You just adopted a cat and are wondering how to train a stray cat to use a litter box. The first step to litter box training a stray cat is to eliminate areas where the cat may have previously defecated or urinated. After cleaning, treat the soiled area with an odor-neutralizer. Visually changing these areas will dissuade the cat from going there again. If your cat isn’t using the box, so he is either avoiding the area or suffering from stress.
After cleaning the litter box, slowly introduce a stray cat to the rest of the household. Keep food and water in the same room. One cat gets used to this routine, you can allow it to explore the rest of the house. However, don’t move the litter box too far away from its initial spot, as it may derail the entire plan. It’s best to move the litter box in stages.
Another step towards litter box training a stray cat is to determine the cat’s health. Make sure your cat is healthy, and consult a veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical conditions. Make sure your cat is not suffering from worms, intestinal diseases, or cystitis, which could make the training process more difficult. Once the veterinarian has ruled out any underlying health issues, you can start the training process.
When it comes to choosing a litter, make sure the box is a suitable depth for your cat’s needs. A cat should be able to dig through litter, so a 3 or 4 inches box should be the right depth. Also, the litter should not smell strong or contain any prickly particles, which could be dangerous for the cat.
Read the article carefully and you will be able to attract a cat to a litter box right away, whether it is a house cat or a stray one.
How To Litter Box Train A Stray Cat?
Key Takeaway
- Choose your cat litter wisely, natural sorts of litter such as ground corn, walnut pellet, wood bark pellet, etc.
- Consider your feral kitten litter box placement and setup, place the litter box where your cat often goes around.
- Encourage her with treats and her scent when your feline pal uses the litter tray.
- Slowly move the box a few inches every day until the box is completely in your room.
- Spray cat pheromones or place toys to make him or her feel comfortable inside your house.
- Provide easier access to the litter box, elderly cats would appreciate a box with low sides rather than a high-sided one.
- Add more litter boxes, this will avoid competition for territory and cats have more choices.
- Experiment with different types of litter.
- Pay attention to your cat’s diet.
- Use a comfortable litter box without a lid.
- Place some cat attractant in the litter box.
- Place the litter box in a quiet area.
How do you get a stray cat to use a litter box? (Step-by-Step Instructions)
So, the first thing to do is to teach your feral cats to eliminate them in the right place. But how do you get an outdoor cat to use a litter box?
Step 1: Choose your cat litter wisely
Our advice is to go for something as natural as possible. Wood shavings and crystals are not wise choices in this case, as they make the cats feel a bit weird and uneasy.
As the cats are accustomed to the open, get a litter box without a lid. It should be large enough so that the cats can move around freely, too. About the litter, you should get something sand-like and unscented. Natural sorts of litter such as ground corn, walnut pellet, wood bark pellet, etc. are highly recommended as well.
The first few times your furry pet uses the tray, mix the litter with some soil. Over a few weeks, increase the amount of litter gradually until the cats are ready to eliminate with litter only.
Step 2: Consider your feral kitten litter box placement and setup
You should place the litter box where your pet often hovers around outside. That way, the cat can use the box easily when it wants to do private business. Also, it is important to make the tray appear natural in the surroundings.
Don’t place the box near your pal’s foods and water as the cat will find them dirty. He will refuse to eat then.
Step 3: Encourage her with treats and her scent
If the cat doesn’t understand that the box is its new bathroom, you need to let it know.
After meals, bring your new pet to the outdoor cat litter box and let him or her smell it. Over time the cat will get used to the place and know where to go for elimination.
On top of that, in the first few times when your feline pal uses the litter tray, praise it by petting or giving it a treat. This is an indirect way to tame the stray cat and get it to use the litter box.
Step 4: Slowly bring the cat inside your home
When your pet gets used to using the outdoor cat litter box, you can start bringing it inside. Do it slowly, for example, moving the box a few inches every day until the box is completely in your room and your cat doesn’t go outside for elimination anymore.
Step 5: Make your home cozy
In fact, this is not a step in litter training a feral kitten. It is more of an act on how to train a stray cat to be a house cat.
In this step, what you need to do is to keep your home cozy for your cat to freely play around. You can spray cat pheromones or place toys to make him or her feel comfortable inside your house.
How do you train an older cat to use a litter box?
How to train an older cat to use a litter tray also has four simple steps as follows.
Step 1: Provide easier access to the litter box
If a cat, especially a senior cat has to go up and down the stairs to find the litter box, he or she will not bother to use it anymore. Instead, he will just go outside for peeing and pooping since it is easier for him. Therefore, when your cat starts to get old, you should move the box to a new place with easy access so that use box more often.
Access to a litter box also includes how the cat gets inside. Elderly cats would appreciate a box with low sides rather than a high-sided one.
Take the amount of litter into consideration too. It is advised to maintain a sufficient amount but not too little or too much; otherwise, the cat will have a hard time pooping in it.
Step 2: Add more litter boxes
You can add more boxes to increase the chance of your old cat using them to do its business. The more convenient it is for the cat, the better.
Step 3: Experiment with different types of litter
Each cat favors a different sort of litter. And as a cat grows old, he or she might change its preference. You should experiment with some litter types to find out what the cat likes.
Step 4: Pay attention to your cat’s diet
Elderly cats need a different diet from young ones. Pay attention to this! As your cat ages, make sure you adjust the menu properly so that the cat can function normally as it used to.
How do you attract a cat to a litter box?
Use a comfortable litter box without a lid
As mentioned above, cats in general and stray cats in particular love open spaces. Therefore, you should get a wide box without a lid so that the cat feels comfortable inside to do its business.
Remove all foul smells
Cats are clean animals, so they will not go anywhere that is dirty and smelly. If you want your pet to be eliminated in the right place, you need to keep the box clean and remove all smells of urine or feces.
Place cat attract litter in the box
As its name suggests, cat attracts litter and will appeal to your cat to the box due to the presence of certain ingredients.
Place the litter box in a quiet area
It is important to place the box in a quiet place in your home. Avoid noisy and dark places altogether. If you are living in a small apartment and have no idea where to put the litter box, refer to this article.
Interesting:
Final Thoughts
Now you see, how to train a stray cat to use a litter box is not difficult as it seems. With a little patience and lots of love, everything shall be fine.
Follow the guide above to test its effectiveness right now and let me know your experience. If there are any questions, you can always ask me in the comment section below.
This is all about how to train a stray cat to use a litter box! Thanks for reading.