Most adult cats will naturally seek out asandy, granular place to eliminate, but young kittens might needa little help figuring out proper litter box habits.

When litter training kittens, there are afew things you can do to help set your kitten up for success.

Here are some cat potty training tips onwhen to start, how to choose litter boxes, how to pick the right type oflitter, how and where to set up the litter boxes, and how to help your kittenmaster the litter box.

When to Start Litter Training Kittens

In the first few weeks after birth, mothercats stimulate their kittens to eliminate, and they clean them up afterward.During that time, kittens don’t need litter boxes.

You can start litter training kittens ataround 4 weeks of age by offering kitten-friendly litter boxes. This coincideswith the time that kittens start weaning.

If you adopt an older kitten or adult cat,you can start litter box training as soon as you bring them home. You will needthe right cat potty training supplies to be set up before they come to theirnew home.

How to Litter Train Your Kitten or Cat

Follow these steps for cat potty trainingsuccess.

Choose a Litter Box

While deciding on a litter box may seemlike a trivial task, it actually does make a big difference to your kitten.

Get the Right SizeLitter Box

Full-size boxes may be too big andintimidating for a small kitten. Dr. Sally J.Foote, DVM, a feline behavior consultant certified by theInternational Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), recommends alitter tray that is 13 by 9 inches for kittens.

If your cat is older or you have otheradult cats in the home, they will need boxes that are full-size, while yourkitten needs their smaller litter boxes to start with.

The litter box will need to grow with yourkitten. Your cat’s litter box should be approximately 1 1/2 times their length.You will need to size up as your kitten gets bigger.

Provide More ThanOne Litter Box

At a minimum, there should be one morelitter box in your house than the number of cats. If you have two cats,there should be three boxes. If you have five cats, there should be at leastsix boxes.

Uncovered versusCovered Litter Boxes

Many cats prefer to use an uncovered box.

“In nature, cats don’t want to get caughtby a predator inside an enclosed area,” says IAABC-certified cat behaviorconsultant Mieshelle Nagelschneider. Many of her clients believe that theircats prefer the privacy of a cover, but she says that “cats don’t want to feeltrapped” when they use their litter box.

Whether or not your cat prefers a restroomwith or without a roof comes down to your kitty’s personal preference, says Dr.Foote, who has found that some cats prefer an open space to eliminate, whileothers prefer an enclosed space.

Dr. Foote suggests giving your kitten achoice in the beginning to see what they prefer.

Pick the Right Type of Litter

Research hasshown that most cats prefer fine-grain litters, presumably because they have asofter feel.

When it comes to clumping or non-clumpinglitters, cats have theirown preferences. Of course, you might prefer clumping for the ease ofscooping.

In terms of clay litter versus litter madefrom other materials, some cats won’t use a box that has corn- or wheat-basedlitter because it smells like food, Nagelschneider says.

Try out a few types to make sure you getthe type of litter that your kitten prefers.

Plan Where to Put the Litter Boxes

Litter box placement and availability canbe a critical factor in encouraging your kitten to use the box.

Don’t Hide theLitter Boxes

If the boxes are all in the same corner,they are effectively one big box, which can lead to trouble if your kittiesdon't want to share.

It’s tempting to put litter boxes inclosets and corners because we don't want them to be visible, but this shouldbe avoided. Remember that cats also don't like to feel cornered or trappedduring toilet time.

They’ll also need some sort of light to seeand find their boxes, so if there’s no ambient light in the place where youkeep the litter box, try using a night-light, Nagelschneider says.

Avoid Distractions

Set up your kitten’s litter box in an areathat has few things to distract them from getting down to business.

For kittens having trouble focusing, youmay have to remove the option of having other “interesting” places tourinate. Try keeping your kitten in a small room without any rugs orcarpeting and only a small amount of bedding to try and keep them focused untilthey master using the litter box.

Place Litter Boxeson Every Floor

The boxes should be spread out, with atleast one on every floor of your home.

Make it easy for your cat to get to thelitter boxes. “Don’t make them have to go down the stairs, through theplayroom, through the kitty door, and into the utility room,” Nagelschneidersays. “Cat’s don’t want to go any farther than we do to reach the bathroom.”

It’s particularly important to rememberthat your kitten will eventually become an adult cat, so putting a litter boxup on a shelf or down many flights of stairs will make it much harder to get towhen they are older and arthritic.  

Introduce Your Kitten to the Litter Box

Once you have your supplies picked out andlitter box areas set up, here’s how you can help litter train yourkitten.

Step 1: Show your kittenthe locations of each litter box and let your kitten sniff them.

Step 2: Gently place yourkitten in the litter box. They may instinctively start pawing at the litter oreven using the litter box. If they don’t, run your fingersthrough the clean litter to demonstrate the pawing action.

Step 3: If your kittendidn’t use one of the boxes in the initial introduction, try placing yourkitten in one of the boxes each time they eat, drink, or wake up from a nap,until they begin using the box on their own.

Reinforce Good Litter Box Habits

When your kitten uses the litter boxappropriately, reward them with their favorite treat to create a positiveassociation with the activity.

For this to work, the treat must be givenimmediately after they have left the box so they associate the activity withthe reward.

If your kitten makes a mistake, do NOTpunish them or yell at them. Calmly clean up the mess with an enzymatic cleanerand do not react in any other way.

Keep the Litter Boxes Clean

Try to scoop your kitten’s litter box afterevery elimination. You don't want your kitten developing an aversion to the boxduring the training process. After scooping, add some clean litter to maintaina litter depth of 2 to 3 inches to give your kitty plenty of room to dig.

Once your kitten is older and uses thelitter box consistently, you can scoop daily instead of each time your kittenuses the box.

Periodically empty out all of the litter ineach box, clean the boxes, and fill them with clean litter. Most non-scooplitters will have their own recommendations on the label for how frequentlythey should be changed.

Clumping litters only need to be changedout completely every week or couple of weeks, depending on how many cats youhave using the boxes.

What to Do if Your Kitten Won’t Use the Litter Box

If your kitten is having a hard time withlitter box training and is peeing outsidethe box, try these steps:

1. Carefully evaluate your litter boxsetup. Every kitten has slightly different preferences. Make sure that thelitter boxes:

·       Are easily accessible

·       Are located in quiet spots

·       Are not hidden in a corner

·       Are not being guarded by other cats

2. Consider changing the litter box or typeof litter. You may want to get a new box (covered versus uncovered or one withlow sides) and place it nearby to see if your kitten prefers another box. Orkeep the same box and only change the litter type to see if it is the box orthe litter that is the issue.

3. Scoop more often and replace all littermore often.

4. Consider using pheromone diffusers nearthe litter box to relieve stress and make your kitten more comfortable withtheir surroundings. These diffusers, when placed in the room with the litterbox, make kittens feel that they have marked their territory.

5. Bring your kitten to your veterinarianto check for parasites, urinary tractinfections, or other medical issues that may promote inappropriateelimination. These are rare with kittens, but they should not beoverlooked.

Your veterinarian can always help youtroubleshoot your kitten’s litter box issues as well. Above all, remember to bepatient! Training takes time, but your kitten will master these habits withyour love, support, and attention.