Disposing of cat litter may be your least favourite job as a cat owner and you may not know how to dispose of the litter safely and cleanly. Not only is it a smelly job, it can be messy too, disposing of litter in the correct way is important for both you and your cats health, and not only for the environment too.
In this article we look at how to dispose of cat litter and the safest way to do it.
How Often Should You Change Your Cat Litter?
The ideal amount will depend on your cat’s toilet habits and how many cats you have using the litter. Spot clean the tray daily and aim to replace the litter in the tray at least once a week. Your cat will thank you for keeping their litter fresh and clean, they may find another place to toilet if their litter isn’t fresh and clean.
Where To Dispose Of Cat Litter
For the most of us, the easiest option may be to scoop the litter and drop it into the bin. Scoop the used litter and any waste into a biodegradable bag, secure and put into your normal household bin. To save on biodegradable bags, invest in a ‘cat litter bin’, which would enable you to use one bigger biodegradable bag for several weeks worth of waste, without making your usual/standard bin smell.
If you use biodegradable cat litter, you have the option to put the used litter onto a compost bin. It’s good to know clay litter does not breakdown and cannot be put onto a compost bin. Materials such as pine, paper or corn can however be composted. It’s worth noting composting cat litter can be bad for the environment and can cause a risk to human health. Do not add any cat litter to your compost heap if you are to use this where children may play or if you may use it to grow anything edible. Remember - if you’re composting your litter, remove all waste before putting onto your compost.
How To Dispose Of Wood Cat Litter
Wood pellets can absorb up to three times their own weight in moisture, making them a great absorbent kind of cat litter. They’re also biodegradable making them them an environmentally friendly product. Wood litter should never be disposed of outdoors, and like any litter, soiled litter is for the bin and the bin only. Even though wood litter is biodegradable, they must be disposed of properly - by being composted or bagged and sent to landfill.
Can You Flush Cat Litter?
Avoid any flushing of the cat litter down your sinks or toilet. Litters are not flushable and can cause a lot of issues with your plumbing which may end up being quite an expensive mistake to make.
Disposing of cat litter may be your least favourite job as a cat owner and you may not know how to dispose of the litter safely and cleanly. Not only is it a smelly job, it can be messy too, disposing of litter in the correct way is important for both you and your cats health, and not only for the environment too.
In this article we look at how to dispose of cat litter and the safest way to do it.
How Often Should You Change Your Cat Litter?
The ideal amount will depend on your cat’s toilet habits and how many cats you have using the litter. Spot clean the tray daily and aim to replace the litter in the tray at least once a week. Your cat will thank you for keeping their litter fresh and clean, they may find another place to toilet if their litter isn’t fresh and clean.
Where To Dispose Of Cat Litter
For the most of us, the easiest option may be to scoop the litter and drop it into the bin. Scoop the used litter and any waste into a biodegradable bag, secure and put into your normal household bin. To save on biodegradable bags, invest in a ‘cat litter bin’, which would enable you to use one bigger biodegradable bag for several weeks worth of waste, without making your usual/standard bin smell.
If you use biodegradable cat litter, you have the option to put the used litter onto a compost bin. It’s good to know clay litter does not breakdown and cannot be put onto a compost bin. Materials such as pine, paper or corn can however be composted. It’s worth noting composting cat litter can be bad for the environment and can cause a risk to human health. Do not add any cat litter to your compost heap if you are to use this where children may play or if you may use it to grow anything edible.
Remember - if you’re composting your litter, remove all waste before putting onto your compost.
How To Dispose Of Wood Cat Litter
Wood pellets can absorb up to three times their own weight in moisture, making them a great absorbent kind of cat litter. They’re also biodegradable making them them an environmentally friendly product. Wood litter should never be disposed of outdoors, and like any litter, soiled litter is for the bin and the bin only. Even though wood litter is biodegradable, they must be disposed of properly - by being composted or bagged and sent to landfill.
Can You Flush Cat Litter?
Avoid any flushing of the cat litter down your sinks or toilet. Litters are not flushable and can cause a lot of issues with your plumbing which may end up being quite an expensive mistake to make.
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Owning a Dog
Homemade dog food recipes: vet guidance and easy recipes
Bringing a new kitten home when you already have a dog is one of those things that feels both exciting and quietly nerve-wracking — and you are definitely not alone in that. Knowing how to introduce a kitten to a dog in a way that feels calm and considered makes a real difference to how both pets settle in together. This guide walks you through everything from scent swapping and first meetings to escape routes, reading the signs, and building a routine that works for the whole household.
