Training Your Kitten To Use A Cat Litter Tray

Kittens will usually start using a cat litter tray at about 4 or 5 weeks old. Normally, the kitten will have learned this from her mother before she comes to you. If this is the case, it’s a good idea to use the same type of cat litter she is used to. Cats have a very acute sense of smell, so the familiarity will make training your cat easier.

If your kitten has not yet been litter trained, you will have to show her how it’s done!

Before you start….

Ø Choose a cat litter tray that is a suitable size for your kitten. If the sides are too steep, she might not use it.

Ø Ensure that the cat litter tray is placed in a suitable and accessible place in your home. Cats don’t like to urinate near the places where they eat or sleep.

Ø Choose a cat litter type and stick to it. There are many different litter types on the market and it may take some trial and error at first. Some are perfumed to disguise odour, which may make life more pleasant for you, but may perhaps be too strong for your kitten. Litter types can include:

Non-absorbent or re-usable litter
Wood-based litter
Earth based litter
Silica Gel
Paper-based

Ø Being extremely fastidious, cats will refuse to use their cat litter tray if it is not clean enough. If it smells too strongly of urine, they will go for a more pleasant smelling option (e.g. a nice corner of the room!). Cat litter trays should be cleaned every day, removing all soiled cat litter and, most importantly, the litter tray should be cleaned properly. It should then be replaced by about 2 inches of fresh cat litter.

Remember that some cleaning products are hazardous to cats! A thorough clean with hot water is sufficient. A little vinegar can be used to neutralise the smell of cat urine. However, if the cat’s litter tray is cleaned regularly, this should not be necessary.

Now that you have all the tools, you are ready to litter train your kitten. Cats learn very quickly, so it should not take too long before your cat feels comfortable with using her cat litter tray.

Ø Cats learn to use their cat litter tray by example. Take your kitten to the cat litter tray several times a day to show her where it is. Gently take her paws and make a scratching motion in the cat litter. It may also help if you do it yourself – only when it’s clean of course!!

Ø Your kitten will most likely need to use her cat litter tray after eating and waking up from sleep. Take her to the tray and put her inside it, making the scratching motion with her paws for encouragement.

Ø The most important thing is to keep watch over your kitten. If she crouches down and sticks her tail in the air, that’s a sure sign she’s ready to go. Quickly scoop her up and take her to the cat litter tray – she’ll soon get the message!

Best of luck!...