How to train a cat to use the litter box

You just brought home a cute little fur ball. Just after you were happy for a while, you found a small puddle of water on the floor. You walked over and took a closer look and realized that it was actually the urine of the little fur ball. You suppressed the feeling in your heart. If you feel unhappy, wipe the floor clean and tell it to go to the litter box to go to the toilet. And your cat looks at you with a confused face, not knowing whether he understands it. As a result, in the days to come, no matter how many times you tell it to go to the litter box to go to the toilet, or even yell at it, it still doesn’t help? Don’t worry, the editor below will tell you how to correctly train a cat to use the litter box:

How to train a cat to use the litter box:

Choose the right litter box:

First, choose a litter box that is suitable for your cat. The size of the litter box is appropriate and the cat can easily get in and out of the litter box. Additionally, the litter box should be located close to your cat’s activity area and away from food and drinking water.

Demonstration:

Cats need to be taught to use the litter box step by step when they enter a new home. Place the cat near the litter box, then move it into the litter box, and then gently dig the litter. Teach the cat to dig with its front feet, imitate the cat’s natural urinating and defecation posture, and shout commands or gently urge.

Observe:

Always observe whether the cat is using the litter box. Once the cat has finished its diapers and defecation, be sure to clean it immediately with a litter scoop, or replace the litter regularly with clean litter.

How to clean a cat litter box:

Cleaning the litter box regularly is important for your cat’s health, so it needs to be cleaned correctly.

Frequency:

To keep the litter box clean, it should be cleaned at least once a day, especially for long-haired cats and litter boxes used by multiple cats at the same time.

Cleaning cat litter:

Before cleaning, set aside solid dirt like poop, then use a sand scoop to carefully scoop out diapers and cat litter to remove any remaining dirt.

Replacing cat litter:

After cleaning the litter box, replace it with new litter. Depending on your cat’s usage and cleaning frequency, it is recommended to change the litter at least once a week.
Training a cat to use the litter box is a process, just like teaching a child, so you must be patient with your cat. In order to help cats develop good toileting habits and maintain their health, it is necessary to teach them how to use the litter box correctly and properly and maintain hygiene appropriately.

How to train a kitten to use the litter box?

Will newborn kittens still not know how to use the litter box after weaning? The kitten you bought home doesn’t know how to use the litter box? You adopted a stray cat and found out after you came home that it couldn’t use the litter box? If your answers are yes, then please continue reading this article.
For kittens, weaning them off solid food and training them to use a litter box should occur at the same time, usually when they are 3 to 5 weeks old.
Before weaning, all hygiene issues for breastfed kittens must be handled by the mother cat, unless the kitten is artificially fed throughout the process.
Once you decide to wean your kitten, it’s time to prepare a litter box for them. Not all kittens will be interested in food, and not all kittens will use the litter box on their own.
During lactation, kittens do not need to clean up after themselves. But as I grow up, I can no longer get enough from breast milk alone. So they should be weaned at 6 to 7 weeks. If they have not learned to use the litter box by this time, they must learn to use it as soon as possible.

What kind of cat litter box should you choose?

The best litter box for training kittens is one with low sides that the kitten can easily crawl into. It should also be smaller than an older cat’s litter box. I usually give the big cat a normal litter box before 25 days old, but after 25 days, I change it to a small litter box. Probably something like the picture below.
Unless your kitten is very large, avoid using a litter box that is too high or has a door.

How many litter boxes are needed?

If kept in a cage, generally only one kitten in the same litter is needed. Because you will find that if one learns it, the others will follow. If the kittens are free-range, one is usually placed in every corner of their activity area. It is best to place as many kittens as there are.
After adulthood, the number of cat litter boxes in the home is N+1. In many families, the number of cat litter boxes may be far from the standard. However, at least you must meet the standard when training them to use cat litter boxes.

Where is the best place to place a cat litter box?

The litter box should be placed in an area where kittens are likely to spend time.
The rule for adult cats is to never place their litter box next to their food dish. However, since kittens often need to use the litter box immediately after eating. So break the rules. The closer they are to the litter box, the less likely they are to have an accident (peeing). You should also place a litter box near where your kitten sleeps, as they often need to go potty when they wake up from their naps.
If the kittens run all over the house, you will have to scatter several litter boxes throughout the rooms because you don’t want the kittens to wander too far to find the litter boxes.

