Choosing The Right Litter Box
Consider these tips as youre deciding on a litter box:
- Look for a small, shallow box: A litter box with low sides, like the Van Ness Cat Litter Pan, is ideal when litter training kittens. Low walls allow your cat to easily climb inside. Bigger and taller boxes may be a bit too much of a hop for young kittens, potentially deterring them from using the box.
- Avoid covered boxes: Covered litter boxes can trap odors inside, which might be great for you but can deter your kitten from using them. Plus, they can be scary for some kittens, especially if you have other cats who may guard or ambush the box. So keep it small and uncovered for nowyou can always upgrade to a larger size as your kitten grows.
- Multiple cats means multiple boxes: Ideally, you should have one litter box per cat plus one extra, says McMillan. Some cats like one box for pee and one for poop, and some cats will guard the litter box from other catsa logistic impossibility with the one extra box. Remember: It is far better to have to scoop multiple boxes than to have your kitten choose another place to go, like your bed or your bathmat.
When Do Kittens Start Using The Litter Box
When do kittens start using the litter box? Is my kitten old enough to use a litter box? If youre asking any of these questions, it is likely because you have a yet-to-be-litter trained feline, and you want to get it started with litter training.
Litter box use should be one of the first things they learn as it is necessary for proper toileting habits. So, when is the right time to litter-train your kitten? Well find out in this article.
Things Youll Need When Training Your Kitten To Use A Litter Box
You wont have to worry about picking up training treats for your kitten, since shell already know what shes doing.
However, you will need the essentials, like:
For litter, a good starting point is to stick with whatever she was already using at the rescue or shelter where you got her.
Typically, when youre buying litter for an adult cat, you want to go with a product that clumps. But with kittens, you might actually want to avoid clumping litter.
Some kittens will eat the litter, and then on those really strongly clumping litters, that could be a problem, Dr. Tu explained.
For kittens especially, Dr. Tu recommends Yesterdays News.
Its literally made out of newspaper thats been rolled and cut up, so the texture is different than most litters so you might want to mix this in with another nonclumping litter brand until youre ready to transition your kitten to a clumping litter so the different sensations arent too jarring.
You could try mixing it with .
Once you have everything you need, it should be smooth sailing from there!
If it seems like your kitten still isnt getting it, reach out to a vet! It could be a medical issue.
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When Caring For A Kitten Or Any Baby For That Matter You’ll Quickly Get Used To One Thing For Sure
We always have a bunch of kittens running around and it can feel like their only mission is to find new and creative places to track their poopy paws. When we first started fostering, we spent most of our days cleaning up poop. Over the years, this has become less of an issue for us though.
One reason is because I feed a raw food diet, which has been the biggest game-changer when it comes to quality of poop .
The other reason is because weve spent a lot of time trying out different litter box setups. Were lucky to have plenty of eager volunteers who will test out any fresh litter box within moments of it opening for business.
In my pursuit to find the perfect solution, here are the litter boxes I keep coming back to:
Do Baby Kittens Poop And Pee
Young kittens dont pee and poop on their own mama cats stimulate them to go to the bathroom by licking them. If youre raising an orphan, youll need to help them by stimulating them at each feeding.
Is it normal for a kitten to not pee or poop?
When to Worry About Constipation Sometimes, a kitten may even go 24 hours without pooping. If this happens, dont panicbut do keep an eye on them and focus on trying to help them go potty. If they havent pooped in more than 48 hours, thats when youll definitely want to head to a veterinarian for further assistance.
When do kittens start drinking water?
Its normal for kittens to struggle with water at first, but she should be drinking confidently within 1-3 days of introduction.
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Keep The Litter Box Clean And Remove Other Temptations
Cats dont like to use dirty litter boxes, especially if theyve been soiled by other cats in the household. A kitten undergoing litter box training should have a consistently clean litter box, as well. Make sure to scoop the litter box daily, and provide your cats with one more litter box than there are cats in the house.
Youll also want to remove other tempting places to go while your kitten is litter box training. Large indoor houseplantsparticularly ones on the floormight be deemed an appropriate place to do their business. Either move the plants outdoors or to a room your kitten cant access.
