Expert: Becky - 5/14/2006

Question
Hi i got a six week old kitten on friday, since getting her she has had a wee 3 time all of which were on my bed. i have a litter tray for her and she spends most of the day playing in it but she just won't wee anywhere else apart from my bed. Do you have any idea why she is doing this and if so how can i get her to stop doing it on my bed and get her to do it in her litter tray

Answer
Hi Steph!
Your kitten is confused. She is really too young to be taken from her mother, she should have stayed with her til she was 8 wks old.  She may not have been taught how to use a litter box.  One of the problems you have, is that since she has used your bed, she can smell the urine there even if you have cleaned it.  She will continue to use your bed if she has access to it.  You need to clean the area on your bed with a mixture of vinegar and water, or use a good over the counter urine cleaner that you can get at a pet store.  Just because you can't smell the urine, does not mean that she can't.  These cleaners will rid the odor so she can't smell it.  After you clean it good, let it dry and cover your bed with a large piece of plastic such as an old shower curtain. (you can buy new ones cheap at the dollar store). Put some books or something heavy at the corners to keep her from getting underneath, or better yet, close your bedroom door and don't let her in.  This is all temporary until she learns to use her litterbox.

I have copied instructions to you that I give out on a regular basis to people like you who have a cat that no longer uses a litter box.  It does not all pertain to your case, but I think it will help you.  Just take what you need from it and use it.   Please see below.

God Bless and Good luck!
Becky


RE-TRAINING YOUR CAT TO USE A LITTER BOX

It takes time and patience but cats can be re-trained to use a litter box.   If you will follow these instructions, you should have good results.  

1.   You must remove the urine from the area that your cat has been urinating.  If it is carpet, rent a good steam cleaner, buy some good pet odor shampoo and clean the carpet really good.  You can also add white vinegar to the shampoo.  Vinegar is a natural deodorizer and it will help to remove the urine stain so that the cat cannot smell it.  Sometimes you can't smell the urine, but the cat can, so it's very important to use these products when cleaning your carpet or bare floor.  You can get white vinegar at any grocery store and it's cheap.  
2.    After you clean the carpet and it dries completely, put aluminum foil over the area or areas where your cat used to “go”.    Cats hate to walk on it, and will avoid the area.  This will help train your cat not to keep going back to the same place over and over again.  Mistakes happen, and if your kitty does “go” on the carpet or somewhere outside of the box, clean well with the shampoo/vinegar mixture.
3.   This part is the hardest part.  Until your cat is completely re-trained, keep him/her in a small bedroom or bathroom when you are not home.  Put a litter box in there with food and water. This will pretty much force your cat to use the litter box when you are not at home.   When you are home, watch him/her closely.   If you can tell that there is about to be an “accident”, scoop the cat up and take him/her to the litter box.   Please do not hit or spank your cat.  That does NOT work with cats.  It will only scare the cat and you will never get them trained.  
4.   Be sure to lavishly praise your cat when he/she does use the litter box!

If you follow these instructions, you should have good results.  I have had many people tell me that it worked for them and I have a very good friend who did this with great results.  Your kitty should be doing fine in about a week.   Good luck!!