How do I transition an outside kitten to apartment life and using the litter box?
I’m bringing a 10-12 week old kitten to my apartment tomorrow. It has lived on a farm and has never been inside a house. She will be an inside cat now. Will she use the litter box right away? Or will she poo/pee anywhere? Also, we will be keeping the box hidden away in a pantry on the floor. But for a few nights I would like to keep her from roaming the apartment freely because I don’t want her to poo/pee on the carpet while I sleep. Would it be ok to lock her in the bathroom with the litter box at night, and in the morning put the litter box back in the pantry? Or will this confuse her as to where to go to the bathroom? Any suggestions would be helpful, thanks.
Filed under: Cat Litter
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You’re on the right track. Limit your kitten to one part of the house that’s small. That way your kitten isn’t overwhelmed and loses the cat box. However, don’t move the litter box. Even with adult cats, it can be very confusing. Keep it in one spot and put her in the litter box and use her paw to "dig" so she gets the idea. If that doesn’t work, try putting dirt in, and doing the same thing. Since dirt is natural and what she is used to, it will help her get the idea. When she starts using the box regularly, you can let her have the whole apartment.
good luck.
he will be finding the box with no problem. he may miss the outside.
THe litter box should be in a private area that is easily accessible to the cat at any time. It is not a good idea to constantly move the litter box.
Cats usually catch on to litter training pretty fast. To help kitty adjust to her new environment keep her in a bathroom with her food, water, and litter for about a week. After, that, let her explore more areas of the house but primarily keep her in the bathroom. After her adjustment period you can let her roam free and put her items in a more convenient area.
It might help to put some dirt and grass in her litter.
A change can be stressful on a kitty, and your kitty will be undergoing a massive change. She may very well use the litter box right away, and the best litter to use would be like sand with minimal scent. You can also mix in dirt with the litter, and gradually change the percentages. Potting soil or simple play sand would work. Keeping her confined is not cruel, but if there is a way she can look out a window that would be best.
Moving the litter box could cause confusion. You could try two litter boxes, using clumping litter. Transfer some of the clumps to the pantry litter box while you slowly move the other one. That way her nose will find the litter boxes — both of them.
we have an outside cat now inside. When she was about to have her babies I brought her indoors where she had 5 babies. she is still indoors with one of her sons which we kept for her playmate . she did well right from the get go. that was 2 years ago and they are both doing fine in the house, of course we give them both a LOT of LOVE.
She will pick up the box pretty quickly.
Instead of moving the box though (because that be be very disconcerting.) set up two boxes (one in the pantry and one in the bathroom).
Show her the box a few times and put her in it. She’ll see its a place she can dig (which cats naturally want to do with their business)
Don’t forget to spay her!