Toilet matters

If there’s one time when your kitten wants to be left on his own, it’s when he goes to the toilet. In fact, he won’t even want to be watched.

That’s why it’s important to have his litter tray in a quiet, safe, place where he can get to it easily. At first, of course, he’ll need to be trained to use it, so as soon as you can see that he needs to go, just lift him into the tray. Keep on doing this until he can find it for himself by smell and location, then leave him to his own devices. To make sure he’s comfortable, use an absorbent cat litter, such as Catsan, that effectively contains any odour.

Keep it clean

Kittens are naturally clean and they like a clean litter tray. In fact, if their tray is not spotless, they may well choose to go somewhere else. So, to avoid accidents, make sure you clean the tray at least once a day. And, for obvious hygiene reasons, keep bowls of food or water well away.

Accidents will happen …

A dirty litter tray is not the only possible reason for your kitten changing his toilet behaviour. The cause can sometimes be psychological. He may be in need of more attention, or perhaps his usual ‘territory’ has changed. As a result, a normally house-trained kitten can suddenly change. Imminent sexual maturity is another possible problem and this can be avoided by neutering at an early age. With so many factors potentially involved, it’s certainly worth investigating the problem with your vet, in order to get your kitten back on track.

… but they needn’t happen twice

If your kitten does have an accident, for whatever reason, the smell of urine and droppings may well encourage him to repeat it in the same spot. That’s why it’s imperative to clean up the offending mess thoroughly, preferably with soapy water. Avoid detergents with ammonia as the smell of these is too close to the kitten’s own waste. Once everything is completely cleaned away, your kitten should behave as normal.