How to tame an adult cat to the tray. Why does the cat walk past the tray? How to potty train an Angora, Thai, street cat folk remedies

12.10.2019

Question: how to accustom a kitten to a tray is asked by every person who at least once in his life started this fluffy creature at home. This question is most relevant for those who are faced with the problem for the first time.
As a rule, kittens are taken at a time when they have already formed the habit of going to the tray.

However, if a homeless little kitten is found on the street or simply brought into an apartment at an early age, he may not yet know what a litter box is and how to use it.

At what age to start?

The cat is trying to get used to the tray)

The question of how many months to accustom a kitten to a tray has been studied for a long time. After the research, it was found that each animal has a time period at the beginning of life, when the acquired experience is absorbed very easily and for a long time. This period is called critical.

Does your kitten have a litter box?

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The ideal period to properly teach a kitten to poop in a tray is from the second to the seventh week inclusive.

At this time, the character begins to form in cats, they best remember everything that happens to them, and acquire the necessary skills. Therefore, this is the most favorable period for teaching a kitten to use the tray.

Choice of location and tray

Where to install?

It is better to put a cat toilet next to a human one.

The tray should be located in a place where it will not interfere with anyone, and where no one will interfere even with a one-month-old kitten. If in the first days of its appearance the kitten considers any corner he likes to be his tray, you should not be very angry with him. In this situation, it is better to observe him and remember where he does it most often. This means that your pet has chosen a suitable place for his toilet, and you just need to put the tray there.

If the place chosen by the kitten does not meet your preferences, then after cleaning it, you can put bowls there, filling them with food, milk or water. By doing this, you will wean the kitten from going to the toilet in this place, since cats are very clean by nature and never go to the toilet where there is food.

Closed type: pros and cons

A closed tray is a box that may have a door. There are also closed trays without doors. In such trays, as a rule, there is a special part where the filler is poured. Outwardly, they can radically differ in shape and size - they look like a house, furniture, and so on.

The absence of unpleasant odors should be attributed to a significant advantage of closed trays. The charcoal filters inside these cat litter boxes eliminate any unpleasant odors. Due to the triangular or rectangular shape, such a tray can be conveniently placed in any part of the house or apartment, including in any suitable corner. In addition to the functional advantages, closed type trays also have a pleasant appearance that will advantageously decorate any part of your home.

However, they are more expensive and are not always convenient for cats due to the presence of a door or a small view. Some cats simply ignore this type of toilet.

Open type: pros and cons

An open type tray can be any waterproof box with a special filler. Such a container can be bought at any pet store or made by yourself. The advantage of this type of tray for forgetful owners is its open top, which constantly reminds you that it needs to be cleaned.

However, an unpleasant odor from such a container will spread much more efficiently than from a closed one. Also, an open litter box can be more comfortable for the cat, as it allows you to see the environment and not worry about possible danger. When choosing an open tray, you need to remember the height of the sides. They should be such that the cat does not scatter the filler on the floor during digging.

Fillers

A sufficiently large number of materials can be used as filler for the tray. Previously, torn newspaper or sand were the main means. However, now the choice of fillers is quite wide. Among the most popular are the following.

One of the most inexpensive is wood filler. Its basis is sawdust, which is formed into granules under high pressure. This filler is environmentally friendly, allows you to get rid of unpleasant odors. It must be changed at least once a week. Otherwise, the swollen granules will crumble into sawdust, and the pet will take them all over the apartment.

Another type of modern filler is clumping, which contains clay. Cats like this litter because of its crumbly texture, but it should not be used for kittens, as they can swallow it.

Special funds

In order to accustom kittens to the toilet in the right place and teach them not to walk in unnecessary ones, there are special tools. It is a known fact that cats do not like the smell of citrus fruits. Putting a few orange or tangerine peels in places that the kitten likes, the result will not be long in coming, and soon the kitten will bypass the place with a peel side.

