When a person first gets a kitten, they introduce it to the litter box. Within a couple of days the kitten has picked up on using the litter box and everything is fine. For a senior cat that may be a rescue using a litter box is something they have never done before. There are some tips to litter training a senior cat to use the litterbox.

Use an Open Litterbox

The litterboxes for cats can be open or they can be closed. The closed litter box is designed to hide the scent of the cat and their waste. While this may be something desirable for the owners, senior cats may not like this. The senior cat may not have an easy escape route from the litter box. The litterbox is a new concept to them and they do not fully trust it. If there is no escape route, they can become stressed and will not use it. An open litterbox will allow the cat to get used to this and will be able to use it.

Use Several Litterboxes

The cat will learn to use the litter box faster if there are several of them around in the home. having just one will not do for a senior cat. If there are several litterboxes in the home the cat will learn how to use it faster and will get to pick where they want to eliminate their waste. This is a big thing for a cat. All of the litterboxes should be identical. They should be the same size and the same shape. The edges of the litterbox should be low. This will allow the cat to get in and out of it without a problem. In these boxes, a person can try to use different types of litter to see if they like one type better than the other.

Location of the Litterbox

It is important to put the litterbox in a good location. It should be a place that is easy for the cat to find. Some places for the litterbox are better than others. Some people will even place a baby gate around the litter box so that the cat can have some privacy when it is relieving itself. The litterbox should be placed away from the food and the water bowls of the cat. They do not want to defecate near where they eat. Do not put the litter box near the cat’s bed or other areas where they sleep. Find a quiet spot for the litterbox. The cat is going to need some privacy so this is very important. Once again it is important to have several boxes around the home. as a cat age, they will begin to lose some of their muscle tone including the muscle in their bladder. They need to be able to make it to the litterbox.

These are some tips for getting a senior cat to use a litterbox. While it may take some time for the cat to get used to the litterbox, they can use it successfully.