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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS);faqs.189



  IX.  REFERENCES
       A.  Electronic Mailing Lists.
       B.  Literary.
       C.  Books.
       D.  Articles.
       E.  Catalogues.



Prologue.

Rec.pets.cats is a newsgroup devoted to domestic feline issues.  The
group has been characterized as friendly and helpful.  Flamewars are
limited to two, possibly three, topics: cats on vegetarian diets,
declawing cats, and sometimes whether to keep cats indoor only or
allow them outdoors as well.  New readers are advised against starting
these topics up.  The facts pertaining to each of those topics, as
well as many others, are in this document.

This newsgroup was formed in the summer of 1991.  It is a splinter
groups from rec.pets, which originally carried the feline topics.  Adi
Inbar and others initially proposed the split, and Inbar collected the
votes, which proved enough for its official creation.

My thanks to Robin Bush for providing the initial push to put this FAQ
together.  My thanks also to the following people who contributed
topics and material to put this FAQ together: Ann Adamcik, Annick
Ansselin, Rona Bailey, Kathy Beatty, Sally C. Bemus, Jon Berger, Lisa
Berkenbilt, Harlan B. Braude, Carol A. Buckner, Robin Bush, Jack
Campin, Barbara Carlson, Teresa C.D. Carstensen, Mark Chadwick,
Catharine Chalek, Paul Chapin, Gayle Chidester, Janet Christian, Joni
Ciarletta, Linda Cornell, Ruth Croxford, Carol C. Denehy, Diana
(CatWoman), Jean Marie (Ambar) Diaz, Denise DiGiovanni, Debbie
Douglass, Pam Draper, Dick Dunn, Ann-Cathrin Englund, Nancy Feagans,
Karen Fegley, Sandra F. Feldman, Jamie Ferguson, Cristina Ferla, Ted
Feuerbach, Sandy Fifer, Cliff Frost, Chris Galas, Michael Gemar, Sally
George, Michael Gerlek, Margaret D. Gibbs, Diane Gibson, W.K. Gorman,
Jerome Grimmer, D. Dale Gulledge, David H., Pam Hassell, Leslianne
Heimbeck, Ceci Henningsson/Klussmann, Marsha Jo Hanna, Patty Hansen,
Vicki Holzhauer, Sharon Hope, Stephen Hutchinson, Marianne S. Jocha,
Jennifer L. Johnson, Laura Johnson, Valerie Johnston, Jay Kadis, Kate
(and Ebony), Teresa C. Kelly, Joyce L. King, Ms. Kitty, Kay Klier,
Eunyoung Koh, David Kosenko, Jon Krueger, Karen Kruger, Amy Kurtzman,
Angi Lamb, Marie Lamb, Tracey Dianne Layng, Jane Lecher, Kristen Lepa,
Dave Libershal, Ann Lindstrom, Betty R. Lipkin, Joann Loos, Sandra
Loosemore, Terry Lundgren, Jill McAllister, Bill McCormick, Rudolph T.
Maceyko, Steven Matheson, Chris Mauritz, [e-mail], Debbie
Millard, Carol Miller-Tutzauer, Ruth Milner, Anne P. Mitchell, Don
Montgomery, Pauline M. Muggli, Linda Mui, Carla Oexmann, Didi Pancake,
Jeff Parke, Pamela Pincha-Wagener, Randy Price, Lisa Purvis, Thomas
Oats, Lianne Raley, Steve Reinhardt, Elisabeth Riba, Aristea Rizakos,
Gary Sarff, Jane Schreiber, Jen Schmidt, Deb Schwartz, Elizabeth
Schwartz, Paul Silver, Maureen Smith, Michele Smith, Steve Snyder,
Debbie Spark, Paul Spencer, Catharine (Cat) Stanton, Larisa Stephan,
Sheryl Stover, Lon Stowell, Cyndie Sutherland, Lilly Tao, Kristin J.
Thommes, "Trish," [e-mail], Carolyn Waite, John
Werner, Christine White, Robyn E. Williamson, Jean Wilson, Julie
Wolfenden, Pamela Blalock Wybieracki, Frank Yellin, Rich Young, and
Cindy Zimmerman.

Extra thanks to Jon Krueger for extensive editorial comments.

