[Myth]

Well the other night my mother in law was using our net connection to look up some vacation stuff. She was heading home and heard a crying cat. At first she thought it was the stray outdoor cat that I feed. When she realised that he hadn't climbed into her van she started to look around. Well needless to say she found a small approx. 8 week old kitten left by the four lane hwy that we live near. She has a very old very territorial cat and couldn't keep the baby herself so she brought it to us. She is covered in fleas (working on that) and doesn't know how to use a litter box. We do have two fix tom cats that seem to warming up to her just as long as she knows her place in the pride so to speak... they are about 10mo old... I was just looking for some potty training suggestions since she won't use the big litter box and insists upon going on the carpet near an enclosed space where they can't really reach her. I have put a smaller litter box in that same area but she went beside it. I put a piece of toilet paper that I used to wipe her urine up with inside the litter box and she seems to want to cover it up but doesn't quite get the whole litter idea. We think she may have been abandoned for some reason and has lost her voice due to the crying. It's a miracle that she was found and brought to us. I guess then I'm just looking for some advice on how to proceed with her training... Any ideas... Please remember that my fiancé is the one who has to clean all the litter boxes since I'm preggy... lol... A job he's not impressed with. Thanks in advance.

[orange]

Awww... poor kitten! :( I'm so glad you were able to rescue it. I don't have much to say except that have you tried actually putting her in the litter box, holding her paw and "forcing" her paw to cover up something in the sand? That's how I've always taught my kittens to use the box, and usually it's worked. You might also try putting a piece of her feces (or rather your fiancé can do it, lol) in the box and leaving it there for a little while, so she knows that's her bathroom, by the smell. Also her box should be away from the box of the other cats, in a place where they can't get at it and she feels secure... at least until she becomes accustomed to them. She's probably really nervous still.

Anyway hope you're doing well! Haven't talked to you for a while! :)

[valinors_sorrow]

Hey Myth, you were smart to place the urine scented TP in the box. Maybe try putting the litter loose on a flat paper on the ground - it might be the climbing in the box that is holding up the show. If that works, alternate it from on the floor to in the box. This gives the kitty littler steps. Hope it works! Are you going to name her "Chance"? LOL It would be a good name!

[Myth]

I have tried all of your suggestions... except the poop one since she hasn't provided more than one... and so far chance is her name... We cut a shoe box to about an inch shallow and put litter in it for her and put it in the place where she keeps going to do her business... I'm just hoping she gets the hang of it.. I know she's been around humans but I think she must have been a barn cat that was abandon or something because of her lack of knowledge in this area.

[fredg]

Hi,
Please have "Chance" checked out by a Vet.
It's always good to have one checked, see if everything is OK, and get to know the Vet.
Best wishes.

[Myth]

Ok so here's an update... She is now using the litter box and has been accepted by our older cats... yeah!! Now they baby her... lol... As soon as I do some research on the vets in our area I will be making her an appointment. I did get our older cats flea collars for the time being since they haven't had to ever deal with fleas before I hoped to prevent an investation of all of them. The last vet we took the others to we didn't feel they were treated right. She is eating well and I have yet to see any worms but we will be getting her wormed just in case and hopefully we can get frontline on them asap. I hope to be getting their pics up soon so everyone can see our newest addition... lol... before the new human additions arrive. Thank you all for your advice.

[orange]

Cool, thanks for the update! I guess she was probably just nervous, being in a new place and with strange cats. I'm glad she's adjusted so quickly!

[Catseyes]

I would go to the vet asap : the problem with a new cat from nowhere is that it may have feline leukemia which would spread to your cats.
She needs to be tested.

[Myth]

My older cats have had their shots for feline lukemia. She will be getting checked out soon though.