How to train your cat to use the litter box

Video: How to Train Your Cat to Use a Litter Box (Petco)

Content

Steps
Part 1 of 5: Choosing the Right Tray
Part 2 of 5: Caring for the tray
Part 3 of 5: Training Your Cat
Part 4 of 5: What to do if your cat doesn't want to use the litter box
Part 5 of 5: Possible Animal Health Problems
Tips
Warnings
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Most cats learn to use litter boxes at a very early age from their mothers, but stray or feral cats taken home may not be able to use litter boxes at first. Sometimes even well-trained cats are "forgotten" and start going to the toilet in the wrong places. The reasons for this misbehavior can range from serious illness to simple tastes and preferences. Whether you are training a recently taken home cat who has never used a litter box before, or trying to retrain your old pet, the steps below will help you succeed.

Steps

Part 1 of 5: Choosing the Right Tray

1 Choose a large litter box. Often cats do not use the litter box because it is too small for them. The size of the litter box is especially important if the animal is still growing: a currently suitable litter box may become too small after a few months. When choosing a cat litter box, it is better to make a mistake in bOthe bigger side. This will give the cat more room and the litter box will become more dirty more slowly.
- If you have a kitten or an older cat, choose a litter box with a low edge so the animal can walk around without problems.
2 Decide which tray you need:indoor or outdoor. Both of these types of litter boxes have their own advantages and disadvantages. Different cats prefer different types of litter boxes. It may be worth trying both types of litter boxes and determining which one your pet prefers.
- The main advantage of closed litter boxes is privacy, which is appreciated by many cats. Also, if you have a dog, it will not be able to eat the contents of a closed litter box.
- Closed trays accumulate more odors, so if the tray becomes dirty, it becomes less attractive to the animal faster than the open tray.
- If you have a very large cat, she may be cramped in a closed litter box.
3 Purchase multiple trays. If your home has enough space, it may make sense to purchase two or even three litter boxes. This is simply necessary if you have several cats or your pet is still young and is just learning to use the litter box. Many experts recommend having at least one litter box for each cat in your home.
4 Choose a suitable location. Cats instinctively bury their poop, but if it is difficult to get to the litter box, your pet may try to go to the toilet somewhere else. You may not be able to find the right spot for the tray the first time, but there are some guidelines to follow.
- The tray should be in an easily accessible and convenient place. Your pet is unlikely to want to go the hard way every time it wants to use the toilet, so make sure the litter box is easily accessible from almost anywhere in your home.
- Do not place the litter box near where your pet eats or drinks water. Cats perceive this place as a kind of home within a house, and their instincts require them to go to the toilet away from it. Placing the litter box near where the animal eats and drinks water will alarm the cat and increase the likelihood that it will empty elsewhere.
- Make sure that the tray is in a sufficiently spacious and quiet place. Most cats require peace and quiet to be comfortable in the toilet. If the litter box is located in a noisy and busy place (such as a bathroom or common room), there is a high probability that the animal will not want to use it. Choose a place that is quiet and secluded but easily accessible.

Part 2 of 5: Caring for the tray

1 Choose the right filler. As a rule, cats prefer clumping litter - it is easier for animals to walk on it and it is more convenient for animals to bury excrement in it. It will also make it easier to clean the litter from the litter box.
- Most cats prefer odorless litter. Experts do not recommend using flavored litters as they can irritate your cat and cause an allergic reaction.
2 Pour the correct amount of litter into the tray. Too much litter can lead to a mess, as some of the litter will likely spill out of the litter tray when the animal buries its excrement. On the other hand, not enough litter can make it difficult for the cat to bury the excrement, and it is possible that in this case, she will try to go to the toilet elsewhere. Lack of litter can also lead to persistent odor and make the tray somewhat difficult to clean.
- Some experts recommend adding enough litter to cover the bottom of the tray by about 5 centimeters. Others advise covering the bottom by 10 centimeters to make it easier for the cat to bury its excrement.
- To get started, add 5 centimeters of litter and observe your pet's behavior. If the cat looks unhappy, add litter to cover the bottom of the litter box by 10 centimeters.
3 Keep the tray clean. If you are littering a kitten or adult cat, leave some liquid or solid feces in the litter box for the first few weeks to serve as a reminder for the animal to go to the toilet. After your pet gets used to the litter box, empty it completely. Typically, a dirty litter box is the main reason cats defecate outside of it.
- Remove solid and liquid (soaked in litter) excrement from the tray daily. Some experts recommend cleaning the tray twice a day to keep it as clean as possible.
- Wash the litter box once a week.Use warm water and mild soap; do not use strong detergents, as they may leave harmful chemicals or a persistent odor in the tray that will scare the animal away.
- After you wash and dry the tray completely, add an appropriate amount of fresh litter to the tray (as mentioned above, it is recommended that the litter covers the bottom of the tray by 5-10 centimeters).

Part 3 of 5: Training Your Cat

1 Study your pet's daily routine. Typically, cats go to the toilet after sleep, play or increased physical activity, or after eating. Knowing your cat's daily routine can help you determine when it wants to use the toilet and direct it to the litter box.
2 Play with your pet near the litter box. Since many cats feel like emptying after outdoor play, use this and play with the animal near the litter box. After physical activity, your pet will most likely want to use the toilet, and you can direct (or even move) him to the litter box.
- If the litter box is in a room with a door, close the door to prevent the cat from escaping and stay with her in that room. Bring some cat toys with you and let the animal run after them until it wants to go to the toilet.
3 Teach your pet the correct actions. If the mother of the cat has never taught her how to use the litter box, show her how to do it. Of course, this does not mean you should use the litter box yourself - just take the animal to the litter box when it wants to use the litter box and show you how to rake the litter.
- Scratch the litter lightly with your finger to help the cat understand how to do it. If your pet is already in the litter box but has not yet learned how to rake, lightly sprinkle filler on the excrement. Although this will take some time, eventually the animal will understand what is required of it.
- When you show your cat how to scoop up feces, do it with your own finger. If you take an animal's paw and try to "rake" it, it can alarm or frighten the cat, and over time it will develop an aversion to the litter box. Be patient and do not doubt that sooner or later your cat will learn how to use the litter box.