Before They Meet: What Your Dog and Kitten Need to Feel Safe
The most successful kitten and dog introductions happen long before the two animals are ever in the same room. That might sound counterintuitive, but the groundwork you lay in the days before their first meeting makes an enormous difference to how both pets experience that moment.
Start by thinking honestly about your dog. A relaxed, older dog who has met cats before is a very different prospect to a young, excitable terrier who still chases squirrels like it’s his life’s work. Neither situation is a deal-breaker, but knowing your dog’s temperament helps you set a realistic pace. If he has a strong prey drive or finds it hard to settle around small, fast-moving animals, plan for a slower introduction and be kind to yourself about the timeline.
Your kitten needs their own safe space before anything else happens. Set up a quiet room they can call their own — somewhere with a cosy bed, a litter tray, food, water, and a spot to hide if the world feels like too much. And to a tiny kitten, it often does. Letting them settle into a calm, familiar base before any introductions begin means they have a chance to find their feet rather than going straight into the deep end.
Your dog needs some reassurance too. Keep their routine as normal as possible: same walks, same mealtimes, same cuddles on the sofa. Consistency tells them that the new arrival is not costing them anything.
A slow start is not a sign things are going wrong. More often than not, it is exactly the right approach. For more on building a bond that lasts, our guide to getting your dog and cat to get along is well worth a read.
How to Swap Scents So They Get Used to Each Other
Before your dog and kitten ever share the same room, letting them get used to each other’s scent is one of the most important steps you can take. Smell is everything to both species. Giving them time to investigate each other’s scent on their own terms, without any pressure or expectation, helps take the edge off that first face-to-face meeting before it even happens.
The swap itself is simple. Take a blanket or soft toy from the kitten’s space and place it somewhere your dog can sniff freely, then do the reverse. A dedicated soft scent blanket works particularly well here because it holds scent effectively and moves easily between rooms. Then just let them get on with it. Some animals will sniff once and wander off. Others will circle back repeatedly over several days. Both are completely normal, and neither needs your input.
Signs of calm curiosity to look for:
Relaxed body posture, loose tail, soft ears
A gentle sniff followed by moving away unbothered
Returning to the item later without fixating on it
Settling nearby without any visible tension
Signs you should slow things down:
Growling or stiffening near the scented item
Fixated staring that doesn’t ease off
Pawing aggressively at a door or barrier
Your kitten hiding, freezing, or refusing to come out of their safe space
How each pet responds at this stage tells you a lot about how to pace the introduction going forward. Rushing the scent swap is one of the most common mistakes people make when introducing a kitten to a dog. Taking an extra few days here costs you nothing, and it can make everything that follows feel significantly calmer for both of them.
The First Face-to-Face Meeting: Keep It Short, Calm, and Supervised
When you finally bring your kitten and dog together for the first time, it can feel like a milestone — and in many ways, it is. But the goal for that very first meeting is actually quite simple: keep it short, keep it calm, and don’t leave either of them to it. Knowing how to introduce a kitten to a dog well comes down to patience and reading the room, not engineering a perfect friendship in one afternoon.
Pick the right moment. Choose a time when your dog has already been out for a walk or had a good play session and is naturally winding down. A settled dog is far easier to work with than one who’s still fizzing with energy.
Keep your dog on a lead with slack. A secure, well-fitted lead gives you gentle control without adding tension your dog might pick up on. Hold it loosely — the aim is guidance, not restraint.
Let the kitten call the shots. Place your kitten in the room and let them decide whether to creep closer or stay put. Don’t carry them over to the dog or try to hurry things along. Their confidence at this stage is everything, and it has to come from them.
Watch both pets closely. A relaxed dog will have soft eyes, a loose body, and general curiosity rather than intense fixation. For your kitten, watch for puffing up, hissing, or sudden stillness — all signs they need a bit more space and breathing room.
Keep it brief. Two or three minutes of calm, drama-free interaction is genuinely a brilliant first session. You can always build from there — and you will.
End before anyone hits their limit. Separate them gently while things are still going well, then give each pet their own space with something familiar nearby.
Good to know: Always wrap up the session before either pet shows signs of stress. Ending on a quiet note isn’t giving up — it’s exactly what a successful introduction looks like.
These early moments set the tone for everything that follows. The calmer and shorter each session feels right now, the quicker trust has a chance to grow between them.
Why Your Kitten Needs an Escape Route and a Dog-Free Zone
One of the most important parts of learning how to introduce a kitten to a dog is making sure your kitten always has somewhere safe to go. Escape routes and dog-free zones are not nice extras to think about later. They are a core part of the plan from day one.
