When people think of cats, they often think of meowing, purring, sleeping, cuddling, and kitty litter. However, what many people do not know is that you can train a cat to use the toilet. This is not something that only animal professionals can do. Instead, it is more than possible for people of all ages and backgrounds. Cat potty training will take some time, but it is certainly effective. In fact, if you do this, you can save yourself a lot of money. Additionally, if you can train a cat to use the toilet, you will not only rid the house of the smell of cat urine and other fun things but will also help the environment by not buying cat litter. The following includes the basic steps for those who want to learn how to toilet train their cats.

The Litter Box

If your litter box isn’t already in your bathroom, move it to the bathroom. Do this gradually, a little each day until the litter box is in the bathroom. It will take some time to train your cat, but the first step is to get the cat into the bathroom. Raise the box off the floor gradually, you can stack books or other solid objects under it. Continue raising the box until it is level with the toilet. As you are raising the box, put less and less! litter in it. The box needs to be well anchored so your cat can’t knock it over.

When the litter box height is even with the toilet, slowly begin moving it closer to the toilet. Keep reducing the amount of litter that you use until there is less than an inch of litter. You want the cat to understand that the toilet is a litter box. Get the litter box as close to the toilet as possible. Cats are intelligent and very clean by nature. They can also be stubborn, but they just need a little time to get used to new ideas. Move at a pace that is comfortable for you and your cat.

Making the Switch

Now you’re in the ho! me stretch. You can buy a cat toilet training aid now, or use an shallow pan. Attach the pan between the toilet and the seat. Make sure it’s secure, or the cat won’t use it. Put less than an inch of flushable litter in the litter pan. You can find kitty toilet training aids in your local pet store or online, but if you don’t want to spend the money, or can’t find one, a shallow plastic or aluminium pan will serve the purpose.

You can train a cat to use the toilet if you slowly morph the above device. For example, cut a hole into the center of the pan. Start with a small hole and then work up until it is larger and larger. Keep reducing the litter. Soon, the cat will become used to going to the bathroom using this device and without water. You can train a cat to use the toilet, but it is bound to take weeks or even months to accomplish. The slower you move between steps, the better able your cat will be to learn this new skill. In time, when people ask if you can train a cat to use the toilet, you will be able to show them!

This entry was posted on Friday, July 3rd, 2009 at 9:30 pm and is filed under Cat Accessories, Cat Breeds, Cat Health, Cat Names, General Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.