What to do if my 4-month-old foster kitten won't use the litter box?

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!

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/

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.

I would be interested to know whether or not Sophia is even going near the box at all, or just eliminating anywhere she feels like it. It sounds like you may need to try and isolate her from the other cat for a while and set up a litter box trial. My advise would be to keep Sophia in a bathroom or a small room for a couple of days. Set up two to three litter boxes in there. Each litter box should have some different qualities (different types of litter, cover vs uncovered, different amounts of litter etcetc). If you choose to use a bathroom, I would also remove anything in there that is soft or squishy that your kitty might feel like is a good place to eliminate. Two or three days will be sufficient in terms of time to see how she reacts to this. In terms of litter, there is a company called Catattract who gives a 100% guarantee or your money back concerning the effectiveness of their litter. This is something you may want to try eventually. The stuff isn't cheap but I have had some great luck with it so far. If you need a more detailed or in depth behavioral consultation, let me know and I'd love to help you out.

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.

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.

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!