Is a cat litter box with soil a good idea for a cat and a kitten?

Question

The stray cat we were looking after gave a birth and then she had complications. To cut the long story short - she has to stay in a cage with the kitten until she recovers after a surgery. The kitten is 13 days now. My hubby put a litter box inside the cage full of soil for the mother cat to do her busines. I am thinking - God knows what is crawling inside the box, and it is right next to plates with food. Is it a good idea or shall I bloody remove it?

Answer 1

you should use torn up newspaper. that dirt will get inside her and cause infections.

Answer 2

I actually recommend you use a pine litter rather than the clay litter or crystal litter that most people have mentioned. Of all the choices it is healthiest for cats post surgery, keeps odor to a minimum and is completely natural. If you can't find that, a newspaper-based litter is the next best choice.

Like everyone has said the soil is not a good idea. It's just dirt-y.

Answer 3

I really do not recommend plain dirt for your litter box, but if you have to use plain dirt and have no other choice, put it in a 9 x 13 cake pan and bake it at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to kill any bacteria or bugs in the dirt. Please, do not listen to the people telling you to use potting soil and store bought dirt. Most of those have fertilizers in them that will kill the kitten and possibly the cat. Cats lick themselves to clean and will lick the fertilizers. I really recommend cat litter.

Answer 4

I agree with Justa that it might not be the best idea. In addition to the possibility of pathogens in the soil, soil just doesn't work very well at absorbing odors like regular cat litter does. It's more difficult to dig in as well, and urine will turn it to mud!
You're a kind soul to have rescued this mama and her baby!

Answer 5

umm im not really sure,will that be comofortable even though it is a stray cat, maybe you can keep it as your own and start taking care of it like a domestic cat. i have a bunny rabbit, around 3-4 months old. my parents got it a little box, and some type of littler box pellets. those litter box pelltet when i looked at the cover, it was for cats but good for bunnies too. those pellets come in a mduim package at any pet store, mine was super pet, and they are safe. they are made out of newspaper, are pet, environment and people safe. it will absorb the pee and last a long time, and only time you need to change the litter box is if it becomes all soily. i recmmend you buy the pellets. i hope this helps.

Answer 6

Yes, bloody remove it and replace it with kitty litter or go to an auto parts store and get some oil dry, basically the same thing as kitty litter but without the deodorant properties.

Answer 7

i would remove it especially since she just had surgery. On a normal day if it was cleaned dirt( say from the home and garden store) it would probably be ok but really messy. tell the hubby to get some cat litter.

Answer 8

the soil is fine, ferral cats give birth to there kittens on the ground all the time. the mother cat will not let anything get her baby and the baby shares all the mother cats imunities.

Answer 9

yes, remove it and fill it with something else, most cats will use standard litter even if they've never seen a litter box before, if you feel as though dirt is best use bagged dirt, but dirt is dirt and may carry bad stuff, you can fill the litter box with sand if you are against the clay based litters, sand is a good idea because the dust isn't as bad

Answer 10

Uh, soil? That does not seem sanitary. You need to use cat litter intended for that purpose.

Answer 11

If you decide to keep dirt, try some potting soil. At least it will be free of worms, fleas and the like.