8 week old kittens and litter tray...

[Piddleissues2021]

Hello! 2 8-week old kittens came to live with us on Sunday. Breeder assured me they were confident using litter tray. They're not; they're not interested in it, and are peeing behind an armchair in front room (keeping them in one room for now so as not to overwhelm them). I've put the tray there so that it's quiet and private, and there's another tray the other side of the room. It's made no difference. The internet tells me to pick them up and place them in tray, especially after eating. But they're so anxious and afraid of me currently that this just feels unkind, and certainly hasn't had any impact on their toileting. Is there anything else I could or should do?

This sounds grim but it should work...

Next time they pee on the floor soak some clean litter in it and place the dirty litter into the litter tray (on top of clean) . It only needs to be a little bit.

Put the tray into the pop up play pen with the tray and some toys and leave them both in there. You need to ensure that anywhere they've peed is cleaned with the enzyme cleaner and I also recommend using a uv torch (amazon) to go around and make sure there is no trace.

Take them out on at a time in intervals and play with them alone, treat etc but as soon as you're done back in the pen. I would also leave them in overnight too until they are toilet trained.

If they are confined to the pen and the only pee they can smell is the tray they will go in it. People crate ferel cats to get them used to human presence but I think the pen is better as it gives more room. They will soon get the message.

1.25m enclosed pen and uv lamp from amazon.

Have you tried with Catsan instead of wood based litter? I had a kitten I thought was untrainable. Turned out she just hated wood pellet litter. Once I started using Catsan she was fine (naughty tortie if it makes any difference)

How's it going OP, have you made any progress with their peeing?