How to train a kitten to use a litter box: step-by-step instructions + Video

How to train a kitten to go to the litter box? Very simple!

You will need to set aside a little time, be patient and take into account the important advice of veterinarians.

The result will be achieved quickly if you simultaneously take into account the pet’s character and start the training process on time.

When a fluffy ball appears in the house, all family members are filled with a feeling of joy.

But immediately after a small puddle and other not-so-fragrant “traces of a crime” are discovered in one of the corners, euphoria gives way to disappointment, and sometimes even irritation.

And to prevent this from happening in the future, it is enough to know how to teach a kitten to go to the litter box. All it takes is a little patience, time and attention.

In fact, it's quite easy to instill good manners in him.

• 2 Tray selection
• 3 Space for tray
• 4 Training - basics
• 5 Express method

Choosing a litter box for a kitten

When buying a potty, remember that your pet will grow. Do not take a small box: in a few months you will have to buy a new one. Pay attention to the material. If the box smells unpleasantly of chemicals, the kitten will refuse to empty it.

There are two types of trays - open and closed. The first option is easier to clean, change the filler, and the design takes up little space. An open box is suitable if you plan to do without filler. The only negative is the smell, which can permeate things or cause irritation.

A closed tray is made in the form of a house. This is an ideal option if you plan to place it in a walk-through area (corridor, kitchen). It prevents the smell from escaping and allows the pet to defecate calmly.

Cons of the house:

• high price;
• takes up more space than an open box;
• harder to clean.

You need to be prepared for the fact that the cat may decide that this is his home and make a den there. Sometimes the pet becomes wary and refuses to go inside. In this case, remove the door - it may confuse the baby.

How to train a kitten to use the litter box: litter

In addition to the potty, you need to buy cat litter. It comes in 2 types:

• Absorbent - made from natural raw materials (wood shavings, corn stalks) or artificial materials. Fillers distribute moisture evenly and do not form lumps. They are safe even for small kittens.
• Clumping is based on clay and minerals. The material absorbs moisture, forming lumps that are easily removed with a scoop. The fillers absorb moisture and odors well and can be replaced in parts.

Fillers with aromas are available for sale. We must remember that cats are very picky about smells, so they may refuse to relieve themselves in the box if they don’t like the smell.

Treats and toys

How to teach a kitten to go to the litter box? Buy a treat for reward. When the baby has had a bowel movement, give him a treat and praise him. You can also use toys to reinforce the positive association after going to the toilet.

Types of trays

There are two main types of tray - open and closed. The open one is a universal device, while the closed one can be used for unwanted scattering of filler outside the tray.

The animal may also be shy by nature, in which case this type of tray will be an excellent solution to the problem.

Determining a place for the cat litter box

You must immediately determine the place where the tray will stand. It should be a quiet, calm corner where there are no other pets.

Before you toilet train your kitten at home, build an enclosure-type structure that he cannot leave. There should be enough space to place a tray inside, close to which the baby can play. When the pet gets used to it and begins to relieve itself in the box, the enclosure can be removed and the container moved to a more suitable area.

When choosing a permanent location for the tray, you must proceed from the following considerations:

• Toilet. On the one hand, it is easier to keep the tray clean; over time, the kitten can be trained to go to the toilet. On the other hand, the door must be constantly open, which means that the smell from the toilet will go into the room, corridor, and kitchen. If you forget and close the toilet, the baby will defecate in another place. Alternatively, at the bottom of the door you can make a hole with a curtain through which the kitten will get inside.
• Corridor. If you place the litter box here, you won't have to worry about whether your pet has been blocked from accessing the box, but the smell may be absorbed into the clothes on the hanger. In addition, cats do not like to defecate in busy places. They love privacy.
• Kitchen. Before you teach your kitten to go to the toilet, remember that you cannot place the potty near the bowl, cats will not appreciate this.

The best option is to find a low-traffic place for the box, to which the kitten will have uninterrupted access throughout the day.

Buying a tray

Before you train your cat to use the litter box, provide her with a comfortable toilet
. Important criteria when choosing a tray are:

• Size. A large animal will not fit in a small tray, and as a result, not all excrement will end up in the right place.
• Side height. Before going to the toilet, cats dig a hole, and then reflexively bury feces. It is impossible to wean a furry one from these movements. The only way out is a toilet with high walls (preferably with removable sides, rounded inward).

Ways to train a kitten to use a litter box

Before you train your kitten to use a litter tray, show him where the litter box is as soon as he gets into the house. Place your baby in the potty and allow him to sniff and explore. Once your pet is familiar with the litter box, do not move the box to another location to avoid confusion.