Your Cat Doesnt Like The Type Of Litter Box Used
If you have a covered litter box try removing the cover. Even though covered litter boxes are convenient for us to contain smells and mess, some cats downright despise them and will refuse to use them.
Alternatively, if you have an uncovered litter box, your cat may prefer the privacy of having a cover.
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Try New Litter New Boxes Or New Locations
If the current litter box isnât working, you might have to make some changes. The first thing you could do is move the litter box to a different location that will give them privacy but is not accessible. It should be in a place that is not near loud, noisy appliances or too much foot traffic.
Your cat might also dislike the litter texture , so you can try something different. There are many different types of options, including clumping litter, clay litter, and more. Cats tend to dig and bury their elimination, so the litter type is critical.
Sometimes, the box itself is why your cat is having a problem. If your cat is not defecating in the box, it could be because they feel the box is claustrophobic. Some cats have preferences for covered litter boxes, while others prefer the uncovered variety.
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Introducing Your Kitten To Their Litter Environment
Cats are fastidious creatures, even at a young age. Follow these simple steps to make housetraining a snap.
Give your kitten a safe place to adjust to her new home: A young kitten, especially, might be nervous in her new surroundings. To minimize your kittens anxiety and assist with training, confine her to a quiet, secluded area such as a small bedroom or a bathroom for the first few days. Along with her litter box, place her bed, food and water dishes in the room just be sure to keep them well away from the litter box since neither kittens nor cats will eliminate near their food.
Prepare the litter box: Make sure the litter box is big enough for her to move around in, and easy to step in and out of. Fill the litter box with roughly two inches of litter. Its best to avoid scented litter while humans may prefer the smell of rosebuds over fresh cat poop, your kitten does not, and it may deter her from using the litter box.
Plan your strategy: Associate the litter box with positive behavior. Kittens usually need to eliminate within a half hour of eating, drinking or sleeping. When the time is right, put your kitten near the litter box and play with her for 10 or 15 minutes. Gently swish the litter around to stimulate your kittens interest and encourage her to hop inside to investigate the box. During the training process, place your kittens stool in the litter box to help establish a connection between elimination and the litter box.
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Problems And Proofing Behavior
Most kittens will learn to use the litter box fairly quickly. It may take longer for some kittens, so try to be patient. If your kitten has one or two specific areas in the house where it likes to eliminate, move the litter boxes to these areas. If this does not work, try changing the litter box or the cat litter brand or type.
When considering litter boxes, try to put yourself in your cats position. Is there something in the area that is frightening or distracting? Perhaps there is a sight or sound that makes your cat want to avoid the area. Maybe the litter box has a strong plastic smell to it. Perhaps the litter does not feel good on the paws or has an odor kitty dislikes. You may need to make several small changes before your kitten will accept the litter box.
Remember, never punish your cat for accidents. Be consistent about moving the kitten to the litter box if you catch it in the middle of an accident. Try not to get angry or frustrated. Stress in the environment is the main cause of behavioral litter box issues. This means you may need to assess your kittens environment. Are there other pets in the home causing stress? Is your kitten acting anxious or restless? Perhaps it needs more exercise or vertical space.
If you continue to have trouble, talk to your veterinarian, who can rule out health issues that might be getting in the way of litter box training and offer training suggestions.
What To Do If Your Kitten Wont Use The Litter Box
If your kitten is having a hard time with litter box training and is peeing outside the box, try these steps:
1. Carefully evaluate your litter box setup. Every kitten has slightly different preferences. Make sure that the litter boxes:
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Are easily accessible
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Are located in quiet spots
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Are not hidden in a corner
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Are not being guarded by other cats
2. Consider changing the litter box or type of litter. You may want to get a new box and place it nearby to see if your kitten prefers another box. Or keep the same box and only change the litter type to see if it is the box or the litter that is the issue.
3. Scoop more often and replace all litter more often.
4. Consider using pheromone diffusers near the litter box to relieve stress and make your kitten more comfortable with their surroundings. These diffusers, when placed in the room with the litter box, make kittens feel that they have marked their territory.
5. Bring your kitten to your veterinarian to check for parasites, urinary tract infections, or other medical issues that may promote inappropriate elimination. These are rare with kittens, but they should not be overlooked.