What kind of cat litter should you use?

First and most important, do not use soil and litter when training your kitten. Once kittens start eating, they may try to taste anything that looks like food, including cat litter.
Dirt can get stuck in a kitten’s fur or get stuck between their toes and be eaten while they groom themselves.
Once ingested, dirt may stick to a kitten’s intestines, causing constipation or blockage. Therefore, to prevent any risks, the use of soil and sand should be avoided until they are grown. As for the type of cat litter you should use, any non-clumping litter will do. Nowadays, there are some cat litters produced from green and environmentally friendly materials, which are also a good choice. Mendermi tofu cat litter is a good choice.

How to train

If you’re really lucky, once you start feeding the kitten cat food and setting up the litter box, the mother cat will teach the kitten how to “go potty.”
In fact, some kittens learn by watching their mother and can teach themselves. Therefore, it may be helpful to place the mother cat’s litter box in the same room as the kittens. However, make sure the litter in mom’s litter box is also safe for kittens to eat.
If the kittens don’t obey mom’s commands, we will have to intervene in the process. Whenever you think your kitten might want to go potty, place it in the litter box. Usually, this happens after getting up and after eating. You can simply place your kitten in the litter box and make some digging motions with your paws. Some kittens will pick it up right away. If it’s a particularly slow learner, you can try placing them on the litter box and try to stimulate them to pee or poop by gently rubbing their genital area. This may help them make the connection between the litter box and elimination.
When they pee or poop in the litter box, let them smell it and then either let them watch you cover it or gently help them cover it with their paws.

How long it takes

Some kittens will learn to use the litter box right away. Some will take more time. The older they get, the easier it is to learn. At 6 to 7 weeks, they should pick it up quickly.

Help! Does my kitten pee (or poop) outside the litter box?

Just like toilet training human children, kittens will occasionally have accidents when first introduced to using the litter box. However, remember, don’t punish them because punishment won’t solve the problem.
When a kitten pees outside of the litter box, it’s important to clean the area thoroughly so there’s no lingering urine odor. If a kitten smells urine, it may think it’s okay to pee in the same spot. The only cleaners that can completely remove urine odor are those that contain biological enzymes.
If the kitten doesn’t seem to want to pee in the litter box, when it pees on the floor, blot it up with paper towels and place the paper towels in the kitten’s litter box. Then put the kitten inside and let it smell the urine-soaked tissue. Then cover it with cat litter. This may give the kitten some hints. You can use the same method if you find poop outside the cat’s litter box.

Why does my kitten play or sleep in the litter box?

Sometimes kittens use the litter box as a great place to play or sleep in it.
They may scratch the cat’s litter everywhere, and even play in the litter box when no one is around, and may take a nap in the litter box.
So besides pooping and peeing, why do cats like to do the above things in the litter box?
A very important reason for sleeping in the litter box may be that he can smell his own scent in it and he will feel safer. And another important reason is.
Almost all cats love boxes!
Although it is not advisable for kittens to use the litter box as a play box, if you prevent them from doing so, they will associate excretion with bad things, which may lead to them not using the litter box. So if this is the case, you can only clean up the cat litter around you more frequently. Another good way is that you can buy cardboard toys and rolling dragons. These should be more fun places than the cat litter box. It may divert their attention to a certain extent.
If the litter scattered around is caused by the kitten digging and burying its feces and urine, it may mean that he needs a larger litter box. But before replacing the litter box, don’t throw away the original litter box. To keep it nearby, you need to make sure that he has actually learned to use the litter box before you can completely remove the original litter box.

How to train a stray cat to use the litter box?

He may only defecate outdoors and will not be familiar with the concept of using a litter box.
However, cats often have an instinct to cover their feces, especially those who do not want to attract enemies by leaving urine or feces uncovered. Therefore, they should understand the reasons for using a litter box.
However, kittens or adult cats that live outdoors may simply cover their waste with dirt, grass, and leaves. If they seem hesitant to use the litter box, it sometimes helps to add a small amount of unfertilized potting soil to the top of the litter box. Just like introducing a kitten to a litter box for the first time, introduce the litter box to a stray cat in the same way.
If the kitten is scared or too wild to handle, place it in a safe room with food, water, and a litter box and slowly begin the process of socializing it.