If a kitten feels cornered, even a calm kitten and dog introduction can go off track quickly. Stress rises, confidence drops, and your kitten may hiss, swat, or freeze. Those early moments matter. When your kitten knows it can step away, it is far more likely to stay curious and relaxed instead of frightened.
The easiest way to set this up is to give your kitten more than one retreat option around the house. That might look like:
Baby gates with a cat-sized gap or low perch nearby. Your kitten can pass through or hop over, while your dog stays on the other side.
Cat trees, window perches, or shelving. Height helps kittens feel secure. From up high, they can watch what is going on without feeling pressured to interact.
A dedicated kitten room. In the early days, this can be a spare room or quiet corner with the door gated off. It gives your kitten a place to eat, nap, use the litter tray, and properly switch off.
A covered bed or crate left open. Some kittens love a small, cosy hideaway, especially after a busy introduction session.
Think about the route too, not just the resting spot. If your kitten jumps down from a shelf, can it get to safety without running past the dog? Can it move from one room to another without feeling trapped? These small details make introducing cats and dogs much smoother in real life.
Your kitten should always be able to remove itself from the interaction. That sense of choice is what builds confidence. Over time, a kitten that feels safe enough to retreat will usually feel safe enough to come back, sniff, observe, and eventually settle beside the dog on its own terms.
What Good Progress Looks Like — and When to Slow Down
Progress when introducing a kitten to a dog rarely follows a straight line. Some days feel like a real breakthrough. Others, it might seem like you’re back to square one. That’s completely normal — and knowing what to watch for means you can respond calmly rather than second-guessing yourself.
Signs the Introduction Is Going Well
Your dog glances at the kitten and looks away, showing curiosity rather than fixation
Both animals have loose, relaxed body posture when they’re in the same room together
Your kitten approaches the barrier or shared space with interest, rather than bolting
Your dog settles down and rests while the kitten moves around nearby
Both animals are eating, playing, and sleeping as normal, without signs of sustained stress
Signs You Need to Slow Down
Your dog is stalking, staring intensely, or can’t be redirected away from the kitten
Either animal freezes repeatedly when the other appears
Your kitten is hissing, spitting, or spending most of their time hiding rather than exploring
Your dog is barking, lunging, or whining in a focused, persistent way
Stress behaviours are creeping in regularly — think panting, pacing, or a change in appetite
A gentle reminder: Spotting a warning sign isn’t a failure. Stepping back a stage is exactly the right call. One slower day now saves a lot of stress further down the line.
Even the most experienced pet parents find that introducing a kitten to a dog takes longer than they expected. The key is staying observant and trusting what you’re seeing in front of you. Understanding your dog’s body language is one of the most valuable skills you can bring to this process — it helps you read the room early and respond before small moments of tension have a chance to grow.
Settling Into Everyday Life: Building a Routine They Can Both Live With
Once the early introductions are behind you, the real magic starts to happen in the everyday moments. Building a predictable routine is one of the kindest things you can do for both your dog and your new kitten — consistency helps anxious animals relax, and gives confident ones the structure to thrive.
Start with mealtimes. Feed them separately, in their own spaces, at the same times each day. It removes tension around food and helps both pets associate mealtimes with calm rather than competition. As trust builds, you can gradually move their feeding spots closer together — but there’s genuinely no rush.
Enrichment matters more than people realise. A bored dog is far more likely to fixate on the kitten, so make sure yours is getting enough exercise, mental stimulation, and quality time with you. A well-exercised dog is simply easier to manage around a curious new housemate. The same logic applies to your kitten. A good play session before they share a space can take the edge off for both of them.
Keep noticing and reinforcing the positive moments. When your dog settles calmly nearby, acknowledge it. When your kitten starts exploring without darting for cover, that’s real progress — even if it looks small. Those little wins add up faster than you’d expect.
Supervision doesn’t need to be constant forever, but in those first few weeks it’s worth staying present when they share a room. As you see them both relax, you can start stepping back.
Introducing a kitten to a dog well takes patience, but a thoughtful routine makes it so much easier to get there. Much like settling a new puppy into your home, the time you invest in those early weeks builds the foundation for something that genuinely lasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for a dog to get used to a kitten?
It depends on your dog’s temperament and the pace of the introduction, so there isn’t a fixed timeline. Some dogs settle quickly, while others need a much slower approach, especially if they’re excitable or have a strong prey drive. Calm, short, supervised sessions usually lead to better long-term progress.
How do I tell if my dog wants to eat my kitten?
Watch for intense staring, stalking, barking, lunging, or a level of fixation you can’t easily interrupt. A dog who is coping well will look relaxed, stay curious without locking on, and settle while the kitten moves nearby. If your dog can’t disengage, slow everything down and add more distance.
