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Choosing the Best Litter Box Attractant for Cats – A Guide for Pet Owners

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Litter box attractant for cats is used to lure your kitty to the litter box.

Cat litter attractant is added to your usual cat litter. Cat litter attractant is sprinkled on the top of the litter that you are already using.

Use cat litter attractant if your cat has litter box avoidance.

Litter box avoidance can occur because of many different issues but the one thing in common with all issues, is that it is hard to lure the cat back to using the litter box in a normal way.

Cat litter attractant will entice your cat back to the litter box.

The Difference Between Cat Litter Attractant and Cat Attract Litter
1.Fresh Step Litter Box Attractant Powder
2.Doctor Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Litter Attractant
Best Cat Litter Attractant
Homemade Cat Litter Attractant Recipe
Checklist – Discover Why Cats Avoid The Litter Box
How Quickly Does Cat Attractant Work?
Cats Moving House

The last thing you want to find, is a little surprise (poop or pee) that is not actually in the litter box. When it happens day after day, night after night and you have tried everything, it really is frustrating.

A litter box attractant could be a simple solution to this problem.

Cat litter box attractant is a powder that is sprinkled over the top of the usual litter. Sprinkle a generous amount over the litter and give a quick mix. The litter scoop will probably be nearby and is useful for this quick mixing purpose.

cat near a litter box

The Difference Between Litter Box Attractant For Cats And Cat Attract Litter

Cat Litter Box Attractant is a powder that is sprinkled on to the top of your usual litter.

Cat Attract Litter is when the litter itself has an attractant component.

If you are trying to decide between these two products it would be much easier to begin with litter box attractant for cats as it is a simple matter of sprinkling the attractant on top of the litter you are currently using.

If the big guns need to come out then cat attract litter would be the next step.

Funny vector  Cat not using litter box, using a trash can instead.

Two Different Cat Litter Attractants

We have reviewed the two different types of cat litter attractant that are on the market. These two products have both been available for some years now. We have identified the pros and cons, the ingredients and any other information that will help you decide which one is going to be the best for you to try.

1. Fresh Step Litter Box Attractant Powder 

Fresh Step Litter Box Attractant Powder

Pros

Using cat attract powder turns any litter into cat attract litter.

Gives your cat help to know where he should go.

Particularly good if there have been litter box problems.

Made in USA.

Can be used on any age kitten or cat.

Made without perfumes, chemicals or deodorants.

Cons

Works for many cats but not all. Does not have a 100% success rate.

Don’t assume that litter box avoidance is a only a behavioural issue that can be fixed, as any medical issues need to be addressed first.

Specifications

The ingredients are Timothy, Alfalfa Flower, Alfalfa Meal, Soya Oil with mixed tocopherols and Rosemary extract, Yucca Schidigera Plant Extract.

Cat Litter attractant is an inexpensive product and may just be a more economical and easier option than changing the type of litter used.

2. Doctor Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Litter Attractant

a litter attractant to encourage the cat to use the litter box
Cat Litter Attractant

Cat Litter Attractant is added to litter. It can be used with any non scented clumping litter or clay litter.

There are some litters to avoid – see the Specifications. One reason some litters are avoided is because of the perfume the litter may already have. It will interfere with the odor control of the cat attract.

Doctor Elsey’s litter attractant is in powder form and is sprinkled onto the top of the litter, just like sprinkling any powder product. An easy fix and definitely worth trying.

The 20 oz pack of litter additive will treat 100 lbs of litter.

The product is all natural, however the exact ingredients are not stated. The ingredients stated are mixed herbs.

When more litter is added to the box, sprinkle some more attractant.

It may be used with an automatic litter system.

It may not be effective with non-clumping, paper, wheat, corn, pine, perfumes. cedar ot other litters containing baking soda or other deodorizers as they may mask the smell of the attractant.

From the product packaging – Doctor Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Litter Attractant

Note: The attractant can be used with the litter that you normally use as long as it isn’t one of the litters listed above. The reason for this is that the scent, natural or otherwise from the listed litters will interfere with the attractant working effectively.

This attractant is for the cat that decides that the litter box is no longer the place to poop or pee and chooses another location such as the living room carpet, the dining room carpet or some other undesirable location.

Pros

An easy method to get the cat to use the litter box.

Can be used multiple times.

Cons

This method may not necessarily work for your cat.

The exact ingredients are not stated.

Specifications

Do not use with paper, wheat, corn, pine, perfumed, cedar, or litters containing baking soda or other deodorizers.

Annoyingly for us, cats will pee and poop in the strangest places and it is not always in the litter box. See the checklist below to help determine the cause of the litter box avoidance.

This can happen to any cat even if they have had an unblemished record regarding litter box use, for example a cat that is now a senior cat may start ignoring the litter box.

Avoiding the litter box can be a medical condition and/or behavioral problem.

If you have already ruled out medical and your pet detective skills are waning it is worth trying a cat litter box attractant.

Best Cat Litter Attractant

So if your cat is not peeing in the litter box or your cat is not pooping in the litter box, this is an easy solution. It gets very good results, it is economical and does not require any major changes to the current routine.