I.  GETTING A CAT

A.  What Kind of Cat?

There are many kinds of cats, but cats are unlike dogs in that the
amount of variation in breeds is small.  There are some (occasionally
stereotypic) characteristics of some breeds, such as Siamese cats
being noisy and Maine Coon cats being big and friendly.  By and large,
however, cats will vary independently of their pedigree in
temperament.

Some people wonder whether they should get a kitten or an older cat.
There are advantages with older cats.  Kittens require more care and
watching over, they may not have the litter box down yet, and they go
through a wild phase at around 6 months of age when they are
unstoppable bundles of energy.  Since kittens are terminally cute,
prospective cat owners often choose a kitten for a new cat.
Nevertheless, do not overlook the benefits of an adult cat.

Many people recommend getting two cats instead of one.  A single cat
can get lonely and bored.  Two cats keep each other company,
especially during the day while you're away.  They tend to get into
less trouble.  And they're fun to watch together.

B.  Where?

1.  Animal shelters

The animal shelter is a good place to pick up a cat and save it from
death in the bargain.  Look for a clean, healthy cat.  Look for signs
of friendliness and liveliness.  Talk with the people caring for the
animals for any information on a particular animal they can give you.

2. Private parties

People who have unplanned litters will advertise their kittens in the
paper.  These can be another good source.

3.  Breeders

If you plan to show your cat, find a reputable breeder.  Do not use
newspaper recommendations.  Attend cat shows instead and talk to the
owners there.  Or look for breeder advertisements in magazines like
Cat Fancy.  When you meet breeders, look for people that seem more
concerned with the welfare of their cats than the amount of money
they're making.  Look for ones raising the kittens "underfoot" and
around people.

4.  Pet Stores

Don't buy pet store animals.  These are often obtained from
"kitten mills", where animals are poorly treated and bred
(and bred and bred) for profit.  By buying from the store, you
are supporting these mills and adding to the pet population problem.
Pet store employees are commonly instructed to tell customers
that the kittens were obtained from private parties.  It is further
suggested that you don't even patronize such stores.  Take your
business to stores that sell pet supplies only, no puppies or kittens.


C.  Veterinarians.

1.  Why you must have a vet

Before you even bring your new cat home, take it to the vet you have
already selected.  Never, never, never get a cat without prior
budgeting for vet visits.  Do not think that you can get a cat and
never see the vet.  Annual shots and examinations are a must for
keeping your cat healthy.  If you cannot afford veterinary care for a
cat, you should not get one.  Normal veterinary care: yearly shots and
boosters, initial tests for worms, and examination for typical
diseases as needed will run about US$100 a year.  This, of course,
depends on your vet and on the health of your cat.  Preventive and
consistent care is less expensive in the long run.

2.  Choosing a vet

Choose a vet who you are comfortable with and who will answer your
questions.  Check out the office: do animals seem just frightened or
are they also out of control?  Is it bedlam, or reasonable for the
number of different animals there?  Do you have local recommendations
from friends?  Does the vet specialize in small animals as opposed
to, say, livestock?

3.  24 hour emergency care

A good vet will either be associated with a 24 emergency care plan or
be able to give you the number of a good place in your area.  Keep
this number on your refrigerator and check with your vet when you
visit that it's still up-to-date.

4.  Fecal samples

Any time you bring your cat to the vet, try to bring a fresh fecal
sample.  Put a small, fingernail-sized sample into a plastic bag, or
ask your vet for a supply of fecal samplers.  The vet cannot always
get a fecal sample from the cat, and this saves you extra trips to
return the sample and then bring the cat in if the tests are positive.

5.  Cat reactions

Cats largely dislike being taken to the vet.  They hate riding in the
car, and the smell of fear and other animals in the office will
further distress them.  Get a pet carrier.  A plain cardboard one will
do for infrequent trips; get a stronger fiberglass one for more travel
or destructive cats. Carriers keep your cat under control at the vet's
and prevent accidents in the car en route.

6.  Further steps

From kittenhood, accustom your cat to being handled.  Look into its
ears (clean, white and light pink), eyes (clear, no runniness, inner
eyelids may blink but should remain open), nose (clean and pink (or
its normal color) and mouth (clean, light pink gums) regularly.  Hold
it still and look at its anus; pick up its paws and look at the pads
and claws.  This will have the added benefit that you will notice any
changes from normal quickly and be able to call up your vet if
something is wrong.

Do arrange for the kitten to meet plenty of people; this will
socialize your cat and it will not hide from people when adult.