How long does it take for a cat to get used to a new dog?
There isn’t a set timeline, because each kitten or cat settles at their own pace. Confidence tends to grow more smoothly when they have a safe room, escape routes, and short, calm introductions on their own terms. Steady, low-pressure progress matters far more than trying to rush a friendship.
Can cats eat cheese? Dairy, milk and other human foods explained
Cats and cheese have a complicated relationship, and if you have ever wondered whether you should actually hand over that little corner of cheddar, you are not alone. This article unpacks whether cats can eat cheese safely, how different dairy foods affect a cat’s digestion, and which other human foods are worth knowing about before your cat makes the decision for you. By the end, you will have a clear, practical sense of what is fine in small amounts, what is best avoided, and when a dodgy reaction is worth a call to the vet.
Why your cat always appears when the cheese comes out
There’s something almost magical about the moment you peel back a cheese wrapper. One second you’re alone in the kitchen, and the next your cat has materialised at your feet with that very specific look on their face. Not quite begging. Just watching. Very closely.
It’s no wonder so many of us end up asking whether cats can eat cheese. The curiosity is mutual, and it’s genuinely hard to say no to a face like that. But before you break off a corner of cheddar, it’s worth understanding how cats actually handle dairy — because the answer is a little more nuanced than a straight yes or no.
Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning their bodies are built around meat, not milk. Most adult cats are lactose intolerant to some degree, though how sensitive each individual cat is varies quite a bit. Cheese tends to be lower in lactose than milk, which is why some cats can manage a small piece without any obvious reaction. But that alone doesn’t make it a good snack, and a cat tolerating something isn’t the same as a cat thriving on it.
If you’ve ever caught your cat watching you with that laser-focus intensity and wondered what’s actually going on in that head, this piece on why cats stare is worth a read. Cats are complicated little creatures, and the more you understand them, the better placed you are to make the right calls for them.
Can cats eat cheese? The short answer, and why it depends
Most cats can eat a small piece of cheese without any real harm, but that doesn’t mean it’s something they need or benefit from. Cats are obligate carnivores, and most are also lactose intolerant — they don’t produce enough of the lactase enzyme to digest dairy properly. For some cats, even a small amount is enough to cause vomiting or loose stools.
That said, not every cat reacts the same way. A few things influence how well a cat handles cheese:
Individual tolerance — some cats naturally have lower lactase levels than others
Age — kittens produce more lactase than adult cats, though that still doesn’t make dairy a sensible choice for them
Cheese type — hard cheeses tend to be significantly lower in lactose than soft or creamy varieties
Portion size — a tiny nibble is very different from a proper piece
Hard cheeses like cheddar or parmesan are generally easier on a cat’s stomach in small amounts, because the ageing process reduces their lactose content. Soft cheeses, cream cheese, and anything made with milk or cream sit at the other end of the scale and are much more likely to cause a stomach upset. So if your cat has clocked that you’ve opened a block of cheddar and is giving you the eyes, the tiniest taste is unlikely to cause any drama. A cream cheese-covered cracker is a different matter entirely.
Think of cheese as incidental at best, not a treat worth offering regularly. For a fuller picture of what actually keeps your cat in good shape, it’s worth reading up on what makes a healthy diet for cats.
Milk, cream and other dairy foods: what’s different from cheese?
Cheese and milk might both come from the same source, but they behave very differently once they reach your cat’s digestive system. The fermentation process that turns milk into cheese removes most of the lactose along the way, which is why a small sliver of cheddar tends to cause far less trouble than a saucer of milk. Cream sits at the other end of the scale — high in lactose and rich in fat, it’s one of the harder dairy foods for cats to handle.
Dairy Food
Lactose Level
Digestive Risk
Suitable for Cats?
Cheese
Low
Low to moderate
Occasionally, in very small amounts
Milk
High
High
Not recommended
Cream
High
High
Not recommended
Most adult cats are lactose intolerant. After kittenhood, they stop producing enough lactase to break lactose down properly, which is why a cat who eagerly laps up milk often ends up with an upset stomach an hour later. Kittens produce more lactase, but that doesn’t make cow’s milk a safe option — their digestive systems are still developing, and milk doesn’t come close to meeting their nutritional needs. If you’re raising a young cat, age-appropriate kitten food is what actually sets them up well.
A few things worth keeping in mind:
Cheese is the lowest-lactose dairy option, which is why it’s the safest occasional choice in very small amounts
Milk and cream carry a much higher digestive risk and are best kept out of the bowl entirely
No dairy product is nutritionally necessary for cats, whatever their life stage
Other human foods cats might beg for at the table
Cats are expert opportunists. If you have ever turned your back on a plate, you already know this. The good news is that knowing which foods are a harmless occasional nibble and which ones are genuinely a poor fit helps you stay one step ahead.