Your veterinarian can always help you troubleshoot your kittens litter box issues as well. Above all, remember to be patient! Training takes time, but your kitten will master these habits with your love, support, and attention.
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Place Your Kitten In The Litter Box
Start by placing your kitten in the litter box, especially each time the kitten wakes and after meals. Simply set your kitten in his or her litter box and, in many cases, this will teach your young one where to use the bathroom. When they successfully use the litter box, lavish praise on your kitten to create a positive association with correct use of the litter box.
Keep The Litter Boxes Clean
Try to scoop your kittens litter box after every elimination. You don’t want your kitten developing an aversion to the box during the training process. After scooping, add some clean litter to maintain a litter depth of 2 to 3 inches to give your kitty plenty of room to dig.
Once your kitten is older and uses the litter box consistently, you can scoop daily instead of each time your kitten uses the box.
Periodically empty out all of the litter in each box, clean the boxes, and fill them with clean litter. Most non-scoop litters will have their own recommendations on the label for how frequently they should be changed.
Clumping litters only need to be changed out completely every week or couple of weeks, depending on how many cats you have using the boxes.
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Location Of Litter Box Is Key
The litter box should never be placed next to food or water because cats prefer not to eliminate where they eat. Ideally, it should be in a quiet place so they feel free to use it and are not stressed. For example, it should not be placed adjacent to a dryer full of soccer cleats or a screaming childs nursery. Additionally, no matter how many litter boxes are in a room, it is still only one bathroom to a cat. When adding another litter box, put it in a different location. If a home has more than one story or is large, a litter box should be available to the kitten on all floors or in different sections of a large home to prevent accidents. Cats often prefer a bit of light when using the litter box at night. A nearby nightlight can improve litter box utilization.
Initially, the kitten should never be more than one half of a house-length away from an acceptable litter box per floor. That could mean having several extra litter boxes temporarily. The standard rule of veterinary behaviorists is to have one box per cat, plus one. It is always better to prevent inappropriate elimination than to deal with it once it has become a habit and damaged your home.
Try Varieties Of Boxes Litter Types And Locations
Cats can develop an aversion to using their litter for different reasons. Some may not like the feel of a particular type of litter on their paws. A long-haired cat might need a crystal litter that doesn’t stick to his paws. A kitten that spent time outdoors before coming home with you might have learned to pee and poop in the dirt, so he might gravitate to clay litter with a similar texture.3
The location can also make a huge difference. If the litter box is near an area with a lot of traffic or if it’s next to a noisy washing machine, your cat might not want to use it as much.
Even the type or shape of the litter box can make a difference. Some cats don’t like stepping over a box with a high side consider cutting out an entrance so your cat can just walk into the litter box. Other kittens don’t like litter boxes with covers, and some will only use boxes with covers. If the litter box is too big or too small, this can also cause problems. Even the depth of litter can make a difference. Try different types of boxes and litter to see which your kitten prefers.
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After Surgery Your Pet May Not Use The Litter Box
After surgery, you may not be able to put your pet in the litter box for the first few days. If they are fasted or if they are not well fed prior to surgery, they may experience this. If this persists for more than 72 hours, consult with your veterinarian. To use the litter box, your cat must be neutered and have surgery.
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Allow The Cat To Examine The Box
Another helpful tip to know on how to litter box train a kitten is to allow him or her to examine the litter box. Have the box set up and ready for use before you ever bring your new kitten home. As soon as you let him or her out of their carrier, take them to the litter box and let them examine it, sniff it, and get familiar with the idea of it.
If your kitten has seen litter boxes already with their mother or at the rescue where they came from, for example, then they may go right into the box and start trying to use it. Otherwise, however, consider this a meet and greet of sorts and wait to see what happens.
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How To Litter Train A Stray Kitten
Pet owners who are thinking through how to litter train a stray kitten can encounter a different set of challenges. Litter box location is a really important factor when litter training any kitten, but is especially important when you’re bringing in a lost, stray kitten from outside. “They feel safer in corners, especially if they’re coming from outdoors to indoors,” Tamburo Coll says.
If you’re taking in a stray kitten, Tamburo Coll also suggests layering outdoor substances over the litter you want to use to make the cat feel more familiar with the material. She also suggests products like Dr. Elsey’s Kitten Attract to entice your new kitten to use the box.