One common allergen could be hiding in the cat’s litter box. Dust in traditional clumping litters can irritate a cat’s respiratory tract, causing it to sneeze, wheeze and cough after using the litter box. For cats that have already been diagnosed with feline asthma, it’s crucial to remove this potential irritant.

Feline asthma is a chronic inflammatory respiratory disease. According to the American Animal Hospital Association, “Cats get the same airway spasms or smooth muscle contractions that lead to acute constriction of breathing as people do. The aerosolized dust of traditional cat litter when breathed in can initiate symptoms in an already asthmatic cat.”

As a result, an increasing number of consumers are turning to clay-free alternative litters, such as Swheat Scoop Natural Wheat Litter.

Swheat Scoop is a unique clumping litter that’s made from 100 percent naturally processed wheat. Because it does not contain clay, chemicals or fragrances and doesn’t raise a cloud of dust when poured, it’s good for cats that have sensitive respiratory systems.

This litter’s natural wheat enzymes work continuously to eliminate, rather than mask, litter box odors and its wheat starches form firm clumps that can be easily flushed down the toilet without harming sewer or septic systems. All of these features make Swheat Scoop the natural choice for cat owners with concerns about their cat’s respiratory health.

Swheat Scoop is available at Petco, PETsMART, Target, Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and other fine grocery, neighborhood pet and natural food stores.

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Choosing the perfect cat box can be beneficial to both your cats health as well as the owners. The important thing is that the cat box must be appealing to the cat and comfortable for use. Rest assured, the cat’s satisfaction also guarantees success.

In finding the perfect cat box, here are some things that must be considered:

Size and Depth:

This maybe determined by the number of cats there are in the home. However, it is ideal if the number of cats in the home determines the number of cat boxes available rather than the size. For kittens, shallow cat boxes, no more than three inches deep are advisable. For adult cats on the other hand, those about six inches high are desirable. The prescribed area of the litter box is at least 24 inches in length or width.

Material of the Box:

Heavy and durable plastic is the most advisable material for a cat box and is also the most inexpensive variety in stores. Plus with their simplicity in style, cleaning can prove to be a breeze.

Ease of Cleaning:

Basic flat boxes are easy to clean because of their simple design. There is no need to remove any lids or covers to scoop or clean. However, some cats frequently kick litter out of the box so if you choose this option, you had better have a whisk broom and a dust pan always at hand.

Covered boxes usually minimize the trouble of having cat litter and waste scattered outside the box since they have hoods which keep all the litter inside. Covered boxes also tend to become stinky due to poor ventilation.

There are also those self-cleaning cat boxes available in the market. The self-cleaning feature of these boxes keep the cat box neat and tidy, but they also require some cleaning from the owner. Every few days the receptacle must be emptied of urine and feces and sometimes the rake does not get every bit of cat waste so there may be an occasional need for scooping them out.

Style and Features:

There is a wide variety of designs, styles and features for cat litter boxes. The owner may have to choose which one will be most convenient for him and his cat.. Below are listed some basic designs for cat litter boxes:

-Basic flat box. This is the simple rectangular pan which is commonly made of plastic. They come in different depths, sizes and colors. This design is preferred by most cats. An innovation to this design whose is to hold the cat box liners in place by securing them under the rim.

-Covered cat boxes or hooded litter boxes. These cat litter boxes look like the traditional open-type rectangular pans except for the addition of the hood which partly covers the box. An opening is situated at one end of the box which serves as the entrance and exit way for the cat. The hood is also positioned high enough so that the cat can stand and do its job with ease and comfort. While they provide “privacy” for the pet, they tend to get very smelly because of poor ventilation inside. Manufacturers of this type of cat boxes have offered a solution to this problem. Some variants of the hooded type have vents on top plus a filter which aids in trapping odors. For this type of cat box, it is recommended that you choose one that is large enough to accommodate the pet, has a hood which can be easily maneuvered for easy cleaning, and large vents.

-Designer boxes. Also known as “hidden boxes”, this type of litter box disguises itself as a furniture piece or even a plant. A designer litter box not only serves to be the cat’s convenient toilet but it can also function as an accent for the room in which it is located. Although the containers are commonly not large enough, there are designs which are big and more open. These are the ones which are more ideal for use. Try to find one which provides good ventilation.

-Sifting Boxes. A few other variants of this type are available in the market but the basic model consists of two rectangular pans and a tray which acts as a sifter.

-Self-cleaning box. These electrical-powered high-end litter boxes work with a sensor which activates the self-cleaning machinery a few minutes after the cat has left the box. The cleaning machinery contains a rake which works its way along the litter to scoop out cat pee and poop into a waste receptacle. There is still the need to occasionally clean the unit, especially the cleaning mechanism itself.

Cost:

The basic flat box is the most affordable of all the designs mentioned. The self-cleaning box is obviously the most expensive and their guarantee commonly lasts for only one year. This can be a risk which the owner must consider before actually buying a unit.

