Training a kitten to use a litter tray ???

lisajane

How do i train a kitten to use their litter tray? I found 2 small kittens 2 weeks ago and all is going well. They are about 5 weeks old and so cute. We have a litter tray for them but they won't use it. I leave them into into it after eating and nothing happens. They go off hiding and then do it and we're left finding the smell and cleaning it.

Themadhouse

Is the tray beside thier food?
Maybe try putting some soil in the tray, if they are used to going outside they might prefer that. Put a poo back into the tray and leave it for them to smell it, this might give them the hint.
It could be as simple as they dont like the litter you are using.

luckat

Put some of their poo in the tray, put it somewhere quiet, keep putting poo in so they get the smell and go "Hey, this is where toilet stuff goes, eh?"

If they pee on the floor, put a piece of newspaper down, then put that in the litter tray, but also wash the floor where they peed with biological detergent to take the smell away from there as much as posso.

cotton

What litter are you using?
Themadhouse has given some very sound advice.

babychuckles

With tiny kittens, that i have had, when i find where they have had a poo or a pee I put the litter trays in that area (after cleaning up). And its best to have a tray for each kitty and to clean it out once a day minimum. Cats love a clean tray.
I use the cat litter that lidl and aldi sell and I don't put much in the trays as all cats and kittens like to dig down to the base so having too much is pointless.
Likewise with really tiny kittens if they were with mum cat she would lick their bums to encourage them to pee so if they are having difficulty...not that yours seem to be having difficulty ...i would dampen cotton wool and wipe their tosshies while they were in the tray.. most cats dont poo and pee til they need to and not necessarly straight after eating.
It will just take time.
And as said previously keep the litter trays away from the food and water bowl area.
i know its frustating but bear with it and they will surprise you by getting it right. Good luck

bigpinkelephant

Yeah if you put their old poo in the tray they will get the idea. Sometimes they won't like the litter- some of them don't like the shop bought stuff and will only use regular dirt or peat moss.

The good thing with cats is that even when they are babies, they are creatures of habit, so once they get the hang of using a litter tray they will keep at it (give or take the odd accident- they really can't hold it for long ).

BlackCat2008

I have a ferrel foster at present he's five weeks and very good. He seems to like the sound of the litter and is happy to use it even found him asleep in it the other day. I've aways used Thomas cat litter get it almost any were.

If you have older cats put them in when he is using it the little ones will copy Just like I did with this one. Or make sure to try and catch them doing it and quickly pick them up and put them in to finish. They'll soon get the hang of it don't worry.Use some soda bread and white vinger mixed in water to remove the smell from their little misshapps. And put any poop you find in the litter tray. Keep it away from thier food in the same place always and put them in it about 20 minutes after they eat it takes time for the food to go through them.

Good luck

forestfruits

putting the poo back in is a great idea- ive found as well if you stand them into the tray take one of their from paws and make a scratching digging motion with it in the litter they get the message! you might feel like an idiot doing it but ive found it works.

if they have been going on newspaper mixing in some shredded newspaper into the litter for a while can help- goodluck

peasant

forestfruits wrote: »

ive found as well if you stand them into the tray take one of their from paws and make a scratching digging motion with it in the litter they get the message! you might feel like an idiot doing it but ive found it works.

+1

works every time