How to Litter Train A Kitten?

Hello, cat lovers!

So have just adopted a cute little kitten, or your beloved cat just gave birth to a couple of kittens, and you are wondering, how do I cherish my kitten and keep my house clean at the same time? Luckily, house training a kitten is easier than house training a puppy.

So, how can you litter train a kitten? To litter train a kitten, just follow these steps:

  1. Make sure that you get the correct kitten litter box training supplies. You will need a litter box, kitten litter, litter scoop, and a toy.
  2. Place the litter box in a safe area that can be easily reached.
  3. Make sure that your kitten litter is unscented.
  4. Put your kitten inside the litter the box after they wake up, eat, and play.
  5. Implement positive reinforcement.
  6. Clean the litter box regularly.

So, if you are wondering how to potty train kittens efficiently and quickly, just continue reading this post because we are going to discuss in detail how to litter train a kitten.

How to litter train a kitten?

Housetraining a kitten to use their litter box is so much easier to do than housetraining a puppy.

Why?

Well, cats have this natural instinct inside them that makes them want to pee or defecate in soil or sand. In fact, many kittens end up using the litter box instinctively, aka, without even being taught to do so because they eliminating waste in sand or dirt is in their instincts. 

Also, Kittens also learn how to use a litter box by observing and learning from their mother.

How to Litter Train A Kitten- A kitten looking out of the window

Kittens typically begin learning how to use the litter box when they are three to four weeks old, which is the time by which kittens are put up for adoption.

So if you just came back from adopting your kitten, do not worry. There is a high chance that they already know where to potty. All that they need is a patient guide to help them. The first question that you should ask yourself, though, is, do I have all of the essential litter box training supplies?

What are the litter box training supplies that one needs?

There are four main things that you are going to need to litter train your kitten. These four things are the following:

  1. A litter box
  2. Unscented kitten litter
  3. A litter scoop
  4. A toy

Now that you know what the four litter box training supplies that you need, let us talk about each item in more detail.

A litter box

If you already have other cats, then it is better if you have a separate litter box for every cat. If not, then you need at least one litter box for your newly adopted kitten.

There are a few things that you should keep in mind, like what kind of a litter box you should get and where you should place it.

Let us start with the first one, what kind of a litter box you should get for your kitten. A kitten needs a shallow, open-top litter box, that way, it is easy for them to locate and access it. Kittens are small, so if the litter box is not shallow, they won't be able to access it.

The second thing is the litter box's location. Avoid placing your kitten's litter box next to their food and water bowls. Place the litter box on a private area that they access easily.

If you want a litter box that meets both of these criteria, then I highly recommend that you get your precious kitty the Van Ness Small Litter Pan.

Unscented kitten litter

When it comes to choosing your cat's litter, the choices are endless. However, there are a few things that you should keep in mind while getting your kitten's litter.

Cats are usually not that picky when it comes to the type of litter that they use. However, some cats tend to be very particular when it comes to their litter, and they won't use their litter box because they don't like their litter's smell or texture.

Kittens shouldn't be using any products that have fragrance or harsh chemicals in them. Clumping litter, though an excellent choice for cats, is also a big no-no to kittens.

Why?

Your kitten might end up ingesting the clumping litter, and we do not want that to happen. You can consider getting your kitten clumper once they are older than three months and when they are accustomed to using their litter box.

Luckily, there is a lot of eco-friendly, fragrance-free, non-clumping litter that you can choose from for your kitten.

One of the best is Purina Yesterday's News Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter, Unscented Low Tracking Cat Litter.

How to Litter Train A Kitten- Purina's unscented , non-clumping litter for Kittens

Litter scoop

Having a litter scoop will make your life so much easier. Kittens are cute, but touching their feces with bare hands is grows and unsanitary. The best way to clean your kitten's litter is by using a scoop.

One of the best litter scoops that you could ever use is the DuraScoop Jumbo Cat Litter Scoop. It is made of metal, making it a more hygienic option than the plastic litter scoops.

Toys

 Whenever you see that your kitten has used their litterbox, implement positive reinforcement techniques by rewarding them with a fun little toy to play with.

One super fun game that your kitten is going to love is the Premium Interactive Cat Toy; aka, the Peek-A-Boo cat toy! This is an interactive game that is going to keep your kitten physically active, and that will stimulate their minds.

How to Litter Train A Kitten- Interactive Peek A Boo toy for kittens and cats

A step by step guide to litter training your kitten

  • First, show your kitten the litter box as soon as you welcome them to their new house or as soon as you get one ( It must be during the same day). 
  • Put them in it, and leave them to sniff and explore it. 
  • Avoid relocating your kitten's litter box. Changing the litter box's location is going to confuse your kitten. 
  • Make sure to carry your kitten and to place them inside of their litter box after the following activities: 
  1. Waking up
  2. Eating
  3. Playing
  • Also, if you notice that your kitten is crouching and sniffing around, this might be a sign that they are about to potty, so pick them up and place them inside the litter box.
  • Whenever you notice that your kitten has used the litter box, make sure that you reward them with either a treat or by playing with them with a particular toy. 
  • If accidents happen, and they will happen, avoid punishing or yelling at your kitten. If you do that, your kitten will become stressed and might develop anxiety later on in life. 
  • Besides, cats are not capable of associating your punishment with the incident that they did. Instead, just clean up the area, and continue carrying your kitten to their litter box whenever it is needed. 
  • That's positive reinforcement in a nutshell. You reward your kitten for their achievements and turn a blind eye to their mistakes.

Other questions related to how to litter train a kitten

Why is my kitten not using the litter box?

If your kitten is not using their litter box, although you keep on showing it to her and putting her in it, then they might not like the location of the litter box. For example, if you have placed their litter box near their food and water bowls, then they are definitely going to avoid using it. 

Do kittens get potty trained more easily than dogs?

Yes, kittens are easier to house train than puppies. Why? Well, kittens are easier to potty train because they are trained to use a litter box or tray, which is considered to be natural behavior for cats. 

A lot of cats and kittens end up using the litter box instinctively, aka, without even being taught to do so because they eliminating waste in sand or dirt is in their instincts. 

How often does a kitten use their litter box?

Kittens typically defecate as frequently as how often they are fed. For example, if your kitten is eight weeks old and you feed them three to four times a day, they are probably going to defecate up to four times per day.

As your kitten's digestive system becomes more efficient, they will end up defecating up to two times per day.

Can a pregnant woman clean a cat's litter box?

No, a pregnant woman should not clean a cat's litter box. Why? Because cats' feces might contain a parasite that leads to a toxoplasmosis infection. This type of infection might pass to the baby or even lead to a miscarriage or a stillbirth.

That's it for today's post. You should now know what you need to house train kitten and how to litter train kittens. To sum it up, litter box training for kittens includes the following steps:

  1. Make sure that you get the correct kitten litter box training supplies. You will need a litter box, kitten litter, litter scoop, and a toy.
  2. Place the litter box in a safe area that can be easily reached.
  3. Make sure that your kitten litter is unscented.
  4. Put your kitten inside the litter the box after they wake up, eat, and play.
  5. Implement positive reinforcement.
  6. Clean the litter box regularly.

My Sources:

Till next time,

Ayah