Keep in mind that the kittens are small. Letting them roam in large areas will overwhelm them and they may become lost and confused. It is a good idea to contain the kittens in a small area to begin the potty training process.
Make sure the potty training container is small enough for the kittens to get in and out of safely. A cardboard flat that you can get from the grocery store works best in the beginning. A commercially bought litter box is designed for full grown cats and is taller. Place the card board flat in the area you plan to keep the litter box. Do not move it around once you start to train the kittens. This will only confuse the kittens and they may not be able to find the litter box when they gets big enough to try it on their own.
Dump a couple inches of good quality odor control litter into the box. Set the kittens in the litter box one at a time and allow them to explore. If a kitten jumps out, let him go. Forcing a kitten back into the potty training box may scare him.
Training the Kittens
You should place the kittens in the litter box whenever they wake up from a nap and after they have eaten. Watch for a few minutes to see if the kittens are grasping the idea of potty training. If the kittens wet in the box it will attempt to cover it up. Do not change the litter if the kittens only wet. If the kittens have done its other job, use a litter scooper and clean that out.
Chances are it has not taken the kittens long to figure out what you want them to do and they will hunt the potty training box by themselves. If you catch the kittens using the floor, scold them and place them in the litter box. Clean the floor immediately to remove all traces of the urine smell, or they may decide that is where they are supposed to go.
As the kitten grow and have mastered potty training, allow them to explore more areas of the house. Watch to make sure that they can find their way back to the litter box. By now, you should be able to upgrade to a regular litter box.
If you purchase one that has a top on it, watch to make sure that the enclosed area does not scare the kittens. Remove the top if necessary and save it until the kittens are older and more secure. Potty training the kittens need not be hard, but it may be time-consuming. Make sure that the kittens always have access to the room that their litter box is in. It is quite easy to shut doors and mistakenly shut the kittens into the wrong area.
Comments
sweetdaisy said
on 8/1/2009 Thank you for some valuable information on potty training kittens! I appreciate the help--5*