How do I train an older stray cat to go in the Litter box?
Monday, August 30th, 2010 at
10:45 pm
I took in a stray cat approx 2 yrs old, male. I already have 3 cats who share a large litter box. I constantly let the new cat out side to go to the bathroom. He has peed on my carpet when he wasn’t able to get outside in time. I have tried to make him use a litter box by closing him off in the bathroom with litter, I used sherdded paper, I used dirt to make him think he was outside. Nothing has worked. He just holds it in! I had him neutered within a mth of taking him in a year ago. He is the coolest cat, I love him so much I want to make this work!
Filed under: Cat Furniture
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First, you’ll need to add some more litter boxes to your household. The ideal number is one for each cat plus one extra, so if you have 4 cats you’ll need 5 boxes. Most cats won’t use a box if they have to step through any urine & feces to go in it.
Since this cat is used to outdoor access, I’d recommend trying an uncovered litter box for him, and perhaps placing it behind a screen, so he can get the privacy he may crave without feeling confined by a covered box.
Second, try using a fine-textured scoopable litter that resembles sand – Cat Attract is an excellent one that you can find at pet supply stores. http://www.preciouscat.com/precious-attract-p-5.html
Sprinkle a small amount of soil and leaves from your garden over the litter to help it seem more like what he’s used to using. Scoop all soiled clumps and feces from the boxes at least twice daily – a cat with previous outdoor access may be very picky about having a clean place to go.
See these links for more information about litterbox issues in cats: http://www.catinfo.org/litterbox.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/9352/litterboxhelp.html
Hope this helps!
My mom suffered the same problem. She now buys "Cat Attract" kitty litter and has had much success. I’ve posted a link that I found on petsmart.com.
exercise the cat around the block and mabe it will get some energy if you need any more asnwer e-mail me lilalex_scott@yahoo.com
You may want to try a covered litter box so he has some privacy. My cats can’t resist going in sand even if they have litter, but you need to keep him in the bathroom with a litter box. If you keep letting him outside he’ll keep holding it in. He’ll eventually have to use the litter box, you just have to be persistent.
What kind of litter are you using? I buy Arm and Hammer cat litter and my cats love it. Their mom, who was a stray cat, used it too the minute I put the litter box in front of her. Try putting a second cat litter box somewhere else in the house for him alone. He may not be using your current litter box because its been used by your other cats. Who knows? I’m not an animal behaviorist but you may have a dominant male cat at your house already and he is trying to stay away from where he pees. Try calling a vet or animal behaviorist and get some advise from them.
It’s going to be a bit like house training a dog. Start off by having sand in the litter box rather then litter or get the litter that attracts cats. Continue putting your cat in the box, reminding him that its there every once in a while. Scold him if you catch him in the act but never afterwards.. they dont know what they did wrong.
I love cats. Have had them all my life. Some cats are just so used to marking their territory and may never change. Our 16 year old cat still pees by the window or in a corner from time to time.
I can only suggest locking the cat in the room with the litterbox for a period of time or pick him up and set him in the box over and over and over again.
Hope it helps. Good on you for taking in this cat. So many people look at them as throw-away pets.
I had this problem with a stray myself. This worked for me. The cat was confined in a small room with nothing but food, water, and a litter pan – for 3 days straight. Praise him when he uses the litter, and then you can gradually let him out for short periods, making sure that you remember to put him back up. After about a week, it should be save to let him out permanently.
Remember to keep the main box clean, and add another one, in a different area. I have 2 cats, and 2 litter pans. Cats will not use the pan if it isn’t clean.
And while he’s confined, make sure that you use a good enzyme based carpet cleaner on the areas where he’s gone in the past. You can pick up a good one at a pet store. This will help keep him from relapsing.
If you already have 3 cats, this one is the 4th cat, and one litterbox is definitely not enough. You should always have 1 more litterboxes than you have cats. 4 cats= 5 litterboxes. If you don’t have enough of room, you should at least get 1 more, and maybe he will try it, since the other 3 are sharing one box. Cats are very persnickety, and do not always want to share their bathroom!! You are very lucky that the 3 are using the same one. Does he get along with the other cats? He probably does not want to share.I have never had a problem bringing an outside cat in. They have used the litterbox immediately.