| Cat toilet training in easy steps: | | | | is sitting in the correct position. Normally |
| | | | the cat will first sit entirely inside the |
| Toilet training your cat is an easier task | | | | metal bowl, then with front paws on the |
| than you might think. Several techniques can | | | | toilet seat, and finally it should sit with |
| be used for training your cat to use the | | | | all four paws on the toilet. |
| toilet, and you can even buy products that | | | | |
| will assist you in toilet training a cat. | | | | 6. Start using less and less cat litter. This |
| | | | can get smelly, so be sure to clean the bowl |
| The advantages of cat toilet training: | | | | after every time your cat uses it. Cats |
| | | | scratch in sand or cat litter to cover up the |
| Teaching your cat to use the toilet can hold | | | | smell (this is out of instinct), so if the |
| several advantages for any cat owner. The | | | | bowl becomes too smelly your cat won't be |
| biggest advantage of having your cat use a | | | | comfortable using it (and you probably |
| toilet is that eliminates most of the | | | | wouldn't be comfortable with using your |
| disadvantages that using cat litter holds. | | | | toilet either). Using flushable cat litter |
| Cat litter is expensive. After toilet | | | | makes cleaning the bowl very easy - just |
| training your cat, you won't ever need to buy | | | | throw out the contents in the toilet and |
| cat litter again. Cat litter boxes needs to | | | | flush down, rinse out the bowl, refill with |
| be cleaned regularly or they will become | | | | correct amount of cat litter and replace. A |
| smelly. With cat toilet training, the water | | | | handy tip is to place newspaper on the floor |
| in the toilet masks most of the offending | | | | around the toilet to help keep the room clean |
| smell and all you need to do is flush | | | | should your cat scratch in the cat litter. |
| regularly - much simpler and easier than | | | | Decrease the amount of cat litter in a pace |
| cleaning a litter box. Going away for | | | | that your cat feels comfortable with. |
| weekends or holidays also becomes easier for | | | | |
| your neighbor - instead of asking someone to | | | | 7. When you basically don't use any cat |
| clean out the litter box, all they need to do | | | | litter inside the bowl anymore, start |
| is flush your toilet once in a while (when | | | | gradually filling the bowl with water. The |
| they come around to water your plants and | | | | water will also help mask the smell so your |
| feed your cat). | | | | cat will be more comfortable using the |
| | | | toilet. Be attentive to your cat's behavior |
| How to toilet train a cat (do it yourself): | | | | through this whole process - if your cat |
| | | | stops using the bowl inside the toilet, you |
| Toilet training your cat depends entirely on | | | | may be moving on too fast and might need to |
| the cat's personality. Toilet training | | | | go back a couple of steps. |
| sociable cats that love being praised make | | | | |
| the training task much easier. You might want | | | | 8. When the water level in the bowl has |
| to adapt the toilet training technique | | | | reached about 4cm and your cat has no problem |
| described below to fit your cat's | | | | using it, it is time to remove the bowl |
| personality. Training your cat to use the | | | | entirely. Your cat should now be toilet |
| toilet can take anything between 2 weeks up | | | | trained. Remember to always leave the toilet |
| to 3 months, depending on the individual | | | | seat up and flush regularly! |
| cat's personality. | | | | |
| | | | Products to assist you in toilet training |
| Cat toilet training basically consists of a | | | | your cat: |
| simple procedure: gradually moving your cat's | | | | |
| litter box closer and closer to the toilet, | | | | There are several cat toilet training kits |
| finally placing a bowl with cat litter inside | | | | available on the market. They basically |
| the toilet, and removing it altogether when | | | | consist of a tray that fits inside the |
| your cat is comfortable and used to it. | | | | toilet, and with a hole in the middle that |
| Toilet training a cat is a gradual, | | | | you can gradually make bigger. When choosing |
| step-by-step process, consisting of making | | | | a cat toilet training kit, ensure that you |
| small changes to the location of the litter | | | | buy quality. The cat training kit should not |
