Littering Litter?
If it were a perfect world, kittens would instinctively know how to use a litter box straight from its mother's womb and puppies wouldn't need to be house broken, but we all know the world is far from perfect so it is a challenge we have to endure as pet owners. I have been a three time kitten owner having to train two of the three humorous fuzz balls how and where to go and if an owner is prepared ahead of time, it can be painless and not as time consuming as one may think.
I was fresh out of college when I obtained a kitten through one of those friends who introduces the too-cute-to-say-no kitten that needs a home or else. I was more than happy to oblige but also realized I didn't know a thing about what to do with a kitten except enjoy its triple flips off the couch and the untimely tail chasing until it fell asleep in place. So I went and purchased three things; a litter box, litter (back then it was the coarse, rocky stuff-fun), and kitten food.
I then showed her where her food and water would be located by placing her in front of it repeatedly at least 20 times before she finally decided to quit following me away from them and stay and devour the food. She quickly remembered where these two great necessities were and never forgot. The litter was a different story.
I had not taken into account that this precious imp probably wouldn't be able to make it over the side of the regular size litter box I had bought to take care of business and sure enough she couldn't. When she tried, it was like she was climbing a slippery brick wall. Once I did get her into it, she didn't know what to do with all of the fun rocks, so she played like it was a grand sand box; Kodak moment yes, productive, no.
Knowing I had to go teach twenty-seven fourth graders the next morning my "winging it" plan set in. I took the lid of a shoe box, filled it with the litter she had played in (so she could smell her scent) and put it in the bathroom on the opposite wall away from her food and water. I made sure the lid of the toilet was down and closed her in with her "goodies" and waited. After some short lived mewing it was silent. When I checked an hour later, she had not only eaten most of her food, but she had used the make shift litter box as well. I continued this pattern for a few days to get her acclimated with her box and basically hoped it would stick when I eventually let her roam while I was at work.
She never missed her litter box once after that and I did add toys, catnip and a new kitten size litter box. To top it off Cleo, my litter box guinea pig, lived thirteen happy years and taught her owner not only how to litter train a cat, but how the love of a pet is truly like no other.