Cat Litter Box
 | "I read that kittens usually learn to go in sand or loose soil by watching their mom, but because there was no mom, we had to be a little bit more 'tough' and certainly vigilant for a few days." |
We used a litter box when our kittens were young. But because they grew up without a cat mother, we had to stimulate them with a damp cotton pad initially. Kittens can't even urinate by themselves in the beginning - much less take care of the bigger business. Usually the mother would take care of this by licking the kittens to initiate the necessary 'actions'.
Our vet told us that we have to pick them up and rub/wipe them gently with a wet pad until they can go. We had to do it at every feeding (5-6x daily) so that they wouldn't get toxic. This went on for weeks until we saw that they had started to just pee 'accidentally' on their own in their sleeping spot (we locked them in a big cage when they were tiny so that dogs and mongoose couldn't get to them). It is also very important for their health that you can get their bowels moving as soon as possible. Even while they are on the kitten formula, they should be having BM's.
They never liked us rubbing on them (although I bet they would have liked the alternative even less). After a while they were happy to be able to go on their own. We were not so happy because they did their business wherever they felt like it. But no longer did they have to endure the wet cotton pad while hanging in mid-air from the scruff of their neck - so that they wouldn't pee all over themselves (and us, too!).
So, in order to waylay the ensuing potty catastrophe taking place on our patio, we started putting them in a litter box. First we would sit them in the box and take their front paws to scratch a little bit in the litter.
I don't know how we would have dealt with 4 tiny bundles off fur messing everywhere indoors, but it was definitely an advantage that our kittens lived outside. (I actually heard that this so-called elimination problem is one the most frequent reasons why young cats end up in the animal shelter).
Anyway, at first it didn't always work, but gradually we trained them to go in the litter box. What we would do is just show them their mess when it was outside the box and then sit them in the box. It is preferable to catch them in the act so they know what you are making all the fuss about. We would pick them up and deposit them in the box to finish their business there. They got the idea and were pretty well trained within about 2 or 3 days.
I read that kittens usually learn to go in sand or loose soil by watching their mom, but because there was no mom, we had to be a little bit more 'tough' and certainly vigilant for a few days.
It was hard to have 4 kittens going in one box (I know, usually 1 box per cat), because cats like to have a clean spot, but they were tiny and the box was big so it worked out okay. Also, we didn't want this litter box business to become a permanent thing because we wanted them to go out in nature. So, the litter box was a transitional move for us. We knew that we would have to get them to go in the yard, preferably not where we typically walk.
It actually turned out to be a pretty easy and natural transition for them: Anywhere to litter box in 2/3 days - litter box to yard within a week. They got their spots all worked out and we have a big yard in the back, so they have plenty of space where they can do their thing. We never see it, smell it or even see them doing it, which works out just fine.
As for the litter itself, we used the one that clumps together when it gets wet. In that way you don't have to change it so much and it is a lot easier to just take the clumps out. All you need is a little scooper shovel to get them out of the box. We still keep a container of litter on hand for 'situations'. If one of the cats gets sick or needs to be separated for some other reason then back to the litter box they must go. Making this temporary switch poses no problems in our experience.
Other things to consider if your cat uses a litter box:
- Keep the litter box in a place with privacy, where it isn't noisy or busy (hey, you probably wouldn't like to go in the hall either).
- If you notice diarrhea or straining let your vet know.
- If your cat doesn't use the litter box all of a sudden, then that might be a sign of intestinal parasites, constipation or urinary tract infection. Get them to the vet!
- Wash the litter box and change the litter completely at least once a week.