Appealing to the Cat:

Cats generally do fine with the open box type. Covered boxes offer the “privacy” which some cats like but some cats feel trapped inside them. Owners of designer boxes may find it attractive to put them in places where they will be most appreciated. However, they must be sensitive to the fact that cats most often opt to do their business in a place which is quiet and safe. As for the automated self-cleaning cat litter boxes, some finicky cats may find them comfy since they are clean and spacious. However, they may get psyched out by the mechanical action if they chance to see it actually happen. They might be afraid of using the unit again.

Finding the perfect cat litter box may be a hard task and may require experimentation on the part of the owner. If the owner tries out a box which his pet really does not like, he should not insist on the cat using it. Though this experimentation may become tedious, it can be necessary to find the perfect box for your cat. Providing the cat its preferred litter box can bring good health and satisfaction to both owner and pet, and the carpet as well! We hope that you finished reading this article having learned at least a little bit of new information. If so, then we have done our job.

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D. Fox
TBD: Did you know that cats are regarded by many biologists as the most highly developed carnivores?

2. Do you know how many breeds of domestic cat there are?
A. 20
B. 40
C. 60
D. 80

B. 40
TBD: There are about 40 varieties, or breeds, of domestic cats recognized internationally.

3. Cats became objects of worship in Egypt for what reason?
A. The dog was already worshipped by the Assyrians.
B. Egyptians worshipped the sun and recognized the cat’s affinity for the sun.
C. Their ability to keep down the rodent population in Eygpt’s economically-important grain fields along the Nile.
D. Their grace and beauty.

C. Their ability to keep down the rodent population in Eygpt’s economically-important grain fields along the Nile.
TBD: A very practical notion.

4. What is the collective name for a group of cats?
A. Sleuth
B. Murder
C. Gang
D. Clowder

D. Clowder
TBD: The other answers are collective names as well. You have a sleuth of bears, a murder of crows, and a gang of elks.

5. Cats are indigenous to all continents except which two?
A. Antarctica and Australia
B. Eurasia and South America
C. Antarctica and North America
D. Australia and Eurasia

A. Antarctica and Australia
TBD: This was new to us, too!

6. Who or what was Bastet?
A. The first domestic cat.
B. Egyptian cat goddess with the body of a woman and the head of a cat.
C. Egyptian goddess of war who was assisted by a magical cat.
D. The Egyptian pharaoh who declared that cats were sacred.

B. Egyptian cat goddess with the body of a woman and the head of a cat.
TBD: She was the goddess of love and fertility.

7. All cats are digitigrade which means they walk on their toes with the back part of the foot raised. Which cats do NOT have claws that are completely retractile?
A. Geoffrey’s Cat
B. Cheetah
C. Jaguar
D. Little spotted cat

B. Cheetah
TBD: Actually the Cheetah is the only cat, including all the other large cats, with this distinction. Who knew?

8. Which is NOT a way that the Egyptians used the cat?
A. Retriever for birds
B. Racing animals
C. Object of worship
D. Hunting animals

B. Racing animals
TBD: It was true that cats were trained to retrieve birds brought down by their masters!

9. These breeds are all lacking something, what is it (respectively)? The Manx, Cymric, and Sphynx.
A. Tail and hair
B. Ears, hair, and tail
C. Claws, tail, and hair
D. Tail

A. Tail and hair
TBD: The Sphynx is a hairless cat while the Manx and Cymric are shorthaired and longhaired cats without tails.

10. Which region CANNOT claim a breed of rex?
A. Selkirk
B. Devonshire
C. Wales
D. Cornwall

C. Wales
TBD: There is a Selkirk Rex from Wyoming’s Selkirk Mountains, a Devon Rex from Devonshire, England, and a Cornish Rex from Cornwall, England, but no Welsh Rex.

11. What is the scientific classification of the domestic cat?
A. Felis catus
B. Felis domesticus
C. Acinonyx jubatus
D. Panthera leo

A. Felis catus
TBD: That was too easy! By the way, The QuizQueen made Felis domesticus up, Acinonyx jubatus is the cheetah, and Panthera leo is the lion.

12. Which is NOT a characteristic of the cat?
A. The ability to taste sweet things
B. The ability to hunt in the dark
C. Using its sensitive whiskers to sense changes in the environment
D. Papillae to clean the flesh from the bones of animal prey

A. The ability to taste sweet things
TBD: This was new to us, too!

13. Two pigments form the basis for all coat colors in the modern domestic cat. These two pigments may be combined with each other or with white (the absence of pigment). What are the two pigments?
A. Black and orange
B. Black and white
C. Black and blue
D. Orange and blue

A. Black and orange
TBD: Scientists believe the domestic cat’s original coat color was probably greyish-brown with darker tabby stripes, a color that provides excellent camouflage in a variety of environments. All other coat colors are the result of genetic mutations.

14. How many vocal sounds does a cat have?
A. 10
B. 50
C. 100
D. 150

C. 100
TBD: Most dogs have only about 10.

15. When a famous cartoon Cat and Mouse made their debut in 1939, what was the Cat’s name?
A. Tom
B. Jerry
C. Jasper
D. Morris

C. Jasper
TBD: In later cartoons, they would become Tom and Jerry, but in Puss Gets the Boot, the feline co-star was named Jasper.

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