Try orange or lemon peels

Unlike orange scent, lavender scent attracts felines. In this regard, a few drops left near the tray will help the kitten get used to going to the toilet in the place you need more quickly.

There are also special sprays and aerosols that perform the above functions and greatly simplify the life of the owner of a small kitten. You can buy such drugs at any veterinary pharmacy.

Cat litter size

When choosing a cat litter box, it is important to determine the correct size. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the size of the cat itself. For example, it is large enough on its own, so the tray for it should also be of the appropriate size. The main criterion is freedom, the cat should not feel constrained while in the tray. Especially if the tray is closed, the cat should be able to turn around.

But you shouldn't forget about yourself either. The size of the apartment and the free space in it is also worth considering so that both the pet and its owner are comfortable.

Step-by-step instruction for accustoming in an apartment

You can teach a kitten of any breed to the tray, and British, and Scottish, and lop-eared, and Siamese, and Persian, and even the Sphynx. Age is also not a hindrance. You can train a 1 month old, 2,3,4 and even 5 month old kitten without any problems. You need to act as follows.

First of all, it is necessary to prohibit a kitten that is 1,2,3 or 4 months old from moving around the house, allocating a certain territory for it, where it will be easier for him to remember the situation. Moreover, this should be a place where you are often in order to respond in time to his behavior.
Next, you should place the kitten in the tray so that he carefully sniffs everything and remembers.
At the end of the kitten's meal, it must again be taken to the tray and its paws should be made several raking movements, showing how to act.
If you see that your pet is preparing to go to the toilet in another place, raking the floor with its paws and sitting on it, it should be picked up and put on the tray. You can then pet him as a compliment.
Praise the kitten for every timely trip to the tray.

If he's street

Street pets are easy to train.

There is an opinion that it takes a long time to accustom street cats to a tray, and sometimes it is not realistic at all. However, if you try, you can achieve the impossible. In fact, everything is much simpler. Most often, a street kitten simply does not like the tray itself or its filler, so he does not want to go there. In this case, a change, possibly repeated, may solve the problem.

On the street, a cat gets used to going to the toilet in the ground or sand, so it is better to select a filler that is similar in structure to them. In addition, we must not forget about the tips described above. You must monitor and train the cat on a daily basis in the correct behavior.

How to accustom to a human toilet?

It won't be easy at first.)

You can teach a kitten to use the toilet in an apartment at any age. Each kitten has its own characteristics and character, so the duration of training may vary. But usually this procedure does not require more than a month and a half.
The training system is to install the tray near the toilet and gradually, once every few days, raise it to the level of the toilet. Thus, the cat will get used to its unusual height and will remember this place.

You don't need to level up too often in the beginning. The kitten needs to get used to the new location of the tray. Only after he remembers its location, you can raise the tray a little higher for the first time. To facilitate memorization, special sprays are also used. Scolding a kitten for misbehavior is prohibited. You can and should only praise for the right deeds.

Next, you should raise the tray daily to a height of about five centimeters. However, you need to take into account the characteristics of your cat, and it is possible to do this less often. It is advisable to keep the toilet lid open so that the cat has an interest and addiction to this object.

The pet needs to feel safe

Having raised the tray to the required height as a result, you can begin to accustom the cat directly to the toilet. To do this, you can put a filler from the tray, which has the smell of a cat, under the toilet rim. Also, as an attraction, you can spray special aerosols on the toilet, and ideally put the tray in the toilet. All these actions may seem rather inconvenient, but the results will show that it was not in vain.

After the cat understands what they want from it, you should hold the tray on the toilet for a few more days, for better memorization, after which it can be removed. Having taught a cat to go to the toilet, we must not forget about some rules:

the toilet door does not need to be closed so that the cat always has access to the toilet;
the toilet lid must also be open;
in order to protect yourself from bacteria and germs, the seat must be periodically treated with special means.

