The Best Way: Quick and Easy Litter Box Training for Your New Kitten

You found that little fluff ball that you couldn't live without. So cute! So adorable! Oh, how could anyone not love this playful and affectionate living bundle of fur? But if you have never owned a cat before, or even if you have, there is some mystery about how to get your new feline roommate to consistently use the litter box, and how to train it to do so right off the bat. Contrary to rumors I have heard, cats actually prefer cleanliness, so don't be surprised if part of this training is also for you!

The secret to doing this is very simple, yet quite a few people miss it, predominantly by putting the cart before the horse; in other words, bringing the new baby into your home, without having things set up, first.

To train your new kitten quickly and easily, it is important to have a clean container with fresh litter already in place. So when you adopt Junior, you will hopefully have him in some box or container to transport him to your home, rather than stuffed in a pocket of your favorite hoodie. If you don't already have a litter box or available litter, stop at a store on the way home. Don't buy the smallest one you see, remember your little kitten will grow into a larger cat. The key to effectively training your new kitten to use the litter box is that you must have the litter box in place and ready, before Junior's furry paws hit the floor of your domicile. This set up is the most important key to success. While you are picking up litter supplies, take the time to also pick up dry and canned kitten food, and you might also pick up the beloved feather teaser; it's a rare kitten that can resist trying to catch one of those! And don't forget the pooper-scooper!

Once home, leave the kitten in the container you brought him home in. You'll have an opportunity to introduce him to his new home, later. But now, it's time to set up the litter box. Find a place out of the way that Junior can access easily 24/7/365. Putting the litter box in the garage when Junior can't get in there is setting up for failure. Bathrooms are a typical choice, or laundry rooms, as they are out of the way of human traffic, and are smaller areas where a cat would feel more secure in doing their business. It's okay if this spot doesn't work for you in the future for some reason, once the cat is trained to use the litter box, he will follow it to where you place it. Just follow these simple steps again for relocating, and you'll be amazed at how quickly your cat will pick up on it.

Once you have your spot, then pour the litter in. For a kitten, the level should be at least 1-2 inches in depth. Being the clean-minded creatures that cats are, they will want to bury their business. This is instinctive--you won't have to train them to do this. Keep in mind that you don't want such a thin covering of litter in the box that the kitten will wear itself out trying to scratch enough litter to obtain coverage of their deeds. Besides, less litter makes for more difficult cleaning later on. At the same time, you don't want to pour the entire contents of the litter bag into the container. As you make changes to clean the litter box, you will want to have fresh and clean litter on hand to resupply the container.

Finally, now that you have your litter box all set up, it's time to train. The actual set-up should have only taken a few minutes, and while you were busy setting up the litter box, Junior was getting a world of new scents from your home, and also enjoyed the few moments of peace to acclimatize himself to his new surroundings. Some cats travel from one place to another quietly and peacefully, while others find it a traumatizing experience. The time you took to set up the litter box was time well spent for both of you.

Now it's time to train. If you followed the above instructions, leaving Junior in the travel box (I do hope you find a better name than Junior!), and took the time to set up his litter box first, then you are 90% of the way to complete success! It's time to go get Junior, and bring him immediately to the litter box. This is the first place his paws should touch once being freed of the travel box. Place him in the litter box, and watch. He likely won't use it this first time, and may jump out immediately, but that's okay. Pick him up again, and put him in the litter box, again. You should see him do some preliminary sniffing and scratching, and once he does, go ahead and let him jump out. He knows what this is about, now. You should not have to put him in there more than 3-5 times. What he really wants to do now is explore!

That's it! Your new favorite feline fluff ball has been litter trained! Remember to keep the door of the room to his litter box open so he can access it at all times. This really is the easiest way to train your kitten to use a litter box. With all the cats I have had in the past, I have never once seen this training fail.

Oh, one last thing...be sure to keep the litter box clean, and use your pooper-scooper to remove the waste. A good clumping litter is recommended, as the clumps are easily removed. Normally you don't have to remove all the litter to clean the box. If the litter level gets low, add fresh litter, and stir it around a bit. Once in a while, you will want to empty the box of litter and do a thorough scrubbing. If you don't keep the litter box clean enough for Junior to use it, then he will wind up training you in ways you won't appreciate.

Now, where did you leave that feather teaser? It's time to celebrate!