OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – I recently ran across a blog talking about advice to pet owners and the question was posed regarding what info would have been great to have sooner… to set you up for success. For kitty owners, hands down, it was advice on food and litter box setup.
Here’s the bottom line. To set up a healthy, stress-free environment for your cat, keep your cat’s litter box, food and even water completely separate. The reasoning makes sense when you think about it. Cats are fastidious and spend hours cleaning and grooming. Do you really think your cat is going to want to potty where it eats and drinks? In fact, cats instinctively avoid eliminating near their eating areas. Our kennels are meant for short-term use, but still there is a different space for eating and eliminating.
So for food and water setup, place food and water bowls in a quiet, low-traffic area, far away from the litter box, where kitty doesn’t have to keep one eye out at all times. Avoid the “whisker fatigue” factor. Use wide, shallow bowls or saucers for food so your cat’s sensitive whiskers don’t brush against the sides. Water placement: Opinions are mixed on whether water should be right next to the food or in a different room, with some cat owners preferring a few separate hydration stations. However, cats generally prefer moving water over still water, so a fountain, or at least daily fresh water, is a great choice to encourage healthy drinking habits…