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Much to the anguish of a cat lover, the unsightly and smelly cat
poop and urine can be a turn off for many such people. Training
your kitty to do its business within the prescribed premises
isnโt such a herculean task as it may seem! Knowing a few basic
things about a catโs inherent nature can help in sorting out many
a โpotty accidentโ. They prefer a soft, clean, quiet spot,
shrouded in the veil of privacy though not completely hidden out
of sight, far away from its food and water bowl. The age and
medical condition of a cat also needs to be taken into
consideration. An old or arthritic cat should have its litter box
within reach as it most probably wouldnโt waste time looking for
the box when nature calls!Also, choose a location where your
feline buddy can be mostly caught chilling, as it does make sense
to plant the litter box in its favorite and most frequented
corner of the home. If you plan to push up the box to some
unfrequented location, you can be rest assured to find the litter
at any place but the litter box.Choose a low-traffic area for
placing the box and in a place which you are most likely to keep
frequenting too, as cats do love to be in the vicinity of their
owners.Still in a fix? Think about where would you build a
washroom? Someplace well-lit, warm, comfortable and easily
accessible, isnโt it?! So if you place the box in a room far away
from the warm living area, somewhere outside, in the winters,
donโt blame your kitty if it refuses to comply and relieves
itself on your pillow instead. Well jokes apart, ensure that the
box is kept in a low noise room where the decibel levels arenโt
too high and jarring, ultimately resulting in a quick escape from
the box with unfinished business. So if you intend placing the
box in the washroom, ensure that it is placed at a safe distance
from the noise of the washing machine or dryer.Also, they usually
prefer to urinate and defecate in separate boxes, so you might
want to keep two of those. They are in addition, quite sensitive
to smell, hence keep the litter boxes away from the food and
water containers.They also like to have their privacy ensured
while going about their business. Itโs a wise decision to cover
one end of the box with a soft cloth and keep one end open so
that it remains aware of its surrounding and gets just the right
amount of privacy as well!Cats are usually not to keen sharers.
So if you have many kitties, it will indeed be a wise decision to
invest in separate boxes for each kitty. And you might want to
spread them out, by keeping them in a different corners taking
into consideration the above factors.
How To Train Your Kitten To Use The Kitty Litter
So you have a new kitten! These must be very exciting times for
you. Adopting a new kitten is without doubt, one of the best
decisions youโve made โ or youโll soon discover it to be so. But
taking care of cats can be a lot of work and a big
responsibility. Youโll have to teach her to behave and follow
orders from scratch.One of the most important things youโll have
to teach her is how to use the kitty litter or the litter box.
Many cats donโt really have a problem using the litter box
because they are basically clean, self-grooming creatures.
Chances are that she has already learnt from her mom about using
the litter box. But if she was adopted from a very young age, she
might need some help. So all youโll have to do is push them in
the right direction. Here are a few tips that you can use to
teach your new kitty how to use the litter box.
-
Fencing InJust like
how you would train your dog using a crate, train your new
kitten by using a modified version of the crate technique.
Youโll need to section off a part of the room and place the
bedding, litter box, toys, and dishes in there. You can then
introduce your kitten to the space. By fencing them in, youโre
not giving them much choice other than to use the litter
box.Although some may get it right at first try, it may take
some getting used to so stock up on cleaners, paper towels, and
a lot of patience. Remember to use non-toxic cleaning
solutions.
-
Your Choice of Kitty Litter
MattersShe wants to be comfortable when she does her
business. Most cats prefer unscented litter that has the
consistency of garden soil or beach sand. Kittens are pretty
small and they might sometimes eat the litter and this can
cause blockages. Avoid using clay litter to prevent blockages.
-
Less is Not Always
MoreCats are free animals. Donโt just keep one litter
box at one place in the house. Especially is you have multiple
stories. Have at least one litter box per floor. Place them in
private, quiet places so she can have her peace while sheโs
doing her thing. Donโt over fill the box.
-
Be the Mom CatIf your
kitty lacks a mother figure who would usually show her all the
dos and donโts, then be the mommy cat for her. Walk her to the
litter box after she wakes up or before a meal. And after sheโs
finished, take her paw in your hand and show her how to hide
the evidence.
Cats are intelligent creatures and theyโll get the hang of using
a litter box soon enough. If you have any trouble at all, donโt
hesitate to call the vet.