Conference misery::feline_v1

    8 weeks isn't all that old and it's obvious she's starting to get
    the hint.
    
    Using sand is a pretty natural thing for cats; witness the scratching
    even when there's no sand. 
    
    Give her some more time, she'll figure it out...
    
    Edd

    
    
    Firstly I think you should stick to one litter tray...she is probably
    confused ("well it was here just now!!!!") and secondly she could
    probably smell the urine from last time she went...I think they
    go for the smell rather than recognise the box.  Then if you only
    have the one box the mother will show them where to go (ie they'll
    follow her smell). BUT make sure you get rid of the old "wet patch"
    properly with cat repellant and soapy water (plenty) to get rid
    of the smell.
    
    When Elsa (rip) had her kittens all was fine until I got down to
    the last two...Sammie, who I was keeping anyway and a tortoise shell
    who was going in a couple of weeks.  The tortoise shell (Shelly)
    seemed to get very excited when she went into the garden and for
    some reason used to come back in to use the tray but never seemed
    to make it....hence puddles on the floor.  I don't know if she ever
    got over that as she went shortly after (never had any complaints).
    
    Sammie however only did it once (runny poo's) right in front of
    me, on the mat but because I had caught him in the act I smacked
    him and put him in the cat tray...It took me ages to entice him
    out of the tray again but he never did it again.
    
    

    soapy water might not be enough. Try using something to actually
    neutralize the urine smell. There are several good enzymes on the
    market for this purpose, or even white vinegar (diluted 1 part vinegar
    to two or three parts water)
    
    Deb

    You might want to keep a kitten that young confined to a room until
    it is trained.  They do get confused when they are tiny.  Usually
    the kittens stay confined and the mother get let out to exercise
    and roam around the house when the kits are old enough.  She 
    probably likes to get away from them for a little while when
    they start getting very active!!    If she is confined and
    uses it all the time it will imprint and the problem should
    resolve itself.
    
    Also, it the litter tray shallow enough for her to climb into it?
    If the sand is too deep, she may not like that - she may feel
    unsteady or sinking into the sand.  

    I agree with all four replies.  She still is quite little.  It took
    Tabbatha about 3 weeks to be completely litter trained.  She was
    probably about 9 weeks when she finally got the hang of it.  
    
    What we did was every time we were not at home, or we were not able
    to keep a close eye on her, or at night, we would lock her in the
    kitchen.  (Her litter box was in the foyer next to the kitchen).
    She used the box, no problem then.
    
    When she was out of the kitchen, if at any time we smelled her "Break
    wind", we brought her in and put her in the litter box.  She finally
    got the hint that she was only to go in the litter box.
    
    A few hints, though.  Don't put down the paper for kitty.  This
    just teaches her that it is all right to go on paper.  Then you
    may have a major problem where she will go on ANY paper laying on
    the floor (believe me, it has happened to me before).  Second, make
    sure that you don't use Lysol to neutralize the odor when she goes
    on the floor or couch.  From what we have heard, Lysol has some
    kind of poisin to cats in it.  
    
    Good luck.
    
    Holly
    

    Black Thunder is also having a problem (first cat that I've owned
    with this problem).
    
    Holly called and gave me a suggestion which she didn't put here.
    She said to put aluminum foil on the spots that they are using.
    She said they don't like the feel of it.  I am going to try it.
    
    Thunder only misses once each day; first thing in the morning. 
    Holly also told me to keep her confined until she goes to potty.
    I'm trying that one too.
    
    Thanks Holly,
    
    Sandi (Lightning's, DejaVu's & Thunder's mom)
    
    
    
    

    
    Another thing you could try is to keep them in a box (the one I
    had was about 6ft long x 3 ft wide and 3 ft deep) with a minature
    cat tray in there.  Mine soon got used to it and the beauty is that
    the mother can get in and out as she pleases but kitty cant so he/she
    will have to use that one tray....but let him/her chose the corner
    first.
    
    Sharon
    
    
    

    I also had the same problem with Bustopher when he was just 6 weeks
    old....I kept him confined to the downstairs bathroom with a small
    litter pan in there.  After he had been with us for a week or so,
    I let him out during the day and found little "presents" in a corner;
    I put his nose in it and then brought him to the litter box and
    I also put down aluminum foil on the spot.  This seemed to cure him;
    he hasn't had an accident since.  Like the other noters said; have
    patience; they will learn :-)  
    
    Good luck!

    Many thanks for all your advice. Pushka is now over four months
    old and is, thankfully, completely house-trained. In fact she 
    is a regular user of the garden as a toilet now, as she soon 
    learned how to use the cat door. Needless to say, she is a very
    sweet little (ginger and white) kitten.