How to train a kitten to go to the litter box: Guaranteed results in a short time. How to train a kitten to go to the litter box quickly and without unnecessary nerves When can you train kittens to use the litter box

When a cat appears in the house, the owner immediately faces the question of litter box training. Often, animals are in no hurry to relieve themselves in a designated place. Four-legged friends use a bathtub, a sink, and even a stack of clothes as a toilet. This creates an unpleasant odor that is difficult to remove. The procedure for training a litter box requires strength and patience; all the nuances must be taken into account. These include the correct choice of tray and filler, the location of the future toilet, and working with the animal.

Which tray to choose

1. Open tray. A feature of the open tray is the relative convenience of the design. A mesh is inserted into the plastic bowl, which can be easily removed for cleaning. The main thing is to choose a tray with high sides and a wide bottom. Based on the size of the cat, it should fit into the device with four paws. It is worth remembering that you cannot pour sawdust into the tray. The cat will row them and carry them with its paws throughout the apartment. Opt for a granular formula that absorbs liquid and absorbs moisture.
2. Closed tray. The device for correcting the cat's needs is a kind of house with a window (door). The animal goes inside and then performs the necessary procedures without being seen by strangers. However, a significant disadvantage of closed trays is that a cat taken from the street will not be able to get used to relieving itself in a closed space. It is better to accustom kittens to this type of adaptation. The inconvenience of use includes the complex design. To clean the tray, you need to disassemble it, wash it, and then reassemble it.

Which filler to choose

1. To accustom your cat to the litter box, choose litter based on compressed wood or clay. The advantage of such compositions is their low pricing policy. Also, the granules perfectly absorb liquid and prevent the appearance of odor.
2. You should not use these types of litters all the time; they are more suitable for first toilet training. This recommendation must be followed, because the wood crumbles and the clay stains the animal’s paws.
3. When the pet begins to smell itself and begins to constantly go to the tray, change the first type of filler to gel (silicone). Don't be afraid of the high price, the granules block odor well and pay for themselves due to practical use.
4. Choose a filler made of large granules. It does not crumble and does not allow cat urine to reach the bottom of the tray. The crystals retain moisture in their structure, as a result of which the toilet remains dry. The cat will not disdain after several uses, nor will it poop next to the tray.

Choosing a location for the tray

1. Traditionally, owners install a cat litter box in the bathroom. Of course, this place is suitable for a four-legged friend who lives in an apartment for a long time. However, the newly-minted new settler will not like the noise of the washing machine, the flushing of the toilet and the splashes of water from the sink.
2. At first, choose a calm and quiet place where the cat will not flinch at every rustle. A pantry or a secluded corner in the hallway would be suitable. Later, when your pet gets used to it, move the toilet to the bathroom.

If you bring a small kitten into your home, you should immediately begin litter box training.

1. It is necessary to contact the breeder or previous owner to clarify the information. Find out where the tray was installed, what filler was used, how often the animal relieved itself in the designated area. Taking into account the data obtained, purchase the same tray and granular composition.
2. You need to take a bag of kitten feces from the old home. This could be litter soaked in urine, newspaper, a disposable napkin, etc.
3. The resulting “material” should be placed in a tray located in the current house. Mix the composition with the same filler that was used by the breeder.
4. Introduce the kitten to the litter box. Pet him and let him sniff the area. Now watch the behavior of the animal. After sleeping, drinking or eating, take him to the toilet immediately.
5. In most cases, clean young pets grasp information on the fly. They begin to go to the litter box after 2-3 instructions.

What to do if misfires occur

If the kitten is not toilet trained or you brought it from the street, proceed as follows.

1. Prepare a tray with filler and place your pet’s feces in it (a napkin soaked in urine, etc.). Keep an eye on the animal. Place his paws in the tray every time after waking up and eating.
2. Pet your pet. Now take his paws in your hands and dig into the filler with them. Such actions will revive natural instincts, the baby will understand how to use the tray.
3. If an animal has made a mistake, under no circumstances should you scold it. Collect the excrement or blot up the urine with toilet paper. Place the “natural material” in a tray with litter.
4. Wash the area that is not intended for correction needs. If desired, use special cat repellers that suppress the smell.
5. Continue to take the animal to the litter box after eating and sleeping. When the kitten begins to relieve itself in the designated area, praise it. At first, always be on alert.

