How to Take Care of a Cat - Housetraining Your Cat

1. Encourage the cat to use a litter box.[7] Most cats will prefer the litter box to other parts of the house because of the texture of the litter. But, there are still steps you need to take to make sure you're offering the litter box as the best place to use the bathroom.
- Place the box in a quiet spot where the cat won’t be bothered by people, dogs, or loud noises.
- Keep the litter box clean — scoop the litter daily, and clean the box weekly. You should also replace or refresh the litter at least once a week.[8]
- Provide enough litter boxes for more than one cat. If you have 2 cats, you need 3 litter boxes in different areas of the home. One cat might try to intimidate a less dominate cat away from using a single box.

2. Make the litter box a comfortable place. Don't frighten or startle your cat when it's using the box, or it may form a bad association with the box and start avoiding it. Buy a large box, even if you have to spend a little money on it. Cats are more comfortable in a larger (in area, not height) box.[9]
- Don’t switch brands of litter on your cat, because cats don’t like sudden change. Switching from a clay litter to a scoopable clumping type of litter or vice versa might upset the cat so much it stops using the box.
D- on’t use heavily scented litters that might deter a cat from litter box use.

3. Take young or old cats needs into consideration. Keep in mind that kittens and older cats with arthritis or other health problems may have problems getting in and out of a box that's too tall. Use low-height boxes in an easily accessible area for kittens and cats with special needs, or buy an adjustable litter box.

4. Provide the cat with a scratching post. Scratching is a normal part of cat behavior, and there's no way you can train it out of them. If your cat still has its claws, he'll need one or two scratching posts to keep him from scratching up furniture, wood work, and so on. By providing a post, you allow the cat to indulge in normal, healthy behavior.[10]
- Your cat may have been declawed, in which case his front and/or back claws have been surgically removed. A declawed cat won't be able to scratch, so you don't need a scratching post.

5. Discourage the cat from exploring forbidden surfaces. Cats are curious, and will jump on counters or other places you'd like them to stay clear of. Scat mats, a perfectly timed mist of water from a spray bottle, or even a stern “no” can correct this behavior. With time and patience, you can teach your cat to stay away from your protected areas.
- You can also use a rattle can (an empty soda can filled with a few pebbles and the opening taped over). Toss it gently on the ground to scare a cat away from forbidden surfaces. DO NOT throw the can at the cat.

6. Consider using feline pheromone products. These products, which fill the air with calming synthetic pheromones, come as sprays or diffusers that plug into electrical outlets.[11] They can help resolve litter box or scratching issues, and have also been proven to calm stressed or anxious cats.

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