Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Using the litter box

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 5/31/2009


Question
I just recently got a kitten and i put the litter box in the living room at first because she was shy and wouldn't go in the other rooms of the house and she used it the first time i showed it to her well now she is getting to know the house and i moved the litter box into the laundry room and now she will use it but she still every time goes to where it was at first and i pick her up and put her in the litter box and she uses it but she now does go that much since i moved it on her.  So my question is why wont she use it that much and why wont she just go to it on her own why do i have to keep picking her up and putting her there?

Answer
Erica,

Kittens do not go far to use a litterbox when they are small. It's best to have at least 2 litterboxes for them. Cats go by association and where she first used the litterbox is where she thinks she is supposed to go.

A laundry room is not really a good place to have a litterbox. The sound of the washer and/or dryer can be very scary for a cat. And if it scares them once then they will not want to use the litterbox in there.

I am including some links to good articles about improper elimination. Please read them. They will have good information that you should find helpful in dealing with the kitten's behavior.
(copy and paste or type the whole links into your address bar)

http://cats.about.com/cs/behavioralissues/a/outsidebox_two.htm

http://www.geocities.com/heartland/pointe/9352/litterboxhelp.html

http://www.apbc.org.uk/article10.htm

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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