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[Weaver]

The kittens are going through a bad patch. Peed on top of my duvet whilst I was underneath it in the middle of the night. Then went off to crap in the poor dog’s bed but I caught the miscreant in time by sheer fluke so he ran off to the bathroom and crapped in the bath instead, despite the fact that there was a litter tray in there which was also in very good shape.

Need to work on them. They have two indoor litter trays. The kittens haven't ever ventured outside yet since we got them. Any tips gratefully received.

[burakkucat]

Normally kittehs will learn by example. I won't suggest that you make use of the litter trays . . .

What do the other cats use, when the need arises? Do they let themselves out and use their selected spot outdoors?

[rpdmallett]

If they are allowed to roam at night, I doubt they'll be bothered to find the litter tray.

We're on our 2nd 'batch' of kittens (3 of them) and at night they were always put in a room with dry food, water, bedding & the litter tray.  That was 1.5 years ago and one of them (very obviously 'the runt') never got the hang of it - and has only just learned that it's preferable to do their business outside.  The other two caught on quickly.

[kitz]

Check with the breeder what litter she was using.    If a kitten was house trained using a particular type of litter then its best continuing with same type or brand. 
Also check what type of litter tray she used eg open tray or enclosed box.


My old Chaz cat would only use the litter box if it was filled with the bio wooden pellets.   
Yet the 2 I have now prefer Catsan Hygiene and neither of them like pellets or clumping.     

Whilst clay/clumping litter may be easier to clean for us humans, some cats do not like it because it behaves differently to how soil does when peed on.
Also do the other cats use the kittens litter trays?   They may be having a hard time adjusting peeing where they can smell another cat has been even if the litter has been changed.   I usually get a brand new smaller tray for new kitten until its settled,  but crapping in the bath perhaps indicates it wants its own larger box where another cat hasn't already been. 

[Weaver]

Caoimhe uses the same litter tray as the kittens but the two Sąsaigich (the other moggy girls came from Sąsaig, just down the road), Beileag and Buidheag, don't use litter trays at all, they always go outside.

Good point about the type of litter. It seems to me based on observation that the reason that they do like the duvet as a litter tray is because they can paw it as it is so very soft and other fabrics don't attract them. Ticking them off and putting them on the litter tray and shutting them in the bathroom for a minute seems to be working slowly - they get rewards of cuddles and praise afterwards. They can't use the litter tray if they think anyone is looking at them.

I think we will get there given perseverance.

The poor dog is having a crisis. He remembers that a kitten defiled his dog bed and the trauma keeps coming back to him so he turns tail and doesn't want to use it, despairingly. He just turns in circles and prepares to sleep on the floor or head back downstairs, unless Janet orders him to go into it. Every last bit of bedding is going through the wash hopefully just in case his sensitive nose is picking up some tiny lingering trace of Essence de Chat (‘Boladh Piseige’).

[Weaver]

Janet has now taken delivery of a magnificent kitten toilet with a cover over it, a completely contained and controlled cosy cathedral for kitten crapping. And they have happily used it, so here's hoping.

[kitz]

Fingers crossed for you it works.