Litter training 5 week old (I think) kittens?

[Toddle]

HELP!

Ok seriously I'm desperate! there's only so much poo I can deal with on a day to day basis. right now between ds and the kittens and missy I'm way past my limit.

They have started eating kitten food over the last few days and seem to have started going to the loo for themselves now too. When they are in the conservatory they mostly poo on a towel in the corner which is there because of a leak in the roof but I've also cleaned poo out of the basket and they have peed on the floor.
When they are out roaming however it's a free for all. Pee and poop wherever takes there fancy sofas, carpets, Dp etc etc.

I don't have the faintest clue about kittens and the cat man told me missy would train them [feels cheated]

What do i need to do? TIA

Ive never had to do it ours all came trained.

I'd imagine it's like puppies, you wait for them to circle, grab them and put them in the litter tray, plus put a litter tray in their favorite poking area.

They love to dig so they should love a litter tray.

Missy isn't coming up with the goods then?.

Is Missy their mum?

First things first - put a mini litter tray in the corner where they've already decided to wee. If they wee in there, don't change it immediately - I know that's grim, but they need to know that they're doing it in the right place. They may prefer it if it's secluded (think about why they're choosing the places that they are), in which case you might want to try a lidded litter tray but bear in mind the height of the lip while they're so small. Once they've built the association, you can move the tray gradually to somewhere you prefer.

You need to clean your carpet with something to completely shift the smell and break the association - Simple Solution is good. Wash any towels / blankets with biological washing powder for the same reason.

Their mum ought to be doing it, but if not, do what she'd do and when they finish eating and wander away from the bowl, pick them up and put them straight into the tray. Do the same if they're peeping or looking especially thoughtful. Better to put them in the tray and have them wander back out again than to miss your moment.

They may be using the towel to stimulate their own bottoms as their mum did. Your litter needs to be non-clumping and (sadly) edible - we use wooden pellets at this age because you don't want them to eat Catsan or a silica-based litter.

I know it's not ideal, but most animal behaviourists recommend one litter tray per animal, plus one to spare - so if you have a mother and three kittens, that would be five trays. We have that combination at the moment but are making do with two small litter trays and one big hooded tray and that seems to be ok.

Oh my gosh I could cry marvellous that doesn't sound easy.

Yes sorry missy is mum cat she was abandoned in the garden 7 weeks ago maybe. Cats protection had no room for her and the man said everything would be so simple just feed mum then eventually feed the kittens too. I felt sorry for her as she was massively pregnant and I was massively pregnant too so we said she could stay for the time being.

There's 5 kittens so my not so brilliant maths makes that 7 litter trays . I honestly don't think I have room but if I manage to create some room are they ok to be lined up next to each other.

No missy is 100% not moving them after they have eaten. It's going to be a touch of a struggle for me to try and monitor it as my ds is only 12 days old. I shall inform
Dp when his home from work about putting food down then sticking them straight onto toilet.

Do you know how we should go about feeding the kittens? At the moment we are just putting one pouch of kitten food down on a plate at a time and replacing it when we notice it's all gone. Dp is sorting them
Mostly as I'm spending my life in a circle of feeding changing and settling baby but should I be making a conscious effort to be putting food down every x amount of hours when his at work.

I feel awful like I may be neglecting them but the cat man said everything would be so simple. just putting food down and missy would do it all I'm worried I don't have the time to give them to get this right for when they go on to their next homes

Maybe this is missy's first litter and she doesnt really know what to do.

I would have thought they would have copied missy.

What is your eventual plan with missy? Are you keeping her? If not, I'd ring cat's protection back and ask them to take them. Or try a local rescue. Ring a few local vets.

Missy should train her kittens but if it is her first litter she might not know what to do. I had kittens from a cat who didn't train them and they were always prone to inappropriate toileting.

I can't believe the man said it would be easy!

I always seethe inwardly when people say cats are easier pets! idiots.

Most of my cleaning up is the cat.