If the cat (cat) is already an adult

You can often hear that adult cats are not trainable, and it is quite problematic to accustom them to the tray. There is a deal of truth in it. But, as a rule, the misbehavior of a cat has reasons, understanding which can solve the problem.

Cats can mark corners in case of anxiety caused by the mating season or an unpleasant smell for him. Also, cats can shit in the wrong places in case of certain diseases. Therefore, if you are faced with such a problem, then first of all you should take the cat for examination to the veterinarian. If no pathologies are found, you need to thoroughly wash the floors, eliminate all suspicious odors.

In the process of teaching an adult cat to go to the tray, all indoor plants should be covered with gravel on top, and, if possible, cover the edges of the pots with duct tape. Then your flowers and bushes will be safe, and instinct will not force the cat to go out of need in them.

When training cats, and especially kittens, you also need to know what not to do. For example, you should never scold a kitten and expose him to physical violence. Cats are very vindictive animals and can avenge such actions in the most unexpected way. You also need to remember about cat intolerance to citrus smells. Therefore, you do not need to buy fillers with such smells and use detergents with the smell of orange or lemon next to cats.

After reading this article, one could be convinced that it is possible to accustom a kitten and even an adult cat to a tray or a toilet in an apartment quickly and easily. The process of learning in private homes is no different from the above. Now you know how to accustom a kitten to a tray in an apartment, and you can easily apply this knowledge to your pet.

To teach a kitten to go to the toilet to the right place is quite simple, which cannot be said about an animal with a formed character and habits. If you take an already adult cat into the house, for example, from the street, serious difficulties can arise with accustoming to the tray, because the beast simply does not understand why he suddenly has to do his business in some incomprehensible trough.

It is still possible to teach an adult cat to go to the toilet in the right place. However, to achieve the desired result, you will have to make some efforts, be patient and follow the recommendations given by veterinarians and experienced cat owners exactly.

Location selection

An important role in accustoming a cat to a tray is played by the place on which it stands. The cat will not go to the toilet anywhere. For this business, she needs a secluded corner where she can remain completely alone, hidden from prying eyes. Therefore, the place should be chosen quiet, ideally - slightly shaded. Such rooms as a bathroom or a heated loggia are perfect for him. Can be used for these purposes and pantry. It is important that the animal can easily get to its toilet at any time.

Absolutely not suitable for installing a kitchen tray and a corridor. This is due to hygiene, and the fact that it is very difficult to find a suitable quiet place in these rooms. Yes, and to do their business where one of the people often happens, the cat may also not like it.

Tray selection

The cat litter itself is of great importance, since the pet will never go to the tray, which is inconvenient for him. The length and width of the tray should be such that the cat fits in it entirely, and there is still a little space left on each side. The latter is due to the habit of felines to bury their waste, for which they need some space.

The height of the sides of the toilet should not be less than ten centimeters. Better - more. So the cat will feel more protected, hidden from strangers. And in the process of instillation, filler and excrement will not fly out of the tray, which will make life easier for the owners of the animal.

In addition to standard trough-shaped toilets, there are also tray-houses. This is a rectangular box, closed on all sides, with a door for the passage of the animal. These are more expensive than usual, but they are more convenient for both the cat and its owner. Such a tray gives the beast the same sense of security and intimacy, and the person - cleanliness in the house, since nothing will spill out of this toilet. Also, houses are usually equipped with special carbon filters that prevent odors from the inside from penetrating outside. Therefore, such a tray can be placed in the corridor, and even in the living room.

Potty training a cat

The very process of accustoming an animal to going to the toilet in the right place consists mainly in showing the cat this very place and explaining what it is for. To this end, you need to carefully monitor the animal. When he wants to do things (usually this happens after a short period of time after eating), he will become restless, will look for a place, sit in corners, rake the floor with his paws. Once this behavior is noticed, you can proceed in one of two ways:

1. Take a cat, take it to the tray and put it in it. Most likely, she will do her business there. If this does not happen, the animal jumps out of the toilet and tries to escape, it is necessary to catch it and put it back in the tray until the desired result is obtained.
2. Bring the tray itself to the place chosen by the cat and put it there. In this case, having started doing her business, she will finish them already in the toilet. After that, you do not need to remove it and change the filler, so that the next time the animal detects it by smell. If the next time the cat still sits in the wrong place, you should take it to the tray. Having smelled a familiar smell, the animal goes to the toilet where it is supposed to.

