hurt.
• Warm beds. Old joints like warmth. A self-warming bed or a low-heat pad made for pets can help, as long as the cat can move off it freely. Follow the maker's instructions, and ask your vet first if your cat is very frail or cannot move well.
• Food and water on every floor, so nothing essential is at the top of a staircase.

The senior cat guide covers the rest of everyday care for an older cat.

This article is general educational information about litter boxes and home setup for older cats, not veterinary advice. A change in litter box habits, straining, or sleeping in the box can be a sign of a medical problem and should be checked by your veterinarian rather than managed with equipment alone. Decisions about diagnosing and treating your cat, including any pain relief, should be made with your veterinarian.