Here are some of the most common table foods cats try to steal:
Plain cooked chicken or turkey — broadly fine in small amounts, as long as it is unseasoned and boneless
Canned tuna — tolerable as an occasional treat, but high in sodium and not nutritionally balanced for regular feeding
Bread — not toxic, but offers cats nothing useful and can sit heavily on a sensitive stomach
Deli meat — a poor choice due to high salt content and preservatives that are hard on feline kidneys
Salty snacks like crisps or crackers — best kept well out of reach, as cats are not built to handle much salt at all
Heavily seasoned leftovers — garlic and onion in particular are genuinely harmful to cats, even in small quantities
It is worth remembering that cats are obligate carnivores. Plant-heavy or heavily processed human foods rarely add anything useful to their diet, even when they seem harmless enough.
The pattern holds pretty consistently across all of these: plain, unseasoned, protein-based foods carry the lowest risk, while anything salty, greasy, or processed is best left on your plate. If sharing your dinner is becoming a regular habit, our guide on feeding cats leftovers is well worth a read first.
How to share safely: treats, portion size and when to call the vet
If you do decide to share the occasional nibble of cheese with your cat, keep it small and infrequent. Think a pea-sized piece of mild cheddar or a tiny scraping of cream cheese, offered as a rare treat rather than a fridge-opening ritual. As a general rule, treats of any kind, human foods included, should make up no more than ten percent of your cat’s daily calories. If you want to get that balance right, our guide on whether treats are bad for cats is a good place to start.
After trying any new food, pay attention to how your cat responds over the next day or so. A little extra wind or a slightly softer stool is usually nothing to worry about. But if you’re seeing ongoing loose stools, vomiting, or a cat who seems uncomfortable and off their food, that’s your cue to take cheese off the menu for good. Their stomach is telling you something.
Some cats are better off skipping human food sharing altogether. If yours has a sensitive stomach, a history of digestive issues, or a condition like kidney disease or inflammatory bowel disease, check in with your vet before introducing anything new. The same applies if any symptoms appear and don’t settle within a couple of days.
For most cats, the odd dairy experiment is genuinely fine. Keep portions small, watch for any reaction, and let your cat’s response do the talking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do cats go crazy for cheese?
Cats often get very interested in cheese because it is a strong-smelling animal-based food, but that does not mean it is a great snack for them. Many adult cats are lactose intolerant, so even if they seem obsessed, cheese is best kept to a tiny, occasional nibble.
What foods can’t cats eat?
Cats should not eat heavily seasoned leftovers, especially anything containing garlic or onion, because those are genuinely harmful even in small amounts. Salty, greasy, and processed foods like deli meat, crisps, crackers, milk, and cream are also poor choices and can upset their stomachs.
Choosing the best kitten food is one of those decisions that feels straightforward until you’re actually doing it, and suddenly every shelf and search result pulls you in a different direction. This guide cuts through that noise with practical advice on wet versus dry food, how to read a label properly, how much to feed at every stage, and what to do when your kitten has opinions of their own. Whether you’re setting up for day one or adjusting as your kitten grows, you’ll find everything you need to feed with confidence right here.
What actually counts as the best kitten food for your new arrival?
Finding the best kitten food feels simple enough — until you’re actually standing in front of a shelf stacked floor to ceiling with options. Pouches, tins, biscuits, raw, grain-free, sensitive, indoor. It’s a lot, especially when you just want to do right by a tiny cat who depends entirely on you.
The most useful thing to know upfront: kitten food and adult cat food are genuinely different, and that difference really matters. Kittens grow at a remarkable rate, and they need more protein, more fat, more calories, and higher levels of specific nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, and taurine than an adult cat requires. Feed an adult formula too early and your kitten may simply not get the building blocks they need to grow well. It’s not a minor tweak — it’s a fundamentally different nutritional brief.
When you pick up any pack, look for the words “complete and balanced for kittens” or “all life stages.” That phrasing means the food has been formulated to meet your kitten’s full nutritional needs on its own, with nothing extra required. If a food says “complementary,” it’s designed to sit alongside something else — not replace it. That’s the single most important label check you’ll make, so it’s worth getting comfortable with it early.
Beyond that, the best food for kittens is one they’ll actually eat, fits your daily routine, and that you can buy consistently without the stress of it going out of stock. The Lords and Labradors kitten food collection is a good place to see what well-formulated options actually look like. The rest of this guide will help you narrow things down from there.
