They are 6 weeks and 3 days old.
One is completely potty trained .. he hasn't pottied on the floor in about a week which is weird because he's the last born.
The other two WILL NOT use the litter box. I have a cookie sheet with litter in it, i keep it VERY clean but thet always go right next to it. I try and get it cleaned up quick and get the smell out but it's not helping. The litter box is downstairs with their water and kitten food. Mom nurses them about twice a day still but they love their hard food.
Will they eventually start going in the litter box? I figured it will take time but do you have any suggestions?
Thanx to all who answer.
For fun, here's pictures:
Dorey -
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f234/j...
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f234/j...
Peanut -
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f234/j...
Toffee -
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f234/j... By the way, the mom AND dad are here. Dad is now fixed and mom will be fixed after kittens are weaned. I have 4 adults and 3 newborns, all the adults, minus mom, are fixed. My fiance and i are keeping all 3 newborns. All of our cats/kittens are inside only! How to Train a Kitten to the Litterbox
Kittens are readily trained to the litterbox, which is much preferable to accidents on the carpet. The momma cat will usually train them, but if you are the surrogate momma, here's how.
Difficulty Level: easy Time Required: N/A
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Here's How:
If you have other cats, buy a new litterbox for the kitten. A small one that she can easily climb in is good for starters.
Fill the box with a good non-scented, non-clumping litter to the depth of three or four inches.
Place the litterbox in a quiet, private place away from her food dish, but easily accessible to her. Put a mat underneath to catch any litter thrown out by busy little paws.
Immediately after feeding your kitten, pick her up and gently place her in the litterbox. Scratch the litter a little with your fingers so she can get the idea.
If she goes, praise her profusely. If she doesn't, watch her closely for indications of wanting to go elsewhere.
The instant you see her squatting, pick her up and gently place her in the litterbox. Never throw her in or scold her--it will only associate the box with unpleasant memories in her mind.
Every time she uses the box, praise her profusely. You want her to associate her box usage with pleasure.
Keep the box immaculately clean, by scooping it several times a day and changing the litter and washing and disenfecting the box at least twice weekly.
Tips:
The rule of thumb is one litterbox per cat plus one extra. Therefore, two cats= three litterboxes.
Do not keep your cat locked up in your bedroom at night, away from the box. Cat's can't hold it all night.
Once you've found a good litter and box location, don't change it. Subtle changes can often cause a cat to forget its previous training.
Cats are naturally clean creatures. Teaching them to use the litter box encourages this good behavior. They will continue to use this litter box unless it gets dirty. Here are a few tips on getting your cat to use the litter box all of the time.
Pick out a litter box that would be right for you and your cat. There are various types of litter box's, there are big ones and small ones there is also a automatic cleaning box that has a rake that rakes the dirty litter in a storage bag. Some people use the disposable litter box's that come with the litter already inside so you don't have to mess with the litter.
Finding the right cat litter is something you can do easily. There are a lot of different types of cat litter; there are scented litter and non scented litter. There is also litter that will clump up after your cat does his/her deed making it easier to scoop up. You should change your cats litter box at least every other day to keep your house smelling fresh and clean. Finding the right cat litter your cat likes can take a while. Your cat may not like a change in the type of litter you have in their box and this will cause them to go in unwanted places as well.
Picking out the right type of cat food can make a difference in training your cats. Remember cat food is for cats not dogs and dog food is for dogs not kitties. There are many types of cat food there is dry food, soft food and canned food. Try not to give your cats milk we all know they like it but it also leaves a big mess in the litter box. You want to use a variety of foods you can also use some of these foods as a treat to reward your cats for doing something good like using the litter box. You can control your cats input and output for successful litter training. If you play with your cat 15 minutes before it eats and then let the cat eat. You will be able to judge when your cat will be ready to go into the litter box. Not letting the cat leave the litter box area when you know their bladder is full, will help the cat realize what it is that you are trying to teach them to do. Finding the right cat litter your cat likes can take a while. Your cat may not like a change in the type of litter you have in their box and this will cause them to go in unwanted places as well.
How to toilet train your cats. First make sure the litter box is in a safe and clean area and away from lots of traffic but be sure your cats have access to it. Make sure cats also know where the litter box is often showing him/her. If you have more than one cat make sure you have more than one litter box cats don't like to share the same. Also make sure the litter box is cleaned once a day. There is a scoop you can use to scoop out the soiled litter. You should put in about 1 inch of litter in the box is plenty. Never yell or hit your cats if he/she has an accident just simply tell her no and place her in the litter box.
Do not place the litter box near his/her food. Cats do not like to eat in the same place they have urinated. Never clean the litter box if you are pregnant because it contains toxoplasmosis in the fecal witch could cause harm to your baby. Cats will urinate on clean places such as your couch or carpet when they have a dirty litter box. Making sure that it is clean is very important in training your cat.
Cats need attention and sometimes will leave deposits of unwanted urine and feces in places, due to lack of attention. If your cat feels neglected they will get mad and do things to make you pay attention to them. You should spend daily time with your cat to make them feel loved and wanted. They will respond much better when you take the time to show them attention.
Male cats should be neutered as they like to spray to mark their territory. So you should make sure that they are neutered so they don't make any more mess. You can use vinegar and water to make the smell go away. You can use half water and half vinegar to clean this up. This will keep your cat from returning to that spot to use again... Take the mess they made and put it in the liter box
Then I would try picking them up and placing them in the liter box. This way they will see this is where it should go. When you catch them peeing elsewhere, say softly No, and grab them and put them in the litterbox. help them dig with the front paws. Also, when you find poo outside, put it in the box and show the kittens that you do that. Leave some pee and poo in the box, they usually go where they smell that they have gobe before. Praise them when they pee or poo in the box, even if you have put them there.
Be very gentle and never yell at them or anything, they must not stress over this, or they'll get worse. Here is my suggestion.
Normally, a mother cat will lick their genitals to stimulate them to go potty. This is normal despite the fact that it sounds disgusting.
If a kitten has a human for a parent, then normally, you rub their genital area for a few seconds and place them in the litter. Becuase of their reaction to it, they will not have time to decide wether or not they want to hold it and will go where you place them, ie...... the litter box.
Sounds crazy, but it works, just like their mother would do.
Good Luck!!! they are SO cute
once a day take the ones that will not go in the box to the box, put them in it & gently move there
paws around in there
in time they will catch on
I have had 5 cats & that worked for everyone of them : > ) Those kittens are super cute. Toffee has to be a little trouble maker I can see it in the eyes lol. Sounds like you already have alot of advice but I would try leaving a poop in the litter box and putting the kittens in the litter box and scratching their feet in it. Good luck!! Put the kittens in the litter box, grab their paws and scratch (or a better use of the term) the litter so they smell it.
Worst case senerio lock them up in a confined area (bathroom)
with the litterbox (and food and water of course) for 3-4 days. |
