Although many cat owners attempt to mask the odor litter boxes or try to combat their inconvenience by using self-cleaning models, others resort to more unique remedies. Frustrated or disgusted by the endless cycle of maintaining a litter box, people have developed a way to toilet train their felines. Since cats are sensitive animals with instinctual behaviors, it can be difficult to alter their natural impulses to bury their waste. However, by gradually introducing your pet to the process and offering positive reinforcement, you can successfully toilet train your pet and banish litter box from your home.
Understanding Cat Behavior
Contrary to popular belief, cats are not born with the instinct to bury. Everyone knows that cats cover their waste with litter, but you may also have noticed that your pet tries to "bury" her food by scratching at the kitchen floor. Whether in the litter box or at the food dish, your pet digs in an effort to cover up the scent. If she lived in wild, it would be necessary for safety's sake not to leave any hint of her presence behind. If competitors found her food, they might make themselves welcome in her territory. If predators picked up her scent, they could find her and potentially harm her. Thus, toilet training will not deprive your pet of any natural needs. In fact, you she will likely be more pleased with the results of using water instead of litter since the scent will immediately be covered by water without any effort on her part.
Teaching Your Cat
Before starting the training process, remember that you will have to make some concessions if you want to get rid of the litter box. Obviously, your bathroom door will always have to be open to allow the cat access to the toilet. You will have to keep the lid up constantly and make sure that everyone else knows the rules. Also, you will have to devote more attention to your cat's elimination habits than most people care to for a while. This is necessary both to make sure you are not moving too fast with the training and to offer rewards when she gets it right. Finally, remember to move slowly between training steps, following your cat's lead and falling back a step if she seems uneasy. If you are willing to do this, you can begin the toilet training process.
Begin by moving your cat's litter box to the side of the toilet and introducing her to its new location. Once she is comfortable with the change, start elevating it an inch or two at a time -- with at least a day in between adjustments -- until it is level with the toilet seat. The idea is to alter its position so gradually that she hardly notices a difference. If your cat seems upset or resorts to using the corner rather than the litter box, put the box back on the floor and proceed more slowly. Make sure that the litter box is sturdy as you raise it off the floor with books or boxes, taping it down if necessary. You can be sure that your pet will shun the box if it wobbles under her weight. Once your cat's litter is several inches in the air, she will probably start jumping onto the toilet to reach it. The seat should be up so she can get used to walking over the bowl of water.
When the feline has grown accustomed to the height of her litter box, move it so that it sits on top of the toilet. Remember again that the box should be anchored to the toilet. Duct tape it to the seat if there is a chance of it falling when your cat jumps down. At this point, you will need to find a metal mixing bowl to place under the toilet seat. Choose one that touches the rim on at least three sides so that it can support your cat's weight. Fill it with a couple of inches of litter and remove the cat's litter box. Since you will need to be present every time your cat uses his new litter bowl, wait until the weekend to begin this step. Follow your cat into the bathroom and show her how to get into a squat position on the toilet rim, moving her feet if she puts them in the bowl for balance. Her front paws should be together on the front of the bowl and her hind paws should be on either side. This may take several days of vigilant correction, but eventually your cat will get the idea. Praise her, rub her, or give her a little treat every time she does it correctly.
Gradually begin decreasing the amount of litter in the bowl until it is virtually empty. At this point, you should start slowly filling it day by day with water. Remember not to leave the bowl completely empty at any time or she will make an awful mess trying to cover her waste. If your cat tries to "dig" in the water bowl, take it away since she will not try to dig in the deeper toilet bowl. Once you have transitioned to water, be sure to empty its contents after every visit from your cat. Otherwise, she may refuse to use it at all. When your cat seems accustomed to the fact that there is no longer any burying to be done, take away the bowl entirely to complete the training process.
As mentioned earlier, the receptiveness of your cat will play a huge role in how quickly you can complete toilet training. Younger cats are more versatile than older ones, although any physically and mentally healthy feline can learn over time. The only strict rules are that the cat is properly litter trained first and that they be able to jump and balance well. Otherwise, moving at a comfortable pace for your feline friend will eventually give you the desired result. Once done, cat toilet training will save you from years of smelly boxes and litter tramped through your house.
