age kittens use litter box
Elizabeth Teal and Micky Niego, Companion Animal Services, ASPCA. Contrary to popular myth, Garfield wasn’t born using a litter box, he was drawn that way! Cats do not come into this world ‘knowing’ how to use a litter box, that is, a colored plastic box filled with sterilized clay gravel. Cats learn what and where the “bathroom” is from their mom at about four weeks of age. 1 Don't line the bottom of the litter pan with newspaper or use plastic liners. Newspaper smells and those plastic liners form wrinkles for urine and feces to hide. The plastic liners also tear easily.  If your cat soils a hard surface, it might be a sign that he prefers that type of surface. 1 Don't place a litter box close to food or water.  Some cats do not like covered litter boxes. Not only does the odor tend to stay within the box if it is not kept scrupulously clean but large cats are often not able to achieve a comfortable position for elimination. 1 Some cats do not like covered litter boxes. Not only does the odor tend to stay within the box if it is not kept scrupulously clean but large cats are often not able to achieve a comfortable position for elimination.  Being meticulous creatures, cats are reluctant to stand on/in half wet or soaking wet litter. For some cats this means cleaning out the box after each use, for others once a day is more than enough. If the cat thinks the box is dirty, he may use the area around the box (throw rug, sink or tub), especially if he kicks litter out of the box and it scatters, It is a cat's basic instinct (even big cats) to eliminate away from their food and sleeping area and to bury the waste in order to hide their position from other animals and protect their nests and young. Most kittens start using the litter-box at the age of 3-4 weeks on their own. At what age do cats use the litter box? My kitten is just 6-7 wks old. She wont go to the litterbox on her own. She will let me know when she needs to go by meowing in one of 3 places in my living/dining room, and when I put her close to the box she will get in and use it. But, she wont go there on her own. At what age do the learn to go there on... show more My kitten is just 6-7 wks old. She wont go to the litterbox on her own. She will let me know when she needs to go by meowing in one of 3 places in my living/dining room, and when I put her close to the box she will get in and use it. Cats don't need to be trained to use a litter box - they just do it. By understanding why they prefer to eliminate in a litter box will help their human owners not to make any mistakes in having and maintaining the cat box. You may find that they might try and use your plants as a litter box. A kitten that was born and raised, for the first several weeks, inside by its mother will have the advantage of its mother's help in the litter training process, and other domestications. Kittens, generally, can begin to use a litter box at about four weeks of age, and a kitten being raised without its mother or adult cat will take slightly longer to litter train; so, keep this in mind when you begin the task of litter training your kitten. - Place the kitten in the box 1/2 hour after play or meals.
Four weeks