‘Golden rule’ cat owners should follow to ‘keep their pets happy’

From selecting their preferred food to engaging in playtime and keeping their litter trays spotless each day, caring for our feline companions requires considerable effort. But most owners wouldn’t have it any other way, as the joy of having a cat around makes it all worthwhile.

To help people become the best owners they can be for their cats, pet behaviour specialist Jackson Galaxy, best known as the host of the television programme ‘My Cat From Hell’, has revealed what he considers the ‘golden rule’ of cat care.

Taking to his TikTok account, where he boasts more than 2.1 million followers, he said: “When it comes to litter boxes, embrace the code of litter boxes.”

He went on to explain precisely what this means, as cats are far more particular about their litter trays than many owners might realise.

Jackson went on to explain: “Embrace the golden rule of litter boxes, which is for each cat you have, you have a litter box, plus one. One cat, two litterboxes. Two cats, three litter boxes. It works.”

He then stressed the vital importance of positioning the litter trays in separate areas throughout your home, rather than simply placing them next to one another.

He explained: “Still doesn’t count. I call litter boxes the king of scent soakers. Scent soakers are this thing that symbolise the sanctity of territory.

“Where your cat walks by it, it’s almost like you walking by your mantle and you see all the pictures of your family. You walk by and you’re all proud of your family.”

He went on to explain that the same principle applies to cats and their litter boxes, along with many of their other belongings.

Jackson said: “So when you spread out your litter boxes, put them in places where your first thought is ‘what’s good for my cat’ and not ‘I don’t want to look at a litter box’.”

He then promised: “I promise you, it’ll change your life.”

Viewers were quick to voice their opinions in the comments section, with some praising Jackson for his guidance. However, others insisted it had not worked for them.

One user commented: “I think this rules applies when you have a larger home, if your house is like three rooms (literally kitchen, bedroom and bathroom) one box is just fine.”

Another wrote: “I have one cat and one litter box, I think he’s okay.”

While a third added: “I have two cats and two litter boxes, and they both only use one. Like they won’t use the bigger one. They share the small one and I feel like that is the total opposite of what he’s saying.”