Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/New kittens less then 8 wks

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 9/1/2008


Question
Hi we have just got 2 new kittens both sisters at 6 weeks of age... They are eating dry food great and are very good besides there play fighting that we have been breaking up..
The one kitten has been litter fully trained or at least fine with it...  the other kitten is pooing in it but not peeing for some reason, we have been putting her in it randomly
maybe not regularly .. she was peeing on a pile of clothes and we removed it, now we found on the bed she has been peeing needless to say we would love to correct this as she will only be turning 8 weeks in 2 days now and the sooner we figure the better.
They have been vet checked 2-3 days after we got them
dewormed first shot and flea treated (we would have asked the vet but she was too new to notice yet at that point)
Any suggestions
I was told it definitely is not a territorial thing as they are so young...

Answer
Lisa,

She is a little young but it is possible that she may have a urinary tract infection. It is painful when they pee and they associate the pain with the litterbox and go elsewhere. I would have the vet check her for that.

Try using a puppy pee pad next to the litterbox. Some kittens do not like the feel of litter when they pee for some strange reason.

Also keep more litterboxes available. Kittens don't go far when they are looking for a litterbox.

I hope this helps.

Tabbi  

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

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Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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