How to Train Cats to Be Cleaner & Use Kitty Litter

A cat is an instinctively clean creature, as it demonstrates daily by constantly licking its own fur. And if you've seen a mother cat carefully wash her kittens, you have witnessed their cleanliness. Whether your cat is a kitten or an adult, training your feline friend to use the litter box takes a little encouragement and assistance. Your cat's natural instincts are not programmed immediately to recognize artificial litter as a substitute for the ground. After your cat becomes litter-trained, clean and change your litter box on a regular basis to ensure your cat has a clean place to relieve itself.

Things You'll Need

  • Litter box
  • White vinegar &water solution
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place your cat's litter box in a clean, quiet and accessible location. Cats do not like the distractions of other animals or children near their litter box.

    • 2

      Place your cat inside the litter box and let her take in the scent. Felines have very sensitive noses and use them to process odor information, which they use to better understand their environment, including their bathroom.

    • 3

      Scoop out waste daily and replace the old litter with fresh every week. Add a small amount of baking soda to the litter to reduce the odor. Carbon also makes a good odor absorption agent since the compounds effectively capture and trap odors.

    • 4

      Place the litter box away from her water and food. Cats do not like to use the bathroom near their food or water bowl.

    • 5

      Clean accidents outside of the litter box. Mix a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar to eliminate the odor. While you are training your cat to use the litter box, you do not want the cat to associate another part of the house as her bathroom.

    • 6

      Avoid covering orders with potpourri, fragrances and candles. Liquid and dry potpourri mixtures contain serious toxicity levels for cats if consumed. Cats have sensitive noses, and your fragrance spray, like your perfume or cologne, may be too strong for your cat.