| box and only continuing to the next step when | | | | be flimsy and should be able to support your |
| your cat is entirely comfortable with its | | | | cat's weight even when the hole becomes |
| current situation. You might have to wait | | | | large. Be aware of cheap, flimsy products you |
| anything between 2 days or 3 weeks before | | | | buy at toy stores or pet stores, because if |
| moving on a next step in cat toilet training. | | | | your cat falls in, it might loose interest in |
| You might even have to go back a step once or | | | | toilet training completely. |
| twice when it turns out that your cat wasn't | | | | |
| ready to move on to the next toilet training | | | | The disadvantages in toilet training your |
| step. Beware - cat toilet training takes a | | | | cat: |
| lot of patience! | | | | |
| | | | Not everyone agrees that cat toilet training |
| Cat toilet training steps: | | | | is such a great idea. They argue that it is |
| | | | unnatural for a cat to use a toilet, as it |
| 1. Start gradually moving your cat's litter | | | | goes against their natural instincts to cover |
| box nearer to the toilet until finally it | | | | up their smell. Toilet seats can also be |
| should be next to the toilet. Ensure that | | | | slippery and there might be the risk of your |
| your cat is always comfortable and sure of | | | | cat injuring itself. Even if your cat doesn't |
| its litter box's location. | | | | fall in at all, he may become anxious |
| | | | whenever he uses the toilet and going to the |
| 2. Now start elevating the cat's litter box. | | | | toilet can become an unpleasant task. |
| Put something non-slippery like newspapers or | | | | |
| cardboard underneath the litter box. A normal | | | | A litter box also has the health benefit in |
| rate to increase the height of the litter box | | | | that it's easier to monitor your cat's urine |
| would be about 5cm a day, but be very | | | | for signs of infections or sickness. |
| attentive to signs that your cat is not | | | | |
| comfortable with the current height, and | | | | Moving locations will also be harder for the |
| adjust the pace of raising the litter box | | | | cat, because a litter box can be moved easily |
| accordingly. The cat litter box should be | | | | but the cat will first need to get used to |
| raised until it is at a level height with the | | | | using the new toilet. With some cats this is |
| toilet bowl. Throughout this process it is | | | | no problem and they can become comfortable |
| very important to keep the toilet lid open | | | | with the new toilet very fast, while other |
| and the seat down, because your cat will get | | | | cats might be less adaptable. |
| used to it and might even start climbing on | | | | |
| the toilet seat in order to reach its litter | | | | Things to remember when toilet training a |
| box. | | | | cat: |
| | | | |
| 3. Move the litter box to rest on the open | | | | The most important thing to remember is that |
| toilet seat. Keep it there until your cat | | | | the toilet training should be done gradually. |
| seems comfortable with this arrangement. | | | | Be very patient and never rush to the next |
| | | | step until you are sure that you cat is |
| 4. Buy a metal bowl or tray that will fit | | | | completely comfortable with the current |
| snugly inside the toilet bowl. It would be | | | | setup. |
| advisable for the metal bowl to have small | | | | |
| draining holes. Fill the bowl with cat litter | | | | Make using the toilet as easy as you can for |
| (preferably the flushable type). Now remove | | | | the cat. Always remember to keep the toilet |
| your cat's litter box entirely. If you have | | | | seat up and the bathroom door open. When you |
| reached this step successfully you are very | | | | have guests, ensure that they also know about |
| close to having a toilet trained cat! | | | | considering your cat. Flush the toilet |
| | | | regularly as cats do not like using smelly |
| 5. While your cat is using the metal bowl | | | | toilets. |
| inside the toilet, be attentive to where its | | | | |
| paws are. The goal is teaching him to squat | | | | For more information about interesting facts |
| with all four paws on the toilet seat rim. | | | | about cats, cat urine problems and cat urine |
| You can move the cat while it is using the | | | | removers see cat-urine. |
| toilet and praise it (or reward it) when it | | | | |