Small video showcasing the non-profit Cat House on the Kings cat sanctuary. This woman has rescued 16 thousand cats.

To learn more, or to donate, go to http://www.cathouseonthekings.com/.

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Most of the time, when cats don’t want to use the litterbox, it’s due to a physical problem. Either the cat is sick, or the condition of her litter is. More rarely, another cat may be bullying her and making her afraid to use the box. More rare still is the cat who expresses displeasure by making deposits in fun locations.

The rarest reason of all for a cat to not use her litterbox is because she was simply never trained to do so. Perhaps she was an outdoor cat, or she was neglected or abandoned as a kitten. Kittens are taught by their mothers where the appropriate potty location is.

So how DO you litter train a cat?

You do not teach a cat to use a litterbox. You condition it to. It’s all about the habit.

Kittens are brought to the box by their mothers, and it is merely conditioning and habit that keep them going there. It’s simply where that business is done. It never occurs to them to do it elsewhere. If you neuter them prior to puberty, they never get the urge to spray and all is well.

If a cat was raised outside, to them, the appropriate location is soil or grass. This is actually the easiest issue to address. Simply go outside and get some soil, and place it in a litterbox in the home. Habit will have her potty where the soil is. Gradually, over the course of the next few months, you mix in standard litter. Eventually, the box is all litter and no soil, and her habit is to go in the box (with litter).

The more difficult issue to fix is a cat who has, for whatever reason, developed the habit of going potty anywhere except her litterbox. This cat needs complete re-conditioning. She needs a new habit — relieving herself in the box. In order to accomplish this, you need to make it impossible for her to NOT do that. You need to confine her in a way that makes her choose to use the box. Over time, using the box becomes habit.

The easiest way to condition the new habit is to start small. Literally. Buy or borrow a large dog crate or cat enclosure, and keep her in it (an alternative is a very small room, such as the spare bathroom). The floor area should be just big enough for a small cat bed, food and water bowls, and a small litterbox. The cat will relieve herself in the litterbox simply because she doesn’t have much choice.

While she’s learning her new habit, she should not be outside her crate or pen unless she is being directly supervised and played with. This is just like crate training a puppy. You don’t want to give her a chance to sneak off and pee in the corner, or all your efforts are worthless. You do want to take her out and play with her often; just don’t let her wander away from you.

After a month or so, you can graduate her to a larger room. Don’t give her the whole house right away or she may fall back into her old habit. Make sure she is still using her litterbox, and only her box, for another month before trying to let her have her freedom back. You can check the room using a blacklight (fluorescent, not incandescent) that will make urine glow yellow/green if you have trouble noticing accidents. If she relapses even once, you have to back to caging her for awhile. Some cats take much longer to re-condition than others, so be patient.

Only once she’s left her room clean for at least a month with no accidents should you consider letting her roam the whole home unsupervised.

You’re likely saving her life by training her to use a litterbox. Don’t think that’s it cruel to confine her when the alternative is death. Few people want a cat that won’t use a box. Unwanted cats end up dead cats at most shelters.

Remember — take it slow! Think about how long it takes you to form a habit, or break an existing one. Be patient, and don’t give her a chance to screw up. Each time she goes somewhere besides her box, her newly forming habit is broken. A few months of training is well-worth the lifetime of love you get back.

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I read a little blurb on the news today about the House banning pet rental companies. It got me thinking. I belong to several Yahoo groups that have to do with animal rescue, as well as some LiveJournal comms about animals.

Frequently, people post that they want a dog or a cat, but don’t know what breed to get. They might be unsure of the time requirements, their ability to handle the training, or their commitment to the animal.

We give those people the same advice. Try before you buy.

I’m not saying you should rent a pet. Far from it. There is a way to try a pet on for size, so to speak, without making the lifetime commitment that buying a pet entails.

Become a foster home.

Many private animal rescue organizations, breed rescues, and humane societies place their adoptable pets into private foster homes. Dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, even ferrets and bunnies go to private homes where they can be in an environment free from the stress of a cage in a noisy shelter.  In an environment closer to the home where they will eventually live, they can maintain better potty habits and social skills. When someone is interested in adopting an animal, they can either visit the foster family or the foster family brings the pet to a common location such as a local pet store.

It takes a big heart to be a foster home for a pet in need. You have to able able to let them go when its time. There are many benefits and rewards to being a foster home, though.

• You get to see what it’s like to care for a particular dog or cat. See if a puppy fits into your life. See if you can handle training a cat not to claw the couch. Will you really have time to walk the dog EVERY day?
• You usually do not have to pay the vet expenses. You might even get a break on food and supplies.
• You may have first dibbs on the dog or cat if you fall in love with it.
• If you’re a dog lover, you can always have a puppy!
• If you’re a cat lover, you can always have kittens!
• Free training advise and help from the organization. Learn how to train the pet. You can consider it on the job training.
• You helped save a life. That’s one hell of a reward for any animal lover.

Getting a dog or a cat is a lifetime commitment to that animal. The last thing we need is more homeless pets; millions are killed every year in shelters already. Be a part of the solution — FOSTER!

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I was over on LiveJournal the other day and the topic came up again — someone found orphaned kittens and was hoping to care for them and find them new homes. Those of us who live near major cities are used to having various animal care centers, humane societies, and veterinary facilities nearby, but most of the world isn’t so lucky.

Your major concerns with young kittens (pre-weaning age) are:

• Keep them warm — they need a snuggly bedding area that they can’t get out of, warm blankets, and a heating pad, warm water bottle, or other heat source to simulate a mother cat
• Feeding them –most vets and pet stores carry KMR (kitten milk replacer) and eyedroppers, but if you don’t have one in your area, you can make formula. Order real KMR online if you can, as it’s nutritionally complete.
• Stimulating them to eliminate — it’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it
• Basic life skills — teaching them to use a litterbox as they get old enough, giving them a rich, safe environment so they trust and love humans, and teaching them how to play so they don’t bite or claw too hard are all part of raising a kitten

People who have fostered orphaned kittens and have experience are your most valuable resource if you want to take on the task. While you’ll be bleary-eyed for a few weeks, the unconditional love of those kittens, the joy of raising them, and the knowledge that you saved their lives is more than worth the work.

Here is a list of resources for raising and caring for orphaned kittens.

How To Raise Orphan Kittens from PetEducation.com
Raising Orphan Kittens
Kitten Rescue - Kitten Care Handbook
Hand-Raising Orphaned Kittens
Sue Freeman’s Guide To Rescue Cats
Caring For Orphaned Kittens
Thanks for helping save a life! Every small act of kindness does make a difference!
It Matters To This One