My cat won't use his new pellet litter box. How can I help?

I love that you have already switched to the unscented litter as that can be a big problem for many cats. Putting the litter box in the shower is a great idea. I would also make sure to clean up the spots he went outside the litterbox using an enzymatic pet stain cleaner to ensure he does not keep smelling urine/feces there and think that it is akin to a litterbox. Other things, like cleaning the litter box often, having multiple litterboxes which are different types of boxes, and trying different types of litter (such as fine-grain litter) may also help you figure out what type of litter Mittens likes. While it certainly sounds like Mittens is having trouble getting used to his new litterbox, it is important to remember that internal diseases (like organ, hormonal, or orthopedic diseases, among other possible causes) can cause Mittens to have a hard time making it into the litterbox so it is important to take Mittens to your vet for evaluation to make sure we are not missing something else that is making it hard for Mittens to make it to the litterbox. I have attached a link to an article with more great suggestions below. Good luck! https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-train-your-cat-to-use-a-litter-box/

Well, he now knows where his litter box is and he knows what it is for. He will likely use it when he has to go. He may not have to pee or poop yet. I often change litter boxes for my cats and they have never had a problem accepting them (I have 5 cats). If you want to, you can take a bit of poop from where you just cleaned out the old box and put it into his new box. Don't panic, he will figure it out.

Congratulations on your new addition! Unfortunately, going into an enclosed space is not "normal" for a kitten, so it may take some time for him to start using the litter robot. I have a few suggestions for you. First, the "correct" number of litter boxes is the number of cats plus one, so I would add another regular litter box (if Harry is your only cat). I would not recommend that the box be covered or lined and that it is cleaned daily. You may also want to try products like Cat Attract Litter (https://www.drelseys.com/shop/cat-attract/). I am attaching a handout below that discusses inappropriate urination in cats in case it gives you more ideas. https://www.vin.com/veterinarypartner/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951508 If you think Harry is stressed with his new home, you could also look at adding a Feliway Diffuser ( https://www.feliway.com ) to your house. This is a calming pheromone that will work for a month. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hello, and congratulations on your kitten! My understanding of Cat Attract litter is you should not need to add any additional dirt or litter. You can definitely try putting her poop in there, so that she can learn where it is supposed to go. I would also make sure that the litter box is in a quiet area of the house, scoop it out daily, and try to add a second litter box in another area of the house (if there is space). You can also try out a different litter type for the other litter box, in case she really doesn't like the clay-based Cat Attract litter. I would also look into a product called Feliway, which you can place in the main room (where you do not want her to pee). It is a natural feline pheromone designed to mimic the natural marking glands of a cat, thereby reducing their desire to pee/mark their territory in other areas of the house. I'd also make sure to wash any pee'd on areas with an enzymatic cleaner to erase any urine smells which would make her want to go back and pee there again. I hope this helps! This is an exciting but challenging time. I hope Scruff eventually adjusts to the indoor life!

He may not like the type of litter you are using. In all the studies done on cats they have found that most prefer plain old sand as opposed to any type of cat litter. My suggestion would be to put a few boxes out in various locations in the house and put a different type/style of litter in each one to see which one he likes best. Remember that most cats don't like to use the box if it is in a noisy, high-traffic area so put at least one box somewhere quiet. Being that he is so young/small still the sides of the box may be too high for him to comfortably get in/out of the box so try to find some with lower sides or make one with lower sides yourself. You can use shallow foil baking pans, tupperware containers, etc. Finally, you can make one box covered. Some cats preferred a covered box. Cats are usually very easy to litter train so if none of the above works then you should get him to your vet for an exam. He may have a urinary tract infection or some other issue that is making him not want to use the box. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I'm so sorry that you're dealing with this with scruff. I would consider Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter (https://www.drelseys.com/shop/cat-attract/) or additive (https://www.drelseys.com/shop/ultra-litter-attractant/). I would also consider covering part of a litterbox in sand or dirt to attract Scruff if she is used to going outside. Some cats hate covered litter boxes and some love them. I would try to use the hints of where Scruff is going to try to replicate those conditions in the litterbox. If she is going in the bath tub or on a tile floor, then leave half of the litter box empty for her go on a hard surface. If she likes soft surfaces, then try shredded paper or a soft paper litter. I would also consider something like Yesterdays News because kittens often like to dig in it (https://www.yesterdaysnews.com/Products/CatLitter.aspx). Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is often solved by trying a different cat litter and adding another litter box in the household. I think trying this would likely help you very much. He is also absolutely adorable! Good luck!