How To Train Your Cat To Use The Litter Box

Cats are great pets and train themselves to use the litter box for their pee or poop; but most cats/kittens would not use a litter box that is dirty; keeping the litter box clean with several inches of litter in the box and changing it twice a week would help.

Ways to train your cat to use the litter box:

1) To ensure that the cats/kittens use the litter box make sure that it is cleaned daily; scoop out the solid and liquid waste at least twice daily and wash the entire box with soap and water  at least once a week. Use unscented dish soap and warm water for the weekly cleanings and rinse the box well afterwards. In case of disease or worm infestation use a weak bleach solution after cleaning with soap and water.

2) Cats are picky and could refuse to use a changed litter box; change back to the old one. Besides a baking pan, a plastic container or a cut down cardboard box there are commercial litters also. Avoid the use of scented litters as cats/kittens do not prefer them. Make sure the litter box is big enough to allow the cats/kittens to move about freely and low enough for kittens to climb over. It is dangerous to use clay clumping litter for young kittens as it could cause intestinal blockages if accidentally ingested. Add some shredded shiny newspaper on top of their regular litter if your cat has just been declawed; it will cushion their sore paws and not stick to them.

3) The litter box and the cat should be placed in a small room as a bathroom; ensure they have enough food and water and check every hour or so. Praise the cat and give it a treat or some supervised playtime if it has eliminated correctly in the litter box. If the cat misses the box place the feces in the litter box and leave the room without paying further attention to the cat. Check after an hour repeating this procedure 2 to 3 times until you are sure the cat has been trained.

4) Ensure you place the litter tray in a quiet place away from noise; cats prefer privacy, so it is preferable to place it in a corner or with at least one wall behind it. Make sure you avoid placing the litter box close to food and water bowels. The cat should know where the litter box is so it can reach it easily; as a thumb rule it is best to provide at least one litter box for each cat and place it in multiple locations if the house is large.  

5) Take your pet cat to a vet if it has been avoiding to use the litter box; it could be due to medical conditions like urinary infections, kidney problems or parasites. This behavior could also be due to certain changes in its routine, adding of another person or pet to the household or changing the location of the litter box to a new location where there are noise or light changes; these changes could stress your cat. You could overcome this by consulting a vet for a check-up and taking his suggestions that would help the cat.

6) Last, but most important be patient while training your cat to use the litter box; he may not get it the first time. Never punish the cat if it makes a mistake; it could stress the cat and he may not cooperate.   

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