Litter Box Training Tips
Litter box training can be a frustrating time for a new cat owner, especially for those owners who have never had one before. Cats’ brains are wired very differently to dogs’, and all other household pets, for that matter, so it can take a little while getting used to new way of training and communication.
In light of this, the Jaycliffe Pets team are on hand to offer some assistance, providing you with some useful litter box training tips.
Privacy
All cats in the animal kingdom – big and small, domestic and wild – like to do their business in private. With this in mind, when choosing a position for your cat’s litter tray, make sure that it’s a safe, quiet place which she can get to with ease and use without disturbance.
Cleanliness
Cats are extremely particular about cleanliness. In the wild, all cats ensure that they eat and drink in a different place to where they do their business – and your kitten is no different. So, in line with this, make sure that you keep her litter tray a good distance away from where she eats and drinks.
The second thing to make sure is that your cat’s litter box is clean. And not just clean by your standards – clean by your cat’s. This means that you need to clean kitten’s litter box daily, ensuring that it is free from any unpleasant odours, no matter how faint.
Learning the signs
Once you’ve learnt about the importance of privacy and cleanliness when it comes to your cat’s litter box, you need to train her to use it properly. Firstly, you want to start by simply picking her up and placing her in the tray in the morning, last thing at night and after every meal. Doing this will allow your kitten to familiarise herself with the tray and identify its location by smell. Once you’ve done this enough, you should be able to simply leave her to it.
Dealing with accidents
Unfortunately, no matter how well trained your cat is, there could well be some accidents. This could happen for any of the following reasons:
- Your cat’s litter tray could be dirty
- Your cat may simply want attention
- She may feel as though other cats are encroaching on her territory
- She may have reached sexual maturity
If you think that any of these problems can be rectified, then set about doing this. However, if your kitten continues to have accidents, the best thing to do is simply take her to the vets.
Reward success
Cats don’t respond well to punishment so make sure that, when she uses the litter tray successfully, you give her lots of praise. This way, she’ll learn to associate the action of using her litter tray with a positive experience.
Jaycliffe Pets offer a high quality care service for your pets whilst you are away from home – from daycare services to long-term holiday stays. Our Rotherham based cattery, kennels and grooming services are run by caring experts. Our team live on site to ensure your pet gets true round-the-clock care. For more information, or to book in your pet, contact our friendly team today.