7.  Fleas and ticks

Actually, you can have fleas and ticks in your home even without
pets.  But having pets does increase the odds you will have to deal
with either or both of these pests.  There is a FAQ on fleas and
ticks available via ftp to pit-manager.mit.edu (18.172.1.27) under
pub/usenet/news.answers/fleas-ticks or if you do not have ftp access,
send email to [e-mail] with "send
usenet/news.answers/fleas-ticks" in the subject line (leave the body
empty).


D.  Young Kittens.

They need shots for distemper, rabies, FVRCP (Feline Viral
Rhinotracheitis, Calici, Panleukopenia -- various respiratory
diseases) and tetanus at an early age.  They should also be tested for
Feline Leukemia and given vaccinations for that, especially if they
will come into contact with other cats.  Generally, a very young cat
doesn't need the full run of an entire house.  Use your judgement, but
leaving it in one room until it is a little older can save both of you
some anxiety.  A kitten will need a different diet than an adult; most
brands of cat food will give you "kitten food" versions.

Ideally, kittens should not be separated from their mother until they
are at least 8 weeks old. In other countries, such as Sweden, the
recommendation is that the kittens be at least 10 and ideally 12 weeks
old before separation.  This has to do with getting passive immunity
from the mother's milk and psychological readiness to leave the
litter.

Most kittens will understand how to use the litter box.  Usually their
mother teaches them, but they will pick it up easily on their own.  If
you have a too-young cat, you can teach it by confining it to one room
so that access to the litter box is easy and putting it in the litter
box after feeding.

You might wind up with kittens too young to have been separated from
their mother for whatever reason.  Consult your vet for advice and
help.  You will need to provide a warm draft-free area and use
something like KMR (kitten milk replacement) for food, using an
eyedropper.

E.  Introducing Cats to Other Pets.

You may need to introduce a cat to other pets.  The key to this is
patience.  It may take several weeks to a month to achieve desired
results; it may take overnight.  Do not give up and don't lose your
temper.

It depends on the temperament and ages of the animals involved.  In
most cases, you can simply introduce them, let them work it out, and
after a week or so, things are fine.  However, sometimes this is a
lengthy process that you will have to work through.  In general,
this will work:

  Put the cat in its own room, where the original pet can smell it,
  but not see it. After a day or so of this, remove the cat from the
  room and let the original pet smell and explore the room thoroughly.
  Put the cat back in.  Depending on the reactions involved, let the
  cat out and meet the original pet under supervision.  If there is
  some hostility, separate them while you are gone until you are
  certain that they get along.  It is best if you can arrange a
  "retreat" for each animal.

You can modify the length of time and amount of supervision as you see
how two cats react.  Some forms of cat playing can appear hostile but
are not.  Look at the ears for a clue (standing up or forward when
grappling is trouble, flat back when standing and staring is also
trouble).  If the fighting immediately stops when one yelps or
squeaks, they're OK.

A puppy introduced to a cat will quickly view it as another sort of
dog and leave it alone or, more often, want to play with it.  The cat
will view the dog as a nuisance for some time, but will eventually
learn to ignore it or even to play with it.  Introducing a kitten to
an older dog will depend on the dog's temperament.  Many dogs are good
with cats, such as Labs or Newfies, and will present no problems
whatsoever.  Other dogs may need to be taught to leave the kitten
alone.  Soon enough, the kitten will be able to get up out of the
dog's reach when it wants to be left alone.  Providing the cat with a
place the dog can't get to is always helpful.  This can be achieved by
placing a childproof fence in the door of a room high enough for the
cat to get under but not for the dog.  Do trim the cat's claws to
minimize damage to the dog's nose.

According to humane society studies, some combinations of
animals that tend to work best:

  * two kittens
  * a mature kitten and a puppy
  * a pair of mature neutered animals
  * two cats
  * two dogs

The humane society discourages introducing a male cat into a household
of two or more female cats.  Even if all the animals are neutered, you
could have problems.  Never try to introduce two un-neutered male
cats.  Female animals tend to be more gracious toward any newcomer,
especially if they are spayed.  Introducing a puppy or kitten into a
household with an elderly animal already present can be stressful to
the older animal.

