How to litter train your kitten

Many cats will self train to a litter box. 

It is essential to design the litter box experience around your cat and not ourselves.
If your cat likes the litter box he is more likely to use it consistently and this is in everyones best interest!

There is no one size fits all perfect litter box experience unfortunately. It is a complex issue with many variables and all cats are different. However some general rules do apply to most cats.

They want the litter box experience to be safe (from other animals), quiet, pain free (soft litter), large open box, unscented litter. A choice of locations. Whereas we
may want a small box, hidden away, covered, with pleasant smelling litter, that requires little or no cleaning.

Great advice is try a few options and see what your cat prefers.

We have 5 million scent receptors but cats have 67 million, if smells bad to us imagine how it smells them.

Most kittens learn to use their litter tray by watching their mother. However, kittens can sometimes house soil when they first arrive i their new home when given access to large, open spaces. Your kitten should ideally be confined to one room with his litter tray while he is initially settling in. When the kitten starts to explore the rest of his home, you can provide a few more litter trays so they are always easily accessible for the kitten

Provide your kitten with a few litter trays containing different litter substrates, for example, grit, wood and sandy litter. 
You can also provide the options of open and covered litter trays. 
By doing this your kitten will hopefully show you what litter substrate and litter tray type he likes. 
Also, your kitten may have a preference to wee in one litter tray and poo in another. 
Ensure the litter trays are kept in a quiet area, away from food and water bowls and always kept clean. 

As the kitten grows, the litter tray size needs to become bigger. 
If polythene tray liners are used they can sometimes catch in a kitten's claws and so it may be worth not using them to see if this makes a difference.

The fact that Buto sometimes uses her tray suggests that she can get into it without too much difficulty and that she is happy with the type of litter. As she goes in the vicinity of the tray, even if not inside it, this also suggests that the location is ok.

Next you need to look at litter depth - cats usually prefer a deep quantity of litter. Hygiene and cleanliness are also important. It sounds as if you only have one tray and that is a mistake for any cat. The rule is one tray for each cat plus an extra, the reason being that many cats are so fastidious they will not use a dirty tray a second time.

Many people don't keep trays clean enough. You need to scoop the soiled litter out as soon as it has been used and replace all of it at least once weekly. Make sure you don't leave it smelling strongly of disinfectant as this can also put cats off. Washing with a ten per cent solution of biological detergent, rinsing well with scalding water and drying thoroughly before refilling it is a good method.

You will have to do something radical about the affected floor area. If cats receive a scent message that says this is a latrine area, they will return to it over and over again. You can immediately help by sealing the area so that Buto cannot smell the scent. 

The best method for cleaning these areas is to use the ten per cent biological solution with kitchen paper and/or disposable cloths so that you don't just spread the smell around. Wash really well, rinse with clean water, dry and spray with surgical spirit (providing it will not harm the surface). When the surface and the underneath is dry, cover it with a plastic dust sheet and tape down the edges. Long-term, you will need to replace the damaged flooring and make sure you seal up cracks between boards.

TOP LITTER TRAY TIPS

• Provide one tray per cat, plus on extra
• Remove waste frequently and do a complete change at least once a week
• Position trays in quiet, private places away from other pets and noise
• Use a tray with lower sides for kittens and older cats
• Use the litter type that your kitten is used to (used in his breeder's or rescue home)
• Fill the tray with enough litter for your cat to dig and bury his faeces
• Avoid cleaning trays with strong-smelling disinfectants and those containing phenol, which is toxic to cats
• Place your kitten in his tray every time he has eaten or woken up as this is when he's most likely to need to use it
• If you see your kitten sniffing at the floor, place him in the tray as it's likely he needs to 'go'
• If your kitten has an 'accident', mop or pick it up with a piece of tissue and then place it in the litter tray. Clean the soiled area thoroughly.
• Praise your cat when he uses the tray, maybe offer a treat once the cat has used the tray