Peoria Humane Society

Cat Care and Health

You will find further relevant articles on the Cross Species Issues page.

Housebreaking Your Cat

Actually, very little will be required of you by way of training your new kitten or cat to use his litterbox. His mom and mother nature have pretty much done the job for you. But you do have to careful to cooperate with him, especially if he is just a baby, make sure that he stays trained. Once a cat or kitten has gotten into undesirable toilet habits it is very difficult and in some cases impossible, to get him to mend his ways.

Here are some suggestions that will help to keep your cat or kitten using his litterbox or to get him to use it again:

Pick a good location for the box. For a tiny kitten, that means very nearby; you just can not expect that baby to make a long trek out to the laundry room or to the basement. Make sure the kitten or cat knows where the box is. Put a cat in his box a few times while you are getting acquainted; put a baby kitten in his box numerous times and gently assist him. It is probably a good idea to actually confine the kitten to the room where his box is for a few days. If possible, pick a reasonably secluded location for the box; most cats like a little privacy too. Do not put the box too close to his food; cats often resist going to the bathroom in the same area where they eat. Finally, do not place the box near something that might scare the cat, like a noisy furnace or washing machine.

What you put in his box is also important in developing a pet with positive toilet habits. Some cats are not at all fussy, but most of them are. Some will refuse to use cat litter which has been scented with perfumes or deodorizers to mask odors. Your best bet is to avoid anything fancy, like the green organic pellets or clay with deodorizing crystals, and choose a simple, natural (and cheap) clay litter. Use plenty of litter so your pet can bury his droppings, at least several inches.

Keep his box clean!!! Solid wastes should be scooped out daily along with clumps of wet litter. The entire box should be emptied, washed with a mild soap and refilled at least once a week. Do not us any strong smelling cleaners, especially those containing ammonia. Such cleaners may leave a lingering odor and discourage the animal from using the box.

A small litter box is great for a baby kitten; he can hop over the low sides easily when he is in a hurry. When he grows into an adult cat, however, this box may become too small causing the cat to defecate and urinate outside the box.

If you already have a cat, it is best to get the new pet a separate litter box of his own; cats can be very finicky about another animal's box.

The great majority of cats will maintain good toilet habits their entire lives and cause you no problem if you do your part in observing the above suggestions. However, cats are sensitive and complicated creatures, and it is possible that a formerly well trained pet may some day develop a problem. We hope that if you do encounter house soiling problems you will act promptly before a bad habit becomes entrenched. Your veterinarian and the Peoria Humane Society can give you some suggestions.

Alternatives to Declawing

Pet Owners often opt for declawing cats without realizing that other options exit for them. Most cats can learn to use acceptable scratching areas like scratching posts, thereby eliminating the need to declaw. To help cat owners who are having trouble with their cat's scratching, here are some tips:

Trim the cat's claws weekly, using nail clippers to remove the white tip of each claw. Be sure not to clip too closely to the dark red portion, or "quick" of the claw. Some clawing is done to wear down the claws; trimming prevents this need.

Provide the cat with an alternative piece of furniture to claw -- her own scratching post. The post should be at least as tall as the cat when she stretches up to a full length (this is the position many cats scratch in) It should be sturdy so that she can't knock it over, and it should be covered with bark or carpeting. Don't use posts covered with looped carpeting, as the cat will get her claws hung up in the loops and will resist using the post. Many cats have a need to climb as well as scratch, so a tall, well-anchored post with secure perches may be helpful for cats who continue to claw furniture after being provided with a post.

To entice the cat to use the post rather than the couch, place the post right next to a favorite scratching place, cover it with catnip, and "show" the cat how to use it by extending her claws on the post and making a scratching motion. Most importantly, praise her when she uses it. Use a repellent such as perfume or vinegar on the former scratching places, or cover them with plastic or tape to make them undesirable places to scratch. A squirt with a water pistol or plant mister or a very firm "no" will remind the cat not to scratch where she shouldn't.

These methods should begin to work in a week or so. If not, it may be necessary to rethink the type of post and where or how it is positioned.

When cats scratch people, it is usually because they want to play. They need to learn that scratching will not get them the attention they want. When a cat scratches someone, the person often fusses and jerks his or her hand away, which only entices the cat to attack the moving target -- to her it's a great game! When the cat scratches, simply scold her with a firm "no" and get up and leave her alone. Soon she will learn that in order to keep playing, she can't scratch. Avoid accidental scratches by playing with a toy attached to a string, providing some distance between your hand and the cat's eager claws. Never entice kittens to use your hand as a toy or object of attack.

Keep in mind, a declawed cat requires extreme diligence in preventing him/her from escaping to the outdoors. These animals do not have a defense against other animals and some cannot climb trees to escape danger.