Cats and kittens are naturally inclined to
cover their waste, so they instinctively understand the box most of the time. Happy
& Polly offers some tips and tricks that'll help ensure that your litter
training experience goes smoothly.
Basic
Cat Littering Training Supplies
To litter train a cat, you're obviously
going to need a cat litter box and litter. But it's important to know what you
need to get. For your box, a small cheap shallow box is where you want to start
with these little guys.
In fact, when they're first learning you can
just use the cardboard trays as their first training boxes. The cardboard trays
that hold canned food are perfect for litter training kittens. They're so
shallow the kitten can just walk right into it. And once they get really gross,
you can just toss them in the trash. This means a clean box for the kittens,
and less hassle for you.
If you're working with kittens under 8 weeks
old, we recommend using a kitten safe litter, meaning something that is
fragrance free and non-clumping. Remember that kittens navigate the world just
like human babies - with their mouths. Highly fragrant litters can be bad for
tiny kittens if ingested, and clumping clay litter is definitely a no-no, since
it clumps up when it touches liquid.
Once the kittens are
closer to 6 or 7 weeks old, you can move them into a plastic litter box that is
more like what they'll have as an adult. You still want this box to be shallow
and lidless, but it can be a bit bigger and more sturdy than those cardboard
trays.
When
to Introduce a Litter Box?
If you're raising baby cats, you know that
they don't go to the bathroom on their own for the first few weeks of life.
From zero to three weeks of age, kittens will be stimulated to go to the
bathroom by their mother licking them.
Once the kittens hit three weeks old, their
bodies start being able to gradually go to the bathroom independently, so you
might start to notice that they pooped or peed in their bedding between
feedings. That's a perfect time to start introducing the litter box.
If you've been stimulating kittens to go to
the bathroom, you can even start stimulating them right into the box around
three weeks of age. They'll be able to associate the scent of their urine with
the box, and this can kick-start their understanding of good litter habits!
Of course, if you've recently adopted a new
kitten or rescued a kitten that's more than three weeks old, you should
introduce them to the litter box right away. The litter box should always be
the first thing you show a kitten any time they go to a new home.
How
to Let Them Use The Litter Box?
Kittens naturally understand the box because
they want to cover their waste, but there are several things you can do to
ensure that they do use the box.
1. Easy to find
First, you want to make sure that it's easy
for them to find. That means when they're learning, they should really never be
more than 10 feet away from a litter box. If they don't know where it is, they
might start looking for somewhere else to go.
2. More than 1 Box in the house
Put out as many boxes as you need depending
on the size of the space. For instance, a little baby in a playpen only needs
one. But if you have a rambunctious eight week old kitten running around your
house, you should ideally have at least one box in each room while they're
still learning. Kittens will typically be drawn to go to the bathroom in a
corner, so we recommend starting by putting a box in one to two corners of the
room.
3. Limit their space
Limiting the amount of space they have while
learning will really help, because they'll be right next to the box at all
times. So consider keeping your babies consigned to a playpen, or a single
room, until they're totally trained to use the litter box.
You also want to make sure they don't find
alternate places to go to the bathroom. Maybe you have a pile of laundry in the
corner of your room. They might think this provides a good place to cover their
waste.
4. Encourage them to use litter box
Once the kitten starts using the box, congratulate
them! Kittens do well with positive reinforcement. You can use an encouraging
voice, and give them some extra pets while they're exiting the box.
5. Example and imitation
Kittens also learn by example and imitation.
If you have one kitten that isn't getting it, bring them over to the box to
watch their buddies, so they have a chance to learn.
You can also put the kitten in the box and
run your fingers through the litter to show them that it's a place to dig, or
even gently run their paw through it to encourage digging behaviors that
ultimately lead to potty time. This will also teach them how to cover, if
you've got a baby that isn't covering his waste.
6. Proper Litter box
If you have a kitten that just really isn't
getting it, make sure you try a few different litter brands. Some kittens will
have preferences, or may be sensitive to the feel or smell of certain brands.
You also want to think about the kitten's
history. If it's a feral kitten that's been living outdoors, the bathroom to
them might look like some dirt and some leaves... so there's no harm in putting
a couple leaves on top of the litter box, if that's what it takes to help them
make the association.
7. Clean Environment
Remember, they have the same goal as you do
- a clean environment. So have patience while you're helping steer them in the
right direction, and never use negative reinforcement or punishment if they get
it wrong.
How
Often Should You Clean the Box?
This is where a lot of people mess up. Whenever
you feed them, you should also check out the box and see if it needs a scoop.
If it does, it's easy to just toss that small amount into a toilet, a trash
bag, or a smell proof pail.
When kittens are litter training, it's so
important to keep a clean box so that they're incentivized to use it.
Otherwise, they might think it's super gross, and start looking for somewhere
else to go. The more they go elsewhere, the more they'll think it's okay to go
elsewhere. So do yourself a favor and keep that box clean.
Ultimately, litter training is all about
meeting them where they are. So make sure you're putting out a box that's safe,
shallow, and easily accessible at all times. Keep it clean and encourage those
good habits, and your kittens will be litter box champions in no time.
Hope this can help you train your pet cat. If
you enjoyed it and would like to see more news, do not hesitate to visit Happy
& Polly website on https://happyandpolly.com.
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