Please help me with litter training my kitten. I am at the end of my tether!!

[virgiltracey]

We have two kittens (brothers) who are 4 months old. We had them from a rescue centre and were told that they were litter trained but to expect a little bit of a runny bottom initially since they might be a bit stressed at moving.

We are now five weeks down the line and one kitten still has a very runny bottom and simply refuses to use a litter tray to poop. He will go almost anywhere else, generally on the carpet, and it is becoming a real problem and a health hazard.

They are also going stir crazy since I can't let them out of the kitchen/tv room and into the rest of the house until this is under control, its already hazardous walking around since you never know when you're going to find a nice little present!

If ever I see him sniffing, squatting or scrathing at the carpet I pick him up and put him in the tray and he will then go there, he just seems incapable of going there voluntarily

Any advice? My house stinks, I am getting through anti bac spray and carpet cleaner at an amazing rate and I'm a bit worried about preparing and eating food in the kitchen.

You need to use biological washing powder to remove ALL traces of poo or he'll keep using the same places.

I would be tempted to borrow a dog crate to put a bed, food and a tray in because they shouldn't soil where they eat and sleep.. You could also leave a bit of dirty litter/poo in his tray to give him the right idea?

What litter are you using? How often is he going? It might be worth a trip to the vet incase he is poorly?

Some kittens are lazy and even though its horrible with the stink, etc, they usually do cotton on eventually. Keep the trays away from the food, and make sure that the tray is not too big for him to climb in easily - I used a shallow baking tray for one of mine as he was really tiny.When you put him in the tray and he has finished, keep him in the tray and hold his paws, mimic the covering up - and he should copy this as the sound of the litter under his paws will connect in his little head with going to the tray and going to the loo.Give it another 2 weeks, then it might be worth having a vet check him over, even if its just to rule things out physically.
Just had another thought. Sometimes its the litter that puts them off. Try a fullers earth based litter, its not as scratchy.

thanks secret squirrel I'll get scrubbing with the biological washing power. I have put neutradol powder down but the problem is that he'll just find a new spot. He literally goes everywhere but the tray and he then tries to bury it and so you can imagine the state of the tiles on the kitchen floor when we get in from school!

We were using the wood pellets so that I could compost it but I have changed to grit (which is what they use at the rescue centre) but it doesn't make any difference. I've bought two trays since I read that they don't like to share but that hasn't helped and I've even bought one with a lid in case he wanted some privacy

The vet had a quick look at him last week when he went for his injections and she said he seems bright and healthy but it was only a quick check over. She suggested we keep him on Royal Canin dry food which we have and it hasn't made any difference. They have to go for their second jabs next week so I might ask her to have a better look at him.

Thanks Candytuft I'll buy a fullers earth litter and see if that helps!