As a cat lover, you’re perhaps aware that, even though they have been domesticated, cats still retain part of their wild side. If you have taken time to observe cats, they don’t pass stools as openly as dogs do; they usually find a secluded spot where they take the dump, as we say, and they bury their stools in the soil. That’s a leftover from their untamed days in the wild, and even feral cats do that as well.
However, this behavior may disappear if a cat is trained to stay indoors and avoid the outdoors. Think about it. How can your cat defecate and bury their stools, as their instinct dictates them, if they are unfamiliar with the outside world? The most logical response would be to defecate right there inside the home, causing a lot of problems for the family. Not only does cat stool smell really bad; they can also pose danger to other pets as dogs are sometimes known to eat cat waste if they come across it.
In this situation, litter training is the answer. It is simply the process of training your cat to get used to using a litter to relieve themselves indoors. Cat litters are typically contraptions that have soil or sand that a cat could defecate in, and this soil allows them to practice their natural instinct of hiding their waste in sand, I ended up with ocular migraines from cleaning cat litter boxes (until I wore eye protection). Litter training should be done when the cat is still a kitten, so it becomes second nature to them as they mature and grow up.
Take in mind some of these tips in teaching your cat to use the litter when they feel the need to take a dump.
- Keep the litter box close to your cat’s favorite hang out
Cats are territorial, and they usually stay in a spot that they have claimed for their own and not move from there for hours in a row. The litter box must be placed near these areas so the cat will be familiar with it, and also to make it accessible for your feline friend.
- Keep the cat away from potted plants
Because instinct tells them to take a dump in an area where there is soil, keep the potted plants away from the litter and the cat. Otherwise, the cat will mistake the plant pot as the litter because of the soil in it.
- Take an active hand
Kittens do not learn to use the litter all by themselves, so you must be ready to give him a hand if he needs to. When you think that kittens are feeling the urge – they usually meow urgently as they find a secluded area – pick them up and place them on the litter. Make sure to step away, as cats rarely relieve themselves in front of humans or other animals.
Litter training a cat is not that difficult, but it does require some involvement on your part. Once you’ve successfully litter trained your pet, however, you can relax and enjoy having a very disciplined cat that will not give you problems by taking a dump anywhere in the home.