Litter training

Hi everyone, I've just got a 12 week old kitten, it's an oriental cross. Anyway, I was told that he's litter trained and had been seen using a litter tray. Upon bringing him home I made sure he knew where all his essentials were, it seems that he's decided his bed is his litter tray though.

I've kept an eye on him and whenever he starts padding his bed and squatting have moved him to his litter tray and done digging motions with my hands infront of him but he just goes back to his bed 5 minutes later or starts trying to play with my fingers.

As cute as it is I was just wondering how I should go about training him to use the litter tray, should I move the bed away so he can't use it?

All advice greatly appreciated.

1) How much space in your home does he have?
2) How big is your home?
3) Is the litterpan anywhere near his bed?
4) How many litterpans do you have?

Reason I ask these things is because a 12 week old kitten should not have free run of your home. He needs to be secluded into a room or bed room until he learns where everything is. Rememeber the ideal situation is one litterpan per cat plus one extra. For a kitten who is learning were to go, if you choose to give him free run of your home or if you live in a small apartment or something, buy a bunch of cheap pans and put them in various places, slowly take them away one by one until the two you want out perminently are left.

Have a litterpan in the same room as his bed, but not right next to it.
Also at 12 week he should be getting neutered if he isn't already. He will soon start marking his territory and the places he already has gone will be the places he goes back to. Please neuter him now before any marking behavior starts, it is hard to stop them once they start spraying. Do not wait until 6 months, if your vet says so then find a new vet asap, this is old advice and unnecessary.

Good luck!

Hi jen

The house is a 3 bed semi, he only has access to the 2 downstairs rooms though, the litter pan is near his bed but not next to, I only have one litter pan at the moment but will go get a couple more tomorrow.

I was wondering when to get him neutered so will get that done asap. Do you think I should take the bed away? He's not been sleeping in it, seems to prefer the chairs, would taking it away help?

Originally Posted by Shaun

Hi jen

The house is a 3 bed semi, he only has access to the 2 downstairs rooms though, the litter pan is near his bed but not next to, I only have one litter pan at the moment but will go get a couple more tomorrow.

I was wondering when to get him neutered so will get that done asap. Do you think I should take the bed away? He's not been sleeping in it, seems to prefer the chairs, would taking it away help?

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He may simply prefer the texture of the bed versus the litterbox...have you seen him go to the bathroom in the bed or simply the scratching motions?? What you may want to do is remove the bed (if he isn't using it) and place the litterbox in the place where his bed was. Adding another couple of litterboxes is helpful as a 12 week old kitten is like a baby and doesn't always know to make it back to the litterbox in time.

As for the time to get him neutered...ask your vet...here in the States we have vets who will perform pediatric spay/neuter as early as 7/8 weeks of age..but my understanding is that it hasn't necessarily caught on in the UK so best to ask your vet.

Katie

Have seen him use the bed as a toilet yes, have now removed it and put the litter box in its place. It's had some sort of result, he's been going into it and scratching about which he hasn't done previously, will see how he goes.

A friend has a kitten the same age as mine and was told she couldn't have hers neutered yet, I'll give them a call tomorrow and see when they're willing to do it.

Maybe the kitten doesn't recognize the litter. Can you call the person you got the kitten from and ask them what kind of litter they used? They may have used an organic litter like Feline Pine or something and so the kitten doesn't recognize clay litter as being what it should poo/potty in.

You can try a different kind of litter perhaps. There is also the possibility of a urinary tract infection. Although at his age I would think it is more likely a litter preference or the placement of the box as the problem.

Also, I have heard many vets in the UK won't neuter before 6 months. I didn't realize that is where you are from. This is unfortunate as many unwanted behaviors as well as the ability to get females pregnant happens before 6 months. Look around, there may be a vet who will do it and if so, please go to that vet. There may also be low cost clinics around who will do it cheaper.

i live in the uk and this is true they will spay at 6 month's and neuter at 5 1/2 month's.but they are in the process of doing it much earlier.i was speaking with the rspca on this subject on friday and they are looking into it and hope it will be withen in the 2 year's.