How to Introduce and Maintain Your New Kitten’s Litter Box
Getting a new kitten is a special and exciting time. Less exciting is the prospect of litter training your new friend. Fortunately, cats make it pretty easy on us. Using a litter box aligns well with their instincts toward privacy, cleanliness and burying their waste.
That said, if you want to avoid the development of bad habits, you should get an early start on litter box training. Read on for some useful information about introducing your cat to the litter box as well as tips for keeping litter fresh, clean and healthy.
When to start litter training your kitten
For the first few weeks of a kitten’s life, her mother will stimulate her to eliminate then clean her up afterward. During this time, there’s no need for a litter box. We recommend you start litter training around the same time your kitten starts to wean. This usually happens around the 4 week mark.
Setting up
Gather the right supplies:
Litter box: Full sized cat litter boxes can be too big and intimidating for kittens. We suggest starting with a 13 x 9 litter box and increasing the size as your kitten grows.
Litter: Cat preferences vary, but most kittens prefer a fine-grain litter that’s softer on those tiny paws. Consider having a few varieties on hand in case your kitten doesn’t take to your first choice.
Choose a location for your litter box:
While no one wants their litter box in a highly visible location, make sure you locate it somewhere that’s well lit, free of distractions and easy for your cat to access. We also recommend placing a kitty litter box on each floor of your home so your kitten is never too far away when nature calls.
How to introduce the litter box
Step 1: Show your kitten the location of each litter box and give her time to sniff around.
Step 2: Place your kitten in the litter box. She will probably start pawing at the litter or even using the litter box. Otherwise, move your fingers through the unused litter to model the pawing behavior.
Step 3: If your kitten doesn’t use the box in the initial introduction, place her in the box each time she eats, drinks or wakes from a nap, until she begins to use the box on her own.
Step 4: Every time your kitten uses the litter box correctly, reward her with a treat. The treat must be given immediately so she associates the treat with the behavior. Never punish your kitten for going outside of the box. This creates a negative association with elimination and can actually lead to more accidents.
Keeping your litter box clean
In the beginning, scoop the litter box each time your kitten uses it. Once litter box training is firmly established, you can switch to once a day, making sure to add more litter as needed to maintain a depth of at least 2-3 inches.
