My kids brought home a stray kitten that they found in the woods. I have an appoinment at the vets for it....but in the mean time, how do I teach it to use a litter box? And what should I do for it ....it is very skinny if I had to guess I would say it is about 8-10 weeks old. Wants to hide, but will lay there and let you hold it once you catch it, and purs. So, I don't think it has been out in the woods very long. I don't see fleas and it's ears look clean. ANY IDEAS TO HELP IT WOULD BE GREAT! Don't know if it is male or female, not sure how to tell.
2006-06-14 05:16:48 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
Kitty has eaten and has been drinking a lot of water....also sleeping alot. It's nose is warm and dry, but has no kind of discharge, and it's eyes also do not have any kind of discharge.
2006-06-14 08:26:23 · update #1
Ok, first thing is if the kitten doesn't know how to use the litter box, every time you see it squat to go to the bathroom, pick it up and put it in the litter box. Take his or her front paws gently and scratch the litter with them. You may need to do this for several days. Once your kitten gets the hang of learning what to do with the litter box, clean your litter box but leave a little of his feces and urine half buried in the litter. Your kitten will be able to smell his business and bury it and will then know where it needs to go to the bathroom.
As for the sex of the kitten, pick it up and look nearby it's bum. If you see a raised stubble, your kitten is a boy. If you don't see a raised stubble only a small slit, it is a girl.
One thing with kittens that appear very skinny, you don't want to over feed it. By over feeding a kitten can kill it. Feed your kitten either dry Purina Kitten Chow or dry Science Diet for Kittens. Hold off from feeding him or her any canned cat food. Just give it dry kitten food for awhile. Your new kitten may have worms too. I am glad to hear you have a vet appointment set up. Before going to the vet, capture his or her last bowel movement and put it in a small baggy. The vet will test it and see if your kitten has worms and what kind of worms it has. The vet will give you medicine specifically targeting worm removal.
Your vet will also be able to tell how old it is. As for hiding and what not, it sounds like the kitten is a bit wild. With wild kittens or cats, you have to be very, very cautious with them and very, very patient too.
Good luck to you and your kitten, cats are wonderful companions and make great friends for us humans!
I hope I was some help to you!
2006-06-14 05:48:55 · answer #1 · answered by Lyndee 4 · 9⤊ 0⤋
To teach a cat to use the littler is very easy.Put the litter in the box and place it in an area where the cat can access it easy and will feel comfortable, then place the cat in the box, that one of the cats paws and have it scratch the litter, from there they pretty much get the hint. If kitty chooses to go outside of the box, pick it up and place it's poo in the litter box and repeat the same drill of putting the cat in the box and then having one of it;s paws scratch the box, also have it put litter on top of the poo so the cat can learn to cover its poo. Also do not use amonia products in the house.
Cat urine contains amonia and any product you usewill leave an amonia smell for kitty, kitty will think it's ok to urinste in these areas.
Can you get the kitten to eat yet?
How are it's nose and eyes?
To check the sex:
Check under the cat on males there will be two small round lums near the anus, and then a small hole where the penis is. In female cats there will be the anus and a second hole right next to it. Also the vet can verify it for you if you are unsure. Also be sure to get kittie spayed or neutered.
And be sure to be feeding kitten chow, kittens need a lot of vitmins, like a young toddler does.
2006-06-14 05:27:14 · answer #2 · answered by cisco_cantu 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When she poops trap her. Point and say dangerous. Make certain she is aware you don't seem to be joyful. Pick the poop up with a scoop. Take the poop and the kitten into the clutter field and placed them each within the clutter field. Say well. This labored for 4 cats and the method my grandmother makes use of. (She is a breeder. She breeds somalis and has been doing so for 27 years. She has an common of 20 cats in her apartment at a time and approx 10-15 kittens relying on season and insist.)
2016-09-09 01:27:02 · answer #3 · answered by cosco 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A cat has a natural urge to dig and bury when it has to potty. If you provide the box and clean littler it should do it on its own. Make sure you show the kitty where the box is and set it in there a couple of times, so it knows what is in the box (litter to dig in..) If you have potted plants on the floor, fill in the top with river rock or large decorative gravel to reduce the kittens urge to dig in them for potty places. Congratulations on the new member of your family!
2006-06-14 05:22:44 · answer #4 · answered by purrpletoad 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cats usually want to use a litter box, so show your cat the box. If the cat goes on the floor, show it the box again. Cats are clean animals (as far as animals go) and as long as the litter stays clean, the cat will continue to use the box.
Ive read that it is possible to train a cat to use the toilet. If you have a kitten, it may be something to try. Of course, that will lead to another question on how to toilet train your cat. :-)
2006-06-14 05:23:55 · answer #5 · answered by AJ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What I do is routinely put the cat in the litter box and work their paws into the litter. Let the cat find it's way out of the box and back to the living area so she'll learn how to get there. Cats are really smart, she'll pick it up quickly!
2006-06-14 05:21:22 · answer #6 · answered by allyson71377 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First, make sure you put the litter box in a place that is easy to get to and where it will likely continue to reside.
Then, like others have said, periodically bring the kitty to the box, but him/her in and hold its little arms (one in each hand) and make them kinda dig in the litter.
The key is to make sure to bring the kitty to the box regularly and at times when they might have to go...such as after eating and after napping.
It is very natural for them, you just need to point them in the right direction a little. Hope this helps.
2006-06-14 07:03:58 · answer #7 · answered by ruthk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Usually (if you own it's mom) the kitten will learn to use a litter box from watching it's mom. Be careful though sometimes they will go in plants or other places containing dirt or sand.
2006-06-14 06:42:46 · answer #8 · answered by Tori 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All you have to do is put the kitten in the litter box and it will automatically start using it.
2006-06-14 05:21:42 · answer #9 · answered by niki 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
cats are like dogs in that they want to please. Just set your litter box up and ever so often during the day place him in the litter box. Soon he'll be doing it like a pro..Cats are very clean animals
2006-06-14 05:35:30 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