# Litter training: 2 new kittens



## webgem (Nov 14, 2010)

I am new to this forum, so firstly, hello all.

At the start of the year we had had an adult exotic and persian cat. Despite trying lots of things we could never litter train the exotic. Sadly we lost both cats this year.

We decided to get shorthair and long hair exotic kittens, we picked them up at the end of October when they were 12 weeks. For the first week they were in the back bedroom and using the litter tray. On bonfire night the longhair weed on the bed twice, we put this down to fireworks, the second night we had them on the bed with us until quite late and they were fine and no more accidents. Last week, their second week, we let them out in the hallways of the house, still with access to the back bedroom and set up three litter trays. All week they were fine using all trays with no accidents. Friday night the longhair weed in the hall, we keep putting him in the litter trays after meals now. Saturday he weed in the lounge (I was sat in with them, but didnt notice this accident), Saturday night he weed in the hall. Saturday night my breeder also called me to chat and suggested keeping them back in the back bedroom again. They were back in the bedroom last night and the longhaired pooed on the floor, weed in the cat basket and having cleaned it all up this morning, he pooed in the newspaper next to the litter tray. 

I honestly dont know what has gone wrong, both had been using the trays just fine, nothing had changed, the litter trays are in the same places, food the same, litter the same. I had at first thought it might have been linked to where our old exotic cat had kept weeing, but the kitten has been weeing in places where he never had. Only one kitten seems to be doing this, the shorthair has continued to use the trays fine. Having gone through all this before I am heartbroken its happening again and beginning to think its me.

Does anyone have any ideas of what could have caused this and do you think felliway may help? I wondered if he was maybe stressed about something, maybe having the run of the house?

Thanks for reading.


----------



## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

What litter are you using? What type of trays? enclosed or open?


----------



## webgem (Nov 14, 2010)

I started with clay litter, but have gone out and bought some wood pellets today, I also now have 5 trays! All open trays.

Thanks.


----------



## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

I have heard a few negative comments about the wood pellets, mainly that cats don't seem to like the feeling on their feet. I use clumping clay cat litter and have never had any problems. 
I've got 2 enclosed cat litter trays that have a filter built in. I prefer the enclosed ones as they hold in the smell, the litter doesnt get kicked out everywhere and it gives the cats more privacy.
One tray is down stairs and the other upstairs .Both trays are well away from their eating and sleeping areas. 

I wonder if its worth taking the kitten who keeps having accidents to the vets to rule out any problems.


----------



## webgem (Nov 14, 2010)

Thanks for your advice. We appear to have had a better night, whether thats down to having more trays, choice of litter or anything else I'm not really sure! Will see how we get on over next two days before consulting the vet and see if things get better with the other things we're trying.

Many thanks.


----------



## Tje (Jan 16, 2010)

Some cats prefer closed litter trays, some prefer open litter trays, so in the first instance Id definitely be trying both version out.

Same with cat litter some will only use (say) woodchips, others absolutely wont use woodchips. And this is the same for all cat litters. So I definitely agree with greeneyes, try buying a bag of clumping litter or a clay based non clumping.

Actually,,, better still find out not only the type of cat litter the breeder used, but the exact brand, and get some of that. It may sound dumb, but if theyre used to (for instance) Tescos own clumping litter and you switch them over to [email protected] brand that can be enough to start litter tray problems.

I also agree about going back to the beginning with litter training and restricting them to that one bedroom. However if theyve already had mistakes in that bedroom, then you need to go smaller still. For instance, the bathroom for a few days in a row and only when youve had a few days with zero access do you increase their space to say the bathroom and the upstairs hall. When they manage say 3 days with that with no mistakes, then add their bedroom or one other space. Every time you add a new space you have to do it one by one with a good few days getting used to it time before adding another new space. 

Dont rush this process. A week restricted to a bathroom is preferable to a cat with a life long litter tray problems. Take it slowly. 

And ,,,, just t make sure you are not using any harsh or smelly cleaning substances in their litter trays??? Or not using any of those kill the litter tray odors products ??? 

A feliway infuser plugged in the rooms they are getting access to wouldn't hurt at all either. It calms cats.


----------

