As we all age bones creak and just don’t move like before. Arthritis makes life difficult for all. One of the reasons our older cats pee or poop outside of the litter box is that the sides are the box are now a bit too high to make climbing in and out easy.
Since this is the time of year when we are roasting turkeys, the grocery stores have lots of aluminum roasting pans for sale. If you look you’ll probably find one the length of your current litter box, but the sides will be lower. Try one! See if your cat likes it. See if its just as easy for you to clean and manage.
We have seen a few litter pans in the stores with lower sides, but they are not long enough for most cats to use comfortably. Try the roasting pan idea – they come in several sizes, you’ll find one that’s right! Its a pretty cheap experiment which could save you oodles of money in the long run, and your sanity. And the cat will be so much happier and in less pain.