How do I teach my kitten to cover up his mess?

[Simone P]

One of our 8-month-old kittens has never learned to cover up his mess properly. He poos, then instead of covering it with litter, he scratches the hood of the litter tray for 5 minutes, and usually ends up trampling in the mess and carrying it through the flat. Our other more careful kitten ends up covering up for both of them. They are both indoor cats out of necessity. We are at the end of our tether with all the mess! What can we do? Please help.

[AllBrokenUp247]

Have you thought about the time-honoured "sweep it under the carpet" approach? Works well for our government.

[laurie]

Some cats cover and some don't. Your other cat covers his mess and that is the way it will be. Make sure you have a kitty litter box with a hood and purchase a mat to put in front of the box to catch some of the litter on his paws.

[olympics junkie]

Try to be there when the kitten uses the box--when he finishes his business, gently help him make the scratching motions. He may just be a slob, some cats know how but just aren't careful about it. Then you have the landscape architects (like my 2) that go back & redo the job 5 or 6 times before the are satisfied. the best thing you can do is be patient--I know it frustrating, but its a cat..he can't helpl it...

[Lolly]

Show him how to do it....you're going to say..."he sees the other one do it".....they probably don't go in there at the same time.

Clear the tray so its clean....then keep putting him in it (gently) and sit him down and start to paw at the litter...he will get the idea.

I had the same problem with one of mine....be patient, it does work.