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Training your kitten to use the litter box
How
to house train your kitten easily
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If your new
kitten has come from a reputable breeder your kitten will most
likely be trained to use the litter box. Kittens learn from
their mothers and breeders will reinforce what mother cat has
taught them.
Ask the breeder which type of litter box and kitty litter
your kitten is used to. Often if you change to a different
brand of litter the kitten may not understand what is required
of it and may stop using the litter box. If you want to change
to a different brand of litter from the one the breeder used
do it slowly by introducing the new litter into the old a
little at a time over a period of a couple of weeks until the
old litter has been replaced by the litter of your choice.
Of course not everyone acquires a kitten from a breeder and
some of these kittens come from an environment where they have
never seen a litter box in their lives. Some kittens may have
been raised outside or they may be a rescue kitten and you
have no idea of their history.
How to begin toilet training: Equipment Required
Litter Tray
There are many different types of litter boxes but
basically you need a litterbox that gives your kitten plenty
of room to move around in and also it must have sides that are
low enough for your kitten to climb over.
Choosing
the right litter box for your cat
In an emergency you can
improvise with something you have around the house such as a
baking pan, a plastic container or a cut down cardboard box. (make sure you line
these with plastic liners for example with plastic garbage
bags)
Kitty Litter
There are many commercial Cat Litters available and you
should experiment and use what works best for you. Avoid
scented litters. People may like the smell of scented kitty
litter but many cats and kittens do not. You will have to
strike a happy medium between the litter you prefer to use and
the litter the kitten prefers to use.
Also avoid using clay clumping litter for young kittens as
it can be dangerous, causing intestinal blockages if
accidentally ingested.
In an emergency you can use shredded newspaper or soil or
sand from your garden.
How to litter train your kitten
Firstly, do not allow your new kitten full run of the
house.
Try to contain him to the room you spend the
most time in so you can watch him most of the time. Close all
bedroom doors and barricade other areas that do not have
doors.
Cats are fastidious animals and by instinct they prefer to bury their
urine and faeces. Watch your kitten carefully and if you see signs that he
is about to go pee or poop, gently pick him up without a fuss and
without scaring him place him in the litter box. Take one of his paws and
scratch the litter with it. Because he can dig in the litter his natural
instincts should take over. If the kitten uses the litter box give him
lots of praise. If he doesn't use it don't force the issue. You must never
use a raised voice or make him afraid of the litter tray in any way.
Once your kitten has used the litter he leaves the smell of cat urine
which will encourage him to come back next time. If he continues to have
accidents try transferring some urine or faeces to the litter box so that
the smell of it encourages him to use the litter.
What are the signs kitty needs to toilet?
One of the signs that a kitten needs to eliminate is that he will begin
scratching at the floor. He will often go to a corner, behind a couch or a
quiet area. Be observant and watch your kitten's behaviour. Often a
hurried departure from a game will indicate that he is hurrying off for a
toilet break.
Establish a routine
A few minutes after your kitten has finished eating put him in the
litter box and scratch his paw. If he doesn't want to go let him get out
but watch him carefully because kittens often need to go to the toilet
after eating. Use the same procedure after your kitten has woken up from a
nap. This is another time when it is most likely they need to eliminate.
Where to place the litter box
Place the litter tray in a quiet area because cats like privacy. Don't
choose a position where there is a lot of traffic or noise and don't place
it out in the open. Preferably place it in a corner or at least with one
wall behind it.
Don't place the litter box near your kitten's food or water bowls.
Make sure your kitten knows where the litter box is and that he doesn't
have to travel far to reach it.
As a rule of thumb provide one to two litter boxes
per cat in a household. If your house is very large, or has
multiple floors, you may need to provide multiple locations.
My kitten has
accidents and pees on the floor!
Expect accidents. Your kitten is only a baby and is still learning what
is expected of him. Do not punish a kitten by rubbing his nose in the
accident as this does not work. All it will teach the kitten to do is to
fear you. Praise good behaviour and try to keep a closer eye on your
kitten in future.
If you catch your kitten in the act quickly pick him up and take him
quickly to the litter box. Say words such as 'Ah Ah' or 'No' in an unhappy
voice when he is toileting in the wrong place and then praise him and tell
him what a good boy he is while you have him placed in the litter.
If accidents happen on a regular basis you can confine your
kitten for part of the day to a small room such as
bathroom or laundry. Place the litter box in the room with him
and he will soon get the idea to use it. Don't leave him there
on his own for long periods of time and always make sure he
has fresh water and something to play with.
You can also confine him when you are not there to supervise him.
Read this article on
10
Reasons why your cat won't use the litter box
Cleaning Issues
Make sure the litter box is always clean. Cats and kittens do not like
using heavily soiled litter boxes. Scoop out the hard bits frequently and
change the litter daily. Thoroughly wash litter boxes once a week.
Always clean urine accidents thoroughly. The smell of cat urine will
entice your cat back to the inappropriate location.
How to
clean cat urine odors
How to teach your kitten to toilet
outside
If you live in a safe location and will allow your cat or
kitten to go outside you may want to progress to toileting
outside. This is achieved by simply moving the kitty litter
box closer to the outside door slowly over a period of time.
Eventually move it to just outside the door and then you can
progress to no litter box at all. Make sure your kitten knows
where the litter box is at all times. Don't move it suddenly
from one room to the next and expect your kitten to know where
it is. When you have reached the stage of having the litter
box outside watch your kitten and wait until you see him begin
to use it. Then gently pick him up and show him an appropriate
spot in the garden or yard that he can use instead. Cats and
kittens love freshly dug soil or a sandy spot so you may be
able to prepare an area ahead of time that you would like him
to use. Eventually he will find his own preferred spots to
toilet.
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