I think this is her first litter can't be 100% as we don't know where she came from but the vet said she is defiantly younger then a year old herself.

The last few weeks my head has turned to mush I can't remember how old they need to be until they go to their new homes is it 8 weeks?

I'll go and get more litter trays tomorrow and will really try to get them in the trays after eating but realistically I barely have enough time to go to the loo myself so not sure how successful I may be at it. Dp works shifts so maybe they will be trained in the morning one week and night the next

We have decided we would like to keep missy we think. Although before I was allergic to cats however I seemed
To be fine for the 5 weeks with missy while I was pregnant but I'm starting to sneeze and eyes itching lots more as the days go on. I'm hoping it's hayfever as if it is the cat she may have to find a new home too which is a bit rubbish as she is lovely

Go to the poundshop or homebargains for the trays. No point spending loads for them to poo in it.

I think they can go at 8 weeks.

I don't think you need loads of litter trays. Just get a couple - cover the rest on the conservatory with incontinence pads. They don't need to be exploring the whole house, keep them in the coservatory.

Are they still feeding from mum? If so you need to spend a bit of time (or dh can) let them feed and watch to see if mum is licking their bums. If not pick the kitten up, put in litter tray (you will have to hold on by the scruff) use a cotton wool ball to wipe the messy end of the kitten - this should stimulate them to 'go'.

Maybe you are feeding them a bit too much.

Your local cats protection should have a help line so go back to them. They may not have enoug room for mum and kittens but they might be able to send someone round to show you have to do it.

It is quite rare that mum doesn't litter train the kittens - maybe she has never used one herself. Does she use a tray?

Well done for being a fab person taking on a pregnant cat when you were pregnant yourself. Not easy.

Yeah they still feed from mum too. She will give them a clean and lick there bums well I saw her do two yesterday one in the hall and one in the basket. There was poo in the basket where she had done it, so do they poo straight after/while that's being done? If so how do we get her to do it to them in the tray?

She uses a litter tray but it has to be right in the corner up against the door. If there's the slightest gap she will poo down there or infront of the tray. We obviously try to move it there but sometimes we need to go out that door which means its not in the corner any more.

would it be possible to ask around your friends and see if anyone has got a large dog ccrate such as are used for staffys, then at night you could put mom some blankets and a litter tray in there and hopefully being in the smaller space the kittens and mom would get the hang of toilet training the babies, i have two foster kits at the moment and i let them out for a couple of hours ramping round loose and then they go in thier cage for food and litter tray and so far they have only had a couple of accidents in my hall

I never had more than 1 big litter tray for a cat (who could go outside to poo) and a litter of kittens. Don't put their food close to the tray. By now the kittens won't need their bums licked to poo. Most kittens go in cat litter without any prompting. If your's don't, confine them to the conservatory with the tray on loads of newspaper. Easier to clear up. You haven't got time to follow them around.

I have found with young kittens that as soon as they are eating solids they shouldn't really need prompting to do the toilet.

You dont need a litter tray for each kitten, one for mum and one for kittens will suffice.
Put the kittens in the litter tray as soon as they have finished eating. And if you see them circling or about to wee or poo, put them straight in the tray. Just keep showing them where it is.

Cover the whole floor with newspaper, makes it so much easier to keep clean if they have an accident. Also they will get in a mess from the food as they tend to stand in the dish whilst eating so you end up with cat food paw prints!!!!!
Feeding wise, you are aiming for 4 meals a day, little and often and eventually they will decrease the amount that they feed from mum.

Rehoming can be done at 8 weeks onwards providing they are fully weaned litter trained.

Why can a lovely pregnant stray not turn up in my garden??....i love looking after kittens......instead i get a big aggressive un neutered tom that beats up my cats!!!!!

Hi Toddle. How's things?

Best tip I have is to soak up a wee into cotton wool and put that in the litter box, so it smells of wee. They soon learn to do the next one in the same place.