How to Litter Train a Kitten

Cleaning and Maintenance

It's important to take proper care of the litter box. Not only will this help eliminate the dreaded "cat smell" from your home, but it will also make using the box a more pleasant experience for your cat.

• Scoop the box daily to remove your kitten's deposits. Replace soiled litter as needed—typically when the litter stops controlling odor.
• Clean and disinfect the box when you change out the litter. Use mild soap and water, or a solution of water and white vinegar. Don't use bleach, commercial disinfectants or other harsh chemicals, which could be harmful to your cat.
• Use an enzyme cleaner to clean areas outside the box where your kitten has had accidents. This type of cleaner will eliminate the smell which, if left untreated, might encourage her to keep going in that spot.

Litter Training Older Cats

Typically, older cats will already be old hats at using a litter box by the time they come to live with you, but you may run into a litter box training challenge if the cat in question was formerly an outdoor cat. Even then, cats have all the instincts to help them learn quickly what a litter box is for. Getting them used to the litter may be the biggest challenge. In such cases, Vetstreet suggests filling the box with outdoor soil, to begin with. As your cat gets used to going in the box, gradually replace more and more of the soil with cat litter to give her a chance to become familiar with the new surface.

Troubleshooting Your Cat

Some cats, as mentioned previously, can be quite picky about the conditions of which they're willing to go. If your cat doesn't seem to be getting the hang of using the box, it could simply be that she doesn't like the size or shape of the box or the smell or texture of the litter. If the box is covered, she may find it too confining—or it may be that she feels too exposed and would prefer a covered box. She might also dislike the location of the box, or it may be that you simply need to scoop it out more often. You might need to experiment until you find the right combination of factors that makes her comfortable enough to use the box.

If she's an older cat, she may be dealing with joint pain or stiffness that makes accessing the box difficult for her. Consider whether the sides of the box might be too high for her to comfortably climb over, or whether she has to climb stairs or jump up on something in order to get to it.

Cats that have yet to be spayed or neutered might spray urine throughout the house in order to mark their territory, even after being fully litter box trained, suggests Petfinder. Often, being spayed or neutered tends to eliminate this behavior.

If your kitty uses the box consistently over a period of time and then suddenly stops, or does so inconsistently, there might be an underlying problem. Stress and anxiety can cause a cat to stop using the litter box, so consider whether there have been any major changes in her environment, and talk to your veterinarian. Often, according to the ASPCA, no longer using the litter box can be a sign of an underlying medical problem, such as a urinary tract infection, which could become serious if left untreated.

Now that you're armed with everything you need to litter train your new cat, you're well on the road to a happy, harmonious relationship with your family's newest addition. Once you've ruled out stress or health problems and you've tried everything else, if your cat still isn't getting the hang of it, you may need to confine her to a small area with the box, such as a bathroom or laundry room, until she starts using it.