House training your cat

Housetraining your cat

Before you start housetraining your cat, it is important to understand that cats are generally very clean, fastidious animals.

They are rather particular about their toilet arrangements, including where they go to the toilet, what they like to go in/on and the type of litter they like to use.

When you get a new cat you will need to keep them inside for 3-4 weeks to give them time to establish their new territory.

If you have a kitten - you will need to keep them in until they are at least 6 months old.

During this time you will need to provide them with a litter tray.

Cats prefer to pass their waste, away from where they eat, drink and sleep and where they feel safe.

The basics

It is advisable to keep your cat in one room for the first few days to help them settle in and to help with toilet training.

Litter tray size

Most cats prefer to use a litter tray that is easy to get into and large enough for them to turn around in with ease. For adult cats, the recommended size is one and a half times the length of your cat, from their nose to the base of their tail. The minimum size recommended is approximately 49cm x 38cm.

Litter tray type

Covered litter trays are popular with owners, as the contents remain largely out of sight and many people assume they are preferable for cats too, as they provide a discreet and private space. In fact, many cats like to feel they can see all around them when going to the toilet.

Most cats will adapt to a covered tray but there are some cats who feel vulnerable confined in a small space with only one exit point.

In multi-cat households open trays tend to be preferable as any cat using one cannot be ambushed by another that has been hiding out of sight.

Litter tray location

The position of the litter tray is very important, so make sure you: 

Place the litter tray well away from food and water bowls. 

Place the litter tray in an area where the cat won’t be disturbed and away from windows and doors, especially cat flaps. 

Give the cat two litter trays in different areas so he can choose to use it where he feels most comfortable.

It is also worth having one covered and one open tray so he can choose which type he prefers.

If you have more than 1 cat, it is a good idea to provide one litter tray per cat, plus one extra in a different location especially if your cats are kept permanently indoors.

Cats should be able to access their toileting site without having to pass other cats or things that make them anxious such as a noisy washing machine.

Litter type

Cat litter can be made out of paper, wood, silica, corn, wheat and clay/ grit, but most cats tend to prefer non -scented litter that most resembles sand or grit. Cats will develop a preference for a certain type of cat litter from a young age, so it’s best to stick to what they are used to.

Kittens

Your kitten will be very tiny at first, so you will need a relatively small size litter tray with low sides to start with. However, they will grow quickly so you will need to replace the litter tray with a bigger version as they grow.

Generally cats prefer litter to be about 3 5cm deep, so they can dig around and cover over their mess.

The litter tray must be kept clean and free from faeces and urine.

Unless you use a clumping type litter, in which you can scoop/sieve out the soiled parts, it should be emptied at least once a day otherwise, your cat will refuse to use it and may mess on the floor instead.

Kittens can be very exploratory when they are small, and they do have a tendency to put random objects in their mouths.

Some kittens will show an interest in eating cat litter for this reason, so it is important for you to keep an eye on them in the early stages and, if they are prone to doing this, it’s a good idea to use a cat litter that is plant based and won’t harm them if they ingest it.

You can gradually change to a more convenient cat litter if you need to once they are older.

If you are housetraining a new kitten, it is a good idea to add a little of the old litter to the fresh litter when cleaning the tray this will encourage them to use it until they are fully housetrained.

Cats normally go to the toilet after sleeping and eating, so these are the times to be vigilant and place the kitten in the tray, so he learns where to go.

Cats and kittens will generally use their litter tray on their own but as soon they use the tray, give them lots of praise and treats.

If they don’t use the tray then use gloves to pick up some of the urine or faeces and put it in the tray, to show them where they are supposed to go.

Important points

Make any changes to the tray, the litter, or its location very slowly to avoid toileting accidents.

If your cat does mess anywhere other than the litter tray, it is extremely important not to shout at them or punish them, as they will not associate this punishment with going to the toilet in the wrong place.

It will only make them fearful of you and going to the toilet in generalcausing behaviour problems. You will also ruin your relationship and trust with your cat.

Training your cat to go to the toilet outside

If you are encouraging your cat to go to the toilet outside, you will need to provide a suitable area close to the house where your cat feels safe.

Cats like to go to the toilet in a private area such as in between bushy plants in a boarder and even better if it has loose soil or wood chippings for them to dig.

An outdoor raised bed with nice loose light soil or sand and or wood chippings will encourage your cat to go to the toilet in an area that won’t disturb your neighbours or damage your plants!

Cats are free roaming creatures and have a natural tendency to wander.

It can be hard to keep them to the confines of your own garden.

At the same time it can be very annoying for neighbours to see your cat going to the toilet in their garden so you need to encourage your cat to go to the toilet in your garden.

