Kitten Litter Box Training

Pet Q&A: Give kitten guidance, outlets for energy

We just got a kitten. Can you offer some training tips?

– Via email

Kittens are a kick, no doubt about it, but they're not always easy to live with.

Kittens climb up the back of the sofa and launch themselves off it. They climb up the curtains to get a better view out the window. They leap up to the fireplace mantel and knock over one of the pair of antique vases you inherited from Grandma, or worse yet a family member's cremains and then use the contents as a makeshift litter box (I've known this to happen!). And kittenhood can last up to three years before the little bundle of cuteness even thinks about settling down into sedate cathood.

Be aware that this tiny feline firecracker will need a lot of attention, exercise and play to help him stay out of trouble. He needs consistent, appropriate outlets for his youthful exuberance. Whereas puppies have an oral fixation, kittens have a climbing/scratching one. Most of all, he needs an owner who can set limits in a kind and intelligent way, so the kitten learns what is acceptable behavior and what is not.

Kittens are like modeling clay. If they get a good start with plenty of handling at a young age, you can shape them through training to become the cat of your dreams. Young kittens are especially receptive to touch between two and eight weeks of age. With early exposure to kind and gentle human hands, plus kittygarten classes (ask your veterinarian for information) before they are 12 weeks old, kittens are less likely to develop behavior problems as they grow up.

– Dr. Marty Becker

The buzz

Military dogs get new care standards

• New guidelines recently issued by the U.S. Army in Afghanistan alert military doctors on how to provide medical care to military dogs injured in combat. There are seven teams of military veterinarians in Afghanistan and two veterinary clinics. Since May 2010, six dogs have been wounded and 14 dogs have died in combat.

Before being treated at military veterinary clinics, injured dogs are transported by helicopter to field hospitals. The new guidelines inform military doctors on the differences in human and dog anatomies, which include dogs' heartbeats being about 20 beats per minute faster and their temperatures being 2 to 3 degrees warmer, with similar blood pressure. The guidelines also address post-traumatic stress disorder in dogs.

• One of the most common beliefs about cats is that they are independent and aloof, preferring their own company to that of people. It's true that cats in general are less needy than dogs, but most cats love spending time with their people, whether it's spent playing with toys or just sitting in a lap, motor-purring. Know that being a lap cat is genetically influenced. Feline behaviorists used to think you could turn any cat into a lap cat, but not so. When cat lovers understand that sitting within 18 inches is friendly for some cats, they'll feel better about not having a full-on lap cat and accept their pets as they are.

How to Housetrain Your Kitten: Tips to Encourage Good Litter Box ...

You’ve just rescued an adorable kitten and brought him home to live with you. Or maybe your husband saw how your eyes sparkled as you held a pet shop kitten—and how she only had eyes for you (which is how I became “mom” to a beautiful tortie named Prissie).

As a new cat owner, one of your first responsibilities will be housetraining or litter training your kitten. Despite the horror stories you may have heard, litter training should be relatively easy—for both you and the kitten.

Most kittens naturally feel the urge to dig as early as four weeks. If you bring your kitten home from a pet shop or an animal shelter, she will be at least six weeks old. Most kittens this age will instinctively use a litter box. However, you can encourage your kitten to develop good litter box habits.

If your house is home to other cats, it’s a good idea to get a new litter box for your kitten. A good place to start is a small box that she can easily climb into and out of. Fill the box with three or four inches (depth) of cat litter.

Place the box somewhere your kitten can access at all times. Make sure it’s quiet, private place away from her food dish and sleeping area, but still easily accessible. Put a towel or mat underneath the box to collect any litter thrown out by her busy little paws.

The best time to show the kitten her litter box is after a meal. Immediately after feeding your kitten, pick her up and place her gently in the box. Scratch the litter lightly with your fingers—or hold her paws and scratch in the litter—to get her interested.

Don’t interfere with your kitten while she is in her box, or she could develop an aversion to using it. Give her some privacy, and be patient.  If she uses her box, it is important to praise her, stroke her, or give her a treat. The idea is to associate the litter box with pleasure.

If she doesn’t use the box, watch closely to see if she wants to eliminate elsewhere. The moment you see her squatting on the floor, pick her up and place her gently back in the box.  Never spray your kitten, scold her, or throw her in the box. If you do, she will associate her litter box with unpleasant memories and punishment, and she may refuse to use it.

Reward your kitten and reinforce her good habits. Praise her lavishly whenever she uses the litter box.  Of course, to do so, you must be there at the times she uses the box. So keep an eye on her routine. Most cats, especially kittens, will eliminate shortly after waking, eating, and exercise.

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