How do I litter train a kitten?

Start when the kitten is about 3 to 4 weeks old, when it can walk steadily and eliminate on its own, and in most cases it will be reliable within a week or two.

Use a shallow box with low sides, about 2 to 3 inches tall, so a small kitten can climb in. Fill it with unscented, non-clumping litter. Clumping litter is a poor choice for kittens because they often taste and swallow it, and it can harden into a blockage inside them. Place the box in a quiet corner that is easy to reach, away from the food and water bowls. If you have more than one cat, provide one box per cat plus one extra.

To teach the kitten, set it in the box after every meal, after naps, after play, and whenever it wakes up. Scratch its front paw gently through the litter a few times, then let it be. Do not hold it there or punish it if it jumps out. When it does go in the box, praise it calmly. Never scold or rub a kitten's nose in an accident; this only makes it afraid of you and of the box. Clean up accidents with an enzymatic pet cleaner, because regular detergent leaves behind a scent that invites repeat mistakes.

Scoop the box at least once a day and wash it weekly with mild soap. If accidents continue, the usual causes are a box that is too tall, litter that is too rough or scented, a location that feels exposed, or too few boxes. Confine the kitten to a small, easy-to-clean room until it is reliable. A mother cat will normally teach her kittens to use the box on their own, so if she is present, just make sure the setup suits a kitten's small size.