Daily Kitten Chat Forum » Cats & Kittens

1. 

   My kitten Cowboy hasn't been using his litterbox and it's still mission failure on trying to get him to wean. He displayed a little more interest in softened dry cat food but I know wet food is more healthy for him.

   Also, after I feed him I always take him to his makeshift litter box (I figured a shoe box lid would make it easier for him to get into) but he either sits in it or plays for a bit and then jumps out. He only used it once. I just looked under the bed and I can see he's going the bathroom under there. And literally just five minutes ago I looked over and saw him scratching at the carpet and starting to go poop...so I hurriedly picked him up and placed him in the litter box. And after that he started scratching at the litter - so he knows what to do but just doing it in the wrong place!

   I am hoping that after directly placing him in it while he's going, he'll realize that's where he is supposed to go. Is it possible the shoebox lid is throwing him off? Or maybe if I put the litter box underneath the bed and then slowly transition him out?

   Also any advice on weaning will surely help..I'm guessing he just is a slow paced kitten learner with all these troubles. I'm trying to be as patient as possible, but it is difficult! This is my first time hand raising an orphaned kitten.

   Posted 2 years ago by Teresa89 #

2. 

   since kittens normally learn from watching their moms that could be why he doesn't get it. Try putting him in his litterbox every hour or two during the day, and using his paws to dig a hole, then move him so his bum is over top of the hole. even if he doesn't use it use one of his paws again to cover up the hole.

   else maybe he doesn't like the texture of the litter?

   Posted 2 years ago by furryfriends50 #

3. 

   Teresa, I think that I would definitely try a larger litter box but one that has shallow sides so that Cowboy can get in and out. And I'm wondering about the litter also. Maybe it just feels odd to him. You might try getting a small bag of a different kind of litter and see what happens.

   Posted 2 years ago by WillowandWindismom #

4. 

   Thank you both for replying. I am wondering about the litter as well. I was thinking of mixing in some newspaper shreds. And I think I will definitely get a bigger litter box for him. He plays in it sometimes and he'll sit in it so I don't know if it's the texture, maybe just the size of the box. I'll try switching up both, though. I'll do what you suggested as well, Furryfriends50.

   Thank you!

   Posted 2 years ago by Teresa89 #

5. 

   Teresa, what kind of litter are you using? Some vets actually do suggest starting kittens out on finely shredded newspaper, but it's messy to clean. It might be that Cowboy would like something that feels more like sand, rather than the coarser grade of the clumping litter.

   Here are some sites that maybe could help!

   http://www.catsofaustralia.com/kitten_toilet_train.htm

   http://cat-training.suite101.com/article.cfm/teaching_a_kitten_to_use_the_litter_box

   http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2137&aid=3288

   http://www.kitten-rescue.com/four_to_five_weeks.html

   http://www.ehow.com/how_2308509_train-kitten-use-litterbox.html

   Posted 2 years ago by WillowandWindismom #

6. 

   Teresa, Cowboy sounds like Nilla (kitten in the picture) when we first got her. Here's what we tried and it come out successful about a week later. Here goes:

   Nilla was 6-7 weeks old when we brought her home and we got a smaller litter box and covered the litter with shredded newspaper because she had a tendency to eat the litter (go figure). She was quite fond of pooping in the corner. We solved this by repeatedly putting her in her litterbox over and over, until she just went. It takes a lot of patience, and a good odor-eliminating cleaner for their accidents. Also a fellow TDKer told me to put tinfoil over the spot where she went in the corner and it helps by blocking the smelly spot. She now is accident free and uses the litter box like a big girl! Our older kitten, Pumpkin, has taught her how to dig & cover afterwards. :o)

   Posted 2 years ago by AnimalLuvr82 #

7. 

   When you clean up after Cowboy's little mistakes, put a bit of the poop into his litter box. That will make the box smell like the right place for him to use.

   Clumping litter isn't good for little kittens, but most of them seem to like the feel of sand. Definitely get a bigger box for him. He needs room to wander around and find just the right spot for that particular moment.

   If he keeps going under the bed, put a litter box over that spot as well. There's no reason he can't have two 'bathrooms'. When it's time to move the box from under the bed, move it just a foot or less each day. That way when he heads for the box because he knows that's where he is suppose to go, he can find it.

   Many cats don't like the noise and feel of tin foil under their feet; so you can try covering up his favorite non-litter-box spots with that.

   Posted 2 years ago by CheetahBoysmommy #

8. 

   Good advice above, but I will add that cats won't eliminate where they eat. I have put food on the spot (after treating the spot with Nature's Miracle) and was successful in re-training after a bout of a UTI.

   Posted 2 years ago by Sheba's Mom in Phoenix, AZ 10/8 #

9. 

   wow great advice! Kimchi (the little orange tabby who's been fighting coccidia and an URI) still has litter box accidents from time to time too. I discovered that going to a bigger box definitely helped! His litter is also mixed half wheat/corn half clay clumping (which he won't eat when it's mixed!) I even did two litterboxes (the smaller ones) one with the wheat, one with the clay and he started using both which showed he didn't have a litter preference but a box preference! I have three other adult cats in the states- box shape, size and litter texture AND scent can be big factors when it comes to box beahvior. Also the "grab and go" method of catching him in the act and putting him in the box helps too. Best wishes for Cowboy! What a cute name!!

   Posted 2 years ago by KimchiKat #

10. 

    I had a similar problem...if Cowboy is constantly using it in the same spot that is not the litter box then try moving the litter box to where he is using it. That is what worked with my kitten.

    Posted 2 years ago by Miss Sky #

11. 

    Thank you so much for the replies!

    I've been using Special Kitty non-clumping litter. Since I made the most he's been more successful with the litter box. He's used it three or four times today! He had a peeing accident and I took him straight to the litter box to show him where to go. And right after I fed him (abuot 15 minutes ago) I took him to the litter box, scratched his paws into the litter box and then stepped back. And he pooped in the litter box! I was very proud! He covered it, too.

    Now I just need to work on weaning him. I am sure I'll be making another post about that.

    Thank you all so much again for the very helpful advice!

    Posted 2 years ago by Teresa89 #

RSS feed for this topic

Reply

You must log in to post.