My Kitten Chooses To Just Dig Around Instead Of Going Potty.

[s0mthinG]

Hey, this is my frist post to this site so forgive me if I ramble too much!

I just brought home my little boy Coconut. He is a 5-6 week old kitten eating solid food and drinking out of small saucers on the floor (he's too little to reach into his bowls yet). He just came home a day ago and he is acclimating very well except for one issue with his litter training.

I have had several other cats before but this is my frist time with a kitten this young so any advice will help!

Whenever he gets up from a nap or eats I pick him up and place him into the box, most of the time he just jumps out and wants to continue playing, other times he uses the bathroom, he peed once that I watched and upon inspection of the pee pad under his litter substrate he went twice, and has pooed 3 times), however twice today he has dug around in the box and meowed while digging withoiw visibly using the bathroom. Every time he has used the bathroom successfully I give him half a treat to reinforce that he is doing good.
I haven't noticed any accidents around the room he's staying in or anything out of the ordinary.

He is eating Science Diet for Kittens, Healthy Development.

I just wanted to make sure that the amount he is going to the bathroom is enough for how much he eats and drinks as well as if his meowing and digging without going potty is an issue.

Thanks for the help!

 

[s0mthinG]

Here is a link to a video of the behavior.

 

[s0mthinG]

Update!

Just a few minutes ago he was mwoowim a lot after playing when he should have been settling down for bed (it's 12:30 am). I quickly ran him into the litter box and he peed then pooped. I gave him a treat and he's stsrring to calm down now.

 

[danteshuman]

Careful you don't create a monster that demands treats every time they go

I'm glad he successfully figured it out. He is still a wee baby (he should still be with his mom for another 4-6 weeks.) So please be patient with him as he figures things out ... also I would keep him confined to one room unless supervised. When he is moving about your place I would give him a second litter box in the living room so there is always a bathroom near by.

Take lots of pictures they grow up so fast.

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS.
And congrats on the adoption of little Coconut. He's adorable.

As danteshuman mentioned, it's "recommended" that kittens stay with their mom and siblings till around 12 weeks of age, so that they have time to learn kitty manners. So since you've adopted Coconut at such a young age, you will have to take on the role of him "mom" and ensure he learns cat etiquette.

Here's an article with more info: Teach Your Kitten How to Play Nice : The Humane Society of the United States

Also one on Kitten Proofing Your Home: 13 Practical Tips

Good to see he's starting to pee in the litter box. Again, because he's so young, accidents are to be expected for a bit yet. Here's another article that might be helpful: How To Train Kittens To Use The Litter Box

And, yeah, might not want to keep that "treat after pottying" habit going too long, or you might end up with a grown up cat meowing for treats after he uses the litter box.

 

[s0mthinG]

Careful you don't create a monster that demands treats every time they go

I'm glad he successfully figured it out. He is still a wee baby (he should still be with his mom for another 4-6 weeks.) So please be patient with him as he figures things out ... also I would keep him confined to one room unless supervised. When he is moving about your place I would give him a second litter box in the living room so there is always a bathroom near by.

Take lots of pictures they grow up so fast.

Thanks so much for the reply, I know he should be with his mom until about 8-12 weeks so I knew what I was getting into as long as he was on solid food (which he is thank God!) He's been confined to just my room for the time being until he grows up enough to handle himself. I live in a very small apartment (2 rooms, 1 bathroom and a conjoined kitchen/living room) so he should be set on always being by a box. And thanks for the tip about weaning him off the treats so he doesn't need one every time!

 

[s0mthinG]

,

Thanks for the help rubysmama I'll be sure to look at those links to make sure he gets some proper kitty social skills.

I'll stop giving him treats after the bathroom today and just switch to verbal praise. I'll let you guys know how that goes!

 

[s0mthinG]

Just one more quick question while I have your attention!

Where should I let him sleep? Right now I've been encouraging him to sleep in his crate between the water and food, and the litter box, but when I woke up, or should I say he woke me up, he was nibbling on my finger and tucked into my chest like a little spoon. I understand he's oeoproba doing this because I am now his mother figure.
My bed is about 2 feet off the ground so it's not like he would fall if I let him stay up here and obviously he can climb up on his own.
I don't mind having him up here with me (in fact I love it), however I had read that it's best to keep them on the ground to start with when they're this small and could hurt themselves if they fell off or are rolled over onto.

(Also a picture of him after I got him back to bed this morning!)

 

[susanm9006]

I think I see what looks like a saucer of milk in one of the pictures? If so, it should be kitten milk or lactose free milk, or the kitten will end up with diarrhea.

 

[danteshuman]

Well I have been trained by kittens to not roll over or move if I even feel bunched up blankets next to me. So if you are like that, sleep with him. In my experience kittens want to sleep by you.... right next to you. If you roll around a lot you can try putting a cat bed next to your chest/head where the kitten wants to sleep.

 

[s0mthinG]

I think I see what looks like a saucer of milk in one of the pictures? If so, it should be kitten milk or lactose free milk, or the kitten will end up with diarrhea.

That's actually just the color of the dish, it's the same water that is in the bowl. I just put saucers down in front of his dishes so he has easier access while he is still young. He's actually already started drinking out of the silver bowl, hasn't quite worked up to eating out if it though

 

[s0mthinG]

Well I have been trained by kittens to not roll over or move if I even feel bunched up blankets next to me. So if you are like that, sleep with him. In my experience kittens want to sleep by you.... right next to you. If you roll around a lot you can try putting a cat bed next to your chest/head where the kitten wants to sleep.

That's a fantastic idea. I don't think I roll too much in my sleep so I'll give making him a small bed from one of our blankets a go. Through most of the day he likes to cuddle up and sleep in blankets anyeysa

 

[danteshuman]

Awwwwww such a cute little guy

 

[s0mthinG]

Awwwwww such a cute little guy

Haha thanks! My girlfriend and I just brought him home yesterday. He's getting used to his new place very well!

 

[rubysmama]

My girlfriend and I just brought him home yesterday. He's getting used to his new place very well!

He really is a cutie pie.

When you have a chance, you must "formally" introduce him, and yourself, in our New Cats on the Block forum.

 

[s0mthinG]

He really is a cutie pie.

When you have a chance, you must "formally" introduce him, and yourself, in our New Cats on the Block forum.

I absolutely will! He's getting along very well and just turned 6 weeks on the 8th!