Cats use the litter box because they have a strong natural instinct to dig in soft material, eliminate, and then bury their waste, and litter mimics the sand or soil they would choose in the wild. Most kittens need only to be shown where the box is; once they feel the texture and smell their own scent there, they tend to return to it automatically.

Instinct

Cats are descended from small wild cats that buried their waste to hide their scent from predators and other cats, so modern cats still seek out soft, loose substrates for this behavior. Commercial litter is designed to feel like sand or fine soil, so a box of litter is immediately attractive as a toilet spot for most cats.

Learning from mom (or you)

Around 3–4 weeks old, kittens start toileting on their own and will often copy their mother’s digging and covering behavior if she has access to a box or soft substrate. Even orphaned kittens usually catch on quickly if placed in the box after eating or waking and gently helped to scratch the litter with their paws.

How they “know” where it is

Once a cat has used a particular box, scent marks in the litter help signal that this is the right bathroom area, so the cat keeps returning there. Owners mainly need to make the box easy to find, keep it clean, and avoid placing it right next to food or water so the cat can comfortably choose it as the designated toilet spot.