Kitten Litter Tray Problems

Your kitten may have taken to their litter tray like a champ and used it problem-free since day one or there may have been a bit of a learning curve before getting the hang of their litter tray. Every kitten or cat is different and reaching the stage of an accident-free home is always a-meow-zing! Until the day you find an accident and wonder what’s going on…

It could be a few things but the most important things to know right now are it’s not your kitten’s fault and there are plenty of ways you can help your kitten relearn to use their litter tray.

Why kittens have litter tray problems

When a cat wees or poos outside of their litter tray, it can happen at any stage of their life: kitten, adolescent, adult or senior. For kittens, most litter tray issues start when they’re learning to use their litter tray. This is normally when they’re between 4 to 6 weeks old. If they’re having accidents, it’s probably because they’re still getting to grips with the litter tray.

If your kitten is house trained but suddenly starts to go to the toilet outside of their litter tray, it’s may be a behavioural or environmental issue - it’s always worth taking them to the vet first to rule out any medical issues.

Rule out medical causes

There are a range of medical reasons why your kitten might stop using their litter tray, like:

• • • Intestinal issues.
    • Parasites.
    • Urinary tract infections.

It’s important to take your kitten to the vet if they start having accidents, so these medical problems can be investigated.

Consider environmental causes

If your kitten isn’t experiencing any medical problems, then it’s a behavioural or environmental issue.

Consider if any of the following is happening in your home:

• • • You’ve had friends or family visiting.
    • You’ve recently welcomed a new pet.
    • You’ve just moved home.
    • There are new loud noises inside or outside your home, like building work.
    • You or other family members have been stressed or under pressure lately

Think about your kitten too, things like whether:

• • • Their food has changed.
    • They’re on medication.
    • They’ve recently had surgery.
    • They’ve become more fearful in general.
    • They’ve been spending more time alone as you’ve been away from home more.

Finally, think about the litter tray itself:

• • • The litter tray isn’t as clean as it used to be.
    • You’ve changed their cat litter brand.
    • You’ve moved their litter tray.
    • You’ve changed their litter tray - maybe it’s bigger, smaller or just newer.
    • You’re using a new cleaner in or near their litter tray.

Solve any environmental causes

Once you’ve figured out what’s changed in your home or your kitten, you can begin to solve the issue. This might be something really straightforward. Like making sure the litter tray is regularly cleaned or moving it back to where it once was. If you’re suddenly away from home more, your kitten might be lonely and suffering from separation anxiety. Plenty of fun toys or a visit from a friendly face during the day might help to pass the hours (and keep your home accident-free).

If a change has happened - like you’ve changed their litter tray or cat litter - you’ll need plenty of patience as they adjust to this. It can take up to 10 days to transition slowly to a new cat litter, for example. Some changes - like having friends or family visiting, or moving to a new home - might have a temporary impact on their litter tray use. In which case, give them time to get used to the recent changes.

If the litter tray accidents have started after medical stuff, like surgery or being on medication, see your vet to see if they’re related. The same goes if you notice a change in their personality, like they’ve become more fearful.

For some changes, you might have to revert back. Kittens have a great sense of smell and a new cleaner with a different smell might be off-putting to them or they might not be fans of their new food. Although if they’re on a new diet because of medical reasons, always talk to your vet before abandoning it.

Litter tray tips

Here are 2 final tips to help when dealing with kitten litter tray problems:

• • • Don’t punish your kitten. It won’t stop them going toilet in your home, but it will make them afraid of you (and other humans). It’ll also make them more likely to find a more secretive place to go toilet where you can’t catch them.
    • Be patient. It might take a while (and a lot of cleaning products!) but staying calm, patient and loving means your kitten will get the hang of using the litter tray again.

We hope this guide steers you through common kitten litter tray problems. If you need any further help or have a question we haven’t answered, contact our friendly Pet Direct Customer Care team on 0800 200 240 or email support@petdirect.co.nz.

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