Most often, it is enough for a cat to do things in the tray once in order to continue to go there without a miss. But if this does not happen, you must first put the toilet in the place that the animal has chosen for its affairs. Then you need to gradually, a few centimeters every day, move the tray to where it should end up. This process will take quite a long time, but the cat will not even understand that the toilet has been moved, and will regularly go to it.

It is not true that it is more difficult to accustom a male to a tray than a female. If the cat is not neutered, he can leave odor marks all over the apartment. But cats are more capricious and finicky creatures, and if the pet doesn’t like at least something in the toilet, she will never go to it.

If the cat goes to the toilet in the wrong place in the absence of the owners, the puddle should be blotted with a napkin, which then put in the tray. Transfer excrement there. So that the animal no longer uses the chosen place for its business, it can be treated with ammonia, bleach, vinegar essence or citrus aroma oil. A strong unpleasant smell will scare away the cat and make him avoid this area of \u200b\u200bthe apartment. And such tools will destroy harmful microorganisms that can be dangerous to people.

In no case should you scold a cat, poke her nose into her own waste products. The animal will only get angry at such actions and will start going to the toilet in the corners out of revenge. Instead, you need to quietly, but persistently and strictly pronounce any forbidding word (“No”, “Fu”), and then take the cat to the tray, showing him where to do things.

If the cat stopped going to the right place

If a domestic cat, which used to regularly visit the tray, began to go to the toilet past him, the reasons may be as follows:

health problems (especially if it is a castrated male);
the animal does not like the tray or the place where it is located;
the cat is not satisfied with the filler;
the tray is not cleaned often enough.

Based on this, you must first take the pet to the veterinarian. If he is healthy, you should pay attention to other reasons. The most likely one is a too heavily polluted toilet. So - you need to try to clean it more often. Cats are clean animals, and at the slightest pollution they may refuse to go to the tray. Therefore, excrement and the top layer of the filler (or its lumps) must be removed as they appear, and once every two weeks, the contents of the toilet must be completely changed and washed.

To accustom a cat to a tray, you need to make sure that it is convenient for her, and is located in a secluded enough place. The toilet should be moved to the place that the animal has chosen for its affairs, if this does not cause any particular inconvenience to the owner. It is also worth experimenting with the filler - very often pets do not like it. You can try to start using a different type, as well as pay attention to other manufacturing companies.

if possible, each of them needs to purchase a separate tray;
when a new one appears in the house where cats already live, it will be easier for him to learn how to go to the tray, taking an example from animals that are already familiar with the rules of behavior in the apartment;
similarly, if several animals were taken at the same time, it is enough to accustom only one of them to the tray, and the rest are likely to follow suit.

For a street cat, instead of store-bought filler, at first, ordinary earth or sand should be poured into the tray. So it will be easier for the animal to understand what exactly the strange object is intended for. If an adult cat did not enter the house from the street, it is better to take it from previous owners along with the tray. In a new place, she will be much more willing to go to a familiar toilet. The filler used should also be familiar to the animal.

The recommendation to move the tray gradually, every day for a very short distance, can be read in every second article, the authors of which draw inspiration from each other's work. This is how I imagine the tray gradually migrating from under the bed in the bedroom to the corner of that toilet, through the entire bedroom, corridor, hallway. It is interesting how to implement this in practice. And will a cat agree to do their intimate affairs on the aisle, even if she is already accustomed to the tray?

However, the method can work if you want to move the tray a short distance within the same room.

