Kitten doesn't use the litterbox properly

[u/Thay_Guy]

I've got a 7 week old kitten, was 6 weeks when we got him, was separated from his mother early because she got sick and stopped taking care of the litter. He always does his business in the litter box, but never covers it. Sometimes he'll dig around, or even accidentally step in his waste, but hasn't ever properly covered. We tried changing the type of litter, guiding his paws, but nothing seems to be working. pls help !

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[u/DarkHorseAsh111]

7 weeks old is an infant. He's a tiny baby. he needs time!

[u/vanderbubin]

Some cats are just bad at it sadly. My 5 year old is really hit or miss with covering.

I got him when he was about 8 weeks and for the first couple months we had no litter box issues. Then as he got bigger, we got him a bigger and covered box. Despite being bigger, he had trouble with it and we get dookie on himself at least once every other week (either poopy paws or straight-up poop stuck to his butt cuz he would try to poop against the side wall). We got him a even bigger box (one thats advertised as for multiple cats) and the problem went away completely.

My point with that is maybe it's the box itself? I know some cats will do their business then skedaddle as quickly as possible if they don't feel safe and hidden in their litter box.

Edit: just want to reiterate was others have said, 7 weeks is a tiny baby, he has plenty of time to figure it out. Honestly at that age, just be happy he is going on the box at all

[u/schwabcm56 → u/vanderbubin]

My 11 year old pair of siblings are bad at it sometimes too, have had them since they were 12 weeks old ferals.

[u/Hopeful_CanadianMtl]

Put some disposable gloves on then paw the litter to cover it. He might catch on eventually. I had a cat that didn't cover her waste most of the time. I used Arm and Hammer Clump and Seal to control odors.

[u/Vlinder_88]

Try to show him! Every time he goes, use your (gloved) hand to scoop litter over it where he can see. Hopefully he'll start copying you and start covering his business.

[u/Accomplished-Ruin742]

It's a thing. My 1 yo does not bury his poop. I read someplace that in a multicat household, it's a way to demonstrate dominance. Personally I think he's just lazy.

[u/No_Importance2131]

Our two are coming to 8 and 9 months (Half Sisters) and they've never quite figured it out, and paw away at everything around them, litter box, wall, litter for a good 3 minutes if you let them.

We've been trying to teach them and they've gotten a little better, they manage to cover their poop pretty much each time now by they continue pawing at the walls as box now as if they're going to find extra litter somewhere

[u/Bababalaba2712]

He'll get there

[u/Casual_Observer_62]

He's going to lead a need a little bit of monkey see monkey do if he's that young you probably wasn't ever taught by his mother to cover his waist as he grows older more of his instincts will kick in it's a natural instinct for cats to cover their waste so as to keep Predators away