Litter Training My Kitten

Litter Training My Kitten Luna: What Worked (and What Experts Say You Should Do Too!)

There I was, the day I finally took my kitten home, Luna. A tiny ball of grey fluff, with a cutest pink nose, and an adventurous spirit. I was so excited… until later that day, my little joy bundle decided that the corner of my bedroom was a great bathroom.

If you are here reading this article, I can assume that something similar has happened to your home, too. The good news is most people wouldn't have to worry about litter training a kitten. Cats instinctively want to bury their waste, but sometimes all they need is our help discerning where their bathroom is located.
After hours of reading, a multi-question, mini-interview with my vet, and learning through some messy mistakes, I found out what actually worked for Luna and me learning how to use a litter box- and what would completely deter her from using it. Here is what worked for me and Luna, along with some tips from experts that can work for you and your kitten, too.

Get Started Early and Make it Easy
Experts agree, you need to start ASAP when your kitten is home. As Dr. Mikel Delgado, a certified cat behaviourist notes, "Young kittens typically learn from their mothers where to go. If not, we need to keep things simple and clear for them."
On the same day Luna came home, I showed her right away where her litter box was. I put it in an area that was quiet, but accessible. Luna's litter box was located in the living room, not entirely hidden away, but far enough from her food and water.

Think About The Right Box- And How Many Boxes
At first, I thought I needed only one litter box. But veterinarians have a "one plus one" rule- this means having a litter box for each cat, plus one. In Luna's case, that meant 2 litter boxes.
I used shallow, open litter trays instead of covered boxes. Covered boxes can hide odours from us, but they can also trap odours inside, which makes a litter box less appealing for an animal. Dr. Delgado has stated many cats are most comfortable to use open boxes so they can see what is going on around them.
Because Luna was so small, I used boxes that had low sides, so it was easy for her to get in and out. Later on, when she got bigger, I upgraded to bigger boxes, since she was using the box comfortably by that point.

Use the Litter Your Kitten Likes
Not all litters are created equal- and kittens can be surprisingly picky! "Most cats prefer unscented, fine-grain clumping litter since it feels natural on their paws- and they can bury waste," Dr. Andrea Sanchez, veterinarian who truly loves working with kittens says.
I messed up a bit when I bought scented litter thinking it would help keep the room smelling fresh. Although not completely offensive, Luna seemed a little reluctant. Once I switched to unscented, soft-textured clumping litter https://amzn.to/3ZYD3lD , she jumped into it to use it within moments.
If your kitten is young and also likes to eat the litter, it is best to use non-clumping litter to be safe in the beginning. Luna's tasting phase did not last long, and I was mostly aware of what she was doing, but always wanted to be on the safe side.

Show Them Where to Go (Without Forcing It)

In the first few days with Luna, I gradually placed her in her litter box after every meal, nap or intense play session. Kittens may need to go right after all these sessions, so the timing was ideal.

If I offered her time out of the box and she started to sniff or scratch the floor (time for a bathroom stop), I would carry her to her box. Most of the time, she caught on quickly. When she did use her box, I gently praised her for using the box. I avoided offering treats while in the litter box so she did not connect it too much with food.

Keep It Clean (Really Clean!)

I learned quickly that kittens (and all cats, really) are extremely picky about cleanliness. Dr. Sanchez recommends that owners scoop out waste at least once or twice daily, and wash the box with mild soap once a week.

When her box was freshly scooped, Luna was always excited to use it. If it was dirty, however, she would sometimes opted to go elsewhere - which of course was another mess for me to deal with.

Redirect Instead of Punishing

Luna had a couple of early accidents, mostly on the rug. It was easy at that point to be mad at her, but experts say that punishment will usually make the situation worse. Dr. As Delgado describes, "Punishment can make kittens anxious or afraid, and could potentially cause more accidents in places they hide."

Instead, when Luna had an accident, I'd verbose wipe it with an enzymatic cleaner https://amzn.to/3ZYtDGV , and then just gently put back in the litter box to remind her where to go.