Features of training an adult cat
Adult cats, unlike little fluffy cats, have an already established nervous system. They have developed the skills they need for life and actively use them for certain purposes. Therefore, you should not feed yourself hopes that the animal will quickly understand where the toilet is and will go there. Before training an adult cat to use a litter box, you need to be patient and take time.
First, keep in mind that an adult animal already has its own established character. Therefore, in the process of training a cat to use a litter box, it is also important to take into account its characteristics. Most often, problems occur in furry cats who previously lived on the street. As a rule, they can consider any space hidden from prying eyes to be a toilet.
Do you want to know how to train a cat to use a litter box in a new home? It is enough to do the following:
- Limit your pet's movement. For a while, do your best to keep your cat in one specific room. Place bowls with food and water there, and a tray as far as possible from them (cats are clean animals that will not relieve themselves near food).
- Try to control the cat's movements and monitor its behavior. As soon as you notice that the purr is looking for the toilet, bring him to the tray.
- Under no circumstances should you place the litter box in the middle of the room. It is necessary to choose the right place for the cat litter. Remember that it should be comfortable not only for you, but for your pet. Most cats do not like the litter box to be in a visible place. Therefore, it is better to place it in the corner of the room.
- If you notice that your cat goes to the toilet not in the litter box, but in the same place in the house, place the potty there. Over time, when the animal gets used to the toilet with filler, simply move the tray to any place convenient for you.
Bengal cats - character, reviews
Many animal lovers wonder whether it is possible to keep such a cat in the house. We would like to reassure them right away: the domestic Bengal cat, photos of which are often shown by breeders, (of later generations) is no more aggressive than any of its counterparts from other breeds. These are active, playful animals that remain kittens at heart until old age.
Bengal cats (reviews from owners confirm this) fly into the room with eyes glowing with happiness, which seem to encourage everyone present to have fun with them and immediately start the game. To this should be added a high level of intelligence, great curiosity and incredible charm of such a pet.
It is not at all surprising that the Bengal cat is very smart, the photo of which is placed by all reputable catteries in their advertising brochures. After all, her wild ancestors needed something more than claws and fangs to survive in natural conditions.
The Bengal cat's character and habits are more like those of a dog - it comes running when its owner calls, brings its toys, calling for play, and can master various tricks. Sometimes they succeed in this matter, which causes dissatisfaction with the owners. For example, when they start opening doors, taps, or flushing the toilet. They are playful until old age, catching everything that moves - from real mice to artificial ones.
Put all these qualities together and you will understand what a Bengal cat is. Descriptions of the breed can be found in all publications about animals. This pet is characterized by a high degree of socialization. They are not at all afraid of strangers, they boldly go towards them, study, sniff, and look at them. But you shouldn’t reach out to them when you first meet them - they might scratch you. These irrepressible “mini-leopards” are ready to play at any time of the day or night. They always strive to climb as high as possible and do not like to sit in one place at all.
Bengal cats love freedom very much and do not accept its restrictions. Owner reviews convince us of this. This can be expressed in relation to the leash or when the owner tries to pick up his pet. This does not mean that he will rip his hands bloody, he will simply run away at the first opportunity. This behavior should not be attributed to the “wildness” of the animal; many completely domestic cats often behave this way.
The Bengal cat breed, a photo of which we posted in our article, loves some things that are unacceptable for other breeds. They love water very much, like their wild and larger relatives, leopards. Your pet will happily play with the trickle of water from the tap, and may even climb into your bathroom.
This, of course, is funny, but only until the happy pet gets out of the water and starts running around the house. Sometimes cats are so addicted to water that owners have to lock bathrooms and toilets, otherwise they flush toilets and open taps on their own.
