After adopting a cat, it’s often necessary to set up a litter box. To litter train your cat successfully, you need to be gentle, patient, and rigorous. The type of litter and the type of maintenance required to keep the litter box clean is also important. In this article, Letsgetpet will provide some practical advice to help you litter train your cat.
How do I choose the right litter products to litter train my cat?
Cats are domestic pets that appreciate cleanliness. Before teaching your cat how to do their business in the litter box, you need to make sure that you choose the right type of products.
Choosing the litter box
There are two main types of litter boxes available on the market: closed litter boxes and open litter boxes. To encourage your cat to want to use the litter box, it is best to choose an open litter box. As cats are predators by nature, they do not like to feel confined.
Cats can feel insecure in a closed litter box because they are unable to see danger coming. With that being said, a closed litter box is more intimate and helps to prevent spreading odors to the surrounding areas. Whatever your choice may be, it’s important to ensure that the litter box is comfortable for your cat. Invest in a large litter tray, even if it’s for a kitten.
Choosing the type of litter
Cats naturally groom themselves every day. In fact, kittens generally reproduce their mother’s behavior. That’s why mother cats are responsible for teaching their kittens to be clean. To encourage kittens to continue litter training after adoption, it’s important to choose a litter they’ll appreciate.
In general, avoid litters that are too scented or toxic, which could be dangerous for the health of your cat if they swallow the residue. There are different types of litter on the market, among which we can find:
- clumping litter,
- clay litter,
- more ecological, plant-based litter
Clumping litter has the particularity of transforming the urine into small solid pieces. This allows you to clean the litter box more easily. It also reduces bad odors and waste. However, they are more pricy than other types of litter. For the safety of your cat, avoid clumping litter that sticks on the paws of your cat.
Clay litter has the advantage of being less expensive. It is made out of silica and clay which have very good absorbing capacities. Even through it allows you to reduce efficiently bad odors, clay litter requires a lot of maintenance. It is powdery and dusty, which means that it should be changed completely around 2 times per week.
There are multiple colors and types of formats available. There is also plant-based litter which is made exclusively out of natural materials. It is ecological and generates very little dust. Nevertheless, it can bring an unpleasant sensation to the paw pads of your cat.
It is recommended to test many brands it order the limit the risks of discomfort for your cat. If you notice that your cat loves the litter, avoid replacing it with another model. This can be bothersome for them. If the litter is bad quality, the change should be made progressively, like when you change the kibble that you feed your cat.
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Where do I place my cat’s litter box?
As cats are discreet animals, they need to be able to do their business alone and in peace. It is also recommended to place the litter box in an area of the house that is calm. It should be placed far from their food and water.
Just like humans, the odors of the litter box are not pleasant for a cat when they eat. The chosen area should also be a part of the house that is not walked around much. If you have multiple cats, you should have one litter box per pet. Each cat should have a litter box in a different area of the house that is spaced out.
How do I keep my cat’s litter box clean?
If the litter is dirty, your cat will not want to to do their business inside. It is important to take out the litter grains that are dirty with urine and excrements at least once per day. You can, for example, buy a little shovel to be able to do the daily scooping. However, avoid scooping out the litter after every trip your cat makes to the litter box.
If you do this, your cat might not understand why they use the litter box. When needed or around once a week, empty the litter box in a bag and throw it in the garbage. Then, clean the litter box.
How do I litter train my cat?
You need to start by teaching your cat how to use the litter box as soon as they have been weaned. You also need to wait until your cat has started to eat on their own before starting to teach them. At first, you can directly place your cat inside the litter box after every meal so that they can do their business inside.
Do not hesitate to do a movement of scratching to entice them to do their business if they are not able to. However, be careful, avoid holding the paws to force them to do the movement. They might not understand your intentions and get scared.
If you notice that your cat has behavior that shows that they want to do their business outside of the litter box (smelling the floor, isolating themself, scratching the floor), lead them immediately to the litter box. Do this gently in order to not discourage your cat from doing their business in the litter box.
Keep in mind that during their litter training period, you can face many accidents. You need to be patient. Do not forget to reward them with encouragement and caresses every time that they do their business in the litter box. You can also give them a treat as a reward.
The errors to avoid when you litter train your cat
To succeed in teaching your cat to use the litter box, you need to avoid doing some errors. Here are a few recommendations to follow to facilitate litter training:
- do not scold or abuse your cat when they do their business outside of the litter box,
- avoid using harsh cleaning products that have a strong smell when cleaning your cat’s litter box,
- do not change the placement of your cat’s litter box,
- place the litter in a open area so that the odors can evacuate easily.
In the case of an accident, avoid putting the nose of your cat near their excrements or urine. They will not understand this and could think that you are motivating them to continue this behavior. If they do their business outside of the litter box, let them smell it before placing it gently in their litter box.
By doing this, you are showing them that they need to do their business in the litter box. This should be done immediately after. If you wait hours before putting it in the litter box, they will not understand the goal. Also, if your cat urinates around the house, it is possible that they have health issues.
They can be suffering from kidney failure, a urinary infection, or involuntary urination. Do not hesitate to contact your vet for a consultation.
Lastly, cats with behavioral issues can present problems of delayed litter training. If your cat is often anxious or stressed, be patient and gentle during the litter training period.
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