Many cats use their litter box for a while and then stop doing so. This could be a medical issue or a behavioral issue but most of the time it is simply down to having a dirty litter box... After all, you don't like using a dirty toilet do you? Having a dirty litter box doesn't only look bad but it smells bad as well. Below are some hints and tips for keeping your cats litter box clean and smelling great!

The obvious way to keep your cats litter tray clean is to CLEAN IT!! Clean out clumps of litter every day then once a week change the remaining litter. Make sure the area where the box is kept is well ventilated. 

Does the Type of Litter Matter?
Clumping cat litter allows for easy removal of solids and liquids which keeps the litter tray smelling fresher. Some cat litter has perfumes and other additives which help cover the smell but cats cat be repulsed by this and many vets advise against using these for various reasons.

How Do I Stop The Cats Litter Box from Smelling?
One trick you can try which is more natural than using a perfumed cat litter Is to add a little baking soda to the litter tray. When combined with clumping cat litter and regular cleaning, this can help minimise smells. You can also add an automatic air deodorizer to the room to help with the smell.

Does the Type of Box Matter?
Almost any easily cleaned plastic container can be used as a litter box but it is always a good idea to choose one that is BPA free because BPA is harmful to animals as well as humans (why is BPA bad? Click here to find out). As for size, you should try and get something that is at least twice as long as your adult cat and as wide as the cat is long. This is because cats are clean animals and don’t want to step or dig in already soiled areas. You should try to avoid covered boxes.

Are Self-Cleaning Litter Boxes Any Good?
Some cats, especially skittish and large cats, may dislike self-cleaning litter trays. But if your cat doesn't mind, it’s an option for people who are away from home for longer periods.

What are your thoughts about cat litter boxes? Let us know in the comments.

Cats are always trying to get into places they shouldn't and they love trying to squeeze themselves into tiny spaces. Its always funny to watch cats playing with boxes! Take a look at this video to see the different small boxes that this guys cat tries to fit himself into.

Does your cat try to fit into strange places? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Its Christmas time again and if you have your decorations up you might find yourself spending the next month trying to keep your cat from climbing the Christmas tree!

The advice here is not only effective for stopping your cat climbing up your Christmas tree but can also be put to use in stopping your cat from climbing other objects that you want to keep them away from.

For some reason, cats think that the Christmas tree is their place to lay and the orniments are their toys. This can be cute at first but be warned that is your cat tries to eat the toys, chew on the lighting wires or chew on tinsel (which can cut up a cats insides if swallowed) then you might require some cat first aid, so its best to stop your cat from climbing the tree altogether.


Try distracting your cat
It sounds obvious but it might work. Try enticing your cat with new toys to bring attention away from the Christmas tree.

Behaviour Modification
First of all avoid spraying your cat with water... Water and electrics dont mix so if you have lights on your Christmas tree, spraying your cat with water is not the best idea! Also, don't hit your cat, all that this will do is teach your cat not to like you and this may lead to more serious behavioural problems in the long run. Cats are pleasure driven animals so if something unpleasent happens they will avoid doing that in future.
 
Wrap foil around the base of your Christmas tree
Wrapping layers of foil around the base of the tree can act as a barrier to stop the cat from climbing since its difficult for them to get their claws into the foil. Many cats also dont like the feeling and noise that the foil makes, so this can be a very effective solution to stopping your cat from clibing not only the Christmas tree but other objects as well.

Spray something on the base
You can buy sprays that repel cats. Try purchasing sopme of that and spraying around the base. It is best to choose a more natural product as opposed to a chemical one.

Put something in the tree that cats dont like
You can hang mothballs or citrus in the tree. Cats don't like this so they can be an effective cat repllant. Hide the objects near the trunk where you wont see them and also near the bottom.

Shake something loud
Remember that if something unpleasent happens when your cat does something then your cat will avoid doing that behaviour... Try filling a metal tin with coins or something similar. Wait until your cat goes to climb the tree then shake the tin. Do this every time the cat goes to climb the tree to reinforce the behaviour.

Bribe your cat to do what you want
Reinforce positive behaviour. When your cat is in the tree get a treat and say "down". Praise your cat when he gets down and give him the treat. If he starts to climb the tree again afterwards then shake the can.

Do you have any other ideas about how to stop cats from climbing things? Let us know in the comments.

National Geographic has collaborated with the University of Georgia in order to research what cats do when owners are not around. How did they do this? By putting cameras on dozens of cats to see what they’re up to when they’re alone. It’s been done on smaller scales before but this time it was on a much larger scale.

Quoted from CBS News "Cats spent a lot of time under cars, inside of cars, inside of sewers, climbing roofs, climbing fences.I think they have intriguing lives because they do things we’d never expected them to do.”

Something that may disturb a few cat owners is this though... “A lot of cats were found cheating on their owners, in that they were spending a lot of time with other families, and were fed by other families and slept on the beds of other families.”

Looks like the cat is out of the bag as the study answers many of our curious questions and suspicions about their alone time and has also shed more likght on how cats interact with other animals when people are not around.

To read more about what your cat gets up to when roaming the streets click here. Keep your cat safe whilst allowing the freedom of your yard with a SecureaKat custom cat enclosure. 

Yes, we are problem solvers here at SecureaKat! We have posted about training cats before on our blog. Those posts talk about how to get your cat to do things you want, but how do you STOP your cat from doing things you don’t want such as digging up plants?

We pride ourselves on creating quality cat enclosures to keep cats safe in people’s yards and gardens, however, if your cat is confined to your garden they may dig in garden beds leading us to another question… How do I stop my cat from digging up my plants?!

Not all cats dig in the yard but if yours enjoys getting his paws muddy there are a number of simple and effective solutions that work well and are cat friendly.

Some people use moth balls to stop other cats digging in their garden however moth balls are toxic to cats so stay away from using them. Below, we have found a number of effective and cat safe options to stop cats from digging.

• There are a number of natural things that cats don’t like to be around. Herbs such as rue, lavender, lemon-thyme, absinthe and geranium are good for keeping cats away.
• German Gardener Dieter Stegmaier has created a hybrid plant called ‘Coleus Canin’. This is a hardy plant which blooms with blue flowers in the summer. It smells good to humans but will keep cats far away. It can be ordered online from various outlets.
• Another option is good for tea drinkers. If you empty used tea leaves into your garden not only will they keep cats away but will help fertilize your plants as well since tea contains natural nutrients and antioxidants which your garden will love! 
• You could get mixing in the kitchen… Try 2 parts cayenne pepper, 3 parts dry mustard and 5 parts flour. Mix this together and sprinkle over the areas you want your cat to avoid.
• If you don’t want to add anything into your soil you can try putting large stones over your garden beds. This option isn’t as effective for all cats because if the cat is determined it will remove them but this is a good option for most cats and works effectively inside as well.
  

Have you tried any other methods that have worked? Tell us about it in the comments.