The Bengal cat, whose character is quite docile (if you do not take into account some minor pranks), usually becomes attached to one person, singles him out and considers him his master. This does not prevent them from spending time and playing with all family members. These beautiful animals need close interaction with the owner, and trouble is for those who cannot provide it. The domestic Bengal cat (photos of which are posted in our article), when bored, begins to act out. She can tear things to shreds to find out what is inside, open the door to some room to determine what is hidden there. The animal loves to hide things, so it is better to store the most valuable ones in a place inaccessible to it.
The Bengal cat, whose character is quite sociable, usually behaves quietly. But if she starts making sounds, then a simple and gentle meow will not do. The range of their sounds is quite wide, and over time, owners begin to understand when their pet is hungry, when he wants to go for a walk, and when he is just bored.
Bengal cats get along well with other pets (including dogs). The character (reviews from the owners will allow us to draw this conclusion) of “little leopards” does not allow them to be kept in families with small children. The fact is that they will play with pleasure with the child, but only until the stupid child begins to pull their tail or mustache. It is necessary that the child be at an age when he understands that in front of him is not a toy, but a living being.
The Bengal cat, whose character is always individual, can behave differently in each specific case. But if you learn to understand this independent, proud and at the same time playful creature, then you will never want to get a cat of another breed.
These graceful beauties do not require complex care. Representatives of this breed are strong and active animals, characterized by good physical health.
They love to climb up, the higher the better. Therefore, to protect your furniture, provide them with a high scratching post. The higher it is, the more interesting it is for your pet. In many ways, caring for a Bengal comes down to creating conditions for maximum activity. The health and mood of your pet depends on this. These cats are happy to walk outside on a leash - this satisfies their innate curiosity.
Even though Bengals love water, bathing them is often not recommended. These are very clean animals.
But you need to pay special attention to your teeth. When feeding natural food, deposits may appear on the teeth, resulting in an unpleasant odor from the mouth. It is necessary to regularly examine the animal's oral cavity. To eliminate plaque, it is important to include dry food in your diet, which also perfectly massages the gums. It is advisable to use special toothpaste for cats to clean their teeth, and regularly visit a veterinarian for preventive purposes.
The coat of Bengal cats is magnificent - short, silky, smooth. She practically does not need care - just brush her once a week. Trim your nails regularly (once a week). When dirty, clean your ears with a cotton swab. Remember, the sooner you accustom your pet to hygiene procedures, the easier they will be in the future.
How to choose a tray and filler
Before you begin toilet training an adult cat, you need to take care of choosing the right tray and filler for it. Currently, there are several variations of tray designs. And, if in the case of a small kitten, you can simply accustom your pet to a certain type of toilet, then with an adult animal you need to try a wide variety of options, choosing exactly the one that suits the fluffy one.
Tip : If you got a cat that lived with other people for a long time, ask the previous owners what kind of toilet they used for the animal. Find out more about the type of potty and litter your purr is used to.
When choosing a tray, special attention should be paid to its size. Keep in mind that an adult cat needs space to bury all of its waste. Therefore, small pots may simply be ignored by the animal.
Also pay attention to the height of the sides. By choosing high tray walls, you prevent the filler from appearing on the floor in the room. This greatly simplifies the cleaning process. However, for small purrs, high sides can become an obstacle and slow down the process of accustoming the cat to the tray.
The most popular designs of trays today are plastic products with a side height of 10 cm or more. They will allow you to save the maximum amount of filler inside the pot while the cat is burying waste and are convenient for fluffies of any size.
Now let's talk about litter, which, no matter how strange it may sound, is an important factor in quickly toilet training a cat. Today, on store shelves you can find a wide variety of fillers: clay, silica gel, wood, etc. Determining which one is suitable specifically for your animal can only be done experimentally. Experiment by purchasing this or that option and be sure to monitor your pet’s reaction.
If you pick up an adult cat from the street, we recommend that you pay attention to wood or clay litter. Both of these options are environmentally friendly and lack strong artificial odors. Street purrs will associate such fillers with wild nature, which will help quickly accustom the cat to the toilet.
