Have you ever brought home a kitten assuming it would instinctively know how to use the litter box from day one, only to discover your new feline needed a few lessons? Most kittens have learned from their moms by four weeks good bathroom habits, and cats do instinctively bury their feces and cover up their urine deposits. But, sometimes a kitten is abandoned or weaned too early before it has learned how to use the litter box and needs some help from its owner.

Here are some tips to help your new kitten get off to a good start

Purchase a small litter box with low sides (no higher than three inches), making it easy for your kitten to get in and out. Large little boxes with hoods can be intimidating to kittens.

Place the litter box where your kitten has easy access but is not in a noisy or high traffic area. Don’t put the box near you pet's food or water—cats are clean and find this unpleasant! If you live in a multilevel house, put a box on each level.

When you bring home your new kitten, bring her right to her litter box (it should be filled with about two inches of litter), place her in it, and gently move her paws through the litter to let her feel the texture. Then allow her to explore and jump out on her own.

During the first few days, you can place her in the box after eating, napping, or playing.

After placing your kitten in the litter box, step away and allow her to be alone—you don’t need to praise or applaud when they do their business as you would a puppy.

Be sure to scoop out litter on a daily basis—cats are very clean and will sometimes refuse to use a dirty litter box!

Change is not always good!

It’s important to understand feline psychology when litter training cats. It has been said cats hate change, and here is personal story to back up that old adage. I keep my five-year-old Birman cat’s litter box on an enclosed porch off my dining room, and have never had a problem with my cat using her using box. However, one day, I moved around a few items and put her box on the other side of the room. Leanne (my adorable Birman) used the box a couple of times and then stopped altogether. I could not find any signs she had gone elsewhere although she tried leaving me a couple of polite messages (cat-style), such as, peeing once a tiny bit on my hardwood floor where I would easily see it, and then peeing a tiny bit on my pillow! Now, not being a good listener, I was concerned she may have a urinary track infection or problem with her bladder, so I whisked her off to the vet who found she had no problems in those areas at all. So, I brought her home and after having moved her box back to its original spot, put her in her box. Problem solved! Since then, we have not had any more complaints, messages, or litter box problems. So, learn from me and pick a spot for the litter box or boxes, and call it a day.

Can you have too many litter boxes?

Veterinarians recommend having a litter box for each cat and then an extra box for each floor of your home. Personally, when I’ve lived in homes with more than one story, one box for my cat always proved satisfactory. However, when training a new kitten, this rule may put you on the safer side of the issue.

Choosing litter

With all of the assortments of litter on the market, what litter should you buy? Should you go natural, biodegradable, clay, clumping, non-clumping, scented, scent free, pellets, or fine-grained?

The important thing to remember is cats have noses that are over 100% more sensitive to smells than humans, so what may seems slightly scented to us, may be distasteful and overwhelming to them. If your kitten is turned off to the smell, he may decide to do his business elsewhere. My cat is fine with clumping clay litter, and does not reject scented brands. But, because all felines are different, consider switching litters if your kitten refuses to use her box.

What about accidents?

If your cat or kitten makes a mistake, the best thing is to clean the area with a product that removes odors and does not simply temporarily mask them. If you use products that contain ammonia or vinegar this will worsen the smell and solidify the stain. Ammonia is a by-product of urine and only reinforces your pet’s desire to return to the area to urinate. Vinegar is primarily a disinfectant and only acts temporarily to inhibit the growth of bacteria. Steam cleaners may remove stains, but actually bake in odors defeating the purpose of deodorizing.

• Pick up pet poop with paper towels or a plastic bag.
• Soak up urine by blotting with paper towels, rags, or newspapers. Keep pressing into the carpet until you have absorbed as much moisture as possible.
• Neutralize the odor using an effective enzymatic cleaner such as, Nature’s Miracle or Zero Odor. (Be patient – it takes at least 24-hours for the products to clean the area.)

• Was bedding and other machine washables in baking soda: add one pound of baking soda along with your detergent and wash in cold water.  Baking soda will absorb odors and discourages bacterial growth. Avoid using hot water because heat will set the odor in the fabric.

Hint: It has been my experience with cats that yelling or physical discipline of any kind is unproductive. Using these tips should help you help your kitten get off to the right start, so the two of you can enjoy many happy years to come.