1. As soon as you bring your cat into your apartment, let her get comfortable. Watch your pet's movements carefully. Prepare the tray taking into account all requirements.
2. Pour in the filler and sprinkle the granules with a special agent for training animals to use the tray. Take the cat to the toilet and let her sniff everything.
3. Dig into the litter with your pet's paws to trigger the natural instinct. Now watch the behavior. If your cat starts digging at the carpet or linoleum, take her to the potty.
4. It is quite possible that manipulations will have to be carried out many times. If your cat breaks out and runs away from the “proper” litter box, close the bathroom door. Hold your pet until he relieves himself.
5. If the cat does not want to go to the place you have chosen, but plays dirty tricks in another corner, move the tray there. Every day, slowly move the toilet in the direction you need until you reach the bathroom or vestibule.
6. When a cat shits in the wrong place, blot the napkin with urine, then take it to the litter box. Do not remove until the animal has completely mastered the potty.
7. If there are several cats living in the apartment, give the new guest a separate (not used by anyone) toilet. The smells of relatives can scare away your pet.
8. If your cat poops in the wrong place, thoroughly clean the area with bleach or another cleaning agent. When the animal defecates not in the tray, but next to it, wash the area with vinegar, soda or ammonia.

1. Particularly obstinate cats can dirty the bed. In this case, send the laundry to the wash and poke the animal with its nose. Try to get rid of the smell by any means possible.
2. Remove solid waste from the tray in a timely manner. Cats are clean animals; they will not go into a dirty potty. The same goes for the filler, do not let it get too wet.
3. After purchasing a granular composition, study the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the regularity of cleaning the toilet. For example, wood and clay fillers need to be changed more often than silicone ones.
4. You can train your cat to wear a diaper by placing it in the cavity of the tray. However, disposable wipes do not retain odors, and you will spend a lot of money on constantly cleaning the toilet.
5. Never yell at a cat. If an animal gets into the habit of shitting on the bed, slap it with a thin newspaper or lightly poke it with its nose. Give a lecture on proper behavior, take him to the potty.

Select the appropriate tray. An open view is suitable for adult cats, a closed view is suitable for small kittens. Start training with wood filler, gradually switch to silicone. Take your pet to the appropriate place immediately after waking up and eating. Don't scold the cat, let her choose a place for the toilet and place a tray there.

Video: litter box training a kitten

They sell kittens that are already litter trained at 1.5 - 2 months. But it happens that you bring a two-month-old cat child, and he does dirty things in the apartment in the wrong place. In this case, you need to know how to potty train a kitten quickly.

Important! A kitten may not go to the toilet for several days due to stress after moving to a new home, so you should be patient and not oversleep the moment when it gets ripe and poops in the wrong place.

Selecting a tray and filler

To successfully potty train your pet, it is important to choose the tray and filler wisely. They should be made from safe plastic that is easy to clean and fits properly.

Types of trays:

• in the form of a house - cats love safety and secluded places, so a tray-house is well suited in this sense;
• with mesh - it is simple and convenient, but it must be washed often; to prevent the filler from spilling and for greater hygiene, it is better to choose models with high sides;
• high trays - prevent spillage of the filler and give the pet a feeling of security;
• a regular tray is the most budget-friendly, it is important to choose it according to the size of the animal, it should turn freely there.

To quickly train the litter box, you should place it in a secluded and quiet place where there are no drafts or prying eyes. It is forbidden to close the door to the room with the tray so that the cat always has free access to it!

It is also important to choose a suitable litter that the kitten will like. It is advisable to give preference to wood - it is the most harmless. If you want to change the filler to another, then do it gradually, mixing it little by little into the old filler.

How to train a kitten to use a litter box

To begin with, it is necessary to exclude the free movement of the animal throughout the home. It is advisable that he be in front of you all the time, so you can control his behavior and react if he wants to go to the toilet with filler. Without brute force, it is sometimes worth putting the kitten in the tray, especially after eating, so that he sniffs everything and gets used to it.