Part 4 of 5: What to do if your cat doesn't want to use the litter box

1 Never yell at a cat. Remember that your pet does not want to cause you any trouble at all. Maybe your cat has health problems or the litter box is not suitable for her for some reason. Scolding and yelling at your cat will make it fearful of you, making it even more difficult to learn.
2 Put your excrement where it should be. If your cat has gone to the toilet outside the litter box, try not to throw the excrement right away in the trash, but pick it up with a paper towel and transfer it to the litter box. This will remind the animal where to go to the toilet, and it will begin to associate the smell of excrement with its litter box.
3 Thoroughly remove excrement outside of the tray. If your cat urinates or defecates outside the litter box (for example, on the floor, rug, or piece of furniture), clean up after the animal carefully to avoid recurrence in the future. If a certain place smells like cat feces, the animal will associate it with the toilet.
- Treat contaminated carpets and furniture with enzymatic cleaners. These remedies will help get rid of urine and fecal odors, and by doing so, you will reduce the likelihood that the cat will void again in the same place.
- If your pet continues to defecate where it shouldn't, try closing the room where it is happening whenever possible. You can also cover the problem area with something uncomfortable for the animal, such as aluminum foil or a rubber mat.
4 Transfer the cat food and water dishes to the problem area. If your pet continues to defecate in the same area outside the litter box, try moving food and water there. Cats avoid going to the toilet near where they eat and drink, so this will help wean the animal from the habit of defecating where it shouldn't.
5 Try to temporarily restrict your pet's freedom of movement. If the cat continues to defecate outside the litter box, temporarily lock it in a room. This method should be used only as a last resort, when other methods have failed.
- Choose a room that is suitable for locking your cat. Make sure there is enough space and a suitable temperature. In other words, choose a room that is cool enough in summer or warm enough in winter (depending on what time of year you intend to lock the animal).
- Place a litter box at one end of the room and your pet's bed, food, and water at the other end. The room should be large enough so that the tray is not near food and water.
- If your cat continues to defecate outside the litter box, try sprinkling litter on the floor in the room where you locked it. The animal will have to defecate in litter, and over time it will begin to associate it with the toilet.

Part 5 of 5: Possible Animal Health Problems

1 Check to see if your pet is defecating anywhere outside the litter box. If the cat is not using the litter box, it is necessary to search the house for excrement. If you do not find such marks, this means that the animal may have a partial or complete blockage of the urethra. If you think your cat doesn’t go to the toilet at all, you should immediately take her to the vet.
- If your cat empties outside the litter box, it could be a sign that she has a urinary tract problem. It is not uncommon for cats to urinate on tiled, cement, or wood floors when they have an infection or urinary blockage, as they seek out a cool surface to touch to give them relief.
2 Look closely for possible traces of blood in your cat urine. The presence of blood in the urine and frequent, difficult or prolonged urination are the first signs of inflammatory disease of the lower urinary tract, as well as kidney stones or urolithiasis in cats. In addition, with these conditions, cats may scream during urination and lick and clean their genitals too often. If your pet has any of these symptoms, you should see your veterinarian as soon as possible. Lack of proper treatment can lead to blockage of the urethra, which poses a threat to the life of the animal.
- In addition to the general examination, the veterinarian will most likely order a urinalysis. He may also collect urine for culture and order an x-ray to find out the cause of the disease.
- The veterinarian will likely prescribe medication to treat kidney stones. If your veterinarian finds bladder stones in your cat, he or she will most likely suggest that they be surgically removed or crushed to facilitate urinary excretion.
- If your cat has urinary tract problems or kidney or bladder stones, it may be running out of fluids. Make sure your pet has constant access to fresh water (change it daily). Your veterinarian may also recommend giving your cat more liquid canned food (at least 50% of the total diet).
3 Pay attention to vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss. Sometimes cats suffer from gastrointestinal inflammation, which can develop into inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The most common symptoms of IBD include vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and lethargic behavior.Sometimes IBD is accompanied by bloody stools. Symptoms depend on which part of the gastrointestinal tract is affected. If your pet has any of these symptoms, you should take it to your veterinarian immediately.
- Your veterinarian will most likely order blood and stool tests to determine if the symptoms you are seeing are associated with IBD. In addition, the veterinarian may take x-rays and / or refer ultrasounds to identify the affected area.
- To treat IBD, your veterinarian may prescribe corticosteroid medications to your cat to help reduce inflammation and reduce the immune system's response to IBD. For more severe forms, your veterinarian may also recommend antibiotic treatment.
- Your veterinarian may also recommend some dietary changes to help alleviate your IBD symptoms. Typically, for IBD, it is recommended to feed cats with hypoallergenic foods, as well as foods that are high in dietary fiber and low in fat.

Tips

Never punish your cat for emptying outside the litter box.
When moving to a new location, it is recommended to limit the cat to a small space at first. This will make the animal feel safer and can easily find the litter box in a new location.
Give your cat a tasty treat after using the litter box as intended to reinforce the correct behavior.
Place the litter box in a place that is easily accessible to your cat and will not be disturbed.
If you have a dog, make sure that it does not interfere with the cat when it comes to its litter box.