However, more often it is not at all the way it seems to the authors of the articles. My first cat, for example, chose a place for her toilet under the kitchen sink. In the tray placed there, she began to walk stably and confidently in just a couple of days. However, when trying to move her toilet at least a little, she went exactly to the same place, ignoring the convenient “potty”. And it all started all over again: I wash the floor under the sink (and this, I tell you, was not easy in the conditions of a 5-meter kitchen full of furniture), I put the tray, I watch the cat for several days, I make sure that the habit of the tray has developed, I make a new attempt move the tray (it is very inconvenient to get it out to wash and put it back in) - and with the same result.

So I switched to plan B.

Method #2 - Duplicate Tray

This method is my invention. Having suffered with the cat for a couple of months, I moved her tray immediately to the toilet, where he was supposed to be, according to my plans. And in place of the tray under the sink, she put the usual large tin can from under the herring with a newspaper inside. The bank perfectly closed the most attractive place, in the opinion of the cat, besides, it was reliably blocked by the banks standing there, so it was not easy to move it. Now my stubborn one had a choice of two options: a convenient, tested tray in a new place - in the toilet, and a small, uncomfortable jar, but in the usual place under the sink.

The choice of the cat was obvious. After a little break for decency, she went straight to her destination. Nuance: the jar was under the sink until we moved, otherwise the favorite place was immediately used by the cat, like in the good old days.

By the way, the problem did not even arise at the new place of residence. The cat immediately went to her tray where they put it and showed it to her.

Train your cat to use the travel litter box

If you plan a long trip, for example, on a visit, on vacation, in a word, where the cat will not be carried all the time, but will take advantage of freedom, you will have to take care in advance of accustoming him to a small folding tray.

If you plan to carry a cat in a carrier, then it is better to get the carrier itself a few days before departure and leave it open for free access. Then the animal examines its new “house”, and at the same time leaves its smell in it. And the road will not seem so scary.

"Camping" tray is also better to get in advance. It is optimal to put it next to the main one, pour the same filler. Let them stay close for a few days. If the cat has not used the new toilet, we remove the old one for a while - and carefully observe so that “trouble” does not happen. After the cat "updates" the tray, you can periodically change them, exposing one or the other. This is how we let the pet know that both trays are the right place for the toilet. And later, on the road, at a party, there will be no problems, because you will already have a familiar, proven “pot” with you.

An adult cat moves to a new home. How to potty train her?

If you become the owner of an adult cat or a cat that confidently went to the tray with the previous owners, you still have to devote several days to accustoming the pet to the new toilet.

First of all, find out which tray your pet is used to. Trays come in different sizes, depths, open and in the form of a house. It is best to purchase the same or as close as possible to it. Find out if there was a tray and if so, what type. Try to repeat exactly, down to the manufacturer and the name of the product (a different smell can confuse a cat that is already frightened by the move and change of owner).

Ask the cat to pass along some used litter or a napkin soaked in the tray. And send it all to a new tray. Put the used filler on top of the fresh one and smooth it slightly. Place a damp cloth under the grate (it is enough even just to run it several times along the bottom of the tray).

Do not wash the new tray with strong-smelling disinfectants before use.

Immediately after moving in, pet your new pet for a few minutes - and take it to the tray. Here it is necessary to plant him and calmly, benevolently talk in the spirit that, they say, here is your new tray, here you need to write and poop. You are a smart cat (smart cat), I'm sure you will understand everything right away. See how convenient: dig into the litter or empty tray with your paw and praise the animal. Now you can let him go to get acquainted with the room (do not forget to show where there is water). It remains only to watch the newcomer, so as not to miss the moment. When he decides to go to the toilet. If he went to the tray - everything is fine, we praise, we admire his mind and quick wits! If the excavations began in another place, we urgently catch it, run it into the tray and again conduct an educational conversation. And so on until the “first contact” takes place. He is the most important.

However, you should not relax for a few more days. It is better to control where your pet goes to the toilet.