This litter additive can be used safely long term.

Homemade Cat Litter Attractant Recipe

Creating a homemade cat litter box attractant can help encourage your cat to use the litter box consistently.

Ingredients:

  1. Small spray bottle
  2. Distilled water
  3. Catnip (dried or fresh)
  4. Lavender essential oil (optional)
  5. Small funnel (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Spray Bottle – Clean and dry a small spray bottle. Make sure it’s free from any residue of previous liquids.
  2. Catnip Infusion – Many cats love catnip so is can be a natural attractant. You can use dried or fresh catnip for this purpose. If you’re using dried catnip, crush it slightly to release its aroma. Fill the spray bottle about halfway with distilled water.
  3. Add Catnip – Add a small amount of dried or fresh catnip to the water in the bottle. Start with a small quantity and adjust to your cat’s preferences. Too much catnip might be overwhelming.
  4. Optional Lavender Essential Oil – If you have lavender essential oil, you can add a drop or two to the mixture. Lavender has a pleasant scent and may help to relax your cat.
  5. Shake and Infuse – Close the spray bottle and shake it well to mix the ingredients. Let the mixture sit for a few hours or overnight to allow the catnip to infuse into the water.
  6. Test and Use – Before applying the attractant, make sure your cat’s litter box is clean and the litter is fresh. Spray a small amount of the attractant inside the litter box. Avoid spraying it directly on your cat or any other surfaces.
  7. Observation – Observe your cat’s behavior. If your cat responds positively to the attractant, you can continue to use it periodically to reinforce good litter box habits.
litter-box attractant for cats

Checklist – Discover Why Cats Avoid The Litter Box

Have More Than One Cat?

Cat litter box avoidance can occur when there is more than one cat competing to use the litter box. Some cats prefer solitude when doing their business and competing with other cats for the litter box is stressful.

A Medical Issue?

It could be a medical issue. Make an appointment to visit the vet. Eliminating any medical issues will give you peace of mind.

Sometimes, even after a medical problem or issue has been dealt with, the stress of dealing with pain from previous attempts at using the litter box might mean that a behavioral problem now exists.

Have You Changed The Litter?

Have you changed the brand/type of litter? This would be a fairly obvious issue. Often the associated problem is difficult to fix.

If you are transitioning to a different litter just try sprinkling some of the new litter on top of the old litter. As kitty gets used to the smaller amounts of the new litter you can gradually transition to replacing old with new.

Has The Cat’s Routine Changed?

Has the routine changed? Is there a new cat or a new litter box or is the box in a different location?

Is Your Cat declawed?

Is your cat declawed? If you have a declawed cat, litter box avoidance is common.

Litter box avoidance is one of the main reasons that these cats are often abandoned and taken to shelters. You can help a declawed cat feel comfortable using kitty litter suited to declawed cats.

Is The Litter Box Clean?

Is the cat’s litter box sparkling clean? Cats will avoid a litter box that is less than stellar as they are such clean animals. Looking after the litter box and keeping it clean is all part of being a cat owner.

Develop a routine that works for you. This article describes in detail, how to look after a litter box.

use cat litter box attractant for cats

It would be wise to rule out any medical conditions such urinary problems such as a UTI, however, in addition to a medical issue it could also be behavioral, which even if solved can sometimes result in the cat forming a habit of pooping outside the litter box.

We form habits that can be hard to break too, so we can’t be too hard on kitty.

There are in fact a myriad of issues why a cat would avoid a litter box however cat litter attractant is an excellent way of solving a seemingly impossible problem. Cat abandonment because of litter box avoidance is common in problem cats. Poor kitty!

The solution may be easier than first thought.

How Quickly Does Cat Attractant Work?

Be prepared to be patient when waiting to see how quickly cat ultra litter attractant works. Most cats react to the litter attractant immediately but cats being cats there are always some who may be slower to react.

A little bit of patience now will result in big rewards when the problem is solved so it is definitely worthwhile persevering.

Ideally use the litter additive with unscented litter as the product has its own earthy smell to attract cats and the two scents may be sensory overload. Read here to see how to make the choice between scented or unscented litter.

One thing that is worth checking, is the location of the litter box (the one that the cat is avoiding) and identifying if there are scents nearby that may potentially put your cat off from wanting to use the box.

Cats Moving House

Cat litter box attractant will help to make kitties transition to a new location much easier. Moving house can be stressful for cats.

Have some litter attractant ready to go before actual moving day so that it is not something you have to think about on the day.

Remember that not all cats respond the same way to litter attractants, so it might take some experimentation to find what works best for your feline friend.

Maintaining a clean litter box and using the right type of litter are essential for encouraging consistent litter box use.

If your cat continues to have litter box issues, it’s a good idea to consult with a veterinarian to rule out any underlying health problems.

As we know, cats decide what they want to do and when they want to do it but heck, with all of our evolutionary powers we must have some control over a cat. Yes? No? Maybe?

vector - two cats reading the paper

What is the dried herb smell in the litter? I don’t mind it! What about you dear?

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