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#21
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"Eden" wrote in message om... My husband and I acquired a 4 week old kitten a few days ago. I am in the process of trying to litter train her, which is proving difficult. She seems to have a thing for towels (I think?) I have been making her a bed with towels, and she keeps peeing on it. I also put a towel on her litterbox with litter over it, so she'd link the two together, but why does she keep peeing in her own bed? She SLEEPS there? I'm surprised she'd soil it. Any suggestions on training her not to use her bed? I should note that she's currently living on our ground floor which is tiled, and I don't want to take the bedding away because I don't want her to sleep on a hard floor. Additionally, any ideas of what to use instead of towels for her to sleep on, in case she associates toweling with urine? Is she just too young to "get it"? Many thanks! Eden At 4 weeks you basically have to finish doing the job their Mom should have been given the opportunity to do. My Boots' litter was just starting to be ready to use the box at 4 wks. Others might be more precocious. Wait until about 10-15 minutes after she eats and put her in the box and help her scratch. You may want to try taking a damp cotton ball or paper towel and gently stimulate her butt to get her to go. OTOH she might have gotten to the point where this will offend the heck out of her - depends on how far her mom got with litter training (if at all) before they were separated. If she goes, praise the heck out of her and help her scratch again so she learns to cover up. Continue to plunk her in the litter box after meals until you see her reliably using the box herself. Get the towel the heck out of the litter box. You might be confusing her. You might want to consider getting one of those really big and deep plastic storage bins and setting her up in there when she's napping and overnight. Put a towel in there for her to sleep on, her litter box (at the far end) and some food and water. This way she doesn't have to go far to find the box. Once she starts consistently using the box you can gradually expand her horizons and give her a larger area that she's free to roam. She might just be too far from the box when she has to go and doesn't remember how to get back to it. I think Boots was almost 9 -10 weeks old before he got the run of the house (and we have a small house) W |
#22
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"Eden" wrote in message om... My husband and I acquired a 4 week old kitten a few days ago. I am in the process of trying to litter train her, which is proving difficult. She seems to have a thing for towels (I think?) I have been making her a bed with towels, and she keeps peeing on it. I also put a towel on her litterbox with litter over it, so she'd link the two together, but why does she keep peeing in her own bed? She SLEEPS there? I'm surprised she'd soil it. Any suggestions on training her not to use her bed? I should note that she's currently living on our ground floor which is tiled, and I don't want to take the bedding away because I don't want her to sleep on a hard floor. Additionally, any ideas of what to use instead of towels for her to sleep on, in case she associates toweling with urine? Is she just too young to "get it"? Many thanks! Eden At 4 weeks you basically have to finish doing the job their Mom should have been given the opportunity to do. My Boots' litter was just starting to be ready to use the box at 4 wks. Others might be more precocious. Wait until about 10-15 minutes after she eats and put her in the box and help her scratch. You may want to try taking a damp cotton ball or paper towel and gently stimulate her butt to get her to go. OTOH she might have gotten to the point where this will offend the heck out of her - depends on how far her mom got with litter training (if at all) before they were separated. If she goes, praise the heck out of her and help her scratch again so she learns to cover up. Continue to plunk her in the litter box after meals until you see her reliably using the box herself. Get the towel the heck out of the litter box. You might be confusing her. You might want to consider getting one of those really big and deep plastic storage bins and setting her up in there when she's napping and overnight. Put a towel in there for her to sleep on, her litter box (at the far end) and some food and water. This way she doesn't have to go far to find the box. Once she starts consistently using the box you can gradually expand her horizons and give her a larger area that she's free to roam. She might just be too far from the box when she has to go and doesn't remember how to get back to it. I think Boots was almost 9 -10 weeks old before he got the run of the house (and we have a small house) W |
#23
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Thank you all for such great advice!!!