Bengal cat - description of the breed
These magnificent "mini leopards" have grace, grace, flexibility and luxurious spotted coats, a reminder that as recently as 9,500 years ago, our lovely pet felines were completely wild. Therefore, people again and again strive to recreate a domestic cat that resembles a wild one. Examples of this are the Ocicat, Egyptian Mau, Bengal, and Savannah.
The Bengal cat, whose photo often adorns the covers of animal magazines, is a large and well-developed athlete with a long body (but not of the oriental type). Animals have well-developed muscles (this is especially true for cats). The legs are also muscular, powerful, the hind limbs are slightly longer than the front ones. The neck is quite long and appears thick, but in fact it is quite proportional to the body. The head is wedge-shaped and has rounded contours. Small in relation to the body.
The eyes are oval, almost round, large. Eye color can be different - gold, green or blue for points. The deeper and richer it is, the better.
The ears are short, small in size, wide at the base, rounded at the tips, placed at the edges of the head.
How to train a cat to use a litter box
When an adult purr comes to your home and is already accustomed to independence, it is important to think through the organization of the territory in detail. It is necessary to determine the place where the bowl of food and water will be, where the purr's bedroom will be, and, of course, it is important to think about the location of the toilet.
Some adult outdoor cats, at a certain point, begin to intuitively understand why there is a tray in the room. In this case, taming the animal to the toilet will be much faster. In addition, it is important to remember that furry cats are very sensitive to changes in a person’s voice. Therefore, if you notice that the cat went to the toilet in the wrong place, just change the intonation. Any physical punishment will cause fear in the pet and provoke it to search for a more secluded place for the toilet.
At the same time, remember to praise your cat every time he uses the litter box. This technique acts as positive reinforcement and significantly speeds up the process of training your cat to use the litter box.
Now let's talk about how to train an adult cat to go to the litter box. It is important to follow the sequence of actions here:
- Show the purr where the tray is and watch its actions. As a rule, cats begin to look for the toilet 1-2 hours after eating. This is immediately reflected in their actions. The animals begin to rush around the room in search of a secluded place. This behavior should become familiar to you. Take your cat and put him in his litter box.
- If he relieves himself in the right place, be sure to praise him. If not, you should not rush and scream at your pet. Wipe up the puddle or collect the poop in a tissue. Place it in the tray. This way, next time the animal will be able to determine by smell where to go to the toilet.
- You need to quickly get rid of the unpleasant odor. To do this, use strong-smelling detergents or a special spray that can be bought at any veterinary store. More natural remedies include mixing water, vinegar and vodka, or a small amount of water with lemon or orange essential oil. Such mixtures can kill unpleasant odors and discourage the cat from the wrong place.
- As you already understand, cats do not like the strong pungent smell of household chemicals (washing powders, detergents). However, for some reason, we just love the smell of outdoor shoes. Therefore, if you want to quickly train your cat to use the litter box, I recommend that you put your boots and shoes in the closet. They can provoke the fluffy to mark the territory.
Choosing a kitten
We have already said in our article that Bengal cats really need affection and attention from the owner. When buying a kitten raised in a nursery abroad, the owner is often faced with certain temperamental characteristics - distrust, caution, desire for privacy. This behavior occurs due to being kept in an enclosure. The baby will require special attention and care.
For completely inexperienced “cat lovers”, let’s say that you can only buy a Bengal kitten in a nursery or from a well-established, experienced breeder. Be sure to complete the transaction and all accompanying documents for the kitten.
Now let’s look at the most important issues regarding the health of the little Bengal. Look at his eyes - they should be clear and clean. Any nasal discharge should alert you. You can pick up a kitten from the nursery that is no younger than 10 weeks old.
Take a good look at your baby's fur. In a healthy kitten, it is clean, shiny, and does not have a greasy sheen. Find out from the breeder whether vaccination has been carried out and what the further vaccination schedule is.