Kittens defecate immediately after eating or sleeping. When he wakes up or you feed the baby, immediately take your pet to the box with litter, and pick it up no earlier than he has emptied. When you do this several times, the baby will understand that he can do his business here.

How to train a female kitten to use the litter box? If you notice that your pet is sniffing or crouching in a certain place, pick it up and take it to the box.

Be sure to reward your baby when he empties into the tray. Praise, give him a treat, a toy, play with him.

Features of training an adult cat

Is it possible to train an adult cat to use a litter box? Of course yes! But let’s immediately agree that you are the owner of the house, not the cat. You are smarter, stronger, you have more opportunities. This means that it is you who bears the responsibility for raising the animal and arranging its living space. The pet is completely dependent on you, which means your task is to place the toilet so that it is convenient for the pet to go to it. To do this, you will have to be patient and not wait for quick results.

If you are adopting an adult domestic cat, be sure to ask where his litter box was, what it looked like, and what kind of litter was used. You can ask the owners for an old tray for the first time - the cat knows it and knows why it is needed. Buy the same filler. Try to reproduce the environment your cat is familiar with at home. This way the animal will be less stressed, and it will immediately figure out where to “do things.”

When the cat gets used to the house, you can buy a new tray and, if necessary, gradually retrain it to a new placement, for example, not in the hallway, but in the bathroom or toilet. At the same time, you should limit access to undesirable places and hide things that your pet “encroaches” on: close the door to the bedroom, cover your favorite chair with oilcloth, hide slippers or other shoes, tightly close the cabinet with bed linen, blankets, etc.

With street cats the situation is more complicated. You know practically nothing about the animal and its habits. How long does it take to litter train an adult outdoor cat? In each case, it depends on you and the cat, that is, strictly individually. Some pets understand where to go to the toilet from the first hours in their new home, while others need weeks to figure it out. Therefore, you will have to be patient and empirically search for a toilet option that suits you and your pet.

An adult cat's character has already been formed, so you will have to be creative to achieve the desired result. No aggression! No screaming and, especially, no physical punishment! Only affection and patience will help your cat develop the skill you need.

How to toilet train an adult street cat is not an easy question. Typically, animals taken from the street find any quiet corner suitable for satisfying their natural needs. And if you scold the animal, it will look for more and more secluded corners. Each time, searching for and cleaning up the “consequences” will become more and more tedious. Therefore, it is worth asking the question: how to accustom a cat to an adult litter box - without stress and forever.

There are a number of factors to take into account here:

• type and size of the tray;
• filler;
• the place where the toilet is located;
• character traits of the animal.

How to train a kitten to use a litter box: tips

• You shouldn’t immediately let your baby walk around the apartment and think that he will figure out where the toilet is. The tray needs to be shown to him and the area of ​​free access limited.
• If you adopted a pet from a domestic cat, ask its owners what kind of litter they use. Better yet, ask for a small handful to put in a pot at home. This is a reliable tool for training a kitten to use the litter box. The baby will come to the smell and do everything right.
• How to easily train a kitten to use the litter box? Buy several boxes. They can be placed in different rooms in places where the kitten can easily reach them. As potty training progresses, the number of crates can be reduced, eventually down to one.
• Until the baby begins to regularly empty the tray while in the enclosure, do not let him out into a large area.
• Do not punish the kitten if it has gone somewhere else, and especially do not poke its nose into the urine. This will cause stress and anxiety, which can make learning difficult. Unlike dogs, cats are not inclined to associate punishment with an incident, even if they are caught in the act. Therefore, such actions will not wean them from shitting in the wrong place. Before you accustom a boy kitten to the litter box, remember this and do the right thing.
• If your baby stubbornly defecates past the box, collect the moisture with toilet paper and place it in a container. This way he will receive a guideline that will indicate where to urinate. Alternatively, you can use a special spray to train your kitten to use the litter box. Sprinkle it into the pot.
• Carefully clean up the area where your baby has puddled or pooped. Use special products that kill odor for this.
• If the kitten goes to the toilet in the same place all the time, place a tray with litter there. Gradually move it in the desired direction. When you absolutely do not want to put a toilet there, place a bowl of food there. Cats do not like to defecate near the feeder.

Age matters, where to start?

The age of the animal plays an important role in litter training.

The age of the animal plays an important role in litter training.

An adult has developed habits (especially if the cat is picked up from the street or purchased from breeders who release pets onto the street). The best age to train a kitten to use a litter tray is between 3 and 8 months.