When fluffy pets appear in the house, it is important to think over and organize all everyday moments: where and what to feed, how to accustom an adult cat to the tray in a short time, etc. The owners need to mentally prepare for the fact that the training time can be quite long, and stress from the changed habitat of the animal often becomes the reason for this.

If a cat settled in the house, which was previously familiar with the tray, then she will quickly find out where he is in the new apartment, but with fluffy creatures taken from a shelter or picked up on the street, difficulties can arise. But the calmness, confidence and patience of the owner will make the learning process as fast and comfortable as possible.

Features of accustoming an adult animal

By their nature, cats are wayward and capricious creatures, they are very delicate and scrupulous about the toilet. An ideal option for a latrine for them are hard-to-reach corners. Therefore, it is recommended to close the areas under cabinets, armchairs or behind sofas for the period of adaptation of the animal. There is an erroneous opinion that it is easier to train an adult cat to a tray than a cat, but this is not so. Provided that the animal is sterilized, there are no special differences.

Each cat has its own characteristics of character, which must be taken into account when accustoming it to the tray. Very often there are difficulties with adult animals, which have already formed certain "toilet" habits. For example, a cat accustomed to living on the street can consider almost any bush or other place hidden from prying eyes as a toilet.

One of the important criteria for the placement of the tray is its accessibility for the animal. The most successful can be considered a bathroom in the apartment, as well as a warmed loggia. It is not recommended to equip a cat litter box in the hallway or in the kitchen, as this is inconvenient and unhygienic. But there is one exception: if a cat chooses a closed type of toilet for itself, in the form of a house, then it can be left in almost any room, including in the hall.

For the period of adaptation, it is desirable to limit the area of movement of the animal to one room. Since he will most likely have a desire to “mark” his new territory, after which it will be more difficult to accustom him to the toilet.

How to choose a tray and filler

It is difficult to determine in advance which type of tray an adult animal will favor. As a rule, it is recommended to choose plastic structures with high (at least 10 cm) sides. You can ask the previous owners how the cat's or cat's latrine was arranged, or ask the shelter workers for advice.

The width and length of the toilet box should be appropriate for the size of the cat so that she can safely bury her excrement there. High sides will help keep the apartment clean and prevent the filler from spilling out.

A toilet house is better suited for a cat or a cat in terms of psychological comfort. The roof and walls completely hide the animal during the intimate process. But for owners, this type of tray may not be very convenient, since the houses are not very easy to clean. But they have special filters that adsorb unpleasant odors if it was not possible to clean the toilet in time.

One of the most common types of trays is a plastic box with a special removable mesh. Whether it is suitable for a particular cat can only be determined empirically. Some animals will not go to the tray with already used filler, so as not to wet the pads of their paws.

Do not underestimate the role of the filler. Sometimes it ensures the success of the learning process by 95%. For animals from the street or from a shelter, wood or mineral is most often suitable. The choice in favor of the usual mixture will help to quickly accustom a stray cat to the tray.

Important! When changing the type of filler, this must be done gradually, mixing a new one with the old mixture so that the transition is not very sharp.

Step by step learning algorithm

Often animals intuitively understand what a tray is for. If they don't, they need help. In order to quickly accustom an adult cat to a tray, first of all, it is necessary to abandon even the thought of physical impact on him.

Cats are very smart by nature, they perfectly understand the intonation of the owner when he is dissatisfied with their behavior. Therefore, poking them with their muzzle into a puddle or a pile on the floor is obviously wrong behavior, which will only aggravate the stress of the animal and make the process of accustoming it more difficult and lengthy.

So what steps should be taken to potty train an adult cat as quickly as possible?