When placing a kitten on the potty, it is important that he makes raking movements with his paws; if he does not do this, you need to show him - take his paws carefully and use them to slightly rake the filler in the tray. If you see that the kitten is acting restless and sitting down, you need to calmly and without fussing, but immediately put it in the tray. If everything went well, be sure to praise him.

One of the most attractive smells for a kitten is the smell of his urine, so you need to wet a napkin and put it in the tray. If all else fails, you can try changing the filler to a different type. This may be the reason for the kitten's reluctance to go to the designated place. It may also be that the kitten will prefer a tray without filler.

For each successful time, do not forget to praise the kitten, stroke it gently and talk to it. Under no circumstances should you scold your child for his mistakes! This will only ruin his nervous system and will not lead to the desired result. Treat the area of ​​the mistake with special products that neutralize the smell of cat urine.

When living in a private house, it is possible to teach a kitten to go to the toilet outside. To do this, you need to gradually move the tray closer to the door, and then completely put it behind the door. Then there is no need for it.

What health problems in a kitten can lead to toilet problems?

If the kitten begins to go to the toilet not in the usual litter box, but in the wrong places, then you should pay attention to its health. The same applies to adult pets. As a rule, this may be associated with diseases of the genitourinary system - cystitis, inflammatory processes in the reproductive organs, the presence of stones in the bladder and other problems can cause a lack of cleanliness in the animal. In order to solve this issue, you must first cure the disease. Often, its exacerbation begins in the cold season, or in the summer, when the cat sat on the cold floor under the air conditioner.

Also, the reasons for misses can be:

• hormonal changes - rapid onset of estrus;
• stress and conflicts between the cat and the owner;
• the appearance of a new animal in the house - in this case, the animals divide the territory in this way.

The issue of estrus can be resolved through castration, sterilization and taking sedatives. In this case, it is not recommended to give hormonal drugs, as this leads to serious health problems.

If the cause of this behavior is the animal’s stress, you should try to create a more friendly and calm atmosphere, and also take a course of taking sedatives. In the event of a conflict between two animals, it is important not to deprive any of the pets of attention, to create a place for the tray of a new resident, it is advisable to make it next to the existing one in order to create a territorial precedent.

Places of mistakes must be treated with special means so that the cat is not tempted to repeat the “crime”.

Most often, kittens are taken from nurseries where basic skills have already been imparted. There the kitten is taught to use the toilet by the mother cat. Then almost no effort is required. Just ask the breeder for some litter from the tray, place the kitten in the tray in a new place, and he will quickly understand the purpose of this device.

And if not? How to train a kitten to use a litter box if you took it from the street or if it was taken away from its mother too early? This is not an easy task at all!

When to start?

The famous ethologist K. Lorenz believed that in the early stages of the life of any animal there are such short-term periods when the experience that this animal acquires has a long-term effect and affects the development of the animal. The scientist called them “critical” or “sensitive”.

The critical period for taming a kitten is from two to seven weeks. At this age, the most important skills are acquired and the individual character of the animal is formed. During this period it is worth toilet training.

How to train?

There are animals that quickly understand what a tray is and how to handle it. But in most cases, training takes time and attention. First of all, the stress caused by the new environment should be eliminated in the animal.

From a scientific point of view, the skill of an animal going to the toilet is a conditioned reflex, which means that it takes time and appropriate positive reinforcement to develop it

To begin with, limit the territory - place the animal in a small room. You should also put a cat litter box here and put your pet in it. At first, the animal must be observed.

If successful, be sure to reward your pet! Indeed, from the point of view of science, the skill of an animal visiting the toilet is a conditioned reflex, which means that it takes time and appropriate positive reinforcement to develop it.

Never punish a kitten, because he may decide that he is being punished not for the wrong choice of place for the toilet, but for the result itself. And, not wanting to get caught again, the kitten will begin to “hide” such results in the far corner of the closet or sofa.

Where to put the tray?

It is better to choose a place somewhere in a secluded corner. If at first your cat goes to the toilet in the wrong place, there is nothing wrong with that. Your main task is to observe the animal as carefully as possible and, having found out which place the kitten has chosen for the toilet, simply place the tray there.

