Litter training tips any one?

I think I'm doing quite a good job with my kittens if I do say so myself. . I brought them home from the pet shop and Amadeus decided he wanted to poop in the corner this then became poo corner as both he and his sister symphony constantly wanted to use that corner. I blocked out said corner so no one could get to it and as soon as I saw either of them toddling off in that direction i'd quickly swoop on them and carry them off to their litter tray where they stayed deep in concentration and I would then reward them. I've had my kittens a week today and I think they are about seven weeks old now. The pet shop owner told me that they were nine weeks old but they are really very small so I think they were six weeks when i got them. Anyway some times they go to their tray independantly and some times they still choose the carpet. So when I am out of the flat I leave them in the kitchen (and the hall way that leads off the kitchen with their tray in it and the bathroom door that leads off the kitchen with the other tray in it) so they have that full area. There arn't many accidents the odd miss near the tray. At night I leave them in their area too as I can't watch them when I'm asleep. I'd much prefer them to be in my bed with me though! I thought I would chance it last night and see if they would be good after all they had been inproving. Four o'clock this morning Amadeus decided to poop in the corner of my room . Really I just want to know am i litter training them properly and is this some thing they will grow out of and does any one have any tips? I have never had to litter train kittens before. Also could this be down to them being litter mates and trying to mark out each other from their territory?

you need to confine them to a single room until they are litter trained. They are use to just going anywhere in their cage. I usually confine kittens to the bathroom until they hit the litter pan 100% of the time. I can also say that Dr. Elsey's Kitten Attract Litter is AMAZING! I used it for Sloth my last bottle baby and he had one accident. I'm a believer. When I let my guys out to play I bring the litter pan into the room and if they start the sniffing and it looks like their little butts are starting the "puckering" I put them right in the litter pan. Sometimes they use it sometimes they think i'm crazy and jump right out and start playing again. You also need to clean the areas where they have gone previously and scrub well so no smells are left so they don't go back to that area repeatedly. Hope this works a little bit, good luck!!

When you brought them in your room did you also bring the litter box, or just leave access to the one in the kitchen?

I say more boxes or constant containment for at least a few more weeks. They are little and they would rather play then look for the place you want them to poop and pee. Its like having a 3 year old child--you must constantly remind them that they need to go potty--they can't remember themselves yet and would just as soon go in their pants then stop playing to tell you they have to go.

Leslie

I don't have much experience litter training kittens because, honestly, I never had to do much training with any of my kittens. With Promise, I set her in the litter box twice and that was it. I doubt it's an issue with you doing something wrong with the training since it seems to be so instinctive.

Have you cleaned up 'poop corner' with a really good cleaner made for pet stains? If they can still smell the pee/poop there in the corner, it tells them that's where to use the bathroom. Perhaps if you can get the smell out completely they'll quit associating that corner with using the bathroom. If that doesn't work, maybe another option to consider would be to put another litter box in that corner. Once they get used to using the litter box instead of the carpet you could gradually move it back towards the bathroom or wherever.

Thanks for the tips every one . Does any one know a really good cleaner when it comes to cats or is that just a general strong carpet cleaner? I think we are getting there. I'm going to start keeping a tray in each room for the first few weeks. I think theyve spent a bit too long in the kitchen bless them. I hope we get their eventually im sure we will

You'll want an enzyme cleaner, I think - in the US a pet-oriented one is Nature's Miracle, but a lot of people have luck with cleaners like Oxyclean. I think someone here has posted a home made solution they've had a lot of luck with as well. Basically, you don't want to just cover up the odor, you want to remove it, and the enzyme cleaners can help with that. I wouldn't get a regular carpet cleaner - that may just set in the proteins that cause the odor so enticing to our kitties.

And Grog's idea is good too - if they keep going to that corner, just put a litter pan there and very gradually move it to another location. But they're babies; they get so excited with playing they forget where one pan is, so it's good to give them a few choices so they don't have to far to run.

Good luck with your babies - it sounds like they were blessed to find you, and I'm sure you'll all do well together. And love their names! So neat!