Younger kittens, especially if they have been weaned from their mother cat, do not yet have a complete picture and understanding of the world around them. Once in a new apartment with the owner, the kids experience a lot of stress, for this reason they cannot immediately get accustomed to the tray.

The process of training a kitten to use a litter tray consists of the following steps:

1. Choose a tray or other container.
2. Select the type of filler.
3. Choose a convenient place where the owner and the animal will not interfere with each other.

How to litter train an outdoor kitten

More work needs to be done with street kittens, since the cat has not taught them to use a litter box. The scheme of actions is the same as when training a pet, adjusted for the age of training the baby to the tray.

The first hours of being in the house are especially important. The baby must be under constant supervision. Your pet must be taken to the toilet every time he decides to defecate. Take him in your arms, caress him, tell him how good he is.

After emptying, do not forget to give a treat, praise, and express delight. Some kittens are quite stubborn and prone to running away, so it is important to limit their movements.

Is it worth punishing if the cat does not go to the litter box?

If the question of how to accustom an adult cat to a litter box in a new home is not resolved immediately, shouting or resorting to physical punishment is not only unnecessary, but also harmful. Cats are excellent at distinguishing intonation, and your dissatisfied voice will be a signal that “something is wrong.” The animal will be offended by shouting or beating and will deliberately spoil your things.

Moreover, in order to hide the Skoda, the cat will begin to look for more and more inaccessible and hidden places. As a result, the smell will spread throughout the house, and it will become more and more difficult for you to find its source each time. The cat will have negative associations with the litter box, and it will be even more difficult to train your pet to use it.

Don’t be lazy each time to explain to your pet what is required, take the excrement to the tray and bury it. You can even try burying the waste with your pet’s paw, and then praise it and treat it to something tasty. Usually, after 3-5 repetitions of this procedure, cats themselves begin to run around the house at the right moment in search of the “right” place for the toilet.

If the cat periodically “does not get” to the intended place, it is worth showing it to a veterinarian. Perhaps the animal has pain in the kidneys or genitourinary organs.

How to accustom a kitten to a litter box without litter

Before accustoming a small kitten to a litter box without litter, the baby must learn to use a potty with granules. Once he has mastered the crate, gradually reduce the amount of litter by placing a cage inside. The mesh must be strong and not bend, otherwise the paws will get wet and the kitten will not go to the litter box. You need to buy with the future in mind. When the baby grows up and gains weight, he should not push through the mesh.

It is important to remember about the cleanliness of the drawer and grille. They must be washed after each use. Otherwise, salt deposits and an unpleasant odor will appear. If you are away from home all day and the screen is high, fill the tray with water. It will absorb the smell and make the box easier to clean. Instead of water, you can add a little baking soda.

What not to do

When accustoming your pet to the litter box, you should not use physical force, shout, or throw the animal. This behavior of the owner will only scare the baby, and he will begin to hide in the corners.

You should not punish a small kitten by depriving it of food, water or human contact or locking it in a room, as this will lead to a loss of trust on the part of the animal.

Be sure to read:

How many times a day should a cat pee: the norm for an adult animal and kittens, when deviations are safe

What to do if the kitten ignores the litter box

A pet may refuse to go to the litter box if it doesn’t like:

• form;
• container size;
• smell or texture of the litter.

Is it possible to train a kitten to use a litter box where he does not want to eliminate? No. Cats prefer a quiet, secluded place where they feel safe. Loud sounds (noise from a washing machine, refrigerator), too many people can cause anxiety, and the cat will refuse to go into the box. How to toilet train a small kitten? Move the container to another location.

If it is difficult to find a quiet place in the apartment, buy a “house”. But problems can also arise with a closed type tray. The pet may refuse to urinate if it is too tight, or if the door or filler is not liked.

Thus, to achieve the desired result, be prepared to experiment - move the pot to a suitable place, change the filler, etc. Another important point: the container must be cleaned on time.

Cleaning and care

Cats love cleanliness, and if the litter box is dirty, they will stop going there. Therefore, you need to properly care for your cat’s litter box:

• Change the litter daily, removing used granules.
• If the litter underneath the pot gets dirty, change it.
• When changing bedding or litter, thoroughly clean and disinfect the tray using special cat litter care products. Do not use chlorine or other aggressive substances that can harm your pet.

Useful tips

To ensure that keeping an animal does not cause problems, you must follow a few simple rules.