Wet food, dry food, or both: what works best in real life?
There’s no single rule that makes one format the best kitten food for every household — and most experienced cat owners will tell you they’ve landed somewhere in the middle. Wet and dry food each bring something genuinely useful to the bowl, and understanding those differences makes the whole decision a lot simpler.
Factor
Wet Food
Dry Food
Hydration
High moisture content, great for keeping kittens well hydrated
Low moisture, so fresh water alongside is essential
Texture appeal
Soft and easy to chew, ideal for younger kittens
Crunchy texture some kittens love, though not all take to it straight away
Convenience
Best served fresh, so less practical if you’re out all day
Easy to portion, stays in the bowl longer, great for measured feeding
Cost
Typically costs more per serving
Usually more economical over time
Shelf life
Short once opened, usually 24 hours refrigerated
Long shelf life, simple to store
Combining both is a sensible approach that many vets are happy with, and it works well in practice. Wet kitten food at set mealtimes supports hydration in a really natural way, which matters more than you might think — kittens are notoriously poor water drinkers. Dry food then gives you flexibility around a busy day without worrying about what’s been sitting in the bowl since breakfast. If you’re looking for quality options to build into your kitten’s routine, the wet cat food range is a good place to start.
A few practical things to help you find your balance:
Offer wet food at set mealtimes and use dry as a flexible top-up during the day
Watch how your kitten eats — enthusiasm tells you a lot about what format they prefer
If they rarely touch their water bowl, lean further towards wet food
Start simple, then adjust as you both settle into a routine
How to spot a proper complete kitten food on the label
Picking up a bag or pouch that says “kitten” on the front feels reassuring — but that label alone doesn’t guarantee the food is nutritionally complete. Reading a little further takes about thirty seconds and makes a real difference to what ends up in your kitten’s bowl.
Look for the word “complete”. You’ll usually find it on the front or back of the pack. That single word confirms the food meets all of your kitten’s nutritional needs on its own, every day.
Check the life-stage wording. The label should say “for kittens,” “for growth,” or “for all life stages.” If it only says “for adult cats,” put it back.
Find a named animal protein as the first ingredient. Chicken, salmon, or turkey listed first means animal protein leads the recipe, not cereals or vague fillers.
Look for an AAFCO or FEDIAF nutritional adequacy statement. This confirms the food has been formulated to meet recognised standards for growing cats, not just cats in general.
Think about caloric density. Kittens need significantly more calories per gram of bodyweight than adults do, so food made specifically for growth will reflect this in its nutritional values.
Complete vs. complementary, simply put: A complete food provides everything your kitten needs as a standalone meal. A complementary food is designed to be fed alongside something else and can’t do the job alone.
Once you know what to look for, spotting the right food takes seconds. The Lords and Labradors cat food range is a solid place to start browsing options that have already done the hard work for you.
Feeding amounts, meal frequency, and when to change as they grow
Kittens have tiny stomachs and very big appetites for life, so feeding little and often usually works best. Getting the balance right helps support steady growth, a healthy weight, and fewer tummy upsets too.
Kitten Feeding Guide by Age
Age
Meals Per Day
General Portion Guidance
8–12 weeks
4–5
Offer small meals and use the feeding guide on your chosen kitten wet food, kitten dry food, or mixed-feeding plan as your starting point
3–6 months
3–4
Increase the total daily amount gradually as your kitten grows, then split it across meals based on the label guidance
6–12 months
2–3
Keep adjusting portions with growth and body condition as your kitten moves towards an adult routine
If you feed both wet and dry, remember the daily amount needs balancing across both, not adding a full day’s serving of each. That’s one of the easiest ways to overfeed without meaning to.
Practical tips to get it right:
Start with the pack guidelines for your kitten’s age and weight, then tweak based on body condition and appetite
Weigh your kitten regularly, especially in the first few months when they seem to change overnight
Move to fewer meals gradually rather than dropping from four to two in one go
Measured dry food is usually easier to manage than topping up the bowl throughout the day
If your kitten constantly leaves food, or finishes every meal and still seems hungry, it’s worth reviewing portions
If you want a more detailed breakdown, our full kitten feeding guide goes into more detail by age and weight.
Even the best kitten food still needs the right portion size. A little attention now makes feeding feel much simpler as your kitten grows.
Ingredients, sensitivities, and choosing food your kitten will actually eat
Even the most nutritionally complete kitten food is useless if your kitten sniffs it twice and walks off in disgust. Ingredient quality and texture matter — especially for young digestive systems still finding their feet — so it pays to be a little selective from the start.
