Form all that I read, one does not need to "train" a kitten to use litter, rather make it available in the right way. Well, my 14 week old kitten, Fishsticks, uses the bathtub for elimination (pee and poop). I have tried:
1. changing the type of litter,
2. putting the litter in the tub,
3. putting 2 litter pans in the tub (for options and to take up space) with his food at the end that he prefers for elimination. He just uses the other end of the tub. NOT the litter.
I'm going on vacation next week and have teenage girls taking care of my pets. I'd really like this to be easy for them. Do I try to change this behavior in a week? Or do I let him keep going in the tub unitl I return and can adress it more consistently?
And, how do I get him to use the litter?
I've had him for a full week. He's been wormed, visited vet, all OK. He was a runt in a house with 7+ cats/kittens.
Please advise!
Meow,
Banana.
litter training problem
Re: litter training problem
Why are you putting litterboxes in your tub? You should create an area in the home that is where you prefer the litterbox to be in the long term. This area should be easily accessible to him, in a quiet and private area, away from heavy foot traffic, away from heavy/noisy appliances, etc.
What type of box, and what type of litter have you tried? If you tried scoopable litter, try clay litter or vice versa. Make sure the box is big enough to contain his weight and he is able to move around in it, if it has a cover on it, take the cover off.
Do NOT place food or water dishes near litterboxes. This is a sure way for the cat to start avoiding his food, or to avoid the litterbox. Food and water should be kept in an entirely seperate, clean area.
If you've only had him a week, chances are he is alittle stressed, and learning to adjust to his new environment. Do you have other pets in the home, or children, frequent guests often? Is there something or someone else in the home that he fears, that is causing him to prefer the bathtub for elimination? Again, the litterbox should be in a quiet, private location, easily accessible...just don't make it a confined area.
Is he eating/drinking normally?
Have you noticed any other signs of extreme stress, fear, apprehension from him? You have to give him time to fully adjust to his new environment and be consistent about litterbox placement, keeping the box scooped and cleaned, etc. By putting litterboxes in the tub, you're actually encouraging him to use the tub, and he is associating the tub with elimination. Find another suitable area in the home for the litterbox, immediately.
Are the teenagers trustworthy? My opinion, if you've only had your kitten for a week, and are gone for a week with strangers in the home, you're going to end up with a stressed kitten when you get home. The teens need to be able to determine signs of illness or stress, monitor litterbox behavior, monitor eating/drinking habits, and have a full understanding of kitten's needs, the need for attention/playing/etc...are they trustworthy and capable of keeping him and the home safe? Personally, I would find an adult pet sitter with references.
What type of box, and what type of litter have you tried? If you tried scoopable litter, try clay litter or vice versa. Make sure the box is big enough to contain his weight and he is able to move around in it, if it has a cover on it, take the cover off.
Do NOT place food or water dishes near litterboxes. This is a sure way for the cat to start avoiding his food, or to avoid the litterbox. Food and water should be kept in an entirely seperate, clean area.
If you've only had him a week, chances are he is alittle stressed, and learning to adjust to his new environment. Do you have other pets in the home, or children, frequent guests often? Is there something or someone else in the home that he fears, that is causing him to prefer the bathtub for elimination? Again, the litterbox should be in a quiet, private location, easily accessible...just don't make it a confined area.
Is he eating/drinking normally?
Have you noticed any other signs of extreme stress, fear, apprehension from him? You have to give him time to fully adjust to his new environment and be consistent about litterbox placement, keeping the box scooped and cleaned, etc. By putting litterboxes in the tub, you're actually encouraging him to use the tub, and he is associating the tub with elimination. Find another suitable area in the home for the litterbox, immediately.
Are the teenagers trustworthy? My opinion, if you've only had your kitten for a week, and are gone for a week with strangers in the home, you're going to end up with a stressed kitten when you get home. The teens need to be able to determine signs of illness or stress, monitor litterbox behavior, monitor eating/drinking habits, and have a full understanding of kitten's needs, the need for attention/playing/etc...are they trustworthy and capable of keeping him and the home safe? Personally, I would find an adult pet sitter with references.
..........Traci
Re: litter training problem
OK Traci,
I put the litterbox (es) in the tub bc that is where he was going. There and on the kitchen floor, so I thought I'd put the litter in the place that he was using to eliminate, then once he got used to using the litter I could move it to MY prefered location (still in the same bathroom, but tucked next to the toilet). He obviously is fine about using this room...he eats in the bathroom, too.
I first tried clay litter, then scoopable, newspaper pellets and wood pellets. My next variety will probably be potting soil, as I've heard cats can rarely resist digging in real soil. I've even tried no litter since he seems to prefer clean surfaces! So right now I've taken the litter pans out of the tub and put next to the toilet. He's just not interested and uses the tub!
