Teaching Your Cat to Use Her Litter Box
Cats tend to prefer eliminating in a sand-like material which is why litter boxes are the perfect solution. There are a few cats that tend to break free from the litter box and pick other places in the home to eliminate include the dirty laundry pile, shoes, rugs, blankets, or other areas in the home. How can you effectively teach your cat how to use a litter box instead of other areas in your home? Here are a few helpful tips:
From the time a kitten in 4 weeks old, it will instinctively seek out an area in which to eliminate their wastes. Cat litter has been designed specifically for cats to dig in and cover up their waste. Cats that avoid the litter box may have problems with the type of cat litter, the depth of the cat litter, the covered box, or the location of the litter box.
A cat needs to know where to find the litter box and it needs to be kept clean. If your cat consistently eliminates waste in one specific area of the home, say the laundry room or closet, this is an ideal place for a litter box. Cats prefer an area in the home that is quiet and out of the way. Because cats like to bury their waste, it is important to keep a rug or newspaper under the litter box to prevent it from getting all over the carpet. Once you have selected the area in your home for the litter box, you need to take the cat over to see the litter box. Place the cat into the clean litter box and help them learn that this is the area in which they go to eliminate waste. Usually the cat will dig around in the litter box and start getting comfortable with it. If the cat runs away from the litter box, wait an hour and try again.
Your cat already knows the basics.
Cats are picky animals are will not use a litter box that is placed next to their food. Try to move the litter box away from their food and water, especially so that it doesn't get cat litter in it. If you have an older cat or a kitten, you may need to place the litter box in a location where they can see it all the time. Old cats don't like to run around the house as much and can easily get lazy with their waste elimination. If you notice the kitten stops playing and starts sniffing and scratching around, pick them up and place them in the litter box. After the cat starts to get the idea of where the litter box is, you can slowly start moving it to another location in the home where it is out of the way from high traffic.
Remember to praise the kitten or cat for using the litter box when they are in training. You can purchase some small training treats to give the cat after they properly use the litter box.
More litter in the litter box isn't always a good thing. Cats are pretty picky about the amount of cat litter they like in the box, which is generally about 2-3 inches. Clean the litter box often, as it will start to smell after a few days. If the litter box isn't cleaned on a continual basis, the cat may start looking for other places in the home where they can eliminate their waste. When you clean the box, use household cleaners that do not have a large smell. Cats will avoid a litter box that smells like bleach or other strong chemicals.
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