Litter training 4 week old kittens. Any helpful tips?

[Stella08]

I've started to wean the kittens from mum on vets advice (need to get mum spayed). They are eating and drinking regularly and I have no worries about them. They will go in the tray sometimes but when leave them for a while I come back to little yellow poo's on the floor.

They're downstairs in the utility room so I can contain the accidents on a washable floor. If I'm in there with them they'll happily get in the tray and toilet without any prompting from me (usually).

Not sure how best to go about training them so that they can come back upstairs again. They're doing fab considering they're so young but the smell is something beyond hideous!!

Any advice would be very appreciated.

Cats poo is one of the worst stinks in the world! I've got 2 adults who still won't poo in the tray. I don't know what issue is, but I've given up trying to train them. Someone else will be along to help you.

We had to litter train out boys from 4 weeks after they were abandoned. We really struggled and eventually we hemmed them in to a small area of the living room and put two litter trays in. After a couple of days they got the idea and we didn't have any more issues except now they're 3 they've decided popping on the floor is a good idea

Mine all litter trained themselves. I'd probably just be super vigilant and pop them in the tray regularly - they will get the hanfg of it soon enough like kids.

They usually copy mum cat - does she use the tray?

Pop them in there after eating/drinking. You don't want the rim to be to high - they need to be able to get in easily, and feel safer if they can see over the rim.

They're a bit young I would have thought

Thanks for the replies :)

I suppose it's just a case of perseverance with them then. Mum does use the litter when she's with them and they do use it by themselves quite a bit but not always.

I'm sure they'll have it figured out in a few days, fingers crossed.

four weeks is hit and miss as they get a bit older they will use the tray more, one of the things our rescue suggests to fosterers is use puppy training pads on the floor so if they miss the tray its easier to pick up the mess , and yes shallow trays so they can get in and out and more than one tray

Mine thankfully just copied mum and didn't need training but I had this issue with previous kittens in the past. Things I have learned:
Have one litter tray at least per kitten
Scoop at least twice daily and completely clean out regularly
Mine preferred the white ultra clumping litter rather than the wood stuff (I know you aren't meant to use it in case they eat it but mine didn't)
When you find an errant poop, put it in the litter tray and show them

We got our boys at 3 weeks after they were abandoned and we had to hand rear them. I also taught them how to use the litter tray and only had one accident.

After every meal, I would put them in the litter tray and stimulate them with damp kitchen roll.