Training your cat to use the litter box can be both challenging and/ or fairly easy. In general, cats do have the need and inclination to dig holes and then cover their waste, so in order for your cat to learn where and how to do it regularly, you need to help her/ him a little to get accustomed to it. First, learn when during the day your cat feels the need to go to the toilet. Then, take her/ him where they should do their business, and either stay there until they finish, or leave them to it. Most cats prefer to have privacy in these matters, so it's up to you to figure if that is what your cat needs. Then, once they're done, reward them their favorite snack or pet them gently. In order to be able to train your cat whatever it is that you want them to do right, you should know, that cats rely heavily on positive associations. Scolding your pet cat when not using the litter box, and taking him/ her directly to it, will not do the job, because this will create a negative association.
Another thing that will make your cat create a positive association with the litter box is cleanliness. Cats DO care about cleanliness, and if you do not keep the litter box clean, you'll soon discover that your pet cat will prefer the carpet or the sink to do their business. Let's say your cat wastes on your carpet. You clean it, and then she/ he goes back there to do the same thing. Why? Because it is clean, that is why. Cleaning the litter box regularly will speed the training process and spare you lots of trouble. Not just one or two times a week, take the effort and keep it clean.
Also, remember that cats would rather have their litter box away from their dining place. Make sure that you don't keep these two in the same room.
If you are keeping the litter box in the bathroom, be sure to provide easy access to it. You don't want for the bathroom door to slide shut while you are out of your home, thus preventing access to the litter box. There's a little your cat can do about it, and in most cases the only option is to go back to the carpet. Make sure your pet cat has access to their litter box. This will save you lots of trouble.
One last thing you should also keep in mind, this one is out of experience. Once your cat is litter-box-trained, in order for you to remain trouble-free in the future, make sure that you are aware of which litter brand or type your cat prefers. After using the same litter type for years, I decided to switch to a new brand/type, only to discover that my cat did not want to use it to cover her waste. She would spent as little time as possible in the litter box, even though clean, and would dash away as quickly as she could once finished. Never covering her waste. That would be a problem as far as cleanliness went, and I was to clean the litter every time she used it instead of once per day as I did before. After some time, I just decided it would be safer to just go back to the usual litter type I had been using before, and that did the job for me.
Your cat may not be the same when it comes to litter type or brand, but it is always better to be aware of your cat's behavior, and preferences so that you can create the kind of comfort for you and your pet cat that will make you both happy.
