How To Train Your Cat to Use an Automatic Litter Box

In case you’ve decided to take the step about getting an automatic self-cleaning litter box, congratulations! Taking that bold step means you’d be one step away to avoid scooping your cat’s waste. You’d be saving lots of time.

But your excitement may be short-lived if your cat declines to use the box. It’s no secret that a self-cleaning litter box may not appeal to your furry companion(s). They may get scared or frightened, leading them to strike or boycott doing their business.

It is a huge blow, especially if you have spent a few hundred buying a high-end Automatic Litter Box.

You can encourage your cat to use the automatic self-cleaning cat litter box by following the instructions we share with you in this article. Let's learn about How To Train Your Cat to Use an Automatic Litter Box.

6 Steps You Need to Train Your Cat:

1. Bring the new automatic litter box to the cat
After you have bought the litter box, take the litter pan out and let the cat sniff and examine. Cats are curious creatures. They always want to know if something will cause danger or not.

If you take the litter box to them, you minimize the fear, and they will soon realize there’s nothing to be scared of. Of course, it will also take time and encouragement for the cat to know that it is a litter box, so bear with them.

2. Place the new litter box next to the old one
Take the new litter box and place it next to the old one for a few days. Don’t plug it in or turn it on. The main reason here is to make the cat feel comfortable around it.

Most importantly, for the cat to examine and investigate it further. If your cat no longer cares about the new litter box or they consistently use the old litter box without any problem. Go to the next step.

3. Run the Self-cleaning litter box
At this moment, your cat does not seem bothered or troubled by the presence of the self-cleaning box. Next, you will want to run the box two to three times per day.

This will help your little kitty get comfortable with the sound coming from the litter box (some boxes are louder than others). At first, the noise might scare them, so it shouldn’t surprise you. Eventually they will get used to it.

4. Add the litter back into the automated box
If a cat is comfortable with the sound, add the litter to the automatic cleaning litter box. When you do so, don’t run the self cleaning function. That will scare the cat.

Make sure you add the old litter to it. If the cat happens to use the automated litter box a few times, then you can move to the next step. Until then, you’ll have to wait or start the process again.

5. Turn the self cleaning function on
Every time your cat uses the automated box, make sure to praise them. Doing so will make the cat associate using the new cat litter box with a pleasant experience. Now is the time to turn the self cleaning function and observe your cat for sometime.

During this period, don’t remove the old litter box. Only if your cat manages to use the new litter box for several weeks, you can then remove the old litter box.

6. What if this doesn't work out
The only reason we know is that your cat may not be ready for the transition. But not everything is lost. There are two things you can try.

• Stop cleaning the old litter box. Chances are, your cat may choose a clean litter box over a dirty one. This will motivate your cat to use the new unit. Again, make sure to reward your cat if he makes improvements. Later on, you can remove the old litter box. Sometimes this method can backfire, and it will force the cat to do his/her business on the floor.
• Buy a Bag of Cat Attract litter

If all this doesn’t work, then you’d need to start the process again. Please look at every angle when investigating how to train your cat to use the automatic litter box and good luck. Take care fo your litter cats.