How to Train a Cat to Use a Litterbox

Training a cat to use a litter box is relatively easy, but it does take some forethought and planning. Cats are naturally intuitive and very clever. Unlike some other domestic animals, they are very clean and finicky about their "space." If you have a cat that is used to being outdoors and for whatever reason you need to train it to use a litter box, don't fret. They adjust quite easily when you use these simple tips.

Things You'll Need

  • Cat litter container, such as a large plastic bin
  • Cat litter
  • Cat litter scoop
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Instructions

    • 1

      It's important to confine the cat into a small area for the first day or so. You'll want to provide food and water, of course, and a soft place for the cat to sleep. A spare bedroom or bathroom is ideal. Make sure to place the litter box and the food and water on opposite sides of the room, or at least far enough away from each other so as not to offend your cat. Like people, cats don't enjoy eating in the same area that they produce waste.

    • 2

      Fill the litter box about half full of clean litter. Regardless of the age of the cat, you can place the cat in the litter box to "sniff" around for a bit. Cats naturally will scratch into dirt, so litter makes it easy for cats to recognize the dirt where they need to urinate or defecate.

    • 3

      Close the door to the room and leave the cat to adjust to its new environment. Every hour or so, either poke your head into the room or pick up your kitty and pet it, giving verbal reassurances. Before you leave, introduce the cat again to the litter box. Don't be surprised if the cat begins scratching and then relieves itself in your presence. It's getting the hint.

    • 4

      On the second day, you can open the door to the room and allow the cat to wander. It will always return to the place that it finds food and water. The litter box will be a daily reminder and the cat will use it freely for lack of other facilities in the house. Always keep the litter box clean. It may need emptying once or twice a day. This is very important. If you fail to keep the litter box clean, the cat will find another place to use.

    • 5

      By the second day, your cat will be very familiar with its litter box and will return there to relieve itself. If for some reason you intend to move the box to a different or other permanent place in the home, you will just need to make sure your cat knows where it's at by carrying the cat to the litter box a few times a day, as you did in the beginning.