Usually you don't need to train a kitten or cat to use a litter box. But it's important to establish good litter box habits before your sweet adorable kitten become a problem cat. The following tips will help prevent problems before they start.
Kittens and cats are clean by nature. You can start training a kitten when she's three to four weeks old, if you need to. Most kittens train themselves to use the litter box by the time they're 12 weeks old. But sometimes the stress of going to a new home makes a kitten forget to use its box.
Kittens, like human babies, have an elimination reflex after they eat. So after you feed your kitten, set her in the litter box. She'll learn to associate her box with this reflex.
If you see your kitten sniffing around or squatting down in a corner, pick her up and gently put her in the litter box.
Be sure the litter box is close by. A kitten can't "hold it" like a mature cat, so don't expect her to travel too far! It's also important that she can actually get into the litter box. You may need to use a box with lower sides for a small kitten, or make a step out of a piece of wood or a small flat cardboard box.
The location of the box is important too. A quiet, safe area is important. If you have a dog or an older cat, be sure that the other animal can't bother her when she's her litter box.
Don't put the box near her food dish. You wouldn't eat in the bathroom, and your kitten won't either. She'll probably find another place to do her business instead.
Avoid putting the litter box on a carpeted area, if possible. Your kitten might like the texture of the carpet better than her litter, and start going outside the box.
There are many types of cat litter available today. Avoid cedar-based litters or litters with a strong perfumed scent. Your kitten's sense of smell is much better than yours, and a strong-smelling litter may make her go elsewhere. It can be helpful to use the same litter used in her first home, if possible.
When you clean her box, don't use a strongly-scented cleaner for the same reason. Use a mild cleaner, and rinse the box well.
It's important to keep her box clean and as free of odor as possible. If you use a covered box, you may need to scoop more often, as the cover traps odors. Some cats won't use a litter box with a plastic liner because the urine pools and smells bad to your cat.
If your kitten is not using her litter box, try using a different kind of litter. Clay litter may be hurting her paws. You may need to try a soft, scoopable litter instead.
Also be sure you have enough litter boxes in your home, especially if you have more than one cat. Sometimes cats are not good about sharing!
Start your kitten off right, and you can avoid cat urine odor problems in the future!
Darlene L. Norris invites you to read How Can I Get My Cat To Use The Litterbox? for the solution to your litter box problems.
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