Problems?

If you have a cat that has always been good at using the litter tray and is suddenly going elsewhere, this could be an indication of a health problem, so you should take your cat to the vet before you take any further action.

Cystitis, or other types of urinary tract disease, may cause the cat to strain and to pass small amounts of urine frequently. The infection or irritation makes the cat urinate immediately, rather than attempting to go outside or to the litter tray.

Urinating in this way can sometimes be confused with spraying.

Is your cat spraying or house soiling/urinating?

Cats use urine as a scent signal or mark for themselves and other cats. The motivation for scent marking/ spraying is different to that of urinating to relieve a full bladder.

Catching your cat in action, or a little detective work at the site, will help determine whether the cat is spraying or urinating.

To urinate, the cat squats and deposits a volume of urine on a horizontal surface. The carpet, duvet, sofa or bath are commonly chosen sites.

To spray, however, the cat stands up, usually making a treading motion with the hind legs, tail upright and quivering. A small volume of urine is sprayed backwards onto a vertical surface, such as a wall, leaving an obvious scent mark.

Possible reasons for house soiling (not spraying)

Cats commonly choose a spot close to the door or window, especially curtains, to spray. Some specialise in spraying electrical equipment or novel items in the home such as shopping bags!

Once you have ascertained which of the above your cat is doing, you can take action to resolve the behaviour.

1. Old age

An older cat may not want to venture out in bad weather or may be having problems using the cat flap because of stiffening joints. Providing a litter tray indoors upstairs and downstairs may solve the problem.

2. Litter tray problems

If your cat normally uses a litter tray but has recently started to go elsewhere in the house there may be an obvious reason.

2.1 Dirty litter tray

Cats do not like using a tray if it is heavily soiled. Litter trays should be cleaned out every day and the solids or clumps removed as soon as they appear.

2.2 Litter tray smells funny

Using scented litter, deodorants or disinfectants with strong smells may put the scent-sensitive cat off using the tray.

Use a feline friendly disinfectant and make sure the tray is rinsed thoroughly with clean water. Avoid disinfectants which turn cloudy in water as these usually contain phenols, which are toxic to cats. Cats learning to use the litter tray initially may need to associate it as a toilet area and over frequent cleaning may weaken the smell and association.

2.3 Wrong type of litter

Cats are likely to favour the litter type used when they were young kittens. If you are unsure as to what type of litter they prefer, give them a choice. Most cats prefer a soft, sand type litter. Sometimes the litter we provide is too hard, especially the wood chip type, as they don’t like to stand on it. In this case try a softer litter type.

Changing the consistency of the litter, or changing to a scented type, may put the cat off using it.

If you want to change the type of litter, mix the new one in gradually over a week or so to gauge the cat’s reaction.

2.4 Litter tray liners

Some people use polythene tray liners or newspaper to line the bottom of the litter tray to make it easier to clean out.

In reality these tend to leak, as they are prone to puncture marks and tears.

Cats can also get their claws caught in the polythene while attempting to dig and bury, which is not a pleasant feeling for them.

2.5 Noisy litter tray

The majority of litter trays are plastic and rectangular but there are also automatic devices.

Automatic, self cleaning litter trays are a popular idea for many owners, but the motor noises and vibrations caused by the self-cleaning process can be disturbing for cats and may even deter them from using it.

2.6 Litter depth

Generally cats prefer litter to be about 3 4cm deep, so they can dig around and cover over their mess. Check you are using a deep enough litter.

2.7 Position of the litter tray

If the tray is positioned in the open where the dog, children or other cats disturb it, the cat may feel too vulnerable to use it, and seek a more secure spot behind the sofa!

Place the tray in a quiet and private spot where the cat only has to watch in one or two directions rather than in the open or in a thoroughfare.

You should also place it away from their food and water bowl.

Older cats benefit from having a tray upstairs as well as downstairs, in case they cant quite make it down the stairs in time.

Don’t put litter trays in a line as cats will see this as one tray. Put them in different locations.

Other areas to avoid include those adjacent to full length windows looking out over the garden, cat flaps, and external doors where the threat from strange cats outside may be particularly evident for your cat.

2.8 Type & size of litter tray

There are a number of different types of tray available to meet specific needs. Every cat is different and it is a case of finding the right tray for your cat.

If you use an open type of tray and your cat is not using it, it may be worth purchasing one with a lid to provide privacy and security.

If it comes with a door like this one above make sure you take the door off as it may put the cat off using it as they can feel trapped and don’t like the door touching them as they go in and out. It also contains the smell inside, which cats wont like. What size tray are you using?

Litter tray size does matter, especially to your cat! Litter trays should be big enough to allow a cat to turn around and dig.

