Cats are finicky by nature!
As per zoology, it has been observed that cats are very picky by nature, especially when it comes to their toiletry habits. They won’t compromise with that and want proper privacy and space to do their business.
This becomes a little bit tricky for pet parents who want the best for their kitty, and as per the latest technology and production, they want to give a good facility to their furry pal.
So, this blog is highly recommended for those who want to change their kitty’s litter box but are in dilemma, how to introduce them to the new one without facing many difficulties.
Scroll down to get the six easy tricks on, how to transition a cat to a new litter box, without forcing or hurting your kitty.
Keep reading below to explore some interesting yet easy tricks.
Tricks to Introduce Your Kitty to New Litter Box
If you are planning to change your kitty’s litter box then during the transition period you might encounter some problems. As we know cats don’t easily get used to a new environment, things, routines, people, etc.
You need to give her time until she is fully ready to adapt to the new change in her life.
To overcome the problems faced during the transition period we have come up with easy tricks, which will surely help you in easily switching the new litter box with the old one and your kitty will not get much cranky.
Let’s dig in to explore the easy tricks.[1]
1. Keep Her Old Litter Box
Cats don’t like changing their routine if she is happy with their old litter box and comfortably using it on a regular basis. And suddenly you bring a twist to their routine life by introducing a new litter box that can give them stress.
So, it is advisable to keep the old litter box at your place till your kitty is ready to fully adapt to the new litter box. Let me explain to you in a better way.
For instance, if you keep the old litter box beside the new one, it will grab your kitty’s attention and she will easily be able to make out the difference between the two boxes.
As we all know, cats easily get attracted to fancy-looking things, and if she will get a better cleaner place and smell-free tray for doing her business. It will automatically help you to easily switch the new litter box with the old litter box.
Once your kitty is totally attracted to the new litter box, she will simply switch on her own and you don’t need to do anything. Till then give her some time and let her decide on her own whether the new litter box will be good for her or not.
2. Don’t Change the Location
Well yes, cats like their privacy, especially when she is doing their business. Your feline pal will prefer a quiet place because it gives her a protection vibe. So, if you want your kitty to adapt to the new litter box don’t change the litter box location.
One more thing, as we know cats leave their scent and mark territory, it is advisable to place the new litter box in the location where the old one was kept. This is because the cat is well known in the corner of the house, and she feels safe and secure over there.
So, not changing the location increases the chances, that she will easily switch to a new litter box.
3. Make It Easy on Your Cat
Cats hate changes so make sure you don’t pressurize her or try to change all her personal stuff at the same time.
For instance, if you have made up your mind regarding switching to the new litter box, meanwhile changing her litter is a bad idea. This is because felines will take time to adapt to the new changes especially when it’s related to their lifestyle or routine habit.
If you want to change her litter box then focus on that only, first try to convenience her to adapt to the new litter box. Plus, make sure, she is completely comfortable with the new one, and always using the box to do her business.
Once she is totally comfortable with the litter box, after a few months you can simply try to change her litter.
Make it easy on your feline pal, go step by step, don’t just jumble up everything, and try to do it all at the same time.
4. Appraise Her Good Behavior
One of the easy tricks, which can help you to switch your cat to a new litter box, is by appraising her good behavior.
For instance, once again you can train her well to use the new litter box, and guide her towards the new litter box to do her business. When she follows your instruction well, don’t forget to give her a treat as a gesture of appraising her to learn new things. In this way, she will get motivated to use the new litter box to get more of her favorite treats.
You can also do one thing, scatter her favorite toys and treats around the litter box, play, and spend time with her around the new litter box. In this way, you will be able to create a positive environment and help her to get used to the new litter box. So, that she doesn’t feel afraid while using the new litter box.
Here’s a suggestion for you, do not punish your kitty while giving her training because this will make her scared and she might end up landing under stress and mental issues, or she can also become stubborn and won’t listen to your command. So, be careful while training her about anything.
5. Trick Her With the Scent
We are well aware of the fact that felines have a strong smelling sense of power. They can easily identify their beloved smells and their territory marked area. This is because they urinate to mark their territory or leave their smelling glands.
Similarly, cats leave their smelling glands in their litter box and make it as a symbol that the box particular belongs to them only.
So you can trick your kitty with the scent to make her adapt to the new litter box. All you need to do is simply take some soiled litter and pour it into the new litter box. This will trick her that box belongs to her, and it might increase the chances of easy adaptation to the new litter box.
However, if you are using a self-cleaning litter box, then you need to keep aside your kitty’s waste. This is because soiled litter will automatically get filtered out, and you will be left with no more waste.
Trust me this trick will surely grab her trust, and make her believe faster than the new litter box belongs to her only.
6. You Can Also Use Cat Attractants
After trying simple tricks, if still, you are not able to convince your cat to use a new litter box.
Don’t worry!
You can use cat attractants to grab your kitty’s attention towards the new litter box. Let me explain to you, in a better way.
- Sprinkle a small amount of cat attractant in the empty litter box, and make sure each corner is covered well.
- After that pour a layer of litter into the box.
- Try to cover half of the litter box, so that when your kitty comes in she gets enough space to dig in the box.
- After pouring cat attractants, and litter into the new litter box you can place it at your kitty’s place.
Try this trick on your kitty, it will surely help you to switch your kitty to a new litter box. You can also use catnip to draw your kitty’s attention toward a new litter box.
FAQs
Do cats care if you switch the litter box?
Cats don’t like changes, they are creatures of habit. In other words, they don’t like frequent changes in their surrounding or related to their personal stuff, routine, etc. So, if you try to switch her to a new litter box, it is likely that she won’t adapt to the change easily. They will take their own time and space to get used to new things, and sometimes they can simply avoid adapting to the new changes.
How often should you entirely change cat litter?
Generally, twice a week you should scoop away your kitty’s soiled litter to provide her a clean environment, and on an alternative basis, you should change her entire litter. But, it solely depends on which type of litter you are using, and on your kitty’s usage. You may need to replace it every alternative day or once a week.
How often should you scoop a litter box?
Cats like clean surroundings it’s essential to provide a hygienic environment. It is advisable to scoop away soiled litter once or twice a week and clean her entire litter box once a month. If you have a multicat household then it is suggested to clean their litter boxes more often, like twice or thrice a month.
Well, It’s a Wrap!
Oh! You landed on the last paragraph of our blog, how to transition a cat to a new litter box.
This means you liked reading our easy tricks, and hopefully, you will surely try it out with your feline pal when you are switching her litter box.
We can’t deny the fact that cats are independent, and like to follow the same routine every day. They don’t like changes, especially those related to their day-to-day life. So if you want to bring any kind of change in her life you have to be extra careful.
Therefore, we have enclosed our easy trick to help you out in the easy transition of the litter box and your feline pal willingly using the new one without any force or anything.
Now, that you know how to introduce your kitty’s new litter box, try these easy tricks.
Good Luck!
References:
- Frayne, J. (2021). The Behavioural Impact of Cats and Litter: Transitioning from a Clay-based Litter to a Plant-based litter and Attracting Cats with an Innovated Litter (Doctoral dissertation, University of Guelph).