What You Need for Litter Box Training
Most of us love cats. We love them for their mystery, their wonder, and their love. Cats might not be quite as devoted as dogs, but they are also less needy. You don't need to take cats for walks and you don't need to be constantly paying attention to them. They are much more private and independent, but they are also affectionate and loving. Cats can be the best of all worlds for some pet owners. However, despite the independence of cats they still need to be trained to do certain things. Cats need to be fed and they need to get some exercise and some sort of affection. They also need to be trained to use their litter boxes. That's right, even though cats are mysterious and wonderful, they still need to be trained to do the basics. So how do you train a cat to use a litter box, and perhaps more importantly, what do you need to commence this training? Read here about the stuff you will need and how to train your cat to use the litter box.
The basic materials you will need to conduct succesful litter box training are a kitty litter box, kitty litter, and some sort of scooper. These are the basic materials but you also need to have a good space to conduct the training in. You need a clean room that is set aside from the most busy part of the house. Cats are private and clean animals. They don't like loud noises and they will not go to the bathroom in a loud place. They also will not go to the bathroom in a place they think is dirty or stinky.
Another thing you will need to do is keep the litter box extremely clean. Realize that you will need to clean out the urine and feeces quickly. A cat that smells these materials will think that the litter box is unclean, which of course, it is. If you clean the box daily the cat will know that it is a consistently clean place.
The room you train your cat in also needs to be one that you can close. The cat needs to be kept in the room until it has actually learned to use the box. Otherwise it will find other places and start bad habits in other parts of the house. Keep the cat's water and food in a separate space from the litter box. Then after the cat has eaten, take it to the litter box and run its paw through the kitty litter. When the cat starts to use the litter box make sure you give it lots of positive reinforcement. Realize that cats do not respond well to punishment. It only confuses them and will probably make them fear you. The best method is positive reinforcement where you can give them a treat or some sort of encouragement.
Also, make sure to remove any potted plants in the room. This is important because cats use the area that they think is the most natural for going to the bathroom. If there is dirt in the potted plant container then the cat will use it. The best solution to this problem is to cover the potted plant dirt with something shiny like a piece of aluminum foil. This should prevent the cat from using the potted plant in this way because they dislike shiny stuff.
Finally, realize that litter box training is a process that will take patience and some discipline but it will work.
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