Many cats and kittens will instinctively use a litter box without needing to be taught, because of their instincts to expel bodily waste in dirt or sand.
But cats are born with the instinct to dig and cover their waste. Theoretically, she says, if you place an appropriate litter box in a room, a cat or kitten will use it. Stray cats transitioning from outdoor to indoor life also know what to do, but they might insist on using your houseplants rather than the litter box.
Cats are not born knowing how to use a litter box. Kittens learn about the bathroom from mom. When we give them a plastic box with litter in it we have to teach them to use this as their bathroom. Pet your cat, give a him a treat or engage in a play session every time he uses the litter box.
Kittens naturally understand the litter box and will be drawn to use it as long as you provide them the proper encouragement. Here's what you need to know about helping get kittens on the right path.
While most cats will have already mastered the art of peeing inside of the litter box by the time they make their way into your home, there are simple ways to keep them healthy, happy, and using their litter box correctly.
The state or quality of the litter in the box is often the cause of out-of-box urination. A litter box that is not cleaned regularly, especially in a multi cat household, can turn a cat off from visiting his litter box. He may instead choose a more pleasant place to go, such as on the living room carpet.
Urine should be cleaned out at least once a day too. This may be easier with clumping litter and can be tricky with certain non-clumping litter types, meaning that you may have to change the whole cat litter frequently.
When to Start Litter Training. Kittens are usually ready to begin litter training once they start weaning from their mother and eating solid food, which is around 3 to 4 weeks. By the time a kitten is an adoptable age—usually between 8 to 12 weeks of age—they are more than ready to use the box.
Your cat could be just trying to maintain her scent in the box, even though you're cleaning it. Animals usually go to the bathroom to give us a message. If it's outside the litter box, they could be stressed or in need of a clean place to go.
Cats instinctually dig in sand or dirt to hide or cover their urine or feces, and litter stimulates this same reflex. Most kittens over 4 weeks of age naturally use the litter box after learning from their mother or at the shelter.
As a general rule, cats are sensitive when it comes to smells, but there are a few scents they hate that might just surprise you. They can't stand citrus and as much as you might love the smell of fresh herbs, cats hate rosemary and thyme. Banana and mustard are a big no-no too, as well as lavender and eucalyptus.
Healthy cats will generally visit the litter box between three and five times each day, and this includes going both number one and number two. If your cat is relieving itself more than five times each day, this doesn't necessarily point to a health issue.
Make sure your cat has access to the box at any time. Choose a litter box location and leave it there. Moving your litter box around will confuse your cat and potentially cause them to urinate or defecate elsewhere. Once your litter box is in its proper location, it's time to teach your cat where the litter box is.
Litter boxes should be scooped at least once or twice a day, and it's even better if you can get to it as soon as your cat has finished his business. There are self-cleaning litter boxes available that use a sensor to tell when a cat has entered and then left the litter box.
What causes the zoomies? Cats of all ages naturally have lots of energy, especially kittens and younger cats. It is simply an effective way to burn off excess energy for these creatures who sleep much of the day (anywhere between 12 to 16 hours a day).
How Often Should You Change the Cat Litter? If you use a clumping litter, it's best to scoop the box daily and change it out completely at least monthly. If you have more than one cat, it may be best to change the cat litter more often, every 2-3 weeks.
Kitty potty training only works for about 70% of the cat owners that try it.
If you have a kitten or an older cat, she may not be able to get down a long flight of stairs in time to get to the litterbox. Since she is new to the household, she may not remember where the litterbox is if it's located in an area she seldom frequents.
Do kittens sleep through the night? Not always – it's common for kittens to wake up throughout the night. While it's true that kittens love snoozing and they can sleep up to 18-20 hours a day, it doesn't always happen when humans are asleep. Cats are generally active at dawn and dusk.
On one hand, too much litter in your cat's litter box can cause overflow and spillage problems all over your bathroom floor. On the other hand, too little litter in the box can create smelly and messy poo problems when your cat isn't able to dig enough litter to hide their solid waste.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Vinegar, while a bit smelly itself, works to remove the lasting odor of sprayed cat urine because vinegar is an acid that neutralizes the alkaline salts that form in dried urine stains. A solution of one part water and one part vinegar can be used to clean walls and floors.