If you’re a cat owner, then no doubt you have a litter box for your kitty. Unfortunately, some cats do need encouragement to use the litter box, and some owners end up wondering why they are not doing so.

First and foremost, if you’re having problems with your cat peeing outside the litter box; take your cat to the vet to have them examined to make certain that it’s not a medical condition causing the problem. If your cat checks out okay, then let’s take a look at some ways to encourage kitty to use the litter box:

Location, location, location…the first thing you’ll need to consider is the location of the litter box. Cats like their privacy, so if you have a basement or laundry room that is quiet, this can be an ideal place; it’s private and will keep odors away from the living areas of your home. If you don’t have a basement, laundry room or a suitable closet, try putting the litter tray under a table, preferably in a tiled or non-carpeted room for easy cleaning.

If you have more than one cat, make sure to give each cat their own litter box. It is recommended that you have one litter box per cat, with one additional. For example, if you have two cats, I would suggest having three litter boxes.

If your cat was using the litter box, but suddenly stopped, it may be a change you’ve made in the environment to cause the problem. For example, have you recently moved the box to a less private, higher traffic area?  Or perhaps the box needs cleaning more regularly, or you’ve changed to a different brand of kitty litter which is highly scented?

Other possible causes could be that your cat has simply outgrown their litter box and a bigger one is needed, or perhaps the litter isn’t deep enough for them to be able to dig and bury their business.

Cats are by nature very clean creatures, so make sure you keep their food area separate from their toilet area.  This is actually a good trick if your cat has started using a particular room that is off limits to do their business – either keep the door closed, or if that’s not practical, put their food in that room to discourage its use as a toilet.

Cats are creatures of habit, so any change in their environment or their routine can make them anxious until they adapt to the changes.  Always be patient if your cat is new to your family because it takes time for them to settle into their environment.  Likewise if you’ve recently moved, the cat has to get used to its new home all over again.  This can take anywhere from three weeks up to eight weeks to fully settle in.

A new home can be disturbing for your cat if they can smell that the previous owner had pets, especially if there is a lingering smell of the other cat’s urine. It goes without saying that you should never physically punish your cat for doing something you don’t like.  Rubbing your cat’s nose in the urine if they’ve peed where you didn’t want them to will not make them use the litter tray because the smell isn’t pungent to them like it is to humans.  Additionally, they won’t understand why you are punishing them – they will only know that you’ve hurt them and this can only make matters worse.

In conclusion, if your cat is peeing outside the litter box, always remember to be patient with your cat while you try the tips suggested above and you should soon have a well trained cat using their litter box as second nature.

Learn More on How to Stop Your Cat From Peeing Outside the Litter Box

Learn More on How to Stop Your Cat From Peeing Outside the Litter Box

So, you read somewhere that introducing a new kitten into your home could be great for your current cat for companionship. And you remembered how much fun your cat was when she was a kitten, and you might love to re-live those glory days.

It’s generally thought that cats thrive better with the company of one more feline, particularly cats limited indoors. However, before you rush off to your local cat shelter or breeder, here are a few suggestions to make bringing home a new kitten as relaxed as possible.

Choose a time when your home is not too active and you have the time and energy to dedicate to your brand new kitty and your existing pet, avoid holidays, for example, or some other occasions when family and friends tend to visit.

Before bringing home the new kitten, take her to your animal medical practitioner to get her examined in addition to vaccinated, kittens possess fragile immune systems and are generally more likely to pick up something at the shelter or perhaps cattery. Consider adopting a kitty of the opposite gender to your current cat, this will steer clear of same sex competition and also associated issues. For several reasons all your felines should be spayed/neutered.

If possible arrange to bathe your new cat at a friend’s house before you bring it home, this will neutralize kitty’s odor, and go along way in preventing further disturbance with your current cat.

A shorter isolation period is important when presenting a completely new cat. It would be ideal to have a separate room for the brand new kitten; your new kitty will need her own litter box, water and food bowl. A few cats will hide out beneath furniture for a few days, much more adventurous ones will be eager to investigate their new house almost straightaway. Don’t try and pressure your new kitten to leave the area, you’ll know when she is ready.

Give your new kitty time to explore your house while your older cat is in another area. Help make the introduction, slowly, bit by bit, it’s an excellent idea to allow your current cat the opportunity to smell your new kitten’s blanket a couple of times before they actually meet. Help make the preliminary periods of contact short. Progressively increase the time they invest together as they get used to one another. It’s not uncommon for them to end up having a couple of quarrels in these first meetings, therefore do not let them be together unsupervised for long periods until they get along. If a fight should break out, distract the combatants and get them directly into individual rooms as soon as possible, never punish either cat.

The process of introducing a new kitten to an older cat can be relatively relaxed and need not be full of problems. The bottom line is making the introduction slowly, and perhaps the best idea would be to give your more mature cat just as much attention as well as affection as you give the newcomer.

Before long you will have two feline friends that enjoy each others company.

At the end of a long day, who wants to sift through a messy cat litter box? Certainly not me. Until recently, the litter-box has really been a necessary evil, a small price to pay for our beloved companions. However not any longer. Actually, there’s an underground alternative made for those of us who’re ready to stop the litter habit: toilet training for your cat.

Sounds difficult, right? Not at all. Even though it’s not even close to mainstream, cat toilet training is gaining momentum with cat owners across the nation who are beginning to accept the trend. But before you toss that pesky cat litter box in the trash, there’s a few ways to determing if your cat is ready to take the leap to a litter-free way of life. Think Fluffy has exactly what it takes? Read on.

1. Your cat is already litter-box trained.

Alright, I know what you’re thinking: “Obviously my cat knows how to use the litter-box.” However the inescapable fact is, cats that already know how to use the litter-box can end up being reconditioned to use the toilet instead. That’s because cat toilet training uses your cat’s natural instincts to bury their waste to cover the smell from predators. Throughout the training process your own cat will discover how to put its waste in water rather than litter. Once your cat makes this changeover toilet training becomes a breeze and - voila! Your kitty is potty trained!

2. Your cat is desperate to make you happy.

Does your cat love making you happy? Whether he leaves the occasional “gift” on your doorstep or even offers a warm nuzzle while you are reading, felines who are eager to please tend to be the purr-fect candidates for toilet training. Soon after he discovers that using the toilet pleases you, he will end up being very happy to oblige!

3. You have trained your cat to perform something previously.

Does your kitty come when you give them a call? Believe it or not, simple actions like giving an answer to a voice command can help lay the groundwork for the potty training process. After all, in the event your cat already understands how to “follow the leader”, toilet training may be a piece of cake.

4. Your cat is healthy.

This one might seem like a no-brainer, however healthy and balanced cats have a much easier time leaping up onto their new throne. Ailments like arthritis or even urinary tract infections may have an effect on their capability to learn how to make use of the toilet, therefore sick kitties need to stick to the litter box.

5. You understand your cat.

Can you tell when your cat is having a rough day? If you are like a lot of pet owners, you’re probably in tune with your cat’s feelings. This distinctive bond works as a positive force during the toilet training process. Exactly how? Cats will use body gestures to tell you if they are confident with a specific training step. Whenever you pick up on these signals, both of you can work together to attain a peaceful training pace. You’ll both really feel satisfied whenever you work as a team!