Litter Box Use and Training
| Cat Health Care
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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. |
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Your cats health care
is very important and you can protect your cats health by
using the right equipment. 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. |
