Kitten Behaviour.

Question
QUESTION: Dear Tabbi
I have a male cat (about 7 months old)who is really very will behaved and we never have a problem with him. Just a week ago we also got a little male kitten (about 5 weeks old) from a family member who wanted to give them away. My husband and I live in a complex and we enclose both the cats (Monte 7 months and Gizmo 5 weeks) in the house with litter boxes and food while we work.  During the day Gizmo uses the litter box and behaves fine but at night, as soon as we go to bed (both the cats sleep with us) he phoo's on the bedding and furniture.  I've had to wash our bedding almost every day and it is really becoming a problem. It is not the diet he is on, otherwise he will mess in the house when we are not there as well.  He only does it when we are at home.  He can get on and off the bed by himself and we leave the bedroom door open.  Monte has no problem and uses the litter box.

We are now thinking to get rid of Gizmo because of the problem, but we also don't want to because we really love him and otherwise he is really adorable.

Please can you help and thank you in advance for your assistance.

ANSWER: Jacomi,

At 5 weeks old kittens do not, can not, and will not go very far to use a litter box. When you have kittens that young (and that is still a little young to be taken from the mother) you need to have more litter boxes until they get bigger. He probably is scared also to venture in the dark to go find his litter box. I would suggest putting a small litter box for awhile in the bedroom where he sleeps.

I am including some links to good articles about improper elimination. They will have good information that you should find helpful in dealing with the kitten's behavior.
(copy and paste or type the whole links into your address bar)

http://cats.about.com/cs/behavioralissues/a/outsidebox_two.htm

http://www.geocities.com/heartland/pointe/9352/litterboxhelp.html

http://www.apbc.org.uk/article10.htm

AND,

here is a 'recipe' for cat urine/feces odor removal:

1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 teaspoon of liquid soap

(3% hydrogen peroxide can be bought at most grocery and drug stores in pint and quart bottles).

Gently mix all ingredients in a non-metal container. Do not mix or shake vigorously!

The mixture is best used when fresh but can be stored. Do not keep mixture in an airtight container.  Have a VERY loose lid as baking soda and hydrogen peroxide when mixed together will release oxygen and an airtight container will explode. You can mix and keep it in large spray bottle (Home Depot, etc.) but a plastic liter or 2-liter soda bottle works just a well.

Always test for color-fastness. Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent in stronger concentrations and can lighten materials that are not color-fast.

CLOTHING, COMFORTERS, AND BEDDING:

Put the items in the washing machine and pour in enough of the recipe to cover thoroughly. This might take a few gallons depending on the size of the load. Soak for at least 24 hours. Rinse and rewash using normal washing detergent. If any of the odor is still present, soak again for 24 hours, rinse and rewash.

A small area on a comforter can be spot treated by saturating the area thoroughly, letting it dry for 24 hours, then washing the comforter normally in the washer with detergent. Always check for color-fastness before using.

Tabbi




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you very much Tabbi for your quick and knowlageble reply.  Just one more question, do you think he will actually get off the bed at night to use the littre box when we put it in the bedroom as he does his business on the bed and not in the bedroom on the floor?

Answer
Jacomi,

Can he get up and down off of the bed by himself? Cats are pretty clean creatures and he shouldn't go potty where he sleeps if he has a choice. Hopefully if he does you can catch him and put him in the litterbox so he knows. Or you can put him in your bedroom in a dog crate with a litterbox at night until he knows to use the litterbox. With a kitten that young it is kind of trial and error to see what works. The important thing is that he knows to use the litterbox and not the bed.

Tabbi