A small litter tray may take up less floor space and be more convenient for you. However, it can be uncomfortable for your pet.

Here is an example of a litter tray that is too small.

Most cats prefer to use a litter tray that is easy to get into and large enough for them to turn around in with ease. For adult cats, the recommended size is one and a half times the length of your cat, from their nose to the base of their tail. The minimum size recommended is approximately 49cm x 38cm.

Large litter trays don’t have to be expensive. Try making a home made one from a plastic storage box.

2.9 Not enough litter trays

As a general rule provide cats with one litter tray per cat plus one extra one for choice. Some cats prefer to have one tray for urination and another for defection.

2.10 Bad associations

Occasionally a cat decides not to use their litter tray because of a previous bad experience.

Perhaps the cat was intimidated by another pet or child when last using it. Moving the tray to a quiet spot and providing a cover for the tray may help.

Once the cause or causes are established, you can try to combat the problem.

2.11 Early training went wrong

Kittens will often soil in the house when they are young if they are given immediate access to large areas. When kittens first arrive in their new home they are only weeks away from their original litter training by their mother.

Their bladder and bowel control are not as developed as an adult’s so it is important that the young kitten has easy access to the litter tray at all times.

It is advisable to confine the kitten to one room initially, with increasing periods of time to explore other areas after a few weeks. Every time the kitten uses the tray it is establishing an entrenched behaviour that will be maintained throughout its life.

2.12 Fear and/or anxiety

Cats are at their most vulnerable to attack when they are urinating or defecating outside and, if they feel threatened, it may deter them from doing so.

Other cats are usually the biggest problem but it could be a neighbour’s dog or even a sudden loud noise.

The provision of a discreet litter tray indoors will take away the feelings of anxiety and the need for the cat to make a conscious decision to find a suitable toilet site.

You can also create safety dens for your cat to hide in when they feel anxious or scared. This can be simply an area under a bed or in a wardrobe.

You can get creative and create a den for your cat.

Retraining

Some cats need to be retrained to use a litter tray in the same way that kittens are trained by their mother not to soil their bed.

Initially the mother removes the waste and, by a couple of weeks old, kittens learn to leave the nest to urinate and defecate.

Placing the cat in a small room with a bed and litter tray mimics this early learning.

Accompanying the cat on visits to the garden may encourage them to go to the toilet outside again. Your cat may normally have chosen to toilet well away from its home, so it may be beneficial to make your own garden more appealing.

Create an area in a quiet corner relatively close to the house (for ease of escape back indoors) and mix in with the earth a high proportion of peat free soil or sand.

In a small room there is little option but to use the tray. In this way the cat should learn to associate toileting with the litter tray.

Let your cat out at a time when you can watch him, and put him back on the tray if you see him heading for a soiling spot or behaving as if he is about to urinate or defecate. Look for signs such as digging or circling.

If an accident does happen, clean it up with tissue and place the soiled tissue in the tray, so the cat learns to make the associations you want.

The cat may get the idea within a few days, however it may take a few weeks. When the cat has started using the tray properly, gradually reintroduce him to the rest of the house, one room at a time so that you can supervise and prevent accidents happening.

Spraying

All cats, male or female, entire or neutered, spray. Usually this occurs outdoors as part of their scent communication system.

They also leave scent signals by rubbing, scratching and bunting (running the glands around the mouth onto objects).

The cat leaves a scent to alert other cats, but also to furnish the area with a familiar smell, boosting selfconfidence and marking the area as safe. Cats do this indoors on items of furniture and walls. These marks shouldn't be cleaned away, as they make the cat feel safe and secure in their home and territory.

Indoor spraying indicates that your cat feels threatened by something, either outside or inside your home.

Possible reasons for spraying indoors

1. The cat is unneutered

In the un neutered cat, the urine signals both the cat’s presence and also sexual status.

Females in season have high levels of oestrogen in their urine in order to attract males. Unneutered males leave a highly pungent spray, which is a combination of urine and secretions from the anal glands, under their tails.

To eliminate this problem, get your cat/s neutered as soon as possible.

2. Fear or stress

Cats will spray indoors if they are stressed. They surround themselves with their own scent to try to and feel more secure. This can occur for a number of reasons.

2.1. Insecurity of a new home

A new home will have taken away the comfort of familiar territory and surroundings. Sometimes time and patience will solve this problem, as your cat gains confidence. If not, you may need to help your cat to feel more secure see the section on helping your cat feel more secure on page 18.

2.2. Something scary outside

There may be something threatening outside. Your cat may be afraid of a neighbourhood dog, another cat, or traffic after a close encounter with a vehicle.

