The Myth Of Litter Box Training Your Cat

I remember reading on one website about how easy litter box training your cat can be. And for good reason - you actually don't have to train them to use the litter box, per se.  Cats don't even have to be taught this by their Moms, a fact which surprised me as I always assumed this to be the case.

Cats will instinctively go to the toilet in soft, loose materials, just as they will also bury their waste. In fact, as I discovered with one of my cats, Sha-la-ah, they will literally go in soft, loose materials - be they towels in the linen cupboard, clothes I'd left on the floor instead of putting in the laundry basket, and even the doona on my bed ...

Fortunately, Sha-la-ah grew out of this habit, although it took a good 9 months or so. And it may even have been precipitated by my providing a litter box in another area of the house where she felt safer and wouldn't be ambushed in our multi-cat household.

But that brings me to an important point. When we talk about litter box training our cat, perhaps we should be talking about litter box educating we owners! Because a lot of litter box problems, which we perceive as needing to be retrained, are caused by people, like myself, not really understanding the litter box needs of our cats. And by providing the right environment from the start for our new kitty, we can eliminate any problems before they arise.

Settling In Your New Cat

Whether you have a one cat or multi-cat household, there are a few basic things you need to get right. Make sure you have enough litter boxes, at least on per cat. Situate those litter boxes in an area your cats can easily access. They should not be able to be harassed by either other cats, dogs, or even young children when they go to the toilet. You can get devices that allow cats to get through, but not dogs, so if you have a dog you can keep him from eating your cat's feces (and scaring the cats in the process).

If you have more than one cat, locate the litter boxes in more than one part of the house. That way they can't be blocked or put off from using the litter tray by one of your cats 'guarding' that room. And don't put the litter box in a noisy or cold place (like the laundry or basement).

All you need to do is show your cat where the litter box is, make sure it's clean, and easily accessible. You might read on some sites that you should (or could) move your cats paws back and forth in the litter tray. The Pasadena Humane Society has this to say about that practice:

"It is not necessary, or even recommended, to take a cat to the box and move his paws back and forth in the litter. This may actually be an unpleasant experience for the cat and may initiate "bad" associations with the litterbox."

Akin to this, scolding your cat for any mistakes, or using a water bottle, or rubbing their nose in it, can create an aversion to the litter, as well as creating confusion and distrust in your relationship. If your cat is regularly going outside the litter box, it is worth taking him to a vet to rule out any medical condition, particularly if there is straining. But if it is psychological, you'll need to make adjustments to the type of litter, the type of box, the number of boxes, or the location - or a combination of all - to find the problem. And of course, keep the litter very clean!

I've had some frustrating times with a couple of my cats, but I've been able to resolve all of them by finding what the problem was in each instance and addressing it. And none of it involved using any sprays from the vets, or putting the cats on medication.

 

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