kitty training

[epr17]

I just got two kittens on Thursday. One kitten is completely litter trained and doing fine. The other kitten goes to the box everytime, but instead of pooping in the hole, it diggs the hole, but doesn't turn around or move up, just poops right there, and then doesn't cover it at all, and steps right through it. If we aren't watching, he will track the poope all over the house. We have been having to bathe it everytime is uses the litter box. Obviously the kitten doesn't like it very much, and I hate to hear him crying while we are just trying to clean him off. He really doesn't have the self grooming thing down. Is there anything that I can do to help him, or is this just a time thing, and I have to sit here and wait. Any input will be greatly appreciated! I am already quite frustrated!

[angelrenee]

How old are they? He really sounds like he's too young to be away from his mommy, unfortunately. I think kitties all learn at different rates and some need mom longer. We've had three come through our house like that. Best I can tell you is to try to "teach" him what to do. See if you can catch him just as he steps into the box and then help him dig his hole, turn around and then use his little paws to cover.

I tried this with one of mine, but by the time she came to us she was 7 months old and didn't want to learn. She's got the turning around part down but will forever run out without covering. One of my other cats tried to teach her but got frustrated and quit. :(

If you can at least get him to turn around and to not walk in his own gunk, then I'd say you've done well. The covering part may never come to him, but it's not too bad if you keep the box clean.

We did learn that our baby does really well with covered litterboxes. Otherwise, she pees over the side and on the floor (she turns around, but doesn't squat). :rolleyes: She tries to "cover", but has never figured out that the smell is not coming from the roof of the box!

One thing you might do for now is invest in some puppy pads to place under the box. Then if he misses, it's a little easier to clean up the floor at least.



Oh, and on the self grooming thing, see if you can be mom for him. His sibling should help him learn to bathe eventually, butyou can substitute sometimes with a washcloth (doesn't have to be very wet). Just wrap it around one finger and use it as a "tounge" to bathe him sometimes. I actually have a friends whose kitties taught each other to groom, but since they were always together, neither one ever figured out that they could bather their own faces! Someone was always there to do it for them. :)

[epr17]

Thank you for your input. The kittens will be 7 weeks old tomorrow, and the one that is having trouble with the litter box has supposedly been using it (with mom) for weeks. He has been grooming a little better today, and he actually jsut used the litter box without stepping in it, and sort of covered. So it looks like we we are doing better! Thanks for your help!

[Csara]

Another thing you may want to try is giving kitty his own litter box. Sometimes they don't like to share. ;)

[angelrenee]

It really varies with kittens. I've seen some that needed mom for over 8 weeks while others were fine at 6. Who knows. Maybe it was just the shock of being without mom that caused it and he'll get back on track now that he's getting used to you and his new home. They bounce back pretty quickly.