Carefully observe the pet in the first hours and days of its appearance in the apartment. As a rule, the urge to urinate occurs in animals shortly after eating. They become restless and start looking for a secluded place. Signs may also include sniffing corners and paws on the floor. At this point, you need to take a cat or a cat and take it to the toilet, and if successful, be sure to praise for the correct behavior.
If the moment is missed, and a puddle of urine or feces remains on the floor, it is necessary to collect them and transfer them to the tray. If the cat was taken from the street, it is recommended to sprinkle sand on his urine and then transfer the collected mixture to the cat litter box. This will help the cat smell the location of his latrine. But the floor should immediately be thoroughly washed with a strong-smelling detergent, a mixture of water, vodka and vinegar, or water with the addition of a couple of drops of citrus essential oil.
If the pet is stubborn and defecates in a completely unintended place, you can temporarily leave the tray there. But after the cat begins to regularly write and poop into it, the box itself should be carefully and smoothly shifted in the direction of the zone where it was originally planned to be placed.

It is not recommended to leave shoes on the floor, because it can unwittingly provoke a pet to leave marks with its smell. A frightening factor for cats is the strongly pronounced smell of washing powders or other chemicals.
If a cat previously lived in the apartment, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the places where her toilet was located. A new pet is able to recognize this smell even after several years, which means that he may have a desire to mark his territory.
As an aid to accustoming an adult cat to a tray, special sprays are used to stimulate her to go to the toilet in a certain place. There are also frightening odors designed to treat places in the apartment that the pet marked earlier.

If, when all recommendations are followed by the owner, the animal continues to spoil throughout the apartment, physiological problems must be excluded. The reason for this behavior may be inflammatory processes of the reproductive or urinary system. The cold season and off-season is the most favorable period for the appearance of inflammation. After the underlying disease is cured, the problem of uncleanliness may disappear on its own.

When a cat appears in the house, the owner immediately raises the question of accustoming her to the tray. Often, animals are in no hurry to relieve themselves in the allotted place. As a toilet, four-legged friends use a bath, a sink and even a pile of clothes. This gives rise to an unpleasant odor that is difficult to remove. The procedure for accustoming to the tray requires strength and patience, it is necessary to take into account all the nuances. These include the correct choice of the tray and filler, the place of the future toilet, work with the animal.

Which tray to choose

Open tray. A feature of the open tray is the relative convenience of the design. A mesh is inserted into the plastic bowl, which can be easily removed when cleaning. The main thing is to choose a tray with high sides and a wide bottom. It is worth proceeding from the size of the cat, it must fit into the device with four paws. It is worth remembering that you can not pour sawdust into the tray. The cat will row them and spread their paws throughout the apartment. Opt for a granular formulation that soaks up liquid and absorbs moisture.
Closed tray. A device for correcting cat needs is a kind of house with a window (door). The animal goes inside, after which it performs the necessary procedures without being seen by strangers. However, a significant disadvantage of closed trays is that a cat taken from the street will not be able to get used to urinate in an enclosed space. It is better to accustom kittens to this type of device. The inconvenience of use can be attributed to a complex design. To clean the tray, it must be disassembled and washed, and then reassembled.

Which filler to choose

To train your cat to use the litter box, choose a litter based on pressed wood or clay. The advantage of such compositions is considered a low pricing policy. Also, the granules perfectly absorb the liquid and do not allow the appearance of odor.
You should not use these types of fillers all the time, they are more suitable for the first toilet training. This recommendation must be followed, because the tree crumbles, and the clay stains the paws of the animal.
When the pet smells its own and begins to constantly go to the tray, change the first type of filler to gel (silicone). Do not be afraid of the high price, the granules block the smell well and pay off due to practical use.
Choose a filler made with large granules. It does not crumble, does not let cat urine to the bottom of the tray. Crystals retain moisture in their structure, so that the toilet remains dry. The cat will not disdain after several applications, and also shit next to the tray.

Choosing a location for the tray

Traditionally, owners install a cat tray in the bathroom. Of course, this place is suitable for a four-legged friend who lives in an apartment for a long time. However, the newly minted newcomer will not like the noise of the washing machine, the toilet drain and the spray of water from the sink.
At first, choose a calm and quiet place in which the cat will not flinch at every rustle. A pantry or a nook in the hallway is suitable. Later, when the pet gets used to it, move the toilet to the bathroom.