If a place seems completely unacceptable to you, clean it thoroughly and place bowls of water and food there. The cat is a clean animal and will never go to the toilet where its food is.

The filler is also important. The modern market offers a huge variety: clumping, wood, silica gel, etc. Choosing what suits your pet is not difficult, although it may take some time if the animal is particularly picky.

As an addition, you can try various sprays and powders to train kittens to use the litter box. Alas, this is not a panacea, but a good help for resolving the issue.

“Happiness is measured in cats” is a fairly common phrase among cat lovers. And it’s true, because with the appearance of a little fluffy ball it immediately becomes more comfortable. The baby grows and develops, turning from a clumsy creature into a graceful animal. And to make life with him more comfortable, he needs to be taught to go to the toilet in the right place. Teaching your baby to go to the toilet in a specially designated place is not difficult. Below are tips on how to train a kitten to use a litter box.

Most often, mothers teach babies to do this. The cubs try to quickly learn everything that their parents can and repeat after the cat. Many of the litter learn to do their own chores - they climb onto the potty after their mother.

What needs to be done to get the kitten to go to the litter box?

1. Tray. Preferably low and small, only for the first time, until the baby gets bigger. Right away, it will be difficult for him to jump into a tray for adults, due to his clumsiness.
2. Filler. Little kittens are curious. He needs to sniff everything in the world, and also taste it. And the filler too. To begin with, during the period of active growth, it is recommended to put in fine-grained wood filler so that the baby does not. Accustoming immediately to silicate will lead to intestinal upset if the kitten accidentally eats it.
3. Patience. Some babies go to the litter box almost immediately, while others go through the blood, sweat and tears of their owners, continuing to relieve themselves where this is not at all necessary.
4. Detergents. , only the human nose will not be able to smell the smell, but a kitten will always find it! Therefore, the places that the fluffy has chosen must be thoroughly washed, otherwise this place will forever remain his toilet.

Now it’s time to move on directly to how to train a kitten to use a litter tray.

Action plan:

• Place the tray where it will be easier for the baby to reach it. At first, it is best to keep the kitten in one room so that it gets comfortable. The tray can be moved to another place when the fluffy always defecates in it. Ideally, this should be a quiet and peaceful place.
• The filler should interest a small cat. In the wild, cats dig a hole in the ground, defecate, and then bury their excrement. To trigger the natural instinct, it will be enough to dig a hole with the kitten’s paws (carefully holding them). The baby will become interested and will do this more often.
• Watch the kitten. If he starts to sit down in the wrong place, carefully transfer him to the tray.

6 tips: How to train a kitten to use the litter box. Remember them, or better yet, save them, because when the time comes, you will already have several options

1. Send the baby to the tray as soon as he eats or wakes up.
2. Praise him every time he does his job where it's supposed to be done.
3. Do not change the tray frequently. At first, kittens are guided by smell, and look for a toilet only in this way.
4. If a kitten relieves itself in the wrong place, you can’t scold it! This will undermine the baby's trust in the owner, which will undermine the relationship in the future.
5. Collect urine with a paper towel and place the paper under the filler. So the kitten will look for a toilet by smell. And clean the crime scene thoroughly.
6. Also place a bowl of food and water in the chosen area. The nature of cats is such that they will not relieve themselves in places where they drink and eat.

• Poking your muzzle into your excrement, dragging you by the scruff of the neck into the tray, beating and yelling. As mentioned above, this undermines the relationship between cat and owner.
• Lock your baby in the toilet and wait for him to do his business.
• Watering crime scenes with caustic liquids. This can lead to burns to the nasal mucosa.

Here are some tips on how to teach kittens to go to the toilet in the designated place. If you spend a couple of days on this, praise the baby and don’t let him “seclude himself” in dubious places, then the baby will quickly learn to do his business where it’s supposed to be done. And of course you need to know the general rules.

Teaching a kitten to use a litter box at home is a simple process. To do this, you just need to spend a little time and be patient. Any kitten can be trained to use a litter box, even one taken from the street. It also happens that a fairly large kitten has already been acquired, trained to use a litter tray, but in a new place it stops using its toilet. This happens either because the animal is frightened and afraid to walk around its new home, or, on the contrary, it carefully studies the territory and marks it.

