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Caitlin Lewis, Community Outreach Manager for the Humane Society of Greater Dayton, dispels common myths about litter-box training for cats. In addition, she shows what and what not to do to help get your cat using the litter box as quickly as possible.
Hi, I'm Caitlin Lewis, Community Outreach Manager for the Humane Society of Greater Dayton on behalf of IAMS. Today we're going to learn how to train—or retrain—your cat to use the litter box. Contrary to popular belief, mother cats do not teach their kittens to use the litter box. Kittens begin to dig in and use dirt and dry, loose material at just a few weeks old without ever having observed their mothers doing so. This natural instinct is used in training kittens to use the litter box. Until your cat is reliably house trained, she should not have free run of your home. When you leave the house for any length of time, your cat should be confined to a single room, preferably one with nonporous floors, such as a kitchen, bathroom, utility room, basement or garage. Provide your cat with a bowl of water and a warm place to sleep at one end of the room, and a freshly clean litter box at the other end.
Until the house soiling has been cured, your cat should have a regular feeding schedule so she will develop a corresponding litter box schedule. In order to reward your cat for using her litter box, you must be there at the time she uses it. Most cats, especially kittens, will need to go shortly after waking, after eating, and after exercise. To help predict when your cat will go, feed her at regular times. If the input is on a regular schedule, the output will follow likewise. Call her to the litter box from a variety of places around your house, especially areas where she has soiled. When your cat gets to the box, scratch the litter to get her interested. Similarly, throughout the day, whenever your cat has been asleep for over two hours, wake her up and call her to the litter box. Encourage your cat to hop into the litter box and praise her when she does so. Even if she does not go, she's learning that the litter box is a great, clean place to be. If your cat does use it, then praise her in a gentle voice. When she is finished, gently stroke her, give her a treat, and let her know how pleased you are with her behavior. If mistakes occur, pick up the cat and set her down in the box. Do not discipline just before placing the cat in the box. The cat will associate any reprimand with being placed in the litter box, and will assume the litter box is the wrong place to go. Punishing a cat after the fact teaches her to be afraid of you. Never rub your cat's nose in a mess, or bring her over to it for a reprimand. She will have no idea why she's being reprimanded. But she may be inclined to eliminate in hidden spots, such as behind the sofa, to avoid another reprimand. Basically, punishment doesn't work with cats. Prevention and praise for getting it right are the keys to training. Clean any accidents immediately with half and half solution of white vinegar and water. This will help to eliminate the odor, and hopefully prevent kitty from returning to that spot. Consider covering the area with a plastic sheet; this will make it unpleasant for your kitty and discourage her from going there again. When your cat is still learning to use the box, leave a tiny bit of urine or feces behind in the box. The scent will remind her what the box is for. As soon as she is using the box reliably—and this could be as quickly as a day or two—remove all liquid and solid waste regularly. Scoop out solid material once or twice a day, and stir the litter to keep the surface dry. If your cat is having trouble using or finding the litter box, move it to an area where she can start seeing it all the time. When she stops playing and start sniffing or scratching at the floor, gently place her in the litter box. If your cat or kitten suddenly stops using the litter box for no obvious reasons, then take your cat to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Once your cat gets into the hang of finding the litter box and using it, they should have this skill for life. Now, let's recap. Provide your cat with a clean litter box that's easy to access. Get her interested in the litter box by scratching the litter. Reward your cat for using her litter box immediately after she uses it. And remember, prevention and praise are the keys to training. Punishment does not work with cats. I'm Caitlin Lewis on behalf of IAMS.
Knowing your cat needs a change in their diet is one thing, but knowing how to make that change is something else! Cats are creatures of habit, so it’s not uncommon for them to prefer their current food to anything new. Change disrupts their routine, which can impact their behavior and their digestion.
Thankfully, when the time has come to change your cat’s diet, a little planning and preparation goes a long way toward making the transition easier for them (and for you).
The following tips will help you change your cat’s diet and successfully transition your cat to a new food:
There are lots of reasons to consider changing your cat’s food — maybe you have a new kitten to wean, a kitten who’s all grown up now or an adult cat entering their senior years. In addition to normal aging, advice from the vet is a common reason to change what you’re feeding your cat. Cats that need help reducing their weight or managing excessive hairballs might need the support of a new food designed with those needs in mind. Whatever your reason for changing your cat’s diet, make sure the new food will suit their needs. That way you only have to make the transition once, and can avoid upsetting their stomach by changing the routine too often.
Going slow is paws down the most successful way to ease your cat into a different diet. Start by mixing 25% new food with 75% familiar food. Slowly change the proportions over the next three days or so by gradually increasing the amount of new food and decreasing the amount of their familiar food. Think of it as a kind of weaning — at the end of this process, you should be feeding (and your cat should be eating) just the new food.
Your cat may choose to eat only the familiar food, or not eat at all … at first. But a healthy cat can miss meals for a day or two without causing health problems. Slow, steady and consistent wins this race!
How would you feel if someone tried to force you to eat strange food you didn’t want?
Aggressively dumping the new food into your cat’s dish and declaring that your cat had better eat it might inspire your cat to do anything besides eat!
A little gentleness in your approach goes a long way. Try using a pleasant tone of voice and encouraging your cat to taste the new food. Even if they don’t go for it at first, a gentle approach still goes over much better than an aggressive one.
Cats train us as much as we train them. Giving in to their demands reinforces that their refusal to eat the new food is acceptable, which makes transitioning to the new diet even more challenging in the long run.
So don’t give up! Don’t be tempted to revert back to your cat’s familiar foods, and don’t give your cat treats or table scraps during the initial three-day period.
This is the toughest dietary transition of them all, but there are a few ways to make the process easier. If your cat resists eating dry food for more than a few meals, try mixing a little warm water with it and maybe even warming the moistened food in the microwave for a few seconds.
If you mix dry food with water, remember to discard any uneaten leftovers after 20 minutes to prevent spoilage. (The same rule applies for wet food.) After your cat is used to the moistened dry food, you can gradually transition to serving the same food dry.
Changing your cat’s diet is sometimes necessary to help them live a happy, healthy life. The process of switching what, how or how often you feed your cat can be a little bumpy, but you can do it! By going slowly, staying patient and encouraging, sticking to the plan and making the transition as easy as possible, you’ll be giving your cat what they need and helping them adjust as comfortably as possible.
