Litter Box Use and Training

Cats are fussy about toilet habits and kittens usually learn to use a litter box by copying their mother. You may just need to show where the litter box is and place the kitten on the box after meals, waking from a sleep, or when sniffing, scratching or beginning to crouch and generally looking as if they are about to go! If your kitten is inclined to mess elsewhere in the house, confine them to one room with a litter box until the animal learns to use it regularly and follow the aforementioned procedure.

You will need a plastic litter box, which can be filled with cat litter available from pet shops. Use the scoopable type even if you don't plan to scoop. It is much easier on the feet. Dirt from the yard should never be used as it may harbor diseases from other cats.

The box can be placed on newspaper to catch any litter pushed over the side during digging – a large box will prevent such problems. If you intend to let your cat out to use the yard in the future then a simple open box will suffice for the few weeks involved. If you intend the cat to continue to use the box, you may want to purchase one of the covered types which gives the cat more privacy, stops smells from escaping and prevents mess with the litter.

Place the box in a quiet, accessible corner where your cat will not be disturbed. Make sure it is not next to food and water bowls, as the kitten may be reluctant to use a box close to its food.

The litter box must be kept clean and emptied regularly. Some disinfectants which turn cloudy in water are toxic to cats so use only hot water and detergent when cleaning out the box.

If your kitten is reluctant to use the box it could be because:

it is not clean enough – empty it more often
it is not big enough – it should be big enough for an adult cat to turn around in and to use
more than once without getting dirty
you have cleaned it out with a chemical that is too strong smelling
it is too near the animal’s bed or food bowls
the animal does not like the texture of the litter you have chosen – revert to a type previously
used or try a different type

When your cat starts to go outside more often, gradually move the litter box towards the door. A few handfuls of cat litter from the box spread onto well dug soil in the yard will encourage the kitten to dig there. Do not remove the litter box from indoors until your cat is going outdoors regularly.

If you plan to keep your cat inside at all times, two litter boxes may be required. Cats are very particular about their litter box and if it is one second past the regular emptying time, he may decide to use the corner instead or worse yet, the center of your bed. A second litter box will solve that problem.