Why won't my kitten use the toilet training seat and keeps having accidents?

I recommend you get her an extra tray - many cats will not reuse a tray once it is wet/dirty. Placing the new tray in the bathroom (or tub) until she accepts it or closing the bathroom door to prevent access should help to create new toilet habits which are more acceptable!

I am sorry to hear about your frustrations with your kitties! It could definitely be the change in litterboxes. Many cats are finicky about their bathroom behavior and changes may upset them. I would consider taking the top off the new box temporarily until they become used to it, and once they are using it regularly you can add the top. Some cats may never be comfortable with a covered litterbox, but hopefully with time they will become used to it. Also be sure you haven't changed the litter type at the same time as changes in litter type can also upset them. You can also try taking some soiled litter from a used litterbox to provide some scent that may encourage them to use the new box.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is a hard one. You have tried a lot. Mentally challenged cats use the box, so I don't think we can blame that. I think this is a behavioral problem or preference to this particular kitten. I would crate him 100% of the time with minimal bedding (1 think towel to lay on), his food/water and a box. He should stay in there until you find a substrate he will go on IN the litter box: astro turf, piece of carpet, empty box, newspaper, etc. I wouldn't allow him to go all over your house. Put his urine and poop in the box with him. Show him how to dig around in the box and cover it up. He should be confined until he has used the box for 2 weeks then can be let out under supervision only. Once you see him use the box consistently can he be out with out supervision. All soiled areas must be cleaned with an enzymatic pet cleaner and if you can block access to as many rooms as possible that would prevent him from wandering off privately. I really wish you the best, this is not going to be easy.

It can be stressful for cats to move into a new home. There are a few simple things you can do to help them litter train in your house. First, have at least 1 litter box per cat plus one; therefore, if you just have the two kittens, I would recommend 3 litter boxes. Second, make sure the litter box is large. The kittens will keep growing, and if it becomes too small, they won't use it. Third, some cats don't like covered litter boxes and some like them. You can try to boxes covered and uncovered, and see what they like best. I would recommend using the same litter that was used at their old home because they are used to the smell and texture. Make sure their litter boxes aren't close to their food and water, cats don't like to use the bathroom near their food source. While you are litter training them in your house, don't let them have free rein of the house when you are gone. Place them in a small room with their litter boxes while you are away from the house, and provide them with water and a place to sleep at the opposite end of the room from the boxes. Make sure you clean the litter box daily. If they continue to have problems going to the bathroom outside the litter box, it may be a health issue, and I'd recommend bringing them into your vet for a health check.

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.

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.

I had this exact same thing happen to me when my kitten was young. He would get so busy playing that he would "forget" to pee and when he finally couldn't hold it anymore, he would have to run to the litterbox. I found that I would have to take my kitten to the litter box every couple of hours just to "remind" him to use it for a few weeks until he got older. I suspect it is just immaturity, but certainly if it continues to happen as he gets older, have your vet evalate a urine sample to make sure there isn't something medical going on. The other thing would be to make sure that Merlin has a litterbox readily available since upstairs can sometimes be too far for a kitten. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.