If you’ve recently come home with a fluffy new kitten, the last thing on your mind will be training it to use a litter tray. But the sooner you start, the easier it will be.
1. To begin training, gently place your kitten in the tray after they eat, when they wake up or when they look like they might need the toilet, e.g. if you see them sniffing, scratching or crouching down.
2. Be patient, it can take a while. You can encourage your cat by giving them a small treat after they use the tray, but don’t disturb them when they’re busy!
3. Make sure the litter tray is in a quiet place, away from their food bowl. Cats are very clean animals and don’t like to pee or poo near where they eat. It’s also important to keep the litter tray clean, so get rid of waste or wet patches every day.
4. Make sure the tray is big enough for your cat to be comfortable in and use enough litter for them to be able to bury their poo – a couple of inches deep at least.
5. Try different types of cat litter, there is a big variety available so take a bit of time to find one that suits you and your cat – find out more.