Cat Litter & Trays

Emstarz · #1 (**permalink**) 30-05-2008, 10:34 PM

Part 1 - the trays...
Right so this might be a bit longer I'll try to stick to the point...
The rule is one tray per cat....right?
I have one big litter tray with a hood which both my cats share - however they kept piddling in a corner and I think it was a bit of a scent war or something so I put a small one I had there and problem solved - they still generally share though.
Now I have the kittens I'm thinking to start with if I get another big one with hood and put it in spot where small one was and use the small one for the kittens they should be fine.
Am I right?
Will the 3 kittens share one when they're very small?

Part 2 - the litter...
Now here goes I use clumping litter - now one of my cats would go in anything as long as it's in the box because she has always been domestic and is used to change.
The other is from a farm so when we got her we had to train her - I tried a billion different litters trying to get something similar to what she may have used outside like soil etc - one day I sent hubby to pet shop and he comes home with Lavender scented clumping litter! I says to him 'what the bloody hell - Lavender scented she's used to the wild' well would you Adam&Eve it - it worked and is all she'll go in.
Now as I understand it kittens might eat clumping stuff and it's dangerous - so I can put a different stuff in their tray and leave the other in the hooded ones....but.
Do the kittens need to see Mummy go to learn how to use it?
Will she teach them if it's different stuff?
and finally...
What would be a good one to use for the kittens?

There you go - sorry it's long - it's late and hubby is out so I'm rambling

Emily

helz · #2 (**permalink**) 30-05-2008, 11:33 PM

Okay so for the trays - the rule of thumb is actually 1 tray per cat, plus one extra. With a variety of tray types (some enclosed, some open).
However, I have two trays (for 3 cats), one large one in the bathroom, and a second one for if one is being seperated (for one reason or another). This works well for me as my boys mostly toilet outside.

You will need to remove the urine from the area the peed, they have much more sensitive noses than us. Try vodka/gin or if your a bit boring, surgical spirit!

Innaporopriate peeing can be a sign of an underlying medical problem, so it may also be worth a vet check.

I have never had a problem with young kittens sharing trays, just make sure there is room for them to get in at the same time, otherwise it could get messy.

As for the litter, i'm not too sure, but i thought the only problem with kittens and clumping litter, was if they are born in it, they would um... clump to it.

Selk67U2 · #3 (**permalink**) 30-05-2008, 11:42 PM

Haha, you're not rambling Emily
I have 6 kittens and have 3 large trays for them & Mam. Altogether in my house I have 7 trays. I start my kittens off with a tiny open tray, then a bigger open one, then a hooded one with hood off, they now have the hood on as at 5 weeks they were managing to get into the large trays that the mam was using.
Litter, I use Worlds best cat litter for kittens, it's like a chick crumbs, so if the kittens try to eat it, it does'nt matter. My adults have Sophisticat clumping litter. The kittens are now 6 weeks and are using that as well as theirs. They tend to copy mam now and go where she does anyway.

Siamese Kelly · #4 (**permalink**) 30-05-2008, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emstarz

Part 1 - the trays...
Right so this might be a bit longer I'll try to stick to the point...
The rule is one tray per cat....right?
I have one big litter tray with a hood which both my cats share - however they kept piddling in a corner and I think it was a bit of a scent war or something so I put a small one I had there and problem solved - they still generally share though.
Now I have the kittens I'm thinking to start with if I get another big one with hood and put it in spot where small one was and use the small one for the kittens they should be fine.
Am I right?
Will the 3 kittens share one when they're very small?

Part 2 - the litter...
Now here goes I use clumping litter - now one of my cats would go in anything as long as it's in the box because she has always been domestic and is used to change.
The other is from a farm so when we got her we had to train her - I tried a billion different litters trying to get something similar to what she may have used outside like soil etc - one day I sent hubby to pet shop and he comes home with Lavender scented clumping litter! I says to him 'what the bloody hell - Lavender scented she's used to the wild' well would you Adam&Eve it - it worked and is all she'll go in.
Now as I understand it kittens might eat clumping stuff and it's dangerous - so I can put a different stuff in their tray and leave the other in the hooded ones....but.
Do the kittens need to see Mummy go to learn how to use it?It helps but just put a little of their old soiled litter over the top and this should help
Will she teach them if it's different stuff?Maybe
and finally...
What would be a good one to use for the kittens?

