Expert: Ali - 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,

Inappropriate elimination can have a number of causes. The fact that your kittens are so young could potentially be partially a result of removing the little ones from mom and their siblings before your kitten mastered potty training 101. Kittens learn skills like using the litter box and eating solid foods by watching their mother, that is often referred to as copy cat behavior. I normally recommend that kittens stay with mom and their siblings until they are 10-12 weeks old. Many kittens aren't fully weaned at 6 weeks of age which means that they still receive some of their nutrition from mom's milk. Allowing kittens to stay with their mother and littermates allows them to learn aspects of socialization including how to use the litter box, bite inhibition and even manners.

You mention in your e-mail that you have been breaking up play fighting between the kittens, don't. It's very important to allow the wrestling matches between the littermates, this is a crucial aspect of normal socialization for a baby predator and it allows them to practice valuable skills like hunting, stalking and even defending themselves. Allowing play fighting even if one or both of the kittens make lots of noise and protest during the wrestling matches these wrestling matches are about teaching each kitten their place in the household hierarchy and making noise is more about a kitten's personality than it is about the kittens hurting one another. Kittens are pretty resilient when properly cared for. Rough housing is completely normal. What looks horrible and rough to you is perfectly normal between kittens from the same litter and well socialized cats that are friends and living together as a family. Cats have thick, tough skin and healthy kittens start tiny versions of play fighting with each another almost from the moment of birth. Newborn kittens will push each other off of a favorite teat if they want it. These wrestling matches will most likely continue even after the little ones have reached adulthood if they continue to live together. It's very important to realize that cats of all different species' are predators at heart. Any of the behaviors that you see in domestic cats/kittens of all breeds are seen in large wild cats like lions, tigers, or even cougars. Young predators practice hunting, stalking and self defense with one another which is an important part of feline development and these games are important to allow the kittens to lead a normal healthy life. If you are concerned about sentimental items that are breakable being damaged I would recommend that you put them away for at least the first year of your kittens' lives.

I am somewhat concerned about one of the kittens urinating outside of the box. In these types of situations seeing a vet to rule out medical causes for inappropriate elimination is always my first recommendation. If I understand your question and the details correctly your kittens both defecate in the litter pan while one urinates outside of the box. It's not a territorial thing at this early stage, but it could certainly be an indicator of medical issues like a bladder infection. The reason that I am so suspicious of a urinary tract infection is because your kitten is still defecating in the box according to your e-mail and having a poop takes more time than it does to pass urine. Cats go to the toilet outside of the litter box for a number of different reasons. If your kitten is urinating outside of the litter box then it's quite possible that she is experimenting urinating in different places in an effort to reduce the discomfort associated with a urinary tract infection. This possibility must be ruled out by a qualified vet, even if it means that you transfer your file to another vet clinic where you feel more comfortable with the doctor. It's a good idea to have blood and urine testing done in addition to your routine physical examination so that any possible health concerns that can cause cats to house soil are ruled out with some degree of certainty and your vet can assure you that the house soiling hasn't been a product of a medical issue.  

Some cats/kittens will have their accidents in predictable areas and this can sometimes continue on if the accidents haven't been cleaned with a specialized cleaner because a cat's nose is many times more sensitive than a person's sense of smell. I routinely recommend that anyone who writes me with questions about house soiling use an enzymatic cleaner to permanently remove the odor that could be causing your little one to urinate outside of the box. An enzymatic cleaner uses beneficial bacteria to digest/destroy the components of organic compounds like urine, feces or vomit that are responsible for leaving behind odors or stains. I have found a product called Petzyme to be quite effective, reasonably priced and so far this product has been safe on my carpet and upholstery for cleaning the occasional fur ball or piece of feces accidentally making out of the litter box and being wiped off on the carpet.

Another common issue with house soiling cats comes down to litter boxes, how many there are and where they are located can have an impact on a cat/kitten's willingness to use them. If the food dishes are located close to the litter box this will generally cause cats of all ages to use the toilet elsewhere. Cats are very clean by nature and don't like to eat where they go to the washroom. It's very important to avoid using scented kitty litter, air fresheners or any products that are scented or contain dyes as these types of products can cause a cats/kittens to find another place to go to the toilet that is less offensive to their sensitive noses. Some cats/kittens are sensitive to dyes/perfumes and chemical cleaning agents similar to chemically sensitive people.

