How do I re-litter train my cats?

Question

I had 2 kittens last summer. They were terrible at peeing everywhere when we first got them - in the dirty washing baskets, corners of the room on the carpet, on the sofa etc. It took me months to get them used to the litter tray. Eventually I took it away as they were hardly using it anymore - and there were never any accidents. They always seemed to go outside - especially in the morning around 5am when my partner went to work.

In the last couple of months my female has had a litter of kittens herself who are 8 weeks old this week. They have litter trained beautifully and I have had very few problems with their littering elsewhere.

I have had the litter tray back out again for a few months beacuse my partner left - I wasnt awake at 5am to let them out - they started pooping on the carpet again. Problem is now that they will urinate in the litter tray but they keep pooping on the carpet by the front door, or on the lino in the kitchen - even once or twice in my bedroom!

How do I approach this? Please help its driving me mad - Im so sick of cleaning it up.

Answer 1

When you catch them doing this, you pick them up right away and place them in the litter box. Since they have gotten so used to using the outdoors for this, you might consider putting in a kitty door so they can come and go as they please to do their business.

Answer 2

Here's an answer I provided to a similar question:  I might add to your situation that I would always have a litter box out, regardless of how well they perform.  Better to be safe than sorry.

I have five cats. More during my lifetime. Sometimes when there are mulitple cats in a household, one or more may decide they aren't going to share a litter box. Sometimes, all will use the same one. It's really just a hit and miss as to whether a cat will share territory.

Once, I had two cats and one of them would not use the same litter box. The vet explained it to me and I got another box. After about a year, the cat started using the same box as the other cat - go figure. Anyway, with multiple cats in the house, it isn't uncommon to need more than one litter box. Also, as cats get older they change. And, try to be accomodating and let your cats outside whenever you think they want to go out. Do this at least for a while, and your cats will learn to use the litter boxes less and less, plus they will learn to control their movements longer if they are secure in thinking they will be let outside before it becomes critical.

Your cat is choosing "out of the way" locations now because, they are by nature clean and they are trying to "go" in a less noticeable spot.

Try another box and more attention to letting them out more frequently, I think it will help.

good luck