There you go - sorry it's long - it's late and hubby is out so I'm rambling

Emily

In answer to question number 1

epends on how free they are in the house

For Number 2:Yes they should do as they're all used to going to that spot for their old tray

We use woodbase small pellets(some don't like the bigger ones)but theirs lots to try if not,clumping ones i found retained a smell even after only 1 small wee in a fresh tray plus woodbase is easily flushable in small doses and very light to dispose of and only smells of wood even when wet

Hope this helps and i'm sure if not then between us we'll help find a suitable bog solution

We had to use the paper one once and it was a trailing nightmare-it got in places even Carling Black couldn't have reached

:

Emstarz · #5 (**permalink**) 31-05-2008, 12:03 AM

Thanks for the help...
Am I right to think they will start litter training about 4wks?
They will probably be quite contained - somehow - I'm planning on starting with a playpen until they're able to get out and then it'll have to be the kitchen/utility area - have not completely planned will have to play by ear.
Hopefully then by the time they can get into hooded one they will be old enough not to eat litter and I can just get a couple different sized for kittens to grow through.
I will have to get some of these litters and try some in one of the trays to see if Zelda uses them - then I can use that on the kittens too.

Thanks again
Emily

Siamese Kelly · #6 (**permalink**) 31-05-2008, 12:10 AM

As soon as you think they need it really,some mums are great "housekeepers" and some just don't do mess,start with something easily accessible for them and try and watch them and as and when of mum isn't helping you step in,sometimes kitts are naturals as it were and sometimes as with potty training human babies they need reminding/training-it's great when they learn-ya like Aaah your such a clever kitt and ya get well excited-i've said this before but if ya human babie dumped purposefully on ya rug-you'd be thinking "Ya little sh*te ya" if it's your fur kitt ya like "Aah bless-let me show you where ya should go darlin'"

Emstarz · #7 (**permalink**) 31-05-2008, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Siamese Kelly

As soon as you think they need it really,some mums are great "housekeepers" and some just don't do mess,start with something easily accessible for them and try and watch them and as and when of mum isn't helping you step in,sometimes kitts are naturals as it were and sometimes as with potty training human babies they need reminding/training-it's great when they learn-ya like Aaah your such a clever kitt and ya get well excited-i've said this before but if ya human babie dumped purposefully on ya rug-you'd be thinking "Ya little sh*te ya" if it's your fur kitt ya like "Aah bless-let me show you where ya should go darlin'"

LOL

My son is three - he is trained but I have to lift him onto the loo every night - my daughter is nearly two - potty training and very often unsuccessful she refuses to wear clothes/nappy so fun and games - three more kittens pah should be a breeze - she says - haha

Rraa · #8 (**permalink**) 31-05-2008, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Siamese Kelly

As soon as you think they need it really,some mums are great "housekeepers" and some just don't do mess,start with something easily accessible for them and try and watch them and as and when of mum isn't helping you step in,sometimes kitts are naturals as it were and sometimes as with potty training human babies they need reminding/training-it's great when they learn-ya like Aaah your such a clever kitt and ya get well excited-i've said this before but if ya human babie dumped purposefully on ya rug-you'd be thinking "Ya little sh*te ya" if it's your fur kitt ya like "Aah bless-let me show you where ya should go darlin'"

Quite right - couldn't have put it better

#9 (**permalink**) 31-05-2008, 08:44 AM

I have 10 cats in the house,and 3 trays,2 large and 1 small and no accidents,no smells and no problems!

they all get totally emptyied and washed every 4/5 days.

Emstarz · #10 (**permalink**) 31-05-2008, 10:04 AM

Thanks everyone - I think I will replace the small one with a hooded and then I'll have...
2 with hoods
1 small which I'll start the kittens on and when they get bigger I'll get a medium sized - that way when I have 5 grown cats - I'll have 4 litter trays which I hope should be enough

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