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Advice for kitten litterbox training needed

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supernova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 10:14 AM
Original message
Advice for kitten litterbox training needed
Update on my little Ziggy Stardust:

We are trying to get the litterbox habit down. But it's a bit of a struggle. I have a small try of cornhusk litter for him near the big kitty boxes. Everything is on washable connecting rubber mats.

I put him in his tray after feeding him, but he hops right out. He goes on the mat, but not on the tray. I'm e thankful that it's the mat at least, and not the wood floor. ;-) :P

Any suggestions? Would puppy pads help? Cat attract litter?

Help!

Ziggy:



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huskerlaw Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 10:37 AM
Response to Original message
1. It sounds like
he doesn't like the litter. Cats can be weird about things like that (heck, cats can be weird about pretty much anything). But if he's going on the mat, he knows where he SHOULD be going. I've never used Cat Attract, but I know many people have used it with good results. You could also just try a different kind of litter and see if he likes it better. Cats don't usually need to be litter trained beyond being shown the box a few times, so I think Ziggy is objecting to the box or the litter.
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supernova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 10:47 AM
Response to Reply #1
2. Maybe,
I tried the corn because he didn't seem to like their regular clay litter.
Wonder if I should try plain fine sand Sand?
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TZ Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 10:58 AM
Response to Reply #2
5. I agree with Huskerlaw.
My cats were ferals that were found at someone's yard and then spent a night at the vets. They were already litter box trained when I got them just from that one night...Sounds like you should try either a different litter OR a different type of box. Is it enclosed or not? Maybe its too tall for your kitten to comfortably enter?
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supernova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:06 AM
Response to Reply #5
6. it's a small foil tray
Edited on Wed Feb-24-10 11:07 AM by supernova
that had those packaged cinnamon rolls in it at the store (ages ago, the smell of that has long gone.) He is able to easily walk in and out of it.

edit: My other cats were already trained when I got them. So this is my first attempt at litterbox training myself.
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tabbycat31 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 12:11 PM
Response to Reply #6
9. maybe the tray is too noisy for him
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huskerlaw Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 12:54 PM
Response to Reply #9
11. Seconded.
It could be too loud, or he may not like the shiny sides. Cats can be very particular. But to me this definitely sounds like a litter and/or box issue, not a training problem.
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Betty88 Donating Member (437 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 10:53 AM
Response to Original message
3. here is one trick
try another litter, then put some dirty litter from the other box into it so he will know where he is supposed to go.
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revolution breeze Donating Member (510 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 10:54 AM
Response to Original message
4. We have three cats.....
and three litter boxes. One uses the corn husks, another crystals, and the third prefers traditional clay. They do not use one another's boxes. It think it is the individual cat.
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hedgehog Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:12 AM
Response to Original message
7. I very gently sat the kittens rump down on the litter, then turned her
around and gently took her paw and scraped at the litter. I t only took a couple tries to convey the notion.

I like the Sweet Scoop litter. It's absorbent and it rots down. It works for me, but you have to keep after it daily or it'll turn to mush!
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DevonRex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:39 AM
Response to Original message
8. Pick up his poop and put it in the box. If it's urine, soak a little of it up with a little of the
litter and put THAT in the box. Do both if you can. That ALWAYS does the trick.
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Kali Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 12:46 PM
Response to Reply #8
10. ...
:thumbsup:
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davsand Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 01:28 PM
Response to Reply #8
12. I echo that suggestion. That way the litter box will have his scent in it.
I dunno about the filler issue, but if it was my cat I think I'd give it a shot with the clumping litter that has the fairly small granules. I have an adult male cat that REFUSES to use all but that one type of filler. I swear that cat will step in the box and shake his paws (like it is water or something) if I use anything but that clumping litter...



Good luck! What a cute baby!



Laura
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mzteris Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 02:04 PM
Response to Reply #8
13. that's what I did -
first time and he always used his box after that.

(Except for the time the kids had closed the door to his litter box and - I kid you not - Smokey went pee in the sink in the bathroom! Weird...)
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DevonRex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 02:51 PM
Response to Reply #13
15. LOL. Guess he looked for the thing that was the closest to the size and shape
of his litter box.

We have one that was really picky about her litter box. If it needed cleaning she would occasionally pee on the floor vent in the laundry room. I could just see her little mind working. "Well, Mom, I didn't pee on the floor!!!"

Anyway, all we had to do was just close that vent and put a waste basket over it and she has never done that again. And I watch that litter box like a hawk now. :)
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denbot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 02:11 PM
Response to Reply #8
14. ....
That method has always worked for us.
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