F.  Handling Your Cat.

1.  Normally

Never lift your cat up by the scruff of the neck, even when it is a
kitten.  Leave that to the mother cat.  When you pick up a cat,
support its hind legs with one hand and hold the chest with the other
hand.  This is a stable position that affords the cat some purchase
with its feet.  In general, let go of a cat when it wants down; by
doing so you teach it that being held is not being trapped and you
will soon have a cat that does not mind being held.  (Laps work the
same way; don't try and hold a cat to your lap and it will eventually
enjoy lying there.)

2.  To restrain it

Sometimes you will want to restrain it.  There are a number of ways to
do this, but most of them focus on keeping the claws out of your way
and require a helping hand.

You can lay the cat on its sides and hold each set of legs with each
hand.  Elevate the legs slightly (as if you were rolling it on its
back).  You may need to watch for biting.  Roll your hand or arm under
its chin to prevent this.  This may loosen the grip on the front
claws; you'll have to decide which presents more danger.  A helper can
now look at the cat.

You can wrap the cat in a towel (but this presents difficulties if you
want to get at part of the cat covered by the towel).

You can utilize the reflex triggered by firmly holding the scruff of
its neck (do NOT lift it up!).  This will cause most cats to sit very
still, but may not be sufficient for some cats or for high stress
situations.

You can also get a cardboard cat carrier and (if possible) put the cat in
the carrier and brace the carrier against your knees.  The cat will back up
to the corner in the carrier; grasp the cat firmly on the nape of the neck
and hold on (if someone can help you, have the person grasp the nape and
the butt of the cat, holding it in the box).


II.  BASIC CAT CARE

A.  Cat Food.

1. Premium cat food

Although more expensive than average brands, these foods are often
better for your cat.  They are low-bulk, which means that cats will
digest more of the food, thus eating and eliminating less.  They
contain little or no dyes, which can be important if your cat vomits
regularly (easier to clean up); probably also good from a diet
viewpoint.

Examples of these kind of brands include Hill's Science Diet, Iams,
Wysong, Nature's Recipe (Optimum Feline), and Purina (One).  These
foods are also beneficial for the cats coats and many readers have
attested to their cat's silky fur on these diets.

2. Cat food composition

The Guaranteed Crude analysis provides more nutrition info than you
can get on the vast majority of human foods.  If you want more, ask
the vendor.  E.g. Purina is 800-345-5678.  Any major commercial cat
food is formulated with either natural ingredients (including meat
byproducts which supply nutrients to cats that meat itself doesn't
since cats in the wild eat the whole animal) or are supplemented with
the required nutrients to make them balanced diets for cats.

3.  Wet foods

Canned foods contain quite a bit of water.  It is expensive. Tartar
build-up may be a problem.  Smell (of the food, the cat's breath, or
the cat's feces) and gas may be a problem.  The food can spoil
quickly.  The dishes will have to be washed every day.  Stools will be
softer.  On the other hand, cats that have medical conditions
requiring higher water intake may benefit from the water in these
products.

4.  Dry foods

Cats will require more water on this kind of diet, but tartar-buildup
may be lessened as a result of crunching on the kibble.  Generally
less expensive and less smelly.  Dishes will remain clean and food
will not build up nor spoil quickly.  Stools will be firmer.

5.  Moist foods

These are "soft kibble".  The benefits are difficult to ascertain.
They are more appealing to humans than anything else.  There is no
anti-tartar benefit and not much difference from canned food.  They
are fairly expensive.  Some are actually bad for your cat: proylene
glycol found in these products (as a preservative) can damage red
blood cells and sensitize the cats to other things as well.  (Source:
August 1992 edition of _Cats Magazine_.)

6.  Snack foods

Many snack products are out there for cats.  Most are fine as
supplemental feeding, but of course they should never take place of
regular food.  In addition, these products can be useful in training.

7.  Milk

Most adult cats are lactose intolerant and drinking milk will give
them diarrhea.  Otherwise, milk is a nutritious snack.

Cream is even better than milk -- most cats can handle the butterfat
just fine and it's good for them.  A small serving of cream will
satisfy the cat more than a saucer of milk and will contain less
lactose.

8.  Homemade Food.

Check Frazier's _The New Natural Cat_.  She gives a number of recipies
and general information on making your own catfood and on what foods
are good for sick cats.

A number of cat books contain recipies for making your own
supplemental snack food.  These can be fun to make and give to your
cat.

9.  "People Food."