As for the teens, one of them is my own. Of course I'm prejudiced, but she's great with animals and knows the house. And the animals know her. She works after school (gone from the house for 12+hours), so I have neighbor girls come in for the afternoon check, let the dog out, watch movies or do homework for an hour so there's human company. They feed dinner, but the real responsisbility lies with my own daughter. I am totally secure with this decision. Thanks so much for your concern.
So back to the tub issue...I have large litter pans, no lids, privacy, a room in which he feels comfortable. I keep randomly bringing him to the litter. What else to do?
Thanks for your input.
Banana
I put the litterbox (es) in the tub bc that is where he was going. There and on the kitchen floor, so I thought I'd put the litter in the place that he was using to eliminate, then once he got used to using the litter I could move it to MY prefered location (still in the same bathroom, but tucked next to the toilet). He obviously is fine about using this room...he eats in the bathroom, too.
I first tried clay litter, then scoopable, newspaper pellets and wood pellets. My next variety will probably be potting soil, as I've heard cats can rarely resist digging in real soil. I've even tried no litter since he seems to prefer clean surfaces! So right now I've taken the litter pans out of the tub and put next to the toilet. He's just not interested and uses the tub!
As for the teens, one of them is my own. Of course I'm prejudiced, but she's great with animals and knows the house. And the animals know her. She works after school (gone from the house for 12+hours), so I have neighbor girls come in for the afternoon check, let the dog out, watch movies or do homework for an hour so there's human company. They feed dinner, but the real responsisbility lies with my own daughter. I am totally secure with this decision. Thanks so much for your concern.
So back to the tub issue...I have large litter pans, no lids, privacy, a room in which he feels comfortable. I keep randomly bringing him to the litter. What else to do?
Thanks for your input.
Banana
Re: litter training problem
There is a litter called "Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract" litter that I used with success when I first got my kitten. It is a scoopable litter with a granuale size that is supposed to be very appealing to cats. It also has something added to the litter (not deodorizer or anything, more like green, leafy stuff), that is supposed to attract cats to use the box. I found it at a store called "Pet Supplies Plus", but you can look on the Dr. Elsey's website to find a dealer near you. My kitten went right to it and started using it. It certainly might be worth a try if you can find it easily.
Good luck!
Anne and Mia
Good luck!
Anne and Mia
Re: litter training problem
How does your kitten react to the dog? Is the dog trained to respect cats and their boundaries? Any other pets in the home?
You've tried clay/scoopable/newspaper/pellets all in just one week? Perhaps that too is stressful, since you are constantly changing something in his environment. Cats do not like or adapt to frequent changes in their environment, despite how minimal or slight it may seem to you.
Try one clay or scoopable litter only, stick with it for at least two weeks. Keep the litter scooped on a daily basis, and thoroughly clean/rinse the litterbox at least once a week. Place the litterbox far enough away from the actual tub/shower so that it is in a dry area. Anything near water, or things that are damp will only encourage the cat to urinate/mark/eliminate there. I don't recommend the bathroom for litterboxes since it is a heavy-traffic area, this is something you want to avoid.....the litterbox placement should be in a quiet, private area (and kept away from the dog). And again, you should not place food/water dishes anywhere near a litterbox, they need to be kept in seperate rooms altogether (for sanitary purposes, and so the cat can associate the different areas for the intended purposes).
Both you and your daughter can try physically placing him in the box a few times a day so he learns association. Don't force him to scratch in the box, etc...just gently place him in the box and see what he does (try doing this first thing in the morning when he is most likely needing to urinate, or directly after a meal, and right before bedtime, then a few other times during the day). You could also try placing a small sample of his stool in the box so he can associate that with where to go. Be patient, forgiving, and persistent.
Where is his favorite place in the home, favorite activity, etc? Have you noticed if he has an aversion to certain textures with his paws? I ask because some cats have a super-sensitivity to some litters (or carpets, rugs, etc), have you observed him scratching/burying in the litterbox at all? Are you using non-scented litters? Try not to use scented litters if possible, and don't use harsh or heavy-scented cleaners around these areas, these can cause a cat to avoid their litterbox.
Try using paper towels in the box, folded only, do not shred them first or anything. If he has sensitive paws, he may use paper towels only in the box, if he does, then you can pretty much determine he has a sensitivity.
Make sure other pets in the home are not intimidating him, scaring him, etc.
It's only been a week, you have to be patient and investigate potential causes/aversions as to why he isn't using the box. If the elimination problems continue, better get him re-examined by your vet to rule out potential health problems.
