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Anonymous

Feb 04, 2025

Do cats use the litter box automatically?

I have a question that might seem a bit silly, but I'm genuinely curious. I really want to get a cat, but I'm concerned about the potential messes on my carpet. Do cats automatically know how to use a litter box, or do they need to be trained for it? Any advice would be appreciated!

10 Answers

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Anonymous

Jan 23, 2025

If the kitten was born and raised outside, they may have a tendency to want to maintain those outside habits inside your home. 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.

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Anonymous

Jan 18, 2025

Some cats take more training than others, but i have 4 cats and only one of them had a problem.. and even then i dont think it was an issue of not knowing where to go, but rather wanting to cause trouble… he is a big trouble maker. Anyway, dont move the litter box at all for weeks. Keep it super clean and place the cat in the box once or twice a day. Thats it. They pretty much know by instinct. There is a litter called cat attract that works wonders on cats who dont wanna use the box. It has herbs in it that do something through smell to tell the cat thats where to go. I dont know the exact science, but it worked so well with my cats that when the box was clean, they would want to sleep in it. It worked great for the trouble maker too.

The thing to remember is that cats are really usually pretty easy animals. They are independent and very smart. Theres not much you need to train a cat to do.

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Anonymous

Dec 20, 2024

Cats tend to prefer sandy material to do their business in, however make sure it is out of the way from everything else (a unfrequented room perhaps?) and if the cat uses the bathroom else where in the house, move their droppings into the litter box if you didn’t catch them in the act, or if you catch them in the act, pick them up and move them to the litter box. Some cats get the hang of it really fast, especially if they are fairly young, but older cats don’t always have the best of luck. Good Luck Training Your Cat ?

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Anonymous

Dec 05, 2024

I’ve owned many cats over the years and I’ve never had a problem, even with my outdoor cats that learned to dig in the dirt. As others have suggested, just pick up your cat, put him in the box. Maybe even grab his paws and dig for him, so that he gets the idea. Next time he has to go, he’ll almost certainly use the litterbox. They prefer it. Just remember to clean the box every day and change the litter at least once a week.

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Anonymous

Jan 08, 2025

Even some wild jungle cats prefer to bury their waste. This is so that their presence is less easily detected by other animals. Housecats have a similar instinct. How well (or quickly) they learn to use a litterbox depends on many factors, including their age, state of general health, habits formed while in a previous environment (if applicable) and whether they are the only cat or share the household with other cats/animals.

Usually all goes well with few or no mishaps. When adopting a new cat however, regardless of their age or background, if possible you might want to start off confining them to a smaller area (bedroom, bathroom, a screened-in porch, etc.) along with it’s food, water, toys, bed and the litterbox, for the first day or so. As well as reducing the chances of inappropriate elimination, this will also be less stressful for the cat as he or she is getting used to their new situation. Good Luck! ?

Cats instinctively prefer the texture of litter to do their business on, but not all cats will use it automatically. Your best bet is to get a cat from the animal shelter who is already litter trained.

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Anonymous

Jan 23, 2025

Cats by instinct like to go potty where they can hide it… if you get a kitten, most learn from their mother to go in the litter box… but if you rescued a kitten like I did…. I notice the signs that she’s looking for a place to go… and i take her to the litter box… and then she goes with no problem… after a few days she knows thats her place to go potty… so its pretty easy to train them because of their instincts. It might take a bit of effort but definitely don’t let it stop you from enjoying the love and companionship a cat can give you ? Good Luck!

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Anonymous

Jan 28, 2025

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

Do cats use the litter box automatically?

I know it’s kind of a silly question but I really don’t know. I really want a cat but I don’t want to clean up any crap on my carpet. Do they have to be trained to use the box or they just know to use it?

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Anonymous

Dec 22, 2024

I inherited an outdoor cat so he prefers to go outside.

Now that he’s about a million years old, he has much less interest in going outside if it is rainy, snowy or just cold. But even though he prefers to go outside, if he has to go inside, he’d much rather do so in the box.

You might think having an outdoor cat is preferable for that reason, but keep in mind that indoor cats tend to live longer, have fewer health problems and are therefore less expensive to take care of.

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Anonymous

Jan 21, 2025

you have to show the cat where the litter-box is, then the cat will be using it soon. just place the box where there will be no disturbances. (well, if you are using the toilet, you don’t want anybody walking around, now would you?)

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