I have been keeping cats for years! I know exactly the struggle you’re facing, a little pee puddle here, a little poop nugget there. We’ve all been there.
Training a cat to use a litter box is a crucial step in feline ownership. While most cats instinctively understand the concept of house training. Sometimes kittens need a little extra guidance, or a senior cat might exhibit litter box problems.
*There isn’t many photos of cats in litter trays so this article will be intermixed with cat photos.
Choosing the Right Litter Box and Location
The right size and location is vital in keeping your house from being one big toilet. Cat’s come in multiple different sizes so finding the right litter tray is really important. You won’t want to give a large Norwegian Forest cat a kitten size box.
It will be gross. It will be messy.
So you want to focus on the following:
- Size: As your cat grows so will there litter tray. Go for something that they can comfortably turn and scratch in.
- Location: Cats are clean animals. This means they want a bit of privacy, and let’s face it, who doesn’t. Cats can become stressed when they feel their private matters are not private and can lead them to find a more suitable area for their business.
- Number of Boxes: If you can, offer more than one box. This is also true if you have a multiple cat household. This is good practice, but if you’re limited on space, keep the clean-outs more frequent.
Introducing the Litter Box
You’ve got your new cat and need to show them where the bathroom is. The best advice for a kitten, be patient while they’re learning.
- Kitten: Show them where they can go for a pee or poo. It would be worth having the litter tray in a space that allows you to observe, as well as allowing you to place them in the box quickly for emergencies.
- Adult Cat: If you’re bringing a new cat home from a shelter, they should be already familiar with the litter tray. When you get home, the first place you should put them is in the same room as their litter tray.
Choosing the Right Litter
- Clumping vs. Non-clumping: I personally use Catsan. It’s non clumping and keeps smells to a minimum. Some people prefer clumping like Pettex Grey Cat litter. It’s all a matter of preference.
- Scented vs. Unscented: Scented has it’s benefits for obvious reasons. However, scents can be off putting for cats because it irrates their noses, which could lead to them ignoring the box altogether. I will always err on the side of caution and avoid scented litters.
Creating a Routine
- Consistency: We’ve already pointed out that cats are clean animals and won’t touch a soiled litter tray. So you need to be consistent with your cleaning routine. For one reason, it smells, and secondly it avoids health issues.
- Observation: This is not to say you have to watch your cat poop. That’s gross. What I mean here is that you need to keep a close eye on their use of the tray. If they aren’t using it and have found a hidden place you’ll want to know and equally, if they aren’t going at all could be an underlying health issue.
Why has my cat stopped using their litter tray?
If your cat has stopped using the litter tray, or decided that a new place is the best place to go for a pee, these are some of the issues that could be the cause:
- Health issues: There could be a health issue, like cystitis, kidney issues or blockages that will need a vet visit. Of course, this is a little more extreme but it can happen.
- Stress: Stress can be the most common reason as to why your cat has stopped using their tray. This could be the placement. Cats are private, they feel exposed when they’re relieving and if they don’t feel safe this will cause stress levels to increase.
- Litter box aversion: Sometimes cats can be a little picky. They may hate the litter you’ve chosen, or the box is too open, or it’s too small. It could be anything but this is where you learn from your cat what they want in their toilet routine.
- Competition: If you have multiple cats, ensure there are enough litter boxes to avoid territorial disputes. They don’t like to share but this really comes down to if you can provide multiple boxes. If you can’t a more regular clean out might be neccesary.
Positive Reinforcement
Rememer any positive reinforcement will help your cat adapt to new changes within your home. Your cat might be a little wary of a new box or they’re a kitten and it’s all new to them.
Turning it into a postive experience for your cat will help wonders.
Patience and Persistence
Remember, training a cat can take time. Be patient and persistent. With consistent effort and positive reinforcement, your cat will learn to use the litter box reliably.