New Feral Kitten Arrival

Question
Hey Jessica:

I finally got the new kitten yesterday.  Even though he had been socialized for a few weeks I have just a  small problem.. He has issues using the "Tidy Cat" I have provided for him at least I think that is the reason.  I kept him mostly in the bathroom yesterday and last night with food, water and a potty.  He would not eat until I feed him baby food with a spoon in the middle of the night.  As soon as I let him out of the bathroom he played with me on my bed purring but finally "wet" mu bed and I returned him back to the bathroom and sat him in the litter for punishment.    He cries to get out but it only last for about 15 minutes.  He will come to me and purrs alot.  This morning I let him out and was transporting him to a sitter and I used a towel to wrap him.  Once I sat him down he wet the towel.  Finally I had to put him back in the litter and he used it.  Is this normal?  Am I pushing the issue?   Also is the purring a good sign?  He loves to climb on my neck and sit on my shoulder, a habit that may not be good when he gets older.  I am not happy with his eating, is this because he is still nervous.  Please advise.

Thank you!!!

Answer
Congratulations, Diane!

It sounds as though things are going pretty smoothly, actually.  Kittens sometimes lose their appetite a bit when they go to a new home because of nerves.  However, at this tiny, he NEEDS to eat.  So offer him baby food, or anything he'll eat - boiled chicken breast, some lean hamburger, some deli ham, some tuna - just to get something in him.  Feeding him these for a couple days should not ruin his appetite for kitten food.

It is also somewhat common for kittens to have an accident in a new home.  Could be he doesn't quite recall where the box was.  Since your kitten was removed from his mother young, he may not have picked up all the necessary toilet habits from her, and litter training might be needed.  However, this is generally pretty easy.  Continue to place him in the litter box if he has an accident.  While it's harder to clean up, it's really best if you catch him in the act and run him to the box in "midstream".  This way, he understand WHY you're putting him in the box.

I would also recommend to put a couple temporary litter boxes around the house until he's a couple months older.  His bladder is tiny right now and can't hold much, and his mind is preoccupied with kitten things.  Sometimes they don't realize they have to go until it's too late to make it to a box in another room.  So having a box nearby at all times should help.

My cats don't much prefer Tidy Cat, either.  I think it's a combination of the scent and texture.  They tend to like a litter with a finer grain.  This kitten is too young to use a clay clumping litter, though, so I recommend to use something without sodium bentonite (a clumping compound), with a fine texture, such as Swheat Scoop.  It's natural, non-toxic, soft on the feet, and is naturally clumpable.  See www.swheatscoop.com to find a retailer near you.  If you can't find Swheat Scoop or something with a fine texture, you can even use playbox sand temporarily until he's litter trained.

He may have peed the towel because he got nervous.  I've had this happen a few times trying to get uptight cats into carriers.  If you can get him to the sitter without using the towel, try that.

I wouldn't lock him in the bathroom for punishment for not using the box, only because it tends to backfire.  He probably won't associate being locked away with NOT using the litter box.  He'll probably associate it WITH the litter box, since you have just placed him in it.  Also, scolding only tends to make them nervous, so I wouldn't speak sharply with him, either.  

What works best is to just consistently place him in the box when you catch him having an accident (don't do it if you find a wet spot later - he'll only be confused).  Praise him like crazy when he uses it, with lots of baby talk, perhaps a tasty treat or two.

You should clean up any areas where he has an accident with an enzymatic cleaner, which will break down fat in the urine to remove the stain completely.  I prefer Greased Lightning Orange Blast.  It removes the stains, and most cats don't like the smell of it, so they stay away.  There is also Nature's Miracle and Especially for Cats available at pet stores.  By cleaning the area properly, you are preventing him from using the same spot again.

Purring is a good sign!  Cats may purr when nervous or sick or injured, but it's normally a sign that they're content.  Since you say his activity level is normal, you can assume he is just a happy kitten.

I think both the eating issue and the litter box issue should be solved in a couple days.

Best wishes to you and your new baby!

Jessica