Pre-Litter Box Training

First and foremost, set yourself up for success by getting the right supplies. Gather the basics prior to bringing home your new kitty. Decide on the style of cat litter box to use. Cats prefer an open tray style litter box but you can adjust the style to your cat’s needs. Stock up on cat litter; (it’s amazing how much you go through) and invest in a durable litter scoop (You’ll be thankful that you did!).

Use cat litter box mat to help reduce tracking, catch spills, and help to define your cat’s bathroom space. Cleaning the litter box frequently is a must! To make cleaning more efficient, Scoop Buddy attaches your waste bag directly to the litter box to keep dirty litter from spilling all over. Less mess? Yes, please!

There are many types of cat litter to choose from. Select the one that fits best for you and your kitty. Cats generally prefer a sandy substrate without a lot of fragrance. For your sanity, find one that clumps well and is easy to scoop. However, there are some other more sustainable options of cat litter made from cedar or other woods, walnut shells, recycled paper, wheat or corn. These can even reduce the amount of dust and debris your cat tracks around the house.

*It’s important to note that when kittens are very small, it is advised to not use a clumping litter in the beginning.  The concern is the kitty may ingest some particles accidentally and the litter may clump inside the kitten’s body, causing gastrointestinal blockage. It’s best to avoid clumping litters until your kitty gets the hang of the litter box thing.

 

Litter Box Training Basics

In general, training your cat to use the litter box is quite easy. Instinct will usually take over and luckily cats are intrinsically clean animals that prefer to bury their waste. First thing is to make sure your cat knows where to find the litter box. When you first bring home your new cat it is an overwhelming experience. Confining your kitty to a small, quiet area with clean water, fresh food, and a clean litter box is important. This allows your cat to acclimate to their new surroundings at that their own pace.

It’s equally important for your kitty to develop an understanding and trust for their new environment. Even placing their paws in their new litter box at first will help them understand this is their new place to do their business. Make sure you leave the door to the room slightly ajar. This way once your kitty successfully uses the litter box and seems comfortable, they are able to come out and roam in their new territory.

It is recommended not to use a covered litter box during the training period. This style may complicate the process if they are not accustomed to it or they may be too little to enter this type of litter box. Instead, try using a shallow litter pan until your kitty becomes used to using their new litter box.

Keep Litter Box Training Positive

If your cat urinates or defecates outside the litter box, simply place the waste inside the litter box. The smell should help your cat find the litter box and teach them to use it in the future. Never rub a cat’s nose in their mess to show it’s in the wrong place. Your cat will not learn from this and instead may learn that going to the bathroom in general is bad. Remember, cats respond much more strongly to positive reinforcement than to punishment or yelling. Try giving your kitty a treat when they use the litter box correctly to encourage that behavior.

Be sure to clean any mess immediately with a pet stain remover. This will help to discourage your kitty from going in the same spot next time. Fresh cat pee smells bad enough, but cat pee seems to smell worse and worse as time goes on. This is because cat urine contains bacteria that breaks down the urea in the urine, resulting in ammonia. The longer it sits, the more the bacteria consume the urea and the more ammonia odor you will smell. For this reason, the quicker you clean up cat urine, the better your chances of eliminating the odor.

Refrain from using any cleaners that contain any amounts of ammonia. Their urine contains ammonia and this could tempt your cat to urinate in the same spot again. Instead, use a product specifically designed for cleaning pet accidents.  Pet enzyme cleaners work great if you get to it right away.

If you don’t have any handy, reach into your pantry and grab some vinegar. Equal parts water and white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle works well. If the urine is pungent, you may want to use pure vinegar and saturate the area very well. Then rinse the area with cool water and dry with a clean cloth. Consider using some baking soda in the area using a brush to really get into the fibers of the carpet. You can easily vacuum up any excess. Continue to spray or spread, rinse / repeat, or even better get a steam cleaner style vacuum that sucks up the wet grime until you’re satisfied.