If the problem is caused by another cat outdoors, or even coming in through the cat flap, then follow the steps on page 18 to make your cat feel secure again.

Lock the cat flap and let the cat out yourself. If you can go out in to the garden with them, it will help to make them feel more secure and frighten off any cats waiting in the garden!

It will also help to cover windows and doors to restrict the view of other cats outside.

Change to a more sophisticated cat flap perhaps one that scans your cats microchip to only let him inside, so other cats cannot enter your home and violate your cat’s safe refuge.

2.3. Too many other cats in close quarters

Think hard about the number of cats you keep in one small living area. This can often be highly stressful for them, as they all need their own personal space and territory.

You will need to split them up as much as you can and give them their own space and feeding area.

Provide as many resources such as litter trays and sleeping areas in different locations as you can. Adding areas they can get up high, away from each other will also help.

2.4. New cat or dog

It may be that your cat has to run the risk of going into other people’s gardens to go to the toilet, because the soil in your own garden in not soft enough (thus encountering other cats and dogs).

Dig up an area in your garden/yard or create a raised bed for your cat to use. Choose a quiet corner with some shelter. Page 6 shows an example of this. A pile of sand will be equally attractive, or provide a litter tray indoors.

The addition of a new pet to the household can threaten resident cats, or upset the balance in a multi cat household, and therefore induce spraying.

To overcome this difficult problem

you need to be able to prevent conflict, give the threatened cat(s) more security and link the presence of the cats together to something rewarding.

Slow, phased and gentle introductions are essential when adding a new pet to the home. Please see our leaflet on introducing cats to cats or cats to dogs for more detailed advice.

2.5. Noisy/chaotic household

Your cat may be struggling with a noisy home and feel unsettled and or stressed.

In this case you will help your cat if you can give him his own calm, self contained living quarters in a room or area of the house where he can retreat to and wont be disturbed.

Make sure he has all his resources such as a bed, litter tray, food and water bowls etc. available in this quiet space.

2.6.

Change to the home

Smells brought in on shoes may be enough to trigger a feeling of insecurity and the need to spray. Redecorating or replacing furniture effectively removes all your cat’s subtle scent markings that have been carefully placed by rubbing and scratching. These will now be replaced by the strong smell of new carpets, paints or furniture.

To reduce their impact, keep the cat away from the altered room until the smells are not quite so strong and have mingled with the other familiar scents in the house.

Help your cat to feel secure

Even when the cause of spraying is not obvious there are ways in which you can make your cat feel more secure.

Limit their space

Limiting the area the cat is allowed to patrol to one room may help improve feelings of security and reduce the desire to scent mark.

Help them spread their scent

You can help to spread some of your cat’s own scent yourself.

Take a soft cotton cloth and rub it gently around the cat’s face (where some of the glands that produce the cat’s individual scents are located) to collect scent.

Now rub this all over the new furniture, concentrating on surfaces at the cats level such as chair legs and skirting boards.

There are products you can use in the home, such as Feliway, which acts in the same way. It contains artificial facial pheromones the scents produced by the glands on your cat’s face. These come as diffusers or sprays.

Breaking the habit

Whether a genuine accident or not, once the cat has urinated or defecated in a particular spot, the animal’s sensitive nose encourages the cat to use that place again.

The best way to break the habit is to keep the cat away from the area for as long as possible and remove any residual smell the cat could detect.

Cleaning up

If your cat has urinated in your home, cleaning the area thoroughly will help to remove the strong odour and may help to deter them from urinating in the same place again.

Some disinfectants (like Dettol), that go cloudy in water are toxic to cats, so use only hot water and detergent when cleaning out the tray or ensure you use a cat-friendly disinfectant, such as bleach, which has been diluted as the manufacturer recommends, and the tray rinsed thoroughly before use.

You can make a cheap and effective cleaner with a warm water and 10% solution of biological washing powder. Wash the area thoroughly, rinse with clean water and then allow the area to dry.

Carpet is extremely absorbent and urine often soaks into the underlay and the floor underneath. If the area is badly soiled over a long period it may be necessary to cut out the section of carpet and clean the concrete or floor boards underneath before replacing.

If the surface is suitable, you can use surgical spirit after cleaning to remove all lingering traces of urine. Do a small patch test first to check that this cleaning method will not cause any damage. Finally restrict your cat/s access to this particular spot. Even better place a large item of furniture over the whole area if possible. Placing some dried cat food in the area may help to prevent the cat using it again for this purpose.

Specialist help

Hopefully the advice and tips in this leaflet help you and your cat live together happily. Some cats will have a more persistent problem, so discuss options with your Vet. If needed, your case can be referred to a feline behavioural specialist.