How to Housetrain a Cat

Cats are intelligent creatures that learn fast. Teaching a cat or kitten to be house-trained should take approximately one week to complete. An older cat, especially an adult outdoor cat that has never been inside a home before, may prove more difficult to train than a young kitten--patience will be needed in this case. Read on to learn how to housetrain a cat.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Litter box
• Kitty litter
• Newspaper
• Litter scoop

1. Place a thick layer of newspaper down where you want the kitty litter box to be; this will be easy to replace and will also protect your flooring. Place the litter box on top of the newspapers and fill with your preference of kitty litter--there are many varieties available including aromatic litter, clumping litter, all natural pine litter, multi-cat blend or regular cat box clay filler.

2. Getting the message across to your kitty that doing his business in the litter box is the correct thing to do. Watching your cat for signs that he wants to urinate is important because as soon as he starts to sniff and hunt around or turns around and scratches the floor, you will know he is ready to do his business and you must physically pick him up and take him to the litter box. He should use the litter box successfully as he was acting as if urination and/or defecation was imminent. If your cat ends up doing both; then all the better. When he steps out of the litter box and shakes his paws off, praise him a lot. Keep praising him and stroke him and give him a kitty treat if you have any available.

3. Now that the kitty business smell is in the litter box the cat will want to revisit the box when he wants to do his business again. However, every time he acts as if he wants to go, pick him up and take him to the litter box. If he does have the occasional accident here and there, put his nose near the mess and firmly say, "No," then place him in the litter box to ensure he knows why he just got scolded.

4. Spaying and neutering is recommended as a male indoor cat will spray everywhere and the stench is hard to get rid of without special sprays to neutralize pet odors. Males will also mark their territory by urinating as well as spraying. This can be frustrating especially when it is done on your bed and it has soaked all the way through to the mattress, and you don't realize it has happened until you feel your nightie absorbing cold moisture.

Tips & Warnings

• Praise and kitty treats will aid in training.
• Spay or neuter your feline friend.
• Never abuse your kitty for making a "mess." There are bound to be a few accidents at the onset of training.