Tray selection

First, you need to choose the right tray for your kitten. Preferably buy a plastic one because it is easy to clean. The edges of the vessel should be low so that the kitten can easily jump on it and jump off after finishing its business.

A tray with a mesh without filler is not very convenient for kittens. Firstly, it needs to be washed after each use to avoid any unpleasant odor. Secondly, a wet mesh can cause discomfort to your pet, and he will completely refuse to use the litter box.

At first glance, a pot with filler is the most convenient toilet. But problems may arise here too. It happens that a kitten is taken from breeders who only put torn paper there. If the kitten was taken from the street, then there it dealt only with sand or earth. In both cases, the cat may simply not perceive the litter as a toilet. If your pet categorically refuses to go into the litter, you need to try changing it.

Toilet training

If you take an adult cat into your home, then simply show her the litter box. There are even cats that are toilet trained – in this case there are no problems. But when you take a small pet into your home, the learning process is inevitable. It’s easier and faster to teach a one-month-old kitten to keep clean. It will not be possible to accustom a kitten to the litter box in one day, so you should not rush things - you need to let the pet get acquainted with the litter box, sniff it, and understand that this is now its toilet. Scented litters, like plastic, sometimes repel kittens with their smell. Therefore, training should begin using a clay container or stand for flower pots. It should be remembered that if there are indoor plants in the house, the pet may begin to walk under them. Therefore, if there is a cat in the house, it is better to either remove indoor flowers completely or cover the soil with stones.

Choose a quiet place for the cat litter. Do not place the tray near household appliances that make noise during operation. Children and other pets, if there are any in the house, should not disturb the kitten with their curiosity. So that the pet can quickly get to the tray, it is advisable to place the latter close to its resting place. If there are several cats in the apartment, it is advisable that each one has its own tray. Some owners believe that it is better to purchase a closed toilet in the form of a house. It's beautiful, but there is one drawback - it's inconvenient to wash.

When starting training, you need to carefully monitor the kitten. As soon as he is about to do his business, you should catch him and put him on the tray.

You need to watch your baby especially carefully after sleeping and feeding. Veterinarians advise in these cases to immediately take the kitten to the litter box, because such measures help the pet quickly master cleanliness skills.

Determining your pet's intentions is easy. The kitten stops its games and starts sniffing. At this moment you need to carefully pick him up and put him on the potty. At the end of the process, the kitten should be praised and given some treat. It is advisable to pet and encourage the kitten when it begins to scratch in the potty. If something goes wrong and the kitten defecates in another place, you need to wipe the puddle with a napkin and put it in the tray. The smell of urine attracts the kitten, and the next time it goes to relieve itself, it is this smell. It is necessary to monitor the pet and make sure that it does not choose some other place for recovery. In order for your pet to be willing to use the litter box next time, the toilet needs to be thoroughly washed.

If the owner does not have time to monitor the kitten, then he needs to be locked in a room where there is a pot, the contents of which should be checked periodically. It will take about two weeks for your pet to learn to use the litter box independently.

In those moments when the kitten is getting ready to go to the toilet, is on the tray or has just gotten off it, there should be nothing that irritates him. You cannot scold him, make noise, or perform any actions that may frighten the pet or are unpleasant for him.

Mistakes owners make when raising a kitten

Mistakes that owners make when teaching a kitten to be clean can turn into bad habits in an adult cat.

1. 1. Tray training started late. It is advisable to start accustoming a kitten to the tray no later than at the age of one month. It is much more difficult to toilet train a kitten when it is already one and a half or two months old.
2. 2. Lack of cleanliness in the tray. Sometimes owners do not have time or forget to clean the toilet and change the filler in a timely manner. A cat is a clean animal, and a dirty litter box can encourage it to choose another place.
3. 3. The tray is in the wrong place. If the kitten is frightened by something on or near the litter box, the pet may stop using it. For this reason, the pot should not be placed in noisy places.
4. 4. Changing the tray. If the cat is accustomed to one litter box, then there is no need to change it. He may not want to go into the new potty.
5. 5. Foreign odors. The cat sometimes has a negative attitude towards various flavors. Therefore, it is advisable to wash the tray with plain water without using detergents.