How to Train a Kitten to Use a Litterbox

Kittens are usually quite easy to train but if you have a little difficulty doing so with your particular kitten then you may need a little extra effort. Teaching a kitten to dig a hole is not usually a problem since cats instinctively do so when it is time to relieve themselves. However, some kittens have difficulty remembering that your living room rug is not the litter box. They will still go through all the motions of digging the hole and burying the waste, but nothing will be covered and your home will become one giant litter box unless you nip it in the bud right away.

Things You'll Need

  • Litter box
  • Cat treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Take the kitten away from its bad behavior and make sure it knows where the litter box is located. Put the kitten into the litter box and move its front paw in a digging motion so that it gets the idea that this is the place where digging occurs. Your kitten will likely lay its ears back and look at you like you are indescribably idiotic, but do it anyway, to initiate a starting point in the kitten's training. If it still persists in using the rug, you will need some positive reinforcement.

    • 2

      Use the kitten's favorite snack as a reinforcement technique. Take the kitten to the litter box and place it in the box. Give a tidbit so the kitten will know that this is not a bad place to be. The next time the kitten even walks toward the room that contains the litter box, give another morsel of its favorite snack. This will help the kitten to get comfortable going near the box and perhaps even stepping into it.

    • 3

      Move the box to the location that you plan to permanently keep it in. If you have an out-of-the-way area, that is a great place to select. Carry the cat to the new location and reward it with a treat as you did before. This way the cat recognizes the new location as the correct one.

    • 4

      Reward the kitten each time it approaches the desired location. Most likely the kitten will by this time get the drift and call to you whenever it is ready to go to the litter box to make sure that you will give it a treat as a reward. Comply with this arrangement until the kitten consistently uses the litter box each time.

    • 5

      Gradually do away with the reward system until the kitten no longer expects a treat each time it goes to the box. It will persist for a while to beg for a treat, but will eventually move on and get over it. Reward your kitten with extra attention every time it exhibits the desired behavior.