Now, if you’re stepping into a situation where a cat has been urinating in the same spot for a while, you’re into the replacement stage unfortunately. It will have worked its way into the padding and plywood underneath the carpet and really should be replaced.

kitten sitting in litter box

Common Challenges When You’re Training Your Cat to Use the Litter Box 

Cats may refuse to use the litter box if something about it is unappealing to them. If your cat is still not using the litter box after a day or two, try the following:

  • After a meal, try placing them in the litter box and briefly scratch the litter with their paw. Don’t force your kitty to stay in the litter box; we want to keep the litter box experience positive. Use a toy to lure them in the box.
  • Change the type of litter used. The type of litter may be unappealing to them. Most kitties prefer an unscented, scoopable litter. Many cat parents also prefer scoopable litters because they are easier to clean and help control odors.
  • Change the litter box location. The litterbox location could be unappealing to your kitty. Most cats prefer a quiet place with several escape routes. Try to keep your cat’s food dishes as far away from the litterbox as possible.
  • Clean the litter box. The litter box could be too dirty. Scoop it out daily, add new litter as needed, and wash the box with baking soda or an unscented soap. Use Scoop Buddy for quick and easy cleaning. Do a full litter change monthly or more as needed.
  • The litter box could be too small or there aren’t enough litterboxes. Especially as your kitty grows, their space needs may change. Also, it’s recommended to provide at least one litterbox per cat, and ideally one extra box.
  • There could be too much litter in the litter box (or not enough). Most cats prefer the litter to be about 1 to 2 inches deep.

Having Trouble Training Your Cat to Use the Litter Box? There Could Be Other Problems!

If your house has become a giant litter box, don’t despair! There are many methods available to address and prevent your cat from chronic accidents in the house. Unfortunately, house soiling is one of the most common reasons why cats are abandoned or surrendered to a shelter. It’s important to know that cats generally don’t urinate and defecate all over their house out of spite. Rather, it’s because something may be lacking with your kitty’s emotional, physical, or medical needs being met.

House soiling is not common but could be how your kitty will communicate something is very wrong. Click To Tweet

If your cat continues going outside of the litter box, your first call should always be to your veterinarian. Many medical conditions can cause a change in your kitty’s litter box habits. If your veterinarian examines your cat and gives them a clean bill of health, your cat may have a behavior problem that needs to be solved. Your kitty may need some diagnostic tests completed, like bloodwork or x-rays, to rule out other medical conditions before concluding the problem is indeed behavioral. If these tests come up negative for medical conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, bacteria in the urine, intestinal parasites, bladder stones, or arthritis, your veterinarian may ask about behavioral history or any environmental factors.

Stressful situations can also lead cats to marking behavior or house soiling. Homeopathic remedies can help your kitty destress. There are some alternatives to consider like CBD oil or calming treats to help kitties mellow out a bit. These also have some other health benefits for your feline as well.

Using a calming cat bed may just be what your kitty needs to relax, or some cats just love good old-fashioned catnip. Try some simple solutions to help them destress a little bit; but if you’re having a particularly hard time with your cat adjusting or misbehaving, there are cat behaviorists that can help. Do your research and see what would be a right fit for you and your pet.

cat sitting on top entry litter box

What Happens If Your Cat Has Developed a Surface or Location Preference?

Once medical issues are ruled out and your cat is seemingly healthy, they may just prefers eliminating on a certain kind of surface or location. Begin by asking what you think may be attracting them to that spot? If possible, consider putting a litter box in that location to encourage the behavior you want to see.

Another option is to make that surface or location less appealing. For example, if the location your cat prefers is in a dark area, try putting a bright light or a motion-activated light in the area. You can also make surfaces less pleasant to stand on by adding textures or sounds they do not like, such as placing upside-down carpet pieces, aluminum foil or double-sided sticky tape where your cat has soiled in the past.

At the same time, provide your cat with extra litter boxes in acceptable places in case part of the problem is the location of the usual litter box. Try using multiple options of litter to choose from so you can rule that out as a deterrent. As mentioned before, clean accidents very thoroughly with a cleanser designed to neutralize pet odors. Using the litter box is a very vulnerable time for your cat. The litter box should remain in an open area with ample escape routes not in an enclosed cabinet with one way traffic.

Litter Box Training Problems

Only 10% of all cats develop elimination problems or stop using the box altogether. Some cats only use their litter boxes for urination or defecation but not for both. Still others may eliminate both in and out of their litter boxes.

Elimination problems can develop for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s a result of conflict between multiple cats in a home, or a result of a dislike for the litter box type or the litter itself. Make sure to rule out any medical conditions such as an UTI or development of crystals. Remember, cats are instinctively clean creatures and if the litter box is not up to their standard they may choose to go elsewhere. It’s best to avoid this problem by keeping towels or clothes off the floor as your cat may confuse this as an acceptable area to do their business.

We want cats to keep using their litter box and keep them in their loving homes. If you are having trouble litter box training your cat, your veterinarian is a great source of information. They may have some helpful suggestions to help you and your feline purrsevere.

 

Have more questions about litter box training? Email us at meow@catsavant.com

If you’d like more tips, check out our 10 Cat Care Tips!

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