Clumping cat litter is designed to absorb fluid (cat urine) and harden into a solid clump for easy clean-up of waste. If large amounts of cat litter are consumed by a dog, the litter absorbs fluid from the stomach and intestines and can create a solid obstruction to normal flow through the gastrointestinal tract. Needless to say, this requires a surgical solution. Additionally, snacking from the cat litter box can result in transmission of intestinal parasites from cat to dog, including roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms and Giardia.
The best way to prevent raiding of the cat litter box is to prevent the dog from having access to it. Below are some suggestions for just that:
1. Use a baby gate across a doorway.
2. Install a cat door into an interior door.
3. Use a hook and eye assembly to keep a door ajar just a few inches, no more, no less.
4. Use a covered litter box, or a large rubber or plastic box to keep the opening within just a few inches of the wall, or to provide a top entrance to the litter box.
5. Consider a litter box containment system. This is the most expensive option, but it could also be the most effective. Litter box containment systems are dog-proof boxes, usually wooden, with two levels: one at the top where the cat enters and one at the bottom where a litter tray is contained.