Yes, I feel horribly guilty about taking her. The mother was at the house when we took her, even though the woman was insisting it was fine. (We should have trusted our instincts and what we read on the internet.) That said, upon taking her to the vet (I thought she had conjunctivitis) I found out that she had cat flu and lots of fleas, so we're taking care of that now (I hope she doesn't remember that I'm the one giving her the drops and the eye ointment!) Part of me feels like we should take her back there for a few weeks, and then the other part of me thinks at least she's healthier with us. I have followed your advice and taken the towel out. She's clever - she's going in more and more to use the litter box, and if I see her in the middle of something, I immediately take her there. She even tried to cover up her poop!!! She slept with me last night (my husband's away and she's jumped the guards we've already set up) and we got up at 4 in the morning to go to the litterbox and she did her business. So I think she'll get there in the end. One further question though - we have a cat flap and our last cat (who we only had while he was very old) used to use it and do his business outside. Will teaching mimi how to use the litterbox prevent her from ultimately learning to do everything outside? And how old should a cat be when you teach her? We've purposely kept the litterbox close to this flap. Thanks again, Eden |
#24
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Thank you all for such great advice!!!
Yes, I feel horribly guilty about taking her. The mother was at the house when we took her, even though the woman was insisting it was fine. (We should have trusted our instincts and what we read on the internet.) That said, upon taking her to the vet (I thought she had conjunctivitis) I found out that she had cat flu and lots of fleas, so we're taking care of that now (I hope she doesn't remember that I'm the one giving her the drops and the eye ointment!) Part of me feels like we should take her back there for a few weeks, and then the other part of me thinks at least she's healthier with us. I have followed your advice and taken the towel out. She's clever - she's going in more and more to use the litter box, and if I see her in the middle of something, I immediately take her there. She even tried to cover up her poop!!! She slept with me last night (my husband's away and she's jumped the guards we've already set up) and we got up at 4 in the morning to go to the litterbox and she did her business. So I think she'll get there in the end. One further question though - we have a cat flap and our last cat (who we only had while he was very old) used to use it and do his business outside. Will teaching mimi how to use the litterbox prevent her from ultimately learning to do everything outside? And how old should a cat be when you teach her? We've purposely kept the litterbox close to this flap. Thanks again, Eden |
#25
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Thank you all for such great advice!!!
Yes, I feel horribly guilty about taking her. The mother was at the house when we took her, even though the woman was insisting it was fine. (We should have trusted our instincts and what we read on the internet.) That said, upon taking her to the vet (I thought she had conjunctivitis) I found out that she had cat flu and lots of fleas, so we're taking care of that now (I hope she doesn't remember that I'm the one giving her the drops and the eye ointment!) Part of me feels like we should take her back there for a few weeks, and then the other part of me thinks at least she's healthier with us. I have followed your advice and taken the towel out. She's clever - she's going in more and more to use the litter box, and if I see her in the middle of something, I immediately take her there. She even tried to cover up her poop!!! She slept with me last night (my husband's away and she's jumped the guards we've already set up) and we got up at 4 in the morning to go to the litterbox and she did her business. So I think she'll get there in the end. One further question though - we have a cat flap and our last cat (who we only had while he was very old) used to use it and do his business outside. Will teaching mimi how to use the litterbox prevent her from ultimately learning to do everything outside? And how old should a cat be when you teach her? We've purposely kept the litterbox close to this flap. Thanks again, Eden |
#26
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circa 16 Jun 2004 00:50:58 -0700, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Eden
) said, Thank you all for such great advice!!! Yes, I feel horribly guilty about taking her. Don't. The fact that the woman who gave her to you was so insistent upon doing so probably means that the kitten is better off with you, sadly. The mother was at the house when we took her, even though the woman was insisting it was fine. (We should have trusted our instincts and what we read on the internet.) That said, upon taking her to the vet (I thought she had conjunctivitis) I found out that she had cat flu and lots of fleas, so we're taking care of that now (I hope she doesn't remember that I'm the one giving her the drops and the eye ointment!) Part of me feels like we should take her back there for a few weeks, and then the other part of me thinks at least she's healthier with us. Maybe you could "borrow" the mamacat since this was the last kitten? Just an off-the-wall thought. :-) I have followed your advice and taken the towel out. She's clever - she's going in more and more to use the litter box, and if I see her in the middle of something, I immediately take her there. She even tried to cover up her poop!!! Good, that means her natural instincts are working. She slept with me last night (my husband's away and she's jumped the guards we've already set up) and we got up at 4 in the morning to go to the litterbox and she did her business. So I think she'll get there in the end. I'm sure she will. One further question though - we have a cat flap and our last cat (who we only had while he was very old) used to use it and do his business outside. Will teaching mimi how to use the litterbox prevent her from ultimately learning to do everything outside? And how old should a cat be when you teach her? We've purposely kept the litterbox close to this flap. I've not known of a cat to refuse to go to the bathroom outside due to being litter trained as a kitten. :-) Laura -- Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes. -Oscar Wilde |