Here’s what to look for in practice:
Named meat first. Chicken, salmon, or turkey should sit at the top of the ingredient list. Vague terms like “meat derivatives” usually mean the recipe is cutting corners.
Go easy on fillers. Some carbohydrate content is fine, but cereals and plant proteins shouldn’t dominate — particularly in those early months when your kitten is growing fast.
Spot the green flags. Firm stools, steady weight gain, a glossy coat, and genuine excitement at mealtimes are all signs a food is genuinely working.
Take red flags seriously. Loose stools, bloating, or consistent refusal aren’t things to push through. They’re worth acting on.
Respect texture preferences. Some kittens go wild for pâté-style wet food; others want chunks or kitten dry food. Many do well on a mix of both. Follow their lead.
Transition slowly. When switching foods, mix old and new over seven to ten days to keep digestive upsets at bay.
If your kitten shows recurring signs of sensitivity — loose stools, skin reactions, persistent fussiness — it’s worth exploring sensitive and hypoallergenic cat food formulated for more delicate systems.
Finding the right match can take a little trial and error. The best food for kittens is simply the one your individual kitten genuinely thrives on.
Which kitten food should you choose? A simple way to decide
There’s no single best kitten food that works for every cat and every household — and honestly, accepting that makes the whole decision much easier. What you’re really looking for is something complete and balanced, made with decent ingredients, that your kitten actually wants to eat.
Start by thinking practically. Out of the house most of the day? Dry kitten food earns its place because it won’t spoil sitting in the bowl. If your kitten seems lukewarm about food or you want to boost their fluid intake, wet food is a brilliant option — most kittens find it far more tempting. Plenty of cat parents naturally settle into a mix of both over time, and it genuinely works well.
From there, it’s fairly straightforward. Choose a food labelled complete for kittens, check that a named protein — chicken, salmon, turkey — sits at the top of the ingredients list, and pick a texture your kitten responds to. Then give it a proper chance before switching. Chopping and changing too soon is one of the most common mistakes new kitten parents make, and it can unsettle a young cat’s digestion faster than almost anything else.
If you’re still finding your feet with the basics, our guide on how to prepare for your new kitten is a great place to start. The right food is out there. You don’t need to have it all figured out on day one — you just need to begin.
If you have ever watched a cat bypass a brand new bed to squeeze into a battered delivery box, you already know that cardboard holds a very particular power over them. This article gets into the real reasons why cats like to go in boxes, from the deep-rooted instincts behind it to the surprising science that explains why boxes can actually make cats feel calmer and more secure. You will also find practical tips for making box time safer at home, plus some cosy alternatives worth knowing about.
Why do cats like to go in boxes? The short answer
If you have ever set down an empty delivery box and watched your cat claim it within seconds, you already know that cats and cardboard share a very special relationship. But why do cats like to go in boxes so reliably — regardless of age, personality, or how many perfectly good beds they have completely ignored?
The honest answer comes down to instinct. Cats are both predators and prey, which means they are hardwired to seek out small, enclosed spaces where they feel hidden, secure, and in control. A box delivers all of that at once. It is basically the feline version of a perfect afternoon.
But there is more to it than simple survival instinct. Cardboard retains warmth, which cats are naturally drawn to. Boxes offer novelty, which keeps curious, intelligent animals happily occupied. And research has actually shown that access to a box can meaningfully lower stress levels in cats, especially when they are adjusting to a new or unsettling environment.
So if your cat has commandeered every online delivery since you started shopping from home, they are not just being theatrical. They are following a deeply rooted urge that feels safe, satisfying, and entirely natural to them.
This article unpacks all of it — from the science behind why cats are attracted to boxes to practical ways you can lean into the behaviour at home. And if you want to go a step further, you can explore our full range of cat essentials for even more ways to keep your cat comfortable and content.
How boxes make cats feel safe, hidden, and in control
One of the clearest answers to why cats like to go in boxes lies in how perfectly a box suits their dual nature as both predator and prey. Inside a box, a cat can watch everything happening in the room while staying completely hidden. That combination of visibility and cover is deeply wired into how cats experience the world.
Reduced sensory overwhelm: Enclosed spaces filter out visual noise and movement, helping cats feel calmer in busier households.
Monitoring without exposure: A cat in a box can track people, other pets, and sounds without putting itself in a vulnerable position.
Ambush readiness: Even the most pampered indoor cat still carries those hunting instincts. A box keeps them poised and ready, even if the “prey” turns out to be a passing sock.
A sense of boundary and control: Cats feel safest when they can define their own space. A box creates a clear perimeter that feels entirely theirs.
Instinct, not stubbornness: That moment when your cat bypasses a plush bed to squeeze into the tiniest cardboard box in the room? That’s not cheek. That’s instinct telling them that smaller means safer.