It is a poor idea to feed cats table scraps or food from your own
meals.  First, table scraps do not meet your cat's nutritional needs
and only add unneeded calories or undigestibles to its diet.  Second,
you risk having your cat become a major nuisance when you are eating.
Stick with prepared cat treats.  Any food you give it should be placed
in its food dish, or you can give it treats as long as you are not
eating or preparing your own food.

That said, there is a pretty wide variety of food that cats will eat
and enjoy.  Rec.pets.cats abounds with "weird food" stories ranging
from peanut butter to marshmallows.

10.  "Cat Grass."

Cats benefit from some vegetable matter in their diet.  When devouring
prey, the intestines, along with anything in them, will also be eaten.
Many owners grow some grass for their cats to munch on, both for a
healthy diet, and to distract them from other household plants!

In general, seeds that are OK to grow and give to your cats (but do
not use treated seeds, identifiable by a dyed red, blue or awful green
color): oats (cheap, easy, big), wheat (not wheatgrass) Japanese
barnyard millet, bluegrass, fescue, rye (but beware of ergot, which is
a fungal infection and produces LSD-like chemicals), ryegrass (annual
ryegrass is cheap and easy to grow, but small), alfalfa sprouts or
bean sprouts in SMALL amounts (these have anti- protein compounds that
reduce the protein value of other things fed to the animal (or
human!)).

Seeds that are NOT okay: sorghum or sudangrass, which have cyanogenic
glycosides, and can cause cyanide poisoning.  These are commonly found
in bird seed and look like smallish white, yellow, orangish, or
reddish BB's, or the shiny black, yellow or straw colored glumes may
be intact.

11.  Dog food

Dog food is not suitable for cats since it does not have the correct
balance of nutrients.  Cats need much more fat and protein than dogs
do.

B.  Diets.

You can feed your cat in one of two ways.  One is to put down a set
amount of food at specific times of the day.  This is necessary if the
food will spoil (canned food, for example) or if your cat will
overeat.  Some cats *do* overeat, do not be surprised if this is your
situation.  Put it on a fixed schedule to avoid weight problems.  Do
*not* assume a cat will only eat what it needs: if it starts putting
on too much weight (check with your vet), give it two feedings a day,
putting down half the recommended daily amount each time.  The other
(called "free-feeding") is to leave food available all the time.  The
food must be dry to avoid spoilage.  There is no preference between
the two; it will depend on your cat and the food you give it.

You may need to change your cat's diet for any number of reasons.
Often, you will find that your cat refuses the new food.  Don't worry.
Leave food out and keep it fresh until your cat is hungry enough to
eat it.  Your cat will not be harmed by several days of low food
intake: as a carnivore, it is biologically adapted to going without
food for several days between kills.  If you give in to its refusal to
eat the provided food, your cat has just trained *you* to feed it what
it wants.

If you have multiple cats, and one of them requires special food (from
medical to weight-loss diets), then you must go to a fixed feeding
schedule to ensure that that cat not only gets the food, but doesn't
get any other food.  If you have been free-feeding, switch them over.
Don't put out any food in the morning; in the evening, put out the
dishes and supervise the cats.  They will most likely be hungry and
eat most of the food.  Take the dishes up after 1/2 hour or so and
wait until morning.  Remain on the morning/night- or even just night-
scheduled feedings and your cats will adapt quickly enough.  If you
have trouble with one cat finishing quickly and going over to feed on
other cats' food, you will have to put them in separate rooms while
feeding.

C.  Vegetarian Diets.

Cats require the aminosulfonic acid taurine, which is unavailable in
natural vegetable except for trace concentrations in some plant
sources like pumpkin seeds; not enough to do a cat any good.  Lack of
taurine can cause blindness or even death by cardiomyopathy.  There
are also a few other similar nutrients, such as arachidonic acid (a
fatty acid only found in animals), but taurine is the most widely
known.

Some small manufacturers claim to have produced synthetically-based
supplements that when combined with an appropriately balanced
all-vegetable diet will provide the complete nutrition required by
cats.

No one has been able to find studies which demonstrate that cats which
eat such a diet over the long term stay healthy.

Some references are included in the Articles section.

D.  Litter.

1. Kinds of Litter

There are various kinds of litter available.

