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Two cats, two trays? You're one short.
The guidance is one tray per cat, plus one. Yet 40% of UK homes with more than one cat have just one tray, and in a 2025 study of 565 UK homes, fewer than 1 in 5 had more trays than cats.
Number is only the start. Size, place, litter, cleaning and the kind of tray all matter to a cat. It's easy to set a tray up once and never look at it again, until there's a smell you can't shift, litter across the floor, or a cat who hovers at the edge before going in.
The Tray Check takes you round your home and checks every tray against the advice, point by point. By bedtime you know your score and exactly what to change.
The method
Six stops round your home, two points at each
Number
One tray per cat, plus one, each in its own place.
Size
One and a half times your cat's length, nose to base of tail.
Place
Somewhere quiet, with a view and a way out.
Litter
Fine, unscented, 3cm deep, and changed slowly if at all.
Clean
Scooped twice a day and washed on time, with nothing that harms your cat.
Style
Covered or open, kitten or senior: the tray that fits your cat.
Each part ends with a Pass or Fix on two points and a "Do this now" box, so you finish every stop with something done.
What you get
A tray set-up you know is right, and why
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✓
A score out of 12. Every tray gets a Pass or a Fix on each point, so you know exactly where you stand.
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✓
A fix list for the week. Your top three changes, in order, with the two rules that keep changes gentle on your cat: add before you take away, and one thing at a time.
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✓
The numbers you'd otherwise have to hunt for. How many trays for one to four cats. The tray length for a 40, 45 or 50cm cat. A cleaning schedule for clumping, non-clumping and hooded trays.
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✓
The honest answer to the smell. Why a stronger scent isn't the fix, and what is.
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✓
Two gentle ways to change litter or tray, from the UK cat charity guidance, for when you have to.
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✓
A red-flag check first. The one sign that means ring the vet now, and when to book a vet check before you change the tray.
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✓
Sourced and British. Built on iCatCare, Cats Protection, the PDSA and the international cat vets' guidance, with 14 sources numbered at the back. No brands, no product plugs.
Look inside
A proper book, with tools you'll use tonight
What's inside
Six parts and two printables
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Start
Check your cat, then check the trayThe red-flag signs, and why the tray is the first thing worth checking
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1
How many trays? One more than you have catsThe number for your home, and why side by side counts as one
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2
Big enough means one and a half times your catHow to measure, and what shape works
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3
Somewhere quiet, with a way outWhere a tray works, and the spots cats avoid
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4
Fine, unscented and 3cm deepThe litter cats prefer, and how to change it safely
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5
Clean beats scented, every timeScooping, washing, safe cleaners and the smell
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6
Fit the tray to the catCovered or open, kittens and older cats
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Next
The tray's right. So why is it still happening?What to know, and where to go, if your cat still goes elsewhere
Two printables, one A4 page each
- 1The Tray Check scorecard
- 2My fix list
Questions
Before you buy
How do I get it?
Straight after checkout you'll get an email with your download link. It's an A4 PDF, ready to read on your phone or print at home.
What exactly do I get?
A 18-page guide: six parts, 12 points, a scorecard and a fix list to print.
How long does it take?
About ten minutes to read and one evening to check every tray and write your fix list. If a fix needs a shopping trip, like a bigger tray, it goes on the list with a date.
Will it stop my cat weeing outside the tray?
It makes sure the tray is set up the way the UK cat charities and cat vets advise, and the tray is the easiest cause to change. If your cat has started going elsewhere, see your vet first. If the tray passes and it's still happening, the last part shows you where to go next.
Does it work for several cats, kittens and older cats?
Yes. The number table covers one to four cats and two kittens, and Part 6 covers kittens and older or stiff cats.
Do I need to buy anything else?
A tape measure, a ruler and a pen. If your set-up needs a bigger or an extra tray, it goes on your fix list. We don't recommend brands.
Already dealing with accidents?
Start with your vet. Then Back in the Tray is our full guide to cats weeing, pooing or spraying indoors, with a 28-day plan to find your cat's cause and sort it. See Back in the Tray
Instant PDF download after checkout. A4, ready to print.
Digital products are non-refundable once downloaded; if a file is faulty, we always replace it.
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