Kitten Questions

Visitor Kitten Questions

Kitten Not Using Litter Box

We have two kittens. They are around four or five months old. We got them at two separate times from two different litters. The first one learned how to use the litter box with no problem, but the second kitten not so much. So I did the normal thing and scolded him and put him in the litter box and did this for probably a week and a half. I did this every day until one day I saw him using the litter box. When I saw him use the litter box, I loved on him and praised him. I thought he had learned. Boy was I wrong! For the past two months, he uses the litter box when it is convenient for him. However, if he's in the living room and he has to go, then that's where he goes. However, if he is in the back part of the house, where the litter is, then he will use the litter box! When he goes outside the box, it's always in the living room and never any other room in the house. Please, please, tell me what I need to do and I will do it. My five-year-old son absolutely loves this cat. We're building a house and when we move, if he's not all the way trained, we will have to give him away. I really don't want to do that, I kinda like him too. Even though my house smells like one big litter box! Please help!

~~Sara

Expert Reply

Hi, Sara,

I can almost hear the frustration in your "voice" and I've been there myself. It is really hard when you love a cat but they won't respect your sanitary rules.

First, I realize you were just trying to train the cat, but scolding does not work well with felines. They often do not understand why you are scolding them. In his kitty brain, he may have associated the litter box with the scolding. However, praising him lavishly when he did use the box was the exact right thing to do, so you're on the right track there.

There are some steps you can take that I think will help and he is still young enough that he should be fairly easy to retrain. Please understand that you will likely have to repeat these steps when you move. I would leave him in a contained area with his litter box in the new home for a minimum of one week before you release him into other areas of your new home.

Here are the steps I want you to try:

1. Purchase a good enzymatic cleaner and thoroughly clean any areas he has soiled. You can purchase this at a local pet supply store. This will remove the scent of his previous accidents and thus will not re-attract him to those areas.
2. Isolate him in a contained area as close as possible to where his litter box will reside permanently. Leave him in that area for a minimum of one week and then slowly release him, watching him closely. If he has any accidents, return him to the contained area again. Repeat as long and often as necessary.
3. Finally, make sure that you have a separate litter box for each cat in your household.

You may also want to experiment with box styles (covered or not and depth) and with litter types. Some cats are very picky about these things. Have you read our article this month on toilet training your cats? That may be another option you could try.

Keep us posted on how it goes.

~~Lori

Could Kitten Have Distemper?

My daughter had a kitten appear at her door that has a severely crusted nose and eyes. I thought this was a sign of distemper but could not find it in the description of symptoms for distemper. What else could it be?

~~ Robin

Expert Reply

Hi Robin,

The symptoms of feline distemper put a lot of stress on the immune system, so opportunistic infections quickly follow.

Kittens are highly susceptible to respiratory infections, so runny, crusty eyes are often thought to be a direct symptom of distemper, when they are actually a symptom of the secondary illness.

If you're able, look closely at the kitten's eyes. If you can see that the inner part of the eyelids look swollen, then it's still likely the kitten has distemper. I hope you'll consider keeping the kitten and take it to the vet.

Best wishes~~ Kelly

Kittens Missing Patches of Fur

A cat that hangs around the house recently had three kittens. One appeared normal, but over the last four weeks the hair at the very end of the tail has disappeared and the tail is pink. This does not seem to bother it.

Another kitten at first only had a thickening at the base of the tail. Over four weeks he has started to lose hair on his tail and the back of his legs. This does not appear to bother him either.

The third kitten appears to have been born with patches of missing hair on his back legs, and today I noticed the hair has disappeared from the end of his tail. Unlike his siblings, his tail is thick and grey. None of them appear bothered by their conditions, and there is no scaling or inflammation. There are some thickened black spots. What could it be and would it be contagious?

~~AngiM

Expert Reply

Hi Angi,

I'm not a vet, but I suspect that those kittens either have some sort of skin infection, or they have thyroid deficiencies. The gray, thickened skin makes me lean toward a thyroid problem, but this is something that has to be seen to be diagnosed.

Thyroid disease is not contagious, but many types of infections/infestations are, so I highly recommend you take the kittens to a veterinarian, or a no-kill shelter that will make sure they get the medical attention they need.

Thanks for your question~~ Kelly

Kitten Eye Color

I am considering adopting a very adorable gray tabby with the most beautiful deep blue eyes I've ever seen. Will the eyes stay the same color or will they change? The kitten is just four weeks old.

~~Dezbie

Expert Reply

Hi Dezbie,

Four weeks old is a bit too soon to determine a kitten's permanent eye color. Usually some sort of color change takes place between six and twelve weeks of age. Baby blues can turn dull or give way to other shades. Sometimes a maturing kitten will even develop a different eye color altogether, depending on its genetic background.

If you have an opportunity to see the parents, their eye color may give you a better idea of what you can expect.

That said, I hope you'll consider adopting that kitten no matter what color its eye turn out to be. There are far too many felines in this world waiting to be loved.

Thanks for your question~~ Kelly

Kitten Issues

I have two questions.

1. My new kitten is only six weeks old, but he continuously scratches hard when he plays. What should I do about it, because my arms are all scratched up
2. Should we keep two litter boxes for him? We have two stories, and he uses the litter box downstairs, but also has a place he uses upstairs.

Thank you~~ Katelynn

Expert Reply

Hi Katelynn,

By all means, give your cat a second litter box to use upstairs. Be sure to scrub the area he's been using with a white vinegar solution, and then place the new box there if it's practical. He'll catch on quicker that way.

I highly recommend having your cat declawed as soon as he is old enough. Some vets are will to perform this procedure during a neutering/spaying procedure to avoid the need to anesthetize a patient twice.

Until your kitten is old enough, you're going to want to keep play time a bit more low key for hands on fun. Buy kitty a mouse laser toy, and let him burn off energy chasing that around. He'll likely be more docile with you afterward.

Thanks for your questions~~ Kelly