Enclosed spaces give cats something open rooms simply cannot: a genuine sense of control over their environment. If your cat gravitates toward boxes and tight corners, they’re not being awkward — they’re following instincts that go back thousands of years. Our High Wall Bouclé Cat Bed is built with exactly that in mind, with raised, defined sides that recreate the sheltered, secure feeling cats love about boxes — just a little more comfortable for everyone involved.
What the Leiden University stress study found about boxes and feline stress
There is some genuine science behind why cats like to go in boxes. A well-known study from Leiden University looked at newly arrived shelter cats and found that simple hiding boxes seemed to help them cope better with the stress of a big change.
That matters because shelters are full of unfamiliar smells, sounds, and routines. For a cat, that can feel overwhelming. In the study, cats with access to a box generally showed lower stress scores and appeared to settle more quickly than cats without one. In other words, the box was not just somewhere to sit. It gave the cat a safe, contained space to retreat to while taking in a new environment.
A few easy takeaways from the research:
Cats with a hiding box appeared to adapt more quickly in a stressful setting
A small, enclosed space may help cats feel safer and more in control
Hiding can be a normal coping behaviour, not something “bad” that needs stopping
The idea is useful beyond shelters too, especially for new kittens, house moves, or changes in routine
The big lesson is simple: when cats can choose to tuck themselves away, they often feel more secure. That helps explain why cats like boxes so much in the first place.
At home, that does not have to mean leaving delivery boxes all over the hallway, although many cats would be thrilled with that. A cardboard box, covered bed, or snug hideaway can all offer a similar sense of comfort. If your cat likes cosy places to curl up out of sight, our cat beds collection is a helpful place to start.
Why cardboard boxes are so irresistible: texture, warmth, and novelty
Part of understanding why cats like to go in boxes comes down to the material itself. Cardboard ticks several boxes at once (pun very much intended), offering a mix of sensory rewards that are genuinely hard to resist. It’s rarely just one thing pulling them in.
Natural insulation: Cardboard traps body heat surprisingly well, creating a snug little pocket of warmth that feels immediately comforting to a cat settling in for a nap.
Scratch-friendly texture: The surface is satisfying to knead and scratch, giving cats a natural outlet for an instinct they act on every single day.
Novelty and mental stimulation: A new box arriving in the house is basically an event. Exploring it engages their curiosity and gives their brain a small but meaningful workout.
Muffled acoustics: The walls absorb surrounding sound, softening the environment and helping cats feel calmer and less overstimulated.
Familiar, neutral scent: Cardboard carries no strong or threatening smells, which makes it feel safe and approachable from the very first sniff.
Put all of that together and it’s easy to see why cat behaviour in boxes makes so much sense. Warm, tactile, quiet, and interesting all at once — it’s a pretty compelling combination. If you want to make a box even more inviting, try tucking in one of our soft cat blankets to layer up the warmth and comfort your cat is already searching for.
How to use boxes safely and keep the fun going at home
Giving your cat a cardboard box to explore is one of the easiest wins in pet parenting, but a little prep goes a long way. Before you set one down, check it over properly. Remove any staples, packing tape, or sharp folded edges that could catch a paw or scratch a nose, and give it a quick sniff while you’re at it. Boxes that have held cleaning products or heavily scented goods are best left in the recycling.
Once it passes the check, placement matters more than you might expect. Tuck it somewhere quiet, away from busy hallways or noisy appliances. Cats are drawn to boxes because they feel hidden and in control, so dropping one in the middle of a well-trafficked room rather misses the point.
It’s also worth keeping an eye on chewing. Most cats will sniff, knead, and generally make themselves at home without much drama, but if yours is tearing off chunks and swallowing them, it’s time to swap things out for something safer.
When you want a longer-lasting version of the same comfort, cat tunnels, enclosed hideaway beds, and soft-sided dens deliver everything a cardboard box does: warmth, shelter, and that deeply satisfying tucked-in feeling. They’re washable, sturdier, and far tidier to have around the house. The instinct behind why cats like to go in boxes stays exactly the same. You’re just giving it a proper home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my cat prefer the box over the toy inside it?
The box satisfies a stronger, more deeply rooted instinct: shelter and concealment than almost any toy can compete with.
Is it bad for my cat to sleep in a box all the time?
Not inherently, but make sure they still have access to fresh water, food, and a litter tray nearby, and that the box is clean, dry, and free of sharp edges or packaging debris.
Do kittens like boxes too?
Yes. Often, even more than adult cats, since boxes double as a place to play, pounce, and practise hiding behaviours from a very young age.
