How To Stop Kitten From Playing In Litter Box – Do This Now

You may also be wondering how to stop kittens from playing In litter box? A litter box is a place our cats instinctively or through training take out their metabolic waste. These litter boxes are also known as cats box, cat pans, or potty.

For little kittens, the litter box is a place to do their business, but sometimes they may go over, digging scratching, lying, and even playing in their litter box.

From our perspective, it can be annoying when the cat chooses to make a lot of noise with their litter box. Though I always prepare myself each time I get a baby kitten, I know the noise they are capable of while playing with the litter box, but this can be so much for me to handle sometimes–especially when they scratch on the box, I get instant goosebumps.

When a kitten engages in activities like this, is it a normal thing, or is it a result of some medical issues or disorder?

In this article, we look to explain why they play in their litter box, and how you can effectively stop your cat from playing in the litter box.

Table of Contents

• Is it normal for kittens to play in the litter box?
• Why do kittens play in their litter box?
• How To Stop Kitten From Playing In Litter Box?
• Cat scratching litter box excessively
• Conclusion

Is it normal for kittens to play in the litter box?

It is normal for your cats to play in their litter box, digging, scratching, and burying poop. These are no cause for alarm, you should only be worried when your cat takes this as a habit or sleeps in the litter box.

Why do kittens play in their litter box?

Kittens will play in their litter box for a lot of reasons, being bored, a medical-related issue, pregnancy, anxiety, and stress. There is no particular reason as to why they play in their litter box, this is why you have to pay close attention and pick up vital clues as to why your cat is playing in the litter box

• Boredom

A bored cat will relate to his situation in numerous ways. When the cat misses your snuggle or lacks play time with you, he may go and play in his litter box: ” if you don’t want to spend some time with me, im going to get your attention by any means possible” in cases like this, a little play with the cat can solve the problem. you could also invest in a cat pod.

• Health issues

Cats are susceptible to urinary tract diseases or problems such as kidney stones, feline idiopathic cystitis, and urinary tract infections. These conditions can cause a strain or delayed passage of urine, which might prolong your cat’s stay in the litter box.

Dermatitis, fleas, and other skin irritation could cause the cat to have a dust bath in a bid to try and rid itself of the infestation. Regular grooming habits can help you identify these skin issues on time and get appropriate shampoos or your vet can prescribe something. Here’s how you can brush a cat that doesn’t let you brush her.

• Is the cat pregnant?

If you were pregnant or you have a partner who is pregnant, the best place to head to is the hospital for checkups; from which you’ll likely know your due date or week.

For the cat, it’s a different story, your pregnant cat will spend time in a litter box if it’s expecting kittens since it’ll be looking for a safe place where it can have its kittens.

• Marked the litter box as part of his territory

If your cat has marked the litter box as part of its territory, you may have issues cleaning it. They could attack you if you go near their litter box, in cases like this, show them what you’re doing, then close them out. A more typical sign of a cat being territorial is that he’ll rush back to the litter box and play, as soon as you’re done cleaning.

Another case here is–if you have more than one cat in your house, don’t just get a cat bed or a litter box. Rather, get one for each as this will avoid conflicts and challenges that could relegate one cat to staying and playing in the litter box.

• Stress and anxiety

Different things are capable of stressing your cat out. Bringing home a new pet, loud noise from fireworks, building construction, thunderclaps, change of apartment.

When your cat is stressed out, it looks for the calmest place where it could relax and cool itself. For example, Ragdoll is based on relationships, a breakdown in a relationship with your ragdoll can cause anxieties which can make him relegated to the litter box.

How To Stop Kitten From Playing In Litter Box?

There are some clever ways or tricks you can adopt that may help you stop your kitten from playing in the litter box, for a five-week-old kitten, 4-month-old kitten, 7-month-old kitten, and even a year-old kitten can start playing in their litter box. It’s more like a young cat thing.

Playing in the litter box may not be harmful to the cat’s health, but the resulting noise can be a nuisance, plus they can even scatter both sand and poop on the floor. Try the following, and let us know which one worked for you.

• Change the litter box from an open box to a box with cover

The open tray has so many cons, they don’t mask odor sometimes. It is easy for the cat to litter the ground with both litter and poop when they dig, although it’s easier to clean. If you are using a regular open tray, you should think of switching to a litter box with a lid.

A litter box could help limit dirt and poop that may be left on the floor as your cat plays in the litter box.

• Wait it out

Playing in the litter box is stress for everyone, especially when it is accompanied by so much noise, and litter everywhere, as the cat grows, they usually drop this habit and only go to the litter box to do their business or when they are pregnant.

• Get a cat pod

If your cat has a cleaner place where they could sleep and hide away from noise and disturbance, they are most likely to head for their cat pod or bed. It’s no secret that cats sleep for a minimum of 15 hours daily, in absence of a pod, your cat may adopt the litter box as a place to play.

A cat cave is meant to have everything the cat needs to relax, from a brush where they can rub their face, to cushions. You can learn how to build a cat pod yourself.

When you have a kitten, and it goes to play in the litter box, you could use a favorite treat they love and lure him back to his pod, this will teach him to relax and play in its pod, instead of the litter box. You can do this by dropping in a form of an extended dotted line. You can place the treats 2 and a half feet apart, all back to its pod.

• Clean less often

Ensure you got a lid, if the cat still goes to the litter box playing for a long time, take a while before you clean the box, the cat will eventually find his litter box less attractive for play. This is an extreme method, but it works like charm.

• It’s time to remove the catnip and other toys

In trying to train our cats to use the cat box, we may have placed them in a toy or two or some cat nips. It’s time to take away the cat nip!  Cat nip, cat mint, or field balm as different people may refer to it has a very strange effect on cats.

Every one out of two cats is sensitive to herbs, a kitten who is sensitive to catnip usually begins to show the signs from his 3rd to 6th month of age. The nepetalactone found in catnip oil is the active chemical that sends the cats to bliss with just a sniff. After a treat to the cat nip, it’ll take your kitten about two hours to respond to the effect of the cat nip again.

For some cats, after a sniff, they become calm, while others will become aggressively playful. Having a catnip in the litter box will keep them there playing. It’s time to take it out! Rather, start placing catnip in the cat’s pod or cave, this will stop them from playing in the litter box.

• Give your cat some attention

An hour playtime each day is all your cat needs, the more involved you get with your cat, the more bond and fun time you guys will create together. Why don’t you toss out some toys you see your kitten playing with within the litter box. Why won’t he prefer your praises, treats, tricks, and petting?

Cat scratching litter box excessively

Your cat will scratch their litter box excessively if they are having diarrhea or intestinal disturbances. They will further scratch their box if dirt is trapped in their foot pads and toe beans, this dirt can make them so uncomfortable. Also, it’s a way of interacting with other cats. You can stop this by giving them the same treatment listed above.

Conclusion

We have come to the end of exploring how to stop cats from playing in their litter box. A cat sitting in the litter box for a long time playing or just not doing anything is either stressed, challenged by other pets, still growing, or has gotten too comfortable with the litter box, it means  you have invested little to no time in playing with them.

As little as getting more play time from you, investing in a cat pod and removing toys and catnip from their litter box will stop a cat from playing in its litter box.