My new 8-week-old kitten won't use the litter box. Should I worry?

It may take your new kitten time to get used to her new surroundings. Try keeping her in a smaller area, like a bathroom, with her littler box and food/water. Being in closer proximity to them may encourage her to eat and use the box. You may also want to try offering her canned kitten food, as opposed to kibble. This may encourage her to eat more. When she does eventually defecate, if it is outside of the box, place the stool inside the box to help her learn where to go. If these tips are not working and your kitten is still refusing to eat or drink, you may want to consider taking her in to the vet to be checked out. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Provide a litterbox or two for them. Use litterbox attractants to get them to investigate the box. If they go elsewhere, you can use a tissue to soak up the urine or pick up the stool and place them in the litterbox. Monitor the kittens for cues they are going to go. This can include circling, pacing, lifting the tail or sniffing about. Place them in the box immediately. Be patient and be consistent. Use an enzymatic cleaner such as Nature's Miracle to thoroughly clean soiled areas.

It can sometimes be overwhelming for kittens to go all the way downstairs to find their litter box, especially if the house is fairly large :) I would recommend providing an additional litter box for Jinx upstairs so that there is one available nearby if he has to go to the bathroom while he's up there. Another option would be to confine him to a single room with his food and water bowls and litter box for the next 1-2 weeks to make sure that he is using it every time, then gradually begin to give him more freedom in the house as long as he is not having accidents. Also make sure to thoroughly clean the spots where he has had accidents, ideally using an enzyme cleaner like Nature's Miracle or Urine Off, to make sure that the odor is completely gone - otherwise, it can act as a signpost drawing him back to the same places to use the bathroom in the future.

Mercury is so cute! Moving into a new house is stressful for a kitten, and it will take her time to adjust. She is getting some liquid from the soft food, and she may be drinking water at night when you are sleeping. I would take her into a vet in the morning to check out everything is ok health wise. I will put a link below on how to litterbox train a kitten. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/article/litter-box-training-for-your-kitten/

It is possible that the kittens just need a little bit more time to figure out the litter box. Three weeks is still quite young and they may not fully understand what the litter boxes for. I would recommend enclosing both kittens in a small area with one to two litter boxes that are cleaned daily. In most situations kittens will figure this out relatively quickly. There is also a litter additive called Cat Attract that may be helpful in enticing Laila to use the litter box for pooping. I would also ensure that Laila is able to get in and out of the litter box provided with minimal difficulty. Using a litter box with low sides may be beneficial. If this continues to be a problem I would recommend consulting with your veterinarian as she may have an underlying medical condition such as parasites exacerbating this issue.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Binx would have been fasted before surgery, so that may be why she hasn't used the litter box yet. It's very good she has eaten and is drinking, and I do expect she should use the litter box soon. If she hasn't in the next 24 hours, then I would be worried and have her seen by a vet. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Congrats on your new baby! Sometimes when animals come to a new house they are scared and need time to adjust. For a kitten, I recommend placing them in one room with the litter box, food and water. When they get used to that room then open the door and let them explore, but leave everything in that room. Then as they get used to their new house get the food, water and litter box where you want it. At 8 weeks old Ash should be eating kitten food. Try dry and canned and see if he has a preference. Sit with him and encourage him to eat. Place him in the litter box a few times. If he still isn't eating or using the box by 48 hours then I would recommend you have him evaluated. Hopefully he just needs a bit more time! Good luck!