It's very important to ensure that you have the appropriate number of litter pans for the number of cats/kittens in your home. Litter boxes should be located in quiet, private areas of your home and filled with an unscented clumping kitty litter (there are many varieties and materials that clumping litter can be found in, choose the one that your cats like best) and cleaned a minimum of once a day to prevent unpleasant odors or house soiling related to improper maintenance of the litter boxes. It's important to consider the young age of your new kittens. At 6 weeks or so of age kittens are somewhat like toddlers or preschoolers, playtime, exploration and other distractions can cause a kitten to have accidents outside of the litter pan just because they have forgotten that they need to use the toilet and sometimes by the time that they remember it ends up being too late to make it to the litter box. It is because of this that I often recommend that young kittens be provided with one litter box per kitten per floor of the house. You can find disposable litter trays at many pet supply stores so that you can throw about half of the litter boxes away when your kittens are older and they have developed routines and favorite litter boxes. It's a good idea to monitor which boxes the little ones are using so that you can discard any unused litter pans. It's okay to take the kittens around to show them the new litter boxes. There are a number of different designs/types of litter boxes on the market that you can try just in case your little one is uncomfortable with specific types or designs of litter boxes. Bear in mind the kittens must be easily able to get into and out any litter boxes in your home on their own or they won't use them. Buying only kitten sized litter boxes can be a bit of a waste because the little ones will be able to use adult sized litter boxes on their own fairly quickly. I have used portions of last year's phone book to create kitten friendly steps to help the babies get into and out of their litter box. I don't know if your family schedules allow anyone to be home for a good amount of the day, if so your kittens can easily be trained to use the litter pan regularly. All that you need to do is watch the behavior patterns of your kittens, if you notice either kitten scratching, smelling or squatting outside of the litter pan gently pick the offending kitten up and place her in the nearest litter box. It can sometimes take a few tries to get a kitten to reliably use the litter box. If you're patient, gentle and persistent your kittens will soon learn that the litter box is the only place that it's appropriate to use the toilet in. Don't slap her or rub her nose/face or any other body part in the accidents, neither of these methods are effective and using techniques like that to potty train a cat or kitten accomplishes nothing beyond instilling fear in your kitten and besides, rubbing an animal's face in urine or feces is just disgusting and humiliating. You can try synthetic pheromone plug ins (we can't smell them, but the cats can). If an area is marked with or smells like pheromones the kitten won't find a need to use urine or feces to mark that area. You can also try having both of the kittens thoroughly examined by a holistic vet, this is a qualified veterinarian who is trained in "conventional" medicine and alternative therapies like homeopathy, massage or acupuncture. Sometimes a treatment plan that focuses on the whole animal is helpful in eliminating behavioral issues like inappropriate elimination.

Your kitten may be anxious about her new home and the loss of her mom and other siblings, particularly if she was still nursing on mom during the night or when her previous owners were away from home. If you want you can try a homeopathic remedy that has worked in a number of different situations for cats that I have cared for. Bach's Rescue Remedy is a blend of flower essences that is designed to calm and reassure, you can usually find this remedy in health food/natural health stores. Rescue Remedy is very safe and is used by some vets and pet guardians worldwide. I would recommend that you try a dose of about 5 drops per day in fresh, clean drinking water. If anxiety or stress are at least part of the reason for the accidents outside of the litter pan you should see a fairly rapid improvement in the number of accidents/house soiling throughout your home.

You may also wish to speak with your vet about the possibility of a referral to an animal behaviorist, although I don't think this will be necessary given the age of the kitten and the fact that simple potty training, a change of litter or a few extra litter boxes around the house may be all that's required to solve this problem. Your vet can also offer effective treatment options including medication. I highly recommend that you ask questions about risks and possible side effects of these powerful psychotropic drugs because many drugs that are commonly prescribed to treat anxiety or as part of a behavioral program to end house soiling are actually small doses of human anti-depressant/anti-anxiety drugs. These drugs aren't without risk and/or side effects so the decision to use psychotropic drugs needs to be weighed very carefully. Don't be afraid to ask your vet questions. If you aren't completely comfortable with your vet it's important to shop around. There are a number of great vets out there that treat pet guardians and their pets with respect and dignity. If you aren't able to address a simple thing like your kittens making puddles outside of the litter box it's certainly not a good situation. The care that the little ones received after coming home with you was routine, you need to know that you will be completely comfortable with your vet and the support staff in case one or both of your kittens becomes seriously ill or suffers accidental injuries.