When can I start using clumping cat litter?

27 May.,2024

 

Choosing Litter: Listen to Your Cat - National Kitten Coalition

Mom cats lick their kittens&#; genital areas to stimulate kittens to pee and poop. It&#;s nature&#;s way of keeping the nest and kittens clean and not attracting predators. When there is no mom cat, fosters use a soft tissue to stimulate kittens to potty before and after each meal.

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It isn&#;t until kittens are three weeks of age that they can potty on their own. At that time, they can be introduced to a low-sided litter box. When they first start using the litter box, it&#;s not uncommon for kittens to cry. It&#;s a new, possibly scary experience to be pooping and peeing on their own in litter!

Kittens tend to explore the world with their mouth and, if they swallow clumping litter, it can cause a serious blockage in their intestines. Therefore, clumping litter shouldn&#;t be used until kittens are at least 4 months old.

Cats can be very particular when it comes to what&#;s in their litter box, which makes choosing litter very important. Did you know that adult cats often prefer the type of litter they used as kittens?

Here are some factors to consider when choosing a litter for your kitten or cat.

  • The texture of litter is important to kittens and cats. Their paws contain lots of nerve receptors, making them very sensitive to texture. Most cats prefer a soft, sandy texture. A cat who scratches in his litter to find the perfect spot to poop and then buries his deposit probably likes the texture of the litter. A cat who perches on the side of the litter box and doesn&#;t bury his poop probably dislikes the texture.
  • The scent of litter is also important. Cats&#; noses have 40 times as many odor-sensitive cells as human noses. So, while a scented litter may appeal to people, it&#;s usually unpopular with cats whose noses are inches away from it. Consider, too, that while scented litter may disguise the stink of a dirty box to us, it doesn&#;t pass a cat&#;s sniff test.

We all know that cats like routine, and changing litter types and even brands can cause cats to avoid the litter box. Try not to run out of your kitten&#;s or cat&#;s preferred litter or buy litter based on what&#;s on sale from one time to the next.

If you&#;re adopting a kitten, ask the animal shelter or rescue group for a baggie of the litter to take home. You can continue to use this type of litter or, if you want to change the type of litter, mix a small amount of the new litter in with the current one every day over a 3-5 day period. You can also provide additional litter boxes with different types of litter to see which type your cat prefers.

Once you&#;ve settled on a litter, maintain about a 2-inch level in the box by &#;replacing&#; scooped litter every few days. If using clumping litter, scoop at least twice a day, and wash the litter box with hot water and dish liquid at least monthly; if using non-clumping litter, wash the box at least weekly.

Now consider the many types of litter and their pros and cons.

  • Clay litter comes in two types, clumping and non-clumping. Clumping litter is affordable, absorbs the waste and scoops easily. It&#;s bad for the environment, tracks easily and can be dusty. Clumping litter isn&#;t safe for kittens because it expands when it comes in contact with liquid and, if swallowed, the litter could cause an intestinal blockage.
  • Pellet litters are made from leftover timber industry wood. They break down into sawdust when urinated on. There is pellet litter made specifically for cats; wood stove pellets can also be used as litter if it&#;s free of phenol and essential oils, which are toxic to cats. Always contact the manufacturer to ensure the wood stove pellets are kiln dried to remove phenol and don&#;t contain any additives. Pellet litter is affordable, absorbs odors well, tracks minimally, is dust-free and environmentally friendly. Special boxes for pellet litter make cleaning easy.
  • Silica gel is a newer option for cat litter. It&#;s expensive, but controls odor well and absorbs urine, so there&#;s no need to scoop. Some brands change color when it&#;s time to change the litter, while others use color to indicate a cat&#;s urinary health. Silica gel doesn&#;t track, so the area around the litter tray stays nice and clean.
  • Corn litter is made of dried corn kernels. It&#;s expensive, but lightweight and fully biodegradable; some varieties can be flushed down the toilet. There are concerns about aflatoxins, molds common in corn, which are toxic to cats. Most companies guarantee their products against this. Corn litter is safe for kittens.
  • Paper litter is made from processed, recycled papers. It&#;s affordable, dust- and fragrance-free; it can be a good choice for cats with paw injuries as it&#;s softer than most litters. It has poor odor control and needs to be changed frequently. If you&#;re using shredded newspaper, make sure the ink is non-toxic.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

You should always consult your veterinarian if your kitten is having diarrhea, and for very tiny kittens, immediate action is needed. Bottle baby kittens can quickly dehydrate and even older kittens with bad diarrhea can dehydrate and decline rapidly, so your prompt actions can save their lives.

