How do I get my new kitten to use the litter box?
Sunday, February 28th, 2010 at
7:01 am
We just got two kittens last night and her sister used the litter box just fine, but this one we think is the runt and hasn’t gone at all in the litter box. Is this normal? We put her in the box multiple times and she just walks out. We are concerned that she is going around the house but we’re not sure. Also she drinks very little and eats very little, and she is six weeks old.
Filed under: Cat Litter
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train it. make the scent a nice one that attracts the cat
After it eats, wakes up, and after play put it in the litter box. Show the kitten where it is and she should catch on.
your kitten will eventually learn, it is still very young. possibly try putting out where she can see it.
That sounds just like my new kitten. It took him a few days to feel comfortable and safe in his new surroundings but he adapted well and eventually acted like he owned the house! : )
I put him in the litter box a few times and he caught on. Just don’t keep moving it to different places or you will confuse them. And be sure to keep it clean or they will do their business somewhere else in the house.
Only six weeks? have you brought both kittens to the vet for a check up and routine shots? Talk to the vet about the little ones eating and drinking. If not please do so. Do you only have one litter box? Maybe the scent of her litter mate in the one box puts her off. try getting her one of her own. It may help.
Make sure there aren’t any clothes or plastic bags on the floor. Cats and kittens do like to play but also like to go to the bathroom on these things. You’ll know by the smell which your kitten squatted on. Put the clothes in a hamper, basket or somewhere else but off of the floor.
Continue placing your kitten back in the box until she expels. It’ll help if she saw her sister use the box but sometimes kittens don’t pick up on that just yet. Whenever you have to leave for some time, isolate the kitten with the litter box. She is not to wander around looking for a spot when a box is present for her.
You probably should not have gotten a kitten until they were 8 weeks old. This way they’re a little more stable and sturdy. But since you did what i would recommend doing is buying a VERY low to the ground and shallow litter box (to be sure the kitty can comfortably get in and out of it) and put it in a very small room (lets say a bathroom or a laundry room). Lock the kittens in there with a small bowl of water so they are aware of where their litter box is and they don’t have to much room for error. As they grow you can change where you put the litter box as long as you lock them in there for 4-6 hours to show them the new space. Be sure to keep the litter box clean and good luck! If kitty doesn’t use the potty within 24-48 hours you might take it to the vet to make sure somethings not wrong. He/she may or may not be able to be weaned off onto hard food yet so he/she is having a hard time eating and therefore doesn’t need to use the potty.