Training Your Cat To Use The Toilet
Cat lovers enjoy almost every thing about their pets. The purring, adorable antics, meowing and affection the cats show their owners, make cats a joy as pets. The litter box is another story, nobody enjoys cleaning out a dirty, smelly litter box. Cats are clever and clean creatures and with a little effort on your part, your cat can be trained to use the toilet. Professional animal trainers have been potty training cats for years. Training your cat to use the toilet, not only eliminates a dirty job, it saves you money. Cat litter is expensive and it’s an environmental hazard. Training your cat to use the toilet will rid your home of the unpleasant smells of a litter box. Here are some basic tips for cat toilet training.
The Litter Box
If your litter box is already in your bathroom, you’re halfway there. If your litter box isn’t in the bathroom, move it slowly, a few inches each day, until it is in the bathroom this is training your cat. Once you have the box in the bathroom, begin elevating it. You can use bricks , concrete blocks or telephone books. Make sure it’s secure so your cat can’t knock it over. Raise the box until it is level with the toilet. As you raise the litter box, slowing reduce the amount of litter in the box, so your cat becomes used to using less litter.
Once the litter box is at the same height as the toilet, you need to start moving the box closer to the toilet. Try to do this in half inch increments. You can train a cat to use the toilet by teaching the cat that the litter box is the same thing as the toilet. Physical proximity will help with this. Keep removing a bit of litter with each move so that the cat becomes used to their being less and less litter. Keep doing this until there is less than an inch of litter left.
Switching From Box To Toilet
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.
For the final step in toilet training your cat, cut a small hole in the bottom of the pan. If you have a kitty training aid, it may have pieces that can be removed so you won’t have to cut a hole. Gradually enlarge the size of the hole a little at a time.. As you enlarge the hole, the cat will get used to not having litter in the pan. When the hole is nearly as large as the opening of the toilet, you can remove the pan. Toilet training your cat is mostly an investment of your time and patience. The investment is worth it and you don’t have to deal with litter boxes again. Now, if you could only potty train the dog.