Litter box training

Hello,

I am a new parent to two adorable 3 month old kittens, Kuzya and Nafanya. I have adopted them just 3 days ago. When they were in the shelter they were litter trained. So when I brought them home I had to use paper instead of pebbles because they just had their surgeries. They seem to pee in the litter boxes but they do the other business next to the boxes. And sometimes they'll start peeing on the carpet right next to the boxes. What don't they like. How can I get them to go in the boxes?

Thank you.

If you place some of the poops into the box, and don't clean it out, they will perhaps get the idea from the scent that this is where they should go. Is the litter you are using very different than the type they used in the shelter? That could also be a factor.

You will have to clean the carpet and get the scent out before they associate the area with a place to pee. While they are adjusting, try putting weewee pads around the litter box so that the surrounding area doesn't get scented as a litter box. When they go outside the box, immediately replace the pad with a new one, so they don't have any "scent clues" that outside the box is okay.

Good luck!

Thank you for your response. I'm not using the litter I'm using toilet paper because of their surgeries. Do you think once we go back to litter they won't have a problem?

What surgeries have they had?

The boy was neutered and the girl was spayed. So they told us to use the paper to avoid any infections from the pebbles.

That's probably it, then. They don't recognize the paper as a proper litter material. If they were trained in litter before, they'll probably return to that habit when they are healed and able to use the regular litter once again. Be patient. :-)

We are being patient. It was so confusing to us. We though maybe they don't like going to the same box so we got them separate ones. They are very well behaved kittens and that's why I thought that it could be the paper. Thank you very much for your input.

what bizarre advice, not something i have ever heard of before. I think this will stop when they go back on normal litter. If not, get them back to the vet in case they have an infection.