Litter training your small pet is not a practice that is limited to cats. Indeed, ferrets, rabbits, and hedgehogs can all be trained to use litter boxes. The key to having success with litter training your small pet is in making sure that your pet only has limited living space, such as a specifically designated room in your house. In most all cases, you will not want to allow your pet to have free reign throughout the entire house. Such training with these types of animals generally does not work very well. The exceptions to this rule are cats, of course, and rabbits, which can both be properly litter trained even if they do have total use of the house.
Litter training your small pet should begin with the acquisition of the appropriate supplies. You will need a sturdy litter box that will not break, fray, tear, or develop ragged edges, as these could be dangerous for your animal. The litter box should also be large enough for your pet to feel as though he can move comfortably inside of it. If you choose a box that has high sides, you will probably have less clean up, so you should keep this in mind while shopping. When selecting what type of litter to use, it will first depend on what type of pet you have. If you are shopping for a cat, then you will want a clay-based litter. Clay-based litters aid in odor control and absorption, which makes them perfect for your feline. However, pets such as ferrets, rabbits, and hedgehogs tend to eat these types of litters, so it is not recommended that you use them for these animals. Litters can be harmful to your pet's health if he ingests them, so it is best to try to avoid this problem from the outset. In litter training your small pet, select a litter composed of recycled paper or organic materials when shopping for animals other than cats.
In litter training your small pet, the location of the litter box is vitally important to your success. You must first determine what room, and then what area of that room, which your pet seems to prefer for potty purposes. This may require a bit of trial and error, but it will be worth it once your animal is trained. In order to try to encourage your pet's compliance with his new litter box, try spreading a few drops of ammonia in his box. This odor should encourage him to go to that area. You should also try rewarding your pet's good behavior with a special treat. Do this each time he uses his litter box, and this will encourage him to continue doing so.
As a final note of advice in litter training your small pet, always ensure that you keep his litter box clean, because your pet will be much more likely to use it regularly.