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When cats are stressed by the &#;condition&#; of their litter box &#; they don&#;t like the odor, the texture, the level of cleanliness, the location &#; they may not use it. They may also not use it if they have a medical issue, such as an infection, urinary crystals or arthritis, which makes it painful to pee or poop or get in the litter box. Cats who are having trouble peeing may go to the litter box repeatedly, try to pee in unusual places, lick their genitals and cry in pain. Don&#;t assume that cats straining in the litter box are constipated. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your male cat is straining without peeing or peeing only small amounts. Male cats become more easily blocked by crystals building because their urethra is smaller than female cats. Male cats who can&#;t pee can die quickly or suffer irreversible organ damage when toxins build up in their bodies.

Litter Training

Learning how to use the litter box is an important part of early feline development, but "litter training" is a bit of a misnomer! Kittens naturally understand the litter box and will be drawn to use it as long as you provide them the proper encouragement. Here's what you need to know about helping get kittens on the right path.

1. Introduce Litter at the Right Time

Newborn kittens need to be stimulated to go to the bathroom, and won't start using the litter box until around 3 weeks of age. Once the kitten has reached 3 weeks, it's appropriate to introduce them to the litter box. Every kitten develops at a different pace, so be patient with the kitten and continue stimulating until you're confident she is using the litter box with regularity.

2. Choose a Litter That is Kitten-Safe

Kittens learn and explore in the same way human babies do--with their mouths. This means that you'll need to choose a litter that is safe for kittens so that they don't consume something toxic or dangerous. Kittens should not be given litter products that contain fragrances, harsh chemicals, or clumping properties. While clumping litter might be the standard for adult cats, it's a risk to kittens if ingested, and should not be provided until the kitten is at least 2-3 months old and well accustomed to the litter box.

Instead, opt for a natural, pellet-based litter that is less likely to be inhaled or ingested by a young kitten. 

3. Choose the Right Box 

Kittens require an open-top, shallow litter box that is easy for them to access and locate. Eliminate obstacles such as tall or covered boxes and provide something that is easy for them to walk in and out of until they're big enough for an adult litter box. For very young kittens under 8 weeks old, you can even use a cardboard tray (such as those used for canned kitten food) to provide a shallow lip for the tiny kitten to walk over. 

4. Choose the Right Placement

Equally important is the placement. Kittens tend to be drawn to corners or other areas away from their main home base, so start by placing the litter box in a corner that is clean from clutter. A puppy pad placed under the box will make clean-up easier, as they can be messy learners. 

When litter training kittens, you want to make it extremely easy for them to find a litter box at all times. Kittens have a natural drive to cover their waste, and will look for the most convenient space to do so. This means you'll want to keep them near a box throughout the duration of their transition, and avoid providing any messy areas such as piles of laundry where the kitten might develop bad habits. Ideally, a 3-8 week old kitten learning to use a box should be confined to one room so that they can easily find the litter box at all times. For older kittens acclimating to a larger space, it's best to offer multiple options so that the kitten is always within 10 feet of a litter box. 

5. Use Positive Reinforcement

Kittens do well with positive reinforcement--not punishment. Provide praise when kittens use the box correctly!

If the kitten uses an area outside of the box, immediately clean and disinfect the area to avoid scent soaking or scent associations. If the kitten is using bedding or laundry, keep these items off the floor. If a kitten is frequently using the same location, place a litter box in the location. In some cases, switching to a new litter or using a product like Kitten Attract can help kittens who are truly struggling to understand the box. 

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