The secret to teaching cats to defecate in the right place
Are you a cat lover? This is the first time you have a cat and don't know how to get the cat to go to the toilet in the right place?
Don't worry, this is a problem that many newcomers and even long-time cat owners still don't know how to solve. By the way on this beautiful day, I will share with you my secret to help cats go to the toilet in the right place 100%. Any! Please refer to the details below
1️. What is the best age to teach a cat to go to the toilet in the right place?
If you do a quick look at your cat lifespan article , you'll likely notice that cats are divided into several different adult age groups. In the newborn age group of cats (under 6 months old) is the age at which cats begin to learn and form habits. Therefore, take advantage of this time to train your cat with new knowledge, proper behavior, and going to the toilet in the right place is one of the things that should be taught during this time.
However, if you received a kitten from a relative or bought it from someone outside this age range, is it possible to potty train the cat in the sand again? The answer is yes, don't worry too much but it will take a bit of time
Where is the right place to teach a cat to go to the toilet?
Although it is a bit redundant, I will also briefly outline it for you to imagine. In cats, going to the toilet in the right place is going to go into a bucket of sand (sand bowl) or something prepared by you with the main purpose of wanting the cat to defecate in it to clean up easily and cleanly.
In addition, in some cases, training cats to defecate into the toilet will make owners less expensive to buy sand and clean up. But in my opinion, training cats to poop in the toilet is really not very good (the reason why, I will note down at the end of the article).
For that reason, in this article, I will direct you to how to teach your cat to defecate in the sand, if you still want to train your cat to go to the toilet, you can refer to other articles online. so many, so much
2. Things to prepare to teach cats to go to the toilet
To accomplish anything in the best way, of course, the first thing we need is adequate preparation. So to teach your cat to go to the toilet in the right place, what do you need to prepare? Take a look at some of the main items below
a. Sand tray
As mentioned above, in this article, going to the toilet in the right place for me is going to the sand tray, not the toilet, so the first thing you need to prepare is a bowl (tray, box, bin) ) something depends on what you have
The cat litter tray should be appropriately arranged in places with slightly hidden corners (of course, no one wants to be seen while going to the toilet – cats have shame too 😂). The arrangement of the cat's toilet in hidden corners will make them feel safer and more comfortable
Initially, when getting acquainted, you should prepare two trays to be able to arrange two different corners, see which area the cat likes to go to the toilet more, so it will increase the success rate when training.
b. Cat litter
If your home has a garden, you can completely take the sand from the garden and put it in a sand tray to save money. However, this type of sand does not have special properties such as keeping odors or clumps in the stool, so after a few days of use you have to replace the sand tray with a new one, which is quite time consuming and the house will smell bad. of cat urine and feces
The second option is that you can choose the types of cat litter available in the market. They range in price from low-priced products that have only the basic function of clumps to high-end ones that are deodorizing and made with ingredients that are safer for both cats and the environment.
c. Well-deserved reward
Everyone wants a reward when they do something right and so do cats. When your cat does a good job of going to the toilet in the right place, you should reward your pet with something. Food, a cuddle or compliments are a great source of encouragement in this case
In the early days of training, you can prepare treats or treats for your cat, these are the most valuable and motivating gifts.
d. Some other tools
In addition, you should also prepare some other items such as mats around the sand tray because sometimes cats will scratch the sand and scatter it around. Adding a plastic shovel to scoop up cat poop is also quite a necessary item
OK! After you have prepared the necessary things, proceed to teach the cat how to go to the toilet in the right place
3. Teach kittens to go to the toilet in the right place
Step 1 : Put the sanitary sand into the bin, tray, or container that you have prepared as above, you can pour the sand into a thin layer or 1/3 depending on the height of the container. Place your cat's litter box in hidden corners as instructed above
Step 2 : Show the kitten the litter box you just prepared, you can put the cat in the box so that the cat can smell and get used to this area. You can repeat this step 1-2 times a day for about 3 days for the cat to get used to it
Step 3 : Put the cat in the litter box after each meal or when the cat wakes up from a nap. In addition, if the cat shows signs of going to the toilet, for example, there is a rumbling sound in the stomach, farting or standing bent over, take the kitten and put it in the litter box.
Step 4 : Reward your cat whenever you see him use the litter box. Praising, petting and giving them a treat is the best spiritual gift, encouraging the cat to go to the toilet in the right place.
Step 5 : Do not punish or scold the cat when the cat does not go to the toilet in the right place. Keep in mind that training is a time-consuming process that cannot be completed overnight. Yelling can also cause panic, making the cat won't listen to you in the future
In the condition, you have successfully trained but the cat still goes outside that area, it is possible that the cat has a digestive system problem that prevents them from arriving in time. If your cat has frequent diarrhea, contact your veterinarian for further advice
4️. Teach your big cat to go to the toilet in the right place
Unlike kittens, big cats have developed their own habits. Maybe fortunately the cat you adopt has been instructed to defecate in the sandbox from their previous owner, but in some cases where you pick up a feral cat from somewhere, for example, you will have quite a bit of difficulty in training. Train your cat to go to the toilet
In this case, helping the cat get used to the smell of litter is the hardest challenge you face, and you can't put the cat in the litter box like you do with kittens. I have a suggestion that after each meal or you can tie the cat near the toilet area (the rope can be 1m - 1m5 long for the cat to comfortably work)
In this condition, when the cat wants to go to the bathroom, the most likely area they can go is in the litter box. You still apply the method of placing trays in enclosed areas and reward the cat for defecating in the right place similar to the kitten training above.
Clean the cat's toilet area
An equally important thing in toilet training is to clean the cat's toilet area. Surely both you, me and other cat owners agree that the smell of cat feces and urine is quite fishy that can make a whole corner of the house stink. Therefore, the cleaning of the cat litter box should be more focused, ready below I will guide you on how to clean this area.
♦ Use a shovel or tongs to remove the cat litter that has accumulated in the sand (daily).
♦ Change the cat litter when you feel that the sand is no longer able to control odors
♦ Clean the litter box with a mild detergent such as soap or a mixture of water and white vinegar. If you are diligent, you can do it once every 1-2 weeks or at least once a month to eliminate disease-causing bacteria. When cleaning, remember to wear gloves and wash your hands to protect yourself
♦ Do not clean the box with strong bleach, industrial disinfectant or other harsh chemicals as this can be harmful to the cat.
5. Some problems can be encountered when teaching cats to potty
As mentioned above some cats can be quite picky, if you put your cat in the litter box but they immediately leave it, the cat may not be suitable it could be due to the shape of the box. suitable, don't like the smell of sand or the structure of toilet sand
Sometimes a covered box makes the cat feel cramped or it's simply a basin with a low wall, the cat may want a box with a lid, more discreet, for example.
You can also move the box around a few places in the house until you feel that the cat likes this area and can be more comfortable going to the toilet there.
In the case of training an older cat to use a litter box, the cat may experience joint pain or stiffness that makes climbing into the box somewhat difficult. Consider whether the side of the box is too high? Can the cat comfortably climb over? Does the cat need to climb over something to get the momentum to jump into the toilet bowl? To be able to replace the container accordingly
According to PetFinder - the world famous pet news site - it is recommended that cats that have not been neutered can urinate all over the house to mark their territory even if you have taught the cat how to go to the toilet in the right place. In this case, spaying or punishing the cat is the most likely course of action
You have successfully trained the cat, the cat has learned to defecate in the right place for a while, then suddenly stops using it and starts going to the toilet around or going in the box while going out could be a sign. signs of anxiety. In this case, see if the surroundings change suddenly or sometimes this is because the cat has symptoms of a urinary tract infection.