Be sure to observe the baby’s behavior. He must be playful, active and definitely curious. A little timidity at the first meeting is normal and understandable. You should not take a lethargic kitten. Look at the mother cat. Does she look healthy and well-groomed? Find out whether tests have been carried out for the presence of hereditary diseases.
How to stop an adult cat from shitting?
If you've tried all of the above methods for litter box training an outdoor cat, but none of them worked, don't despair.
First, try to rule out any health problems in your pets. Be sure to take your cat to the vet for a checkup. An experienced doctor will help identify inflammatory processes in the urinary or reproductive system. This is especially true in the cold season.
As a result of successful treatment of such diseases, the problem of toilet training a cat will be solved by itself.
Also read: How to stop a cat from shitting anywhere?
Create ideal conditions
In order for the kitten to quickly get used to its new toilet, it is necessary to clean it thoroughly .
This should be done as often as possible. A dirty litter tray is unlikely to attract an animal. The kitten will look for a cleaner place. If you use clumping litter, the used composition should be removed with a spatula and thrown into a bag. It's better to tie it right away. In the first weeks, you can leave feces in the cat's litter box. This will speed up the addiction process.
All filler in the tray must be changed regularly . This should be done at least once a week. In this case, the cat litter box must be washed thoroughly. You should not use toxic detergents. It is enough to use a soap solution. The tray must be dried after cleaning and washing. Only after this can it be filled with fresh product.
If the kitten has gone past the litter box, then this area must be carefully treated to eliminate odors. Otherwise, the incident will repeat.
Tools for litter training
How to quickly train a cat to use the litter box? Of course, first of all it is necessary to comply with all the above steps. However, if you want to significantly speed up the process, you can use special tools. In any veterinary store today you can buy various sprays that either stimulate the animal to relieve itself in a certain place, or have a repellent odor, for treating areas marked by the pet in the house. Before using repellents, you must thoroughly wash all areas marked by the purr using any detergent containing bleach.
Sprays that encourage the cat to go to the toilet in a certain place deserve special attention. They can be used for both small and adult pets. Experts recommend spraying the area near the tray with a spray two to three times a day to achieve faster results. Of course, over time (if the result is positive) you can reduce the number of sprays.
However, even if you notice that your pet regularly goes to the toilet in the litter box, you must continue to use the spray for 7-10 days. Only after the cat has established the habit of going to the litter box can you stop using aids.
Also read: How to determine the breed of a cat?
Well, I hope we have given a comprehensive answer to the question of how to train an adult cat to use the litter box. Remember that street cats that have lived outdoors for several years, or purrs that have previously been with other owners, have a hard time with a change of environment and are not always amenable to training the first time. Therefore, we recommend that you be patient and not give up if you fail. Over time, the cat will get used to the place with the tray and will stop marking territory in other unauthorized corners of the house.
History of the origin of the breed
The Bengal cat breed has wild roots. These pets are the result of crossing an Asian leopard cat with an ordinary domestic fluffy cat. This allowed us to get a beautiful cat, reminiscent of a wild animal, but with a domestic, friendly character.
The idea of breeding the breed originated in the early 60s of the last century. Biologist Jean Sugden took an active interest in this issue. Finding herself in the natural habitat of wild Far Eastern cats that were becoming extinct due to active poaching, she took one of them to her home. Later the cat was named Malaysia.
When the pet reached puberty, she was crossed with an ordinary domestic cat. The result was quite healthy offspring, which combined the features of a wild cat and a domestic pet.
Breeding of the breed began in the 70s of the twentieth century and lasted for more than 10 years. Bengal kittens received the status of an experimental breed in 1983, when they were recognized by a major felinological association. After observing the breed and developing a standard, Bengal cats received full recognition. This happened in 1991. Since then, the breed has been recognized in turn by American and Canadian cat organizations, as well as the United Feline Organization. Now Bengal kittens can take an active part in various exhibitions and competitions.
