Do kittens know instinctively how to use a litter box?

Question

I'm at work now and won't be able to check on her until I get home, which will be a few hours from now.

Answer 1

Yes but you must place them into the litter box so they know where it is. but the kitten is not eating much because she is sad or frightened and will eat within a couple of weeks and will need the litter box so just give her some time and love her up.

Answer 2

Most cats will instinctivly seek out a place to bury their 'business'. Once they are shown a 'good spot' they usually get the hint.

If the cat is slow to come around just put one of its 'accidents' in the litter dish and let the cat bury it. This method has always worked for us.

Answer 3

If you're using dry food, try moistening it with water.  The hard stuff is sometimes too hard for the baby teeth.  Or you could go with cans.  She may not be well, which is a chance you take with strays, but you've got a shelter involved so that's a good step.  

Cats usually will go in the same spot.  If it's going anywhere outside the box, try putting it in the box and then putting the kitten in so it can smell and kind of understand, "this is the spot"...  they aren't as hard to train as a dog in this area and they will look for a spot, but outside cats usually have no clue what the litter box is...  

Answer 4

yes. When you bring the kitten home, place him/her in the litter box right away. it will know what to do from there.

Alternately, you COULD show him/her how to use it but I don't think it will make much difference...

Answer 5

How old is this kitten?

She may not have been weaned, or even started eating dry food yet.  

Spend some time googling around and find out some more informatin about kittens...  

But, yes, cats will INSTICTIVELY try too keep 'home' clean and use the litter box.  But, dependng on the cat's age,, she may not be at the stage where she's vluntarily eliminating..  momma cats have to stimulate that for several weeks.  

Setting her in thelitter box is a good step though.  taking her little paw and gently using it to 'paw' at the litter in a diggy motion may help.  

using the scooper to paw around in the litter might help too--it seems to be like running water to my cats--they hear it, they HAVE to go...

but give her wet food..  try tioo figure out how old she is, and see if you need to be getting milk replacer.  Not eating much or not drinking much  at that age can be REALLY dangerous.  

I wish I could offer more--but it's hard to without knowing how old this kitten is.  1 month olf and 5 months old is YEARS of difference.

oh, you've edited..  let's see..

She can be made an indoor cat.  Make sure you give her lots of love nd attention--make her realize that humans are great things to be around.  

Take her to the vet anyway--if you can take a cat you hit with a car to the vet without owning them... :)  Jsut explain the situation to him.. and give your husband time to come around...  mine's gone from '1 cat' to the 4 we have now. ;)  

Answer 6

I rescued a kitten, when i brought her home i put her in the litter box and she laid there, in fact thats where she slept her first night here, but she knew exactly what to do with it, i didn't teach her anything.  Cats instinctively want to cover their waste and inside a house there is no other place that they are able to do this so...the have no choice but to resort to the litter box.  

As for eating, try giving the cat wet food, it has a more appealing smell and will increase its appetite!  Cats really don't require that much water and really don't drink all that much.  I used to think something was wrong with my cat because she drinks so much!!!  But typical cats don't drink a ton of water.

Answer 7

it might always be better to have another grown cat in the home. so the kitten see's other cats waste in the box. they might kno instinctivly.

Answer 8

If the kitten stays with its Mom long enough, (an absolute minimum of eight weeks and preferably 12 weeks) it should be very simple. Kittens taken from their mothers before the proper length of time often develop nursing behavior on themselves, other cats, humans, or fabric, and these habits will often continue throughout adulthood. They also need this time to learn proper cat behavior from their mother cat, including use of the litter box, socializing with humans and other cats. Try to imagine how a human would have turned out if he or she were taken away from their parents as toddlers, and didn’t have the proper role model to learn from. So, usually when a kitten has been observing their mother using the litter box, they will usually copy her which also helps the other kittens learn.  

Answer 9

No. They learn to use the litter box from their mamas. People can teach kittens to use the box.

Take kitty to the vet. The vet should be able to give you advice on what to feed her and how to litter box train her.