Kitty Litter Mess All Over the Floor: How to Stop a Cat From Doing It

Imagine all the lights are out in the house. You head to the bathroom and just when you are about to finish, someone bangs on your front door. You're startled, jump up and make a run for it. Max does the same thing if his potty area is in a noisy area that seems scary to him. Just when he's about to finish, the washer spin cycle starts, startles him and he races out of his litter box, leaving a trail of litter behind. If you keep his box in a high-traffic or noisy area, move it to a quiet corner of your spare bedroom instead. He'll have adequate time to relieve himself and clean up after himself, rather than scrambling to away from his toilet.

Some types of litter have more "tracking" than others. This means the litter is more likely to stick to your furry friend's paws when he exits the litter pan. Opt for a variety that is labeled "low-tracking" or "no-track formula." These types of litters are specifically designed to resist excessive clinging to your cat's paws. While you can't eliminate tracking all together, switching to a different variety can minimize the litter mess around his potty. Additionally, placing a large rug or cat litter mat under his box helps catch some of the stuck-on litter that he would otherwise drag throughout your house.

If his litter pan is too small or if the sides are too short, he'll be more likely to spill some of the litter over the sides. Get him a covered box instead. This way if he tends to toss his litter over the edges, it will bounce right back into the box. However, some kitties feel trapped inside covered boxes and wind up finding other places to eliminate. If your fuzzy friend doesn't like the covered litter box, get him a large box with tall sides or simply take the lid off the covered one. As long as he has adequate space to dig, turn around and move, you won't have as much litter spillage.

Keeping Max's litter box clean is essential to keep him happy and might help prevent litter messes. Dirty litter -- or a dirty pan -- are unpleasant for his sensitive nose. He'll want to quickly get in and out, possibly tossing around a lot of litter in the process. Additionally, he might even wind up having accidents outside of his box. Scoop his litter several times a day or, if you use non-clumping litter, toss it twice a week. The number of times you clean out his litter box varies depending on how many felines are in your household. However, keep in mind that he shouldn't have to dig through his business from two days ago. You'll also need to scrub the box thoroughly with a mild detergent. Plastic pans absorb urine smells and, although the litter is clean, the box might smell dirty to Max.