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.