  * The traditional clay based litter is the most common.  This is
composed of clay particles that will absorb urine.  In general, you
need to scoop out solid matter regularly, and change the litter
entirely once a week or so.  Variations on clay particles include
green pellets (resembling rabbit food) or shredded cedar (like hamster
bedding).

  * There is an expensive cat litter available that solidifies urine
into little balls.  This way, the urine can be scooped out along with
the feces.  In theory, you never need to change the litter again, you
only add a little more to replace the loss to cleaning out the urine
and feces (which offsets the initial cost).  Sometimes the clumps
break apart and there are some "extra strong" varieties to address
this problem.  The litter is sandy and tracks rather easily.  Some
cats seem to develop diarrhea with this litter; some people are rather
allergic to the very fine dust from this type of litter.

  * There is a non-sandy clumping litter called "Booda's Ultra Clump";
a drawback includes the clumps sticking to the pan itself (baking
soda, pan liners, or small amounts of sandy clumping litter will
remedy this).  But it eliminates the tracking problems of the sandy
kind of clumping litter.  (It looks like regular clay-based litter.)

  * 4060 grade sandblasting grit made out of corncobs is an
inexpensive alternative to clay-based clumping litter.  It clumps as
well as the flushable kind of clumping litter, and also smells better.
It isn't available in all areas.  In Ohio, The Anderson's General
Store chain carries it for around US$10 for a 50 lb.  bag, comparable
to plain clay-based litter.

  * There is also a style of coarse corncob litter (commonly sold as
"animal bedding and litter" by pet suppliers) about the size of peas.
This is used in conjunction with a litter pan that has a screen and a
drain pan underneath, into which the urine drains (and feces are
removed as normal).  It is almost completely dust free, unlike
clay-based litters.

  * There is also "Good Mews."  It is pelletized organic cellulose
fiber ("scented with cedar oil--a natural flea and tick repellent").
It absorbs up to 1-1/2 its weight in water.  According to reports, it
is not dusty, sweeps up/cleans up easily, does not track, and does not
cling to the tray when moist.

  * There is at least one brand of litter that is intended for
multiple cat households.  This is Max Cat's Multi Cat.  Reports are
that it pretty much works as advertised.  This is a clay-based litter.
Another way to control strong ammonia smells is to mix baking soda in
with the litter.

  * A litter called "PineFresh" is a natural pine wood litter that
comes in little pellets.  The pellets disintegrate in the urine and
solid waste is scooped out.  It's a bit expensive, plusses are
described as: you don't have to change the litter as often provided
the solid waste is cleaned out daily and the disintegrated stuff is
sifted out twice a week.  There is virtually no odor and no dust and
it comes with a money back guarantee.  It flushes just fine down
non-septic systems.  The product is manufactured by: Cansorb
Industries 555 Kesler Road Cleveland, NC 27013.

Some cats seem to prefer certain kinds of litter over others, you may
need to experiment.

3.  Disposal

When disposing of litter, it is best to wrap it up in two bags and tie
securely, for the benefit of the garbage collectors.  For disposal of
solid matter, it is best to put it in the trash in a bag as well.
Some people flush solid matter, but be aware that septic tanks will
not do well with clay litter pieces (even the small amount clinging to
scooped items).  Clumping litter is supposed to be flushable, except
with septic tanks.

Do not use kitty litter as a fertilizer in your garden.  It is not a
manure since cats are not vegetarians and should not be used as such.
It can be incredibly stinky, can attract neighborhood cats, and
there's a chance that it would be unhealthy for your plants and for
you (if you eat fruits/vegetables which were fertilized by it).  Keep
in mind that when an outdoor cat "uses" your garden, it usually
varies its poop-place and so there's not a concentration of feces,
whereas if you dump litter, it's usually concentrated in a single
spot.

4.  Litter boxes

Cats can be fussy about the cleanliness of their litter box.  Many
people scoop solid matter out on a daily basis.  If a cat is
displeased with the litter box for a variety of reasons ranging from
cleanliness to the type of litter used, it may well select another
spot in your house more to its liking!

Litter boxes are shallow plastic pans.  Some cats have a tendency to
scatter litter outside the box when they bury their stool.  This can
be solved by getting a cover for the cat box, commonly available at
pet stores.  Another way to minimize litter tracking is to put a rug,
especially a soft rubber one, just outside the litter box.

For easier litter-changing, some owners will use litter box liners.
Some cats rip these while burying their feces; if the problem
persists, just don't use liners.