This is a specific conversation about Cat litter — what cats actually prefer — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
A 13-year-old Nebelung starting to miss the edge of the box is almost certainly telling you something about mobility rather than habit — stiff hips or early arthritis can make it hard to position precisely over a standard-height tray, and litter depth plays into this too. Litter preference genuinely matters here: most cats do best with unscented, fine-grained clumping litter, and that's especially true for older cats whose sense of comfort and footing is more sensitive. Can you tell me a bit more — is she using a regular enclosed hood, an open tray, or something else right now? And is the missing happening at one specific side, or randomly around the edge?
It's an open tray at the moment, fairly standard depth sides. She seems to miss mostly at the front where she steps in. She's always been fine until the last few months.
inparticular.ai
That front-entry missing is a classic sign she's struggling to lift her back legs high enough to clear the rim cleanly as she positions herself — very common in older cats, especially longer-bodied breeds like Nebelungs. The fix isn't deeper litter, it's actually the opposite. How deep are you filling it currently? And is she on any joint support or have you had her checked for arthritis recently?
I usually fill it about 4 or 5 centimetres deep. She had a vet check last year but nothing was flagged. I keep it unscented already which I know she prefers.
inparticular.ai
Good that you're already on unscented — that's the right call. Four to five centimetres is actually fine for depth, so the litter level isn't the core problem here. The issue is the tray itself. Standard open trays have a front lip that's typically 12–15cm high, and for a senior cat with any stiffness that's become a real obstacle. What she needs is a low-entry tray where the front dip is only around 6–7cm, so she can step in and position without the awkward high-step. The rest of the sides stay tall enough to contain scatter. I'd recommend the Savic Nestor litter box — it has a genuinely low front entry of around 6cm, good surface area for a longer cat, and the sides are high enough that litter stays contained. It's widely available on Amazon UK and straightforward to clean. Stick with your current unscented fine-grain clumping litter and keep the depth at 3–4cm rather than 5 — slightly shallower gives better footing for older cats stepping around.
That makes a lot of sense. Would it help to put a mat in front of it too, or is that more about tracking?
inparticular.ai
Both, actually — a mat in front of the low entry serves two purposes for a senior cat. It catches litter from her paws, but more usefully it gives her a non-slip landing surface as she steps out, which matters if your floor is smooth. Older cats can slip slightly on exit and that alone can put them off using the box reliably. A simple microfibre litter mat does the job well. Nothing elaborate needed.
Great, I'll order the Savic Nestor and try a mat. Should I keep the old tray available while she gets used to the new one?
inparticular.ai
Yes, absolutely — run them side by side for at least two weeks. Put the new tray in the same spot she's used to, and the old one nearby. Most cats transition quickly once they discover the lower entry is easier, but giving her the choice removes any stress around the change. Once she's consistently using the new one, you can phase the old tray out. Given her age it's also worth mentioning the occasional missing to your vet at her next visit — worth ruling out any progression in joint stiffness so you can manage it early.
