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How to teach a kitten to make its needs in the litter?

Cats

How to teach a kitten to make its needs in the litter?

Kittens are generally clean when they arrive in their new home after their adoption. But sometimes they have not learned how to properly use the litter box, so a toilet training is necessary. It should also be ensured that this uncleanness is not due to stress, a health problem or unsuitable bedding.

Until the age of one month, the mother stimulates the kittens' sphincters by licking them so that they can eliminate their needs. The kittens then learn to contact their mother to make their needs in a litter.

While it often takes several months to teach puppy puppies to be clean and to poop outside, kittens are generally clean as soon as they are adopted.

However, it can happen that kittens are not clean when they are adopted if their mother has not properly taught them how to clean them. This is also the case for orphaned kittens or kittens who have always lived outside and who have never been confronted with a litter.

In this case, the kittens must be taught to clean, as their mother would have done. It is necessary place them regularly in the litter and especially after meals, naps, periods of play, if they get in position to make their needs, etc … As soon as they make their needs in the litter, it is necessary well congratulate and reward them (caresses, toys, treats). The use of positive education methods is strongly recommended for rapid and sustainable toilet training. On the contrary, punishments are not recommended, they can stress the animal and slow down learning.

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It is important to properly organize the kittens' environment and offer them suitable litter boxes:

  • enough litter boxes, the golden rule being n + 1 litter for n cats (so a minimum of 2 litters for a kitten)
  • litter boxes must be suitable for kittens: litter boxes must be large enough, some kittens do not like the covers of toilet houses and hinged doors, some kittens prefer mineral litter boxes while others plant litter boxes, etc. … We invite you to read our sheet “Which litter for my cat? ” for more details.
  • litter boxes should be placed in quiet places and in different rooms

Improper equipment and incorrect positioning of the litter boxes can be responsible for uncleanliness.

Be aware that uncleanliness can also be due to stress in the cat. So do not hesitate to install a soothing pheromone diffuser in your kitten's main living room and give it a stress-relieving food supplement to help it adapt to its new environment. It is also important to offer him bowls, cat trees, scratching posts, toys, etc. that will contribute to his well-being.

Finally, it should not be forgotten that uncleanliness in the kitten may be due to a health problem. Thus, if you observe the slightest anomaly (diarrhea, frequent urination, depression, etc.), we advise you to consult a veterinarian.

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