You've tried clay/scoopable/newspaper/pellets all in just one week? Perhaps that too is stressful, since you are constantly changing something in his environment. Cats do not like or adapt to frequent changes in their environment, despite how minimal or slight it may seem to you.
Try one clay or scoopable litter only, stick with it for at least two weeks. Keep the litter scooped on a daily basis, and thoroughly clean/rinse the litterbox at least once a week. Place the litterbox far enough away from the actual tub/shower so that it is in a dry area. Anything near water, or things that are damp will only encourage the cat to urinate/mark/eliminate there. I don't recommend the bathroom for litterboxes since it is a heavy-traffic area, this is something you want to avoid.....the litterbox placement should be in a quiet, private area (and kept away from the dog). And again, you should not place food/water dishes anywhere near a litterbox, they need to be kept in seperate rooms altogether (for sanitary purposes, and so the cat can associate the different areas for the intended purposes).
Both you and your daughter can try physically placing him in the box a few times a day so he learns association. Don't force him to scratch in the box, etc...just gently place him in the box and see what he does (try doing this first thing in the morning when he is most likely needing to urinate, or directly after a meal, and right before bedtime, then a few other times during the day). You could also try placing a small sample of his stool in the box so he can associate that with where to go. Be patient, forgiving, and persistent.
Where is his favorite place in the home, favorite activity, etc? Have you noticed if he has an aversion to certain textures with his paws? I ask because some cats have a super-sensitivity to some litters (or carpets, rugs, etc), have you observed him scratching/burying in the litterbox at all? Are you using non-scented litters? Try not to use scented litters if possible, and don't use harsh or heavy-scented cleaners around these areas, these can cause a cat to avoid their litterbox.
Try using paper towels in the box, folded only, do not shred them first or anything. If he has sensitive paws, he may use paper towels only in the box, if he does, then you can pretty much determine he has a sensitivity.
Make sure other pets in the home are not intimidating him, scaring him, etc.
It's only been a week, you have to be patient and investigate potential causes/aversions as to why he isn't using the box. If the elimination problems continue, better get him re-examined by your vet to rule out potential health problems.
..........Traci
Re: litter training problem
Traci,
Thanks for reminding me how new he is! Really, he's made amazing strides in adjusting to our household! I need to keep this forefront. Fishsticks was so very scared that he hid for two days and didn't eat a thing unitl the 3rd day. We changed his environment, his people, his other animals, and his food. He's adjusted to all of these...only litter left to work on. So I'll go slow and be thankful that he's happy with us! Just last night he sat on laps while 3 people and a doberman watched tv on the sofa together. He came from a home with a dog and is fine with our Milly-dog. Milly is very respectful of boundaries and does not touch cat food or litter...although she's struggling to distiguish which toys are for cat/dog. Fishsticks loves to watch our canary...the bird has learned a new song that sounds amazingly like a cat purring!
As for the scratching behavior, he acts as if he is covering-up his poop but he choses a place with clean surface and no cover available! And, yes our bathroom is the place of least traffic...it's a small house with a very open floor plan. Eat-in kitchen with livingroom attached by a 5-foot wide doorway. So the bathroom is the only place with a separate door. So far, kitty is not allowed upstairs (nor has he shown interest) which is blocked by a baby gate. I don't expect that to last too long!
Well, thanks again for your support.
I'll keep plopping him in the litter and hope for the poop best.
Meow,
Banana
Thanks for reminding me how new he is! Really, he's made amazing strides in adjusting to our household! I need to keep this forefront. Fishsticks was so very scared that he hid for two days and didn't eat a thing unitl the 3rd day. We changed his environment, his people, his other animals, and his food. He's adjusted to all of these...only litter left to work on. So I'll go slow and be thankful that he's happy with us! Just last night he sat on laps while 3 people and a doberman watched tv on the sofa together. He came from a home with a dog and is fine with our Milly-dog. Milly is very respectful of boundaries and does not touch cat food or litter...although she's struggling to distiguish which toys are for cat/dog. Fishsticks loves to watch our canary...the bird has learned a new song that sounds amazingly like a cat purring!
As for the scratching behavior, he acts as if he is covering-up his poop but he choses a place with clean surface and no cover available! And, yes our bathroom is the place of least traffic...it's a small house with a very open floor plan. Eat-in kitchen with livingroom attached by a 5-foot wide doorway. So the bathroom is the only place with a separate door. So far, kitty is not allowed upstairs (nor has he shown interest) which is blocked by a baby gate. I don't expect that to last too long!
Well, thanks again for your support.
I'll keep plopping him in the litter and hope for the poop best.
Meow,
Banana