TEACHING YOUR CAT TO USE A COVERED LITTER BOX

If you have just brought your new kitten home, one of the main things to teach her is that she needs to do her business, if you will, in the proper place. Discover the six steps you need to take to achieve this.

Being fussy about cleanliness, cats are very sensitive to bad smells and even find their own poo pretty disgusting. They often refuse to use a dirty litter box, so make sure it is always clean. There are open and closed litter boxes. While the latter may be less common, they are actually very handy, especially when the house is small and the box is indoors. Not only, but they ensure maximum hygiene and keep the odours from getting out.

Here’s how to teach your new kitten to use a closed litter box:

1. make sure the litter box is big, closed and practical to use. Cats need plenty of space in which to move around. While she’s still little, you can actually take the top off and show her the sand and thus direct her to the place where she will “do her business”;

2. place the kitten on the sand and let her get accustomed to the smell – and the idea of using it – for a few minutes;

3. make sure the box is easy to get to, but not in hallways or places where people are constantly passing by. Keep it far from the front door and from where noisy appliances are used. The same holds true for the food and water dishes. The best place for them all is either the bathroom or the balcony;

4. if Kitty tends to go to the bathroom where she shouldn’t, don’t yell at her. Simply scoop the poo up and put it in the litter box to show her where she should be doing it;

5. cats don’t like to use a dirty litter box so it’s really important to change the litter often, and wash out the container too! This way Kitty will be much more relaxed and happy. Ferplast’s Magix box toilette is ideal because it is simple to clean. When you need to clean the litter, just lift the perforated bottom upwards to sift the sand and eliminate the waste. This leaves behind a clean litter base to which you can then add new litter;

6. when your kitty has gotten accustomed to using an open litter box, you can try putting the cover back on. Aside from being nicer to look at, a covered litter box keeps the room free from odours and keeps the granules of litter in the box when she turns around and rakes the sand to cover her deposit. A little bit of patience can be very rewarding!