1. Clean the tray in a timely manner. It is better to do this as soon as the animal goes to the toilet. Cats are very clean, so if the litter box is dirty, they won't go in it a second time.
2. Choose a suitable filler.
3. Choose a tray that is suitable in size and wall height.
4. The place where the cat litter is located should be quiet. The animal does not like to be disturbed, so if the tray is in a noisy place, it will choose another one.
5. Do not place the tray next to indoor plants, as there is a possibility that the ground will be perceived as a convenient place for the toilet.
6. Do not spray strong-smelling substances into the tray - perfume, etc. - the animal will stop going to this place.

Tips and recommendations from a veterinarian: why the kitten suddenly stopped going to the litter box

When your pet went to the litter box normally and suddenly stopped, check the condition of the box. If the potty is clean, pay attention to your pet's behavior. Perhaps something startled him while he was emptying his crate. Fear is immediately visible; he may resist and refuse to move in the direction of the tray.

Other reasons why a cat may refuse to go into a box:

• Sexual instinct. If this is not a breeding animal, have your pet spayed/neutered. The operation will relieve many problems.
• Protest. For example, the pet does not want to sit at home on its own, or the owner does not pay attention to it.
• Unpleasant associations. Perhaps he was toilet trained using rough methods, punished, and now he is afraid of the litter box. Try buying a box of a different shape and changing the filling. Don't forget to express delight when the kitten defecates in the box.

Among the reasons why puddles and feces began to appear outside the tray are urinary tract infections and worms. To notice the problem in time, talk to your veterinarian and get tested.

Why does a kitten refuse the litter box?

Sometimes it happens that a kitten stubbornly refuses to go into the litter box. There may be several reasons:

• The kitten is too small to understand what they want from him.
• The tray has high walls, and it is difficult for the kitten to climb into it.
• The animal does not like the filler: large, sharp granules, pungent odor.
• The litter box is poorly maintained, and the cat thinks that this place is dirty.
• The animal is stressed.
• The cat is punished and shouted at. She does not perceive the litter box as a safe place.

With a little patience and sensitivity, your kitten will quickly learn to use the litter box and will only go in it.

How to stop an adult cat from shitting

To protect your home and furniture from being “mined” by your cat, experts recommend starting with studying the animal’s health. He may need to be treated. If the cause of the marks is hormonal activity, it is recommended to sterilize the pet.

Uncontrollable urination can be caused by diseases, including infectious diseases caused by flea bites and other parasites. Therefore, take care of hygiene and regularly wash your pet with special shampoos, wear an anti-parasitic collar and be sure to treat it with a spray or other insecticidal preparations during the insect active season.

It is also recommended to take the following measures:

• make it difficult or completely block access to an unwanted toilet area;
• provide free access to the tray;
• wash the unwanted area with detergents and treat it with a special spray or citrus essential oil, and treat the tray with a spray that attracts the animal’s attention;
• praise, stroke and pamper with delicious food every time the cat visits the tray;
• try several litters and buy only the one that your cat likes: so that it absorbs moisture and odors and does not cause discomfort.

Host mistakes

When bringing a new family member into the home, many owners make the same mistakes - it’s worth learning about them in advance so as not to repeat them. Firstly, the tray should be located within reach - the baby should not run around the house looking for it, and secondly, the tank should be suitable in size for a small kitten, and it should not include high sides in its design.

Scolding, and especially hitting, is strictly prohibited. So the baby will forever cease to want to obey its owners, and will not go to the tray prepared for it.

If the kitten repeatedly begins to do its business in the wrong place, then this place must be treated with anti-urine odor products. A folk remedy that helps a lot is vodka. This simple and affordable product kills the smell of urine from any surface: walls, upholstery, floors.

Cats really don’t like citrus scents, so you can spray the area the kitten has chosen with essential oil.

The pet store sells special products to neutralize cat urine.

Store-bought urine odor removers:

• Vergas Soft Faithful friend.
• Laina spray with fir scent.
• Nature's Miracle URINE DESTROYER.
• Nature's Miracle Stain & odor remover. Just for cats.
• Citrus magic pet Litter box odor eliminator.

All of the above products are very effective, as evidenced by numerous consumer reviews. These products can be purchased at a pet store or ordered online.

Repellents that help discourage the desire to go into the wrong corner:

• rosemary;
• garlic and onion;
• pepper;
• carnation.

If your kitten is addicted to wearing shoes to go to the toilet, you can buy or make sachets with essential oils and place them in your shoes.

How to prepare

Try to make the animal’s stay in the house comfortable and pay attention to the arrangement of its place and toilet.