#27
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circa 16 Jun 2004 00:50:58 -0700, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Eden
) said, Thank you all for such great advice!!! Yes, I feel horribly guilty about taking her. Don't. The fact that the woman who gave her to you was so insistent upon doing so probably means that the kitten is better off with you, sadly. The mother was at the house when we took her, even though the woman was insisting it was fine. (We should have trusted our instincts and what we read on the internet.) That said, upon taking her to the vet (I thought she had conjunctivitis) I found out that she had cat flu and lots of fleas, so we're taking care of that now (I hope she doesn't remember that I'm the one giving her the drops and the eye ointment!) Part of me feels like we should take her back there for a few weeks, and then the other part of me thinks at least she's healthier with us. Maybe you could "borrow" the mamacat since this was the last kitten? Just an off-the-wall thought. :-) I have followed your advice and taken the towel out. She's clever - she's going in more and more to use the litter box, and if I see her in the middle of something, I immediately take her there. She even tried to cover up her poop!!! Good, that means her natural instincts are working. She slept with me last night (my husband's away and she's jumped the guards we've already set up) and we got up at 4 in the morning to go to the litterbox and she did her business. So I think she'll get there in the end. I'm sure she will. One further question though - we have a cat flap and our last cat (who we only had while he was very old) used to use it and do his business outside. Will teaching mimi how to use the litterbox prevent her from ultimately learning to do everything outside? And how old should a cat be when you teach her? We've purposely kept the litterbox close to this flap. I've not known of a cat to refuse to go to the bathroom outside due to being litter trained as a kitten. :-) Laura -- Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes. -Oscar Wilde |
#28
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circa 16 Jun 2004 00:50:58 -0700, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Eden
) said, Thank you all for such great advice!!! Yes, I feel horribly guilty about taking her. Don't. The fact that the woman who gave her to you was so insistent upon doing so probably means that the kitten is better off with you, sadly. The mother was at the house when we took her, even though the woman was insisting it was fine. (We should have trusted our instincts and what we read on the internet.) That said, upon taking her to the vet (I thought she had conjunctivitis) I found out that she had cat flu and lots of fleas, so we're taking care of that now (I hope she doesn't remember that I'm the one giving her the drops and the eye ointment!) Part of me feels like we should take her back there for a few weeks, and then the other part of me thinks at least she's healthier with us. Maybe you could "borrow" the mamacat since this was the last kitten? Just an off-the-wall thought. :-) I have followed your advice and taken the towel out. She's clever - she's going in more and more to use the litter box, and if I see her in the middle of something, I immediately take her there. She even tried to cover up her poop!!! Good, that means her natural instincts are working. She slept with me last night (my husband's away and she's jumped the guards we've already set up) and we got up at 4 in the morning to go to the litterbox and she did her business. So I think she'll get there in the end. I'm sure she will. One further question though - we have a cat flap and our last cat (who we only had while he was very old) used to use it and do his business outside. Will teaching mimi how to use the litterbox prevent her from ultimately learning to do everything outside? And how old should a cat be when you teach her? We've purposely kept the litterbox close to this flap. I've not known of a cat to refuse to go to the bathroom outside due to being litter trained as a kitten. :-) Laura -- Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes. -Oscar Wilde |
#29
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Part of me feels like we should take her
back there for a few weeks, and then the other part of me thinks at least she's healthier with us. The kitten is better off with you, but f you want to really make a difference I would suggest you go back and offer to adopt the mother. If you are convincing and say the kitty is obviously lonely without mom nd you'd really like to have 2 cats, you might be able to get her out of that house. That woman has no business having cats and you would end up saving 2. I would go as far as offering a nice sum of money for the cat if nothing else worked. Megan "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray |
#30
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Part of me feels like we should take her
back there for a few weeks, and then the other part of me thinks at least she's healthier with us. The kitten is better off with you, but f you want to really make a difference I would suggest you go back and offer to adopt the mother. If you are convincing and say the kitty is obviously lonely without mom nd you'd really like to have 2 cats, you might be able to get her out of that house. That woman has no business having cats and you would end up saving 2. I would go as far as offering a nice sum of money for the cat if nothing else worked. Megan "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray |
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