My first kitten is about 40% litter box trained. I NEED HELP

[iRussell21]

I have had my kitten for two weeks now, he's just over eight weeks old. I live in an apartment with roommates so for the first week I kept him only in my room to help acclimate him to his new home. He knew how to use his litter box the moment I filled it up for the first time, but he's still pooped on the floor in my room three times in two weeks- always in the same spot, about four inches from the edge of his litter box. Does anyone have advice to keep him from excreting right beside the litter box?
**Now for my main question**, this week I have been allowing him to explore the living room and he loves it. Unfortunately, he refuses to walk all the way to my room to use the litter box and instead finds a corner in the living room to do his business. How can I make him realize he needs to walk into my room to use his litter box and this current method is not okay? One of my roommates has a two year old cat who behaves perfectly and has never pooped on the floor and I'm worried my roommates may grow impatient because my kittens feces smells atrocious.

Thank you all.

[Janey]

Hello and welcome. Although cats are clean animals and like their trays clean, kittens may not have been taught properly from their mum, especially if they left their mum early, and the kitten can be confused also stressed in a new home. For starters, if you've not already tried this I would put the poo back into the tray and pop the kitten in so that he will understand that's where he should go, otherwise he doesn't think he has done wrong, you need to show him. There's is a similar thread lower down where a member is having similar problems with her new kitten, here:

http://www.catchat.org/felineforum/view ... =13&t=1728" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

best of luck, I'm sure you will sort this.

[meriad]

welcome. To be honest your kitten, if 8 weeks old now and you've already had him for 2 weeks that means he was 6 weeks old when taken away from his mum - far far far to young. 8 weeks is barely OK; ideal would have been 12 weeks old.

The little one just hasn't learned how to do all the things he needs to do; and he definitely is still too small to realise that "oh hang on I need to pee, let me find a litter box" his brain won't compute the need to pee in time for him to get there. What you'll need to do is have a few more litter trays around the house so they're close enough for him to get there. Cats by nature are clean animals and he definitely isn't doing this deliberately. He just is far to young.

Also make sure that the litter boxes you have are fairly shallow ones that are easy enough for him to get into. And if he does have an accident; whatever you and your flatmates do - DO NOT scold him or punish him; as said he's a baby that needs help learning and the only way to do that is with lots of patience and love. If he has an accident and you catch him in the act, pick him up and put him in his litter tray - hopefully it won't be much longer before he's big enough to 'hold' on long enough to make it to the the litter box.

[iRussell21]

I assure you I didn't take him from his mom- he was a rescue kitten from my hometown pound. I have put some small shoebox litter boxes in the two corners that he likes to go to the bathroom, hopefully that helps! And my roommates have been very patient with him- he will come along eventually. Thanks for your input!

[meriad]

wow, a rescue that rehomed at 6 weeks; poor little thing but at least he found a loving home which is more than many will have I suspect.

could you - just until he learns bladder and bowel control - put a litter box into the lounge as well?

Best of luck - as said; with patience and lots of tlc he'll get there. And it's good that there is another cat in the household that will teach him the tricks of the trade

Keep us updated

[meriad]

Oh and make sure you have him neutered when you can. And please - I gather from your comment that you got him from a pound that you're in the US and not UK based.... whatever you do DO NOT, and I really mean DO NOT have him declawed. I know it's still done in the US but it's an incredibly cruel and barbaric thing to do

thanks!

[iRussell21]

I actually just started using another shoebox with litter that I can put in the corner of the living room that he likes to squat in when's he's free to run around the house. The rescue place told me to bring him back at six months to have him neutered- they are paying for it. I would never have the poor guy declawed.