Kitten

[Kerry6673]

Hi i got a 8 week kitten yesterday afternoon and it hasn't used his litter tray yet is this normal i have show it where it is and its sleep in it but doesn't seem to use it and I haven't seen it go anywhere else how long can a kitten go without going to toilet thanks kerry

 

[StefanZ]

In the beginning they are a little nervous, and tend not to use the toilet for even over 24 hours.

Quite a few find it nice to sleep in the litter tray. So is for example common among the cats in Shows...

The litter is non clumping, right? Kerry6673

 

[vince]

You might have to demonstrate how to dig to him if he's not used to the box. Make little digging movements with your finger, then take a paw and do it again. Should you find him in the process of doing his business outside the box, put him in it and give him a digging demonstration. This always worked with kittens we had that didn't take to the box right away. It might take a few sessions, but it seems to work.

Sleeping in the litter is common with little kittens. My current girl slept in it and didn't go potty for a day after I took her in. It took two days before she used the box, but there's been no problem since then (2 1/2 weeks). Only one little "poopster" outside the box and I think that was because her back end was hanging over the side.

 

[Kerry6673]

Hi i have put him in the litter tray a couple of times and did the hand movements and did the digging movements woth his paw but he still hasn't used it

 

[Kerry6673]

Hi how long does it take for a 8 week kitten to get use to us and not to be scared he just started to come out and play now and again but everytime we go near him he runs away

 

[golondrina]

Putting in the litter box a piece of the kitten's poop brought immediate results for me when I adopted as an interior cat an up to then garden cat. Good luck.

 

[Q2U]

I don't know your situation, but after a full year, our cat Andy is still "getting used to us." Give him his space; respect his space. Don't force yourself on him. Be aware of actions that you or your children may take which may frighten him. Love him and take care of him and he will become a cherished member of your family.

 

[golondrina]

I seduced very quickly a newly adopted kitten by throwing ping pong balls at her hiding places. Some time later when she came out of one her hiding places and started to play with the balls I sat on the floor with the balls close to me but didn't attempt to pet her when she drew near. When I got up slowly and walked away with the balls in my hands she followed me and I introduced her to her feeding dishes. That same night she slept on my bed. I petted her for the first time in the morning while she was still on the bed and I got my hand licked. Not a problem since.

 

[Q2U]

I seduced very quickly a newly adopted kitten by throwing ping pong balls at her hiding places...

Ahhhhh! Ping pong balls! The irresistible way to seduce a cat!

 

[Q2U]

Here are enough ping pong balls to last him for the rest of his life! Our Andy only gets to play with one (1) ping pong ball at a time, which we put away after he is done because we don't want him to get bored with them.

 

[vince]

Yes! Ping pong balls! They're always good as cat toys. Cheap too, at about two bucks for a half-dozen. The sound they make rolling around on the floor is a kitten magnet.

 

[vince]

It took a day or two of the demonstrations before she started using the box. It didn't come on the first try. Variations of the approach offered above by Golondrina were suggested to me, but my kitten started using the box on her own before I had a chance to try them.

The other variation, suggested by a friend, is to put a soiled paper towel from a litter box cleaning session under the fresh litter in the kitten's box, so he will associate the smell with what should be done there.

Also, the box should be kitty-sized, not too tall so he can get in it easily, the litter should be non-clumping (so it can't clump in his stomach), and the litter should be fairly shallow--maybe only a little over an inch. I used a plastic storage box I got from a big-box hardware store, about 2-2 1/2" deep and about 10" x 12".

The only problem I had with this set-up is that the box has a non-removable lid, so a couple times my little girl knocked the cover shut and locked herself out of her litter box!

 

[Pjg8r]

And in the bathtub. That’s the favorite place for mine to play with a ping pong ball.

 

[ileen]

I'm going to try the ping pong ball for my adult cat, thanks. Maybe it will cure him of the habit of lifting flat stones out of the jar on the table & skittering them around the floor (usually around 4-5am).