To teach you to relieve yourself correctly, you need to acquire a minimum set of things at the pet store: purchase a container, choose a filler and, if necessary, buy a special spray that attracts pets with its smell. From my own experience, I can say that you may also need disposable diapers, which are sold at the pharmacy.

Selecting a tray

There are different types of toilets for pets: open, high-sided and closed.

1. The open tray is suitable for the little ones. It is convenient to climb into it, and you can place a grate on top, through which urine will flow to the bottom of the container, and the paws will remain dry.
2. The high sides of the tray do not allow the filler to be scattered, but are inconvenient for children and sick animals. In addition, filler consumption increases.
3. Closed litter boxes are suitable for shy breeds, such as Sphynx, Ragdoll, and Maine Coon. The downside of such containers is the inconvenience of cleaning.

If you are just starting to toilet train your animal, purchase the most common inexpensive toilet, regardless of the cat’s age. Subsequently, if necessary, you can always replace it.

Choosing a filler

Litter is extremely important in the training process to awaken your pet's instincts. In nature, animals love to rummage in the ground and dig holes for themselves, so first you should purchase a filler that is similar in structure to earth or sand.

I recommend clumping litter. It is suitable for both the smallest and adult cats, especially at the learning stage. When liquid gets in, such filler immediately forms lumps that are easy to remove, and the remaining one will be clean. In addition, it is small and suitable for burying excrement.

Pet stores offer us other options: mineral, wood, silica gel. I will not dwell on them in detail, because they are rarely chosen at the stage of toilet training and are mainly acquired when the animal already knows a place to relieve itself.

Do not use pieces of newspaper or napkins for toilet training. It won't help.

Choosing a place

Most often, animals go to the toilet in secluded corners. This is due to the fact that this way they feel protected. Therefore, you need to choose the appropriate location for the tray and not change it without good reason.

Place the container away from batteries, washing machines, TVs, and intercoms. Any loud or unexpected sounds can confuse your pet. In addition, the place should not be a walk-through area.

Common Mistakes

How to toilet train a kitten at home or in an apartment is not an easy task. It is very important not to make mistakes that will only aggravate the situation.

You need to constantly monitor the kitten, periodically put it in the tray, especially if it starts to behave strangely, as if it is looking for something or rushing about.

Many people mistakenly believe that if a kitten shits in inappropriate places, it means he is doing it on purpose and should be punished for it. This is a big mistake and can lead to the kitten starting to hide in secluded places and crap under the sofa, table or bed. You need to be patient, because it will take time to train to the tray.

After the first successful results, you should not rush to clean the litter box - the smell of the remains of feces will attract the baby, and next time, most likely, the pet will go to the toilet in the same place.

Not allowed:

• beat an animal;
• leaving one unattended in a room;
• do not give water or food.

After each successful visit to the litter box, the kitten should be praised, but should not be scolded for “mistakes”.

Important! Abuse can make your pet fearful and distrustful.

Preparation

Tray selection

There are many different types of cat litter available. You need to choose so that both a small and an adult animal can fit there. If you buy a big one, you won’t have to change it when the cat grows up. Tray classification:

• Closed - made in the form of a house. The pet enters completely and has a feeling of privacy, no one bothers or distracts. This toilet has a drawback. It is poorly ventilated and odors quickly accumulate there.
• Open - with or without mesh, of different sizes, shapes and heights. Each owner chooses for his pet himself.
• With filler, thanks to which urine is absorbed. It does not need to be changed after every trip to the toilet, and there is no need to constantly wash the tray.
• With or without grille - consists of 2 parts. It's collapsible. Filler is poured into the tray. The cat puts its paws on the bars. But such a tray is not suitable for everyone, so there are people without it.
• No litter - you have to wash it every time the cat goes to the toilet.

Filler selection

When choosing a litter, you should ensure that there is no strong aroma that can scare away the kitten.
There are such types: wood, clay, paper, silica gel, mineral, corn. The owner and the cat decide which one is better. You should not purchase litters with a strong odor, as this will scare the kitten away. Wood and silica gel are considered the highest quality. They absorb urine and eliminate unpleasant odors. For kids it is better not to take mineral ones, they come in lumps. If the kitten swallows them out of curiosity, constipation will occur. Some fillers rustle loudly. It scares your pet when he rummages through it.

Tray space

First, it should be kept away from food and water bowls. Secondly, there should be no obstacles on the way to the cat litter box. If you put it in a room and close the door there, the animal will “relieve itself” somewhere else. It is necessary to choose the right quiet, calm corner so that it is easy for the kitten to remember where he stands. There is no need to change the location of the tray, this will confuse the baby.