If you brought a small kitten into the house, you should immediately start accustoming to the tray.

It is necessary to contact the breeder or the previous owner for more information. Find out where the tray was installed, what kind of filler was used, how often the animal relieved itself in the allotted place. Based on the data obtained, purchase the same tray and granular composition.
From the old dwelling you need to take a bag of kitten feces. It can be a filler soaked in urine, a newspaper, a disposable napkin, and so on.
The resulting "material" should be placed in a tray located in the current house. Mix the composition with the same filler that was used by the breeder.
Introduce the kitten to the litter box. Caress him, let him sniff the area. Now watch the behavior of the animal. After sleeping, drinking or eating, immediately take it to the toilet.
In most cases, clean young pets grasp information on the fly. They start going to the tray after 2-3 instructions.

What to do if there are "misfires"

If the kitten has not been potty trained or you brought it in from the street, proceed as follows.

Prepare a tray with filler, place your pet's feces in it (a napkin soaked in urine, etc.). Follow the animals. Every time you put it with your paws in the tray after waking up and eating.
Cuddle your pet. Now take his paws in your hands, dig the filler with them. Such actions will revive natural instincts, the baby will understand how to use the tray.
If the animal has made a mistake, in no case should you scold him. Collect feces or blot urine with toilet paper. Put the "natural material" into the filler tray.
Wash the area that is not intended for remedial needs. If desired, use special cat "repellers" that suppress the smell.
Continue to take the animal to the tray after eating and sleeping. When the kitten begins to defecate in the allotted place, praise him. The first time always be on the alert.

As soon as you bring the cat into the apartment, let her settle in. Watch your pet's movements carefully. Prepare the tray according to all requirements.
Pour in the filler, sprinkle the granules with a special tool for accustoming animals to the tray. Take the cat to the toilet, let her sniff everything.
Dig in the litter with your pet's paws to trigger the natural instinct. Now watch the behavior. If the cat starts digging the carpet or linoleum, take it to the potty.
It is possible that manipulations will have to be carried out repeatedly. If the cat breaks out and runs away from the "proper" toilet, close the bathroom door. Keep your pet until he relieves himself.
If the cat does not want to go to the place you have chosen, playing dirty tricks in another corner, move the tray there. Every day, slowly move the toilet in the direction you need until you reach the bathroom or vestibule.
When a cat poops in the wrong place, blot the napkin with urine, then take it to the tray. Do not remove until the animal has fully mastered the potty.
In the case when several cats live in the apartment, allocate a separate (unused) toilet for the new guest. The smells of relatives can scare away the pet.
If the cat has littered in the wrong place, thoroughly treat the area with bleach or other cleaning agent. When the animal defecates not in the tray, but next to it, wash the area with vinegar, soda or ammonia.

Particularly obstinate cats can stain the bed. In this case, send the laundry to the wash, poke the animal with your nose. Try to get rid of the smell by any means.
Remove solid waste from the tray in time. Cats are clean animals, they will not go to a dirty pot. The same goes for the filler, do not let it get too wet.
After buying a granular composition, study the manufacturer's recommendations regarding the regularity of cleaning the toilet. For example, wood and clay fillers need to be changed more often than silicone fillers.
You can train your cat to walk on a diaper by placing it in the litter box. However, disposable wipes do not hold odors, you will spend a lot of money on constant cleaning of the toilet.
Never yell at a cat. If the animal is in the habit of shitting on the bed, slap it with a thin newspaper or lightly poke it with your nose. Give a lecture on proper behavior, take it to the potty.

Select the appropriate tray. An open view is suitable for adult cats, a closed one for small kittens. Start accustoming with wood filler, gradually switch to silicone. Take your pet to the right place immediately after waking up and having a meal. Do not scold the cat, let her choose the place of the toilet and put the tray there.