How many litter trays?

[Ohdoleavemealone]

Our house in open plan downstairs. We have a kitten coming in a few weeks. How may litter trays would you get?
Also, I want one that they climbing and out of to reduce litter tracking but would you wait until she is settled in before doing this and start off with a basic one to prevent accidents?
Same with scratching posts. Is one enough along with a couple of cardboard scratch trays?

For trays the general rule is one per car plus an extra - so for 1 cat you should have two trays and for 2 cats three trays etc. Having said that we used to have two indoor cats and they happily shared a litter tray.

I'd definitely start off with an open tray for a kitten. You want to make it as easy as possible for them to find and use the toilet! Basic trays are pretty cheap so you could always get a couple of them and then the covered top entry litter box you want the kitten to use and have three trays initially to see how the kitten takes to them. Just bear in mind that whilst you may want your kitten to use a top entry box, they may not wish to and their needs trump yours!

In relation to scratching posts/mats I'd get one of each initially. Some cats like to scratch horizontally and some vertically and that way you can work out your kitten's preferred type and buy more of what they want if necessary.

I have 2 cats and 2 trays - but they're very bonded, they don't mind sharing. If you just have one kitten you'll be alright with one as long as you keep on top of the scooping and cleaning. Two might be better. Also if your kitten does not appear to poop, check your plant pots. It took us a good week to figure that one out.

If you can stretch to it, get a small cat tree. Make sure its sturdily erected for kitten madness. Plenty to scratch and climb on.

I would start with two as some cats don't like to pee and poo in the same tray.

You can always drop down to one as the kitten gets older but you want to minimise the chance of accidents as much as possible when they're small.

We have three cats and three trays with no issue but mine are all adults and fully trained. We used to have four trays but they never used the last one!

I know the usual MN recommendation is 15 trays per cat and 7 spares, but my experience is different. I've owned cats for over 35 years. We have one large tray currently shared by four cats. They all use it (sometimes at the same time) and nobody pisses or craps on the floor.

Thanks everyone. I will go for 2, one upstairs, one downstairs.

They're all different. I have 4 cats and 4 trays - 2 open and 2 covered. They tend to poop in one and pee in another but change which is which. However, mine are all rescues and were litter trained before I got them.

I have 1 cat and 1 tray.