1. Keep it clean! Cats love a clean litter box. All cat owners have had the experience repeatedly, of cleaning the litter box and having their cat or cats dive right in and christen it as soon as possible, destroying the cleaning efforts even before the new litter has settled in the box. There is a very apparent reason for this. A cats nose is very sensitive and located much closer to the litter box than a person’s nose to a human toilet. A clean litter box appeals the same way a clean toilet does to a human. So go scoop, or if that is not possible, consider an automatic cat box that will scoop without waiting.
2. Use familiar litter. Cats are creatures of habit and are less stressed when they are in familiar surroundings, with a toilet routine they are comfortable with and can rely on. Using the same litter if possible, that smells the same, has the same paw feel, and looks the same, all reassure a cat that the litterbox is where it’s at, for depositing when necessary.
3. Provide enough room. Cats vary in weight, and length, of body and tail and leg. A litter box that is long enough to turn in, and fit inside comfortably, helps ensure all peeing and pooping lands inside the box, not outside. Due consideration to the long-tailed cats is needed as extra tail space for more fastidious cats prevents mishaps and potential tail painting from an unpleasant palette being applied about the house.
4. Privacy Purrlease! Whilst cats are renowned for invading owners privacy, especially when humans are toileting, it does not necessarily mean they appreciate an audience when they themselves are depositing. Locate the litter tray away from noisy or frequently trafficked areas, so a cat can poop, and perhaps consider world domination, in peace.
5. Share with care! Some cats are happy to share a used litter tray, but the recommendation is 1 manual litter tray per cat, plus 1 extra, to keep cats catered for. Testing with fewer trays may allow for a lesser number of manual trays, but accidents can be disastrous, and a lot of cats prefer a clean tray and first use, not second or third in line in an uncleaned litter box. There is also the issue of paws being laid on earlier deposits, which is not pleasant for cat or household. If floor space and sharing a used litter box is an issue, then an automatic litter box that scoops and provides a clean litter bed after each use, is a modern solution to the problem, especially in multiple cat households.