When I first read about it, I was in shock. I mean, cats are not humans! Why would anyone want their cat to use the toilet like a person does?
But when I got to think about my own situation as a cat owner, toilet training made a lot of sense. It will save me from a lot of time cleaning up the litter box. If I get rid of the litter box, then I don’t have to worry about my crawling toddler playing with cat feces. Not to mention how clean the house will be. I don’t have to constantly clean after dirty paw prints on the floor.
So I did eventually started toilet training my cat. In three weeks, my cat turned into a toilet guru. But the problem does not end there. Problems like toilet maintenance was still an issue. However, I am now saving a lot of time and I don’t worry about ammonia poisoning anymore.
Below are some tips to make your toilet training experience a good one. Toilet training your cat may be a challenge to your patience, but you will reap a ton load of benefits from this.
1. Put a sign on the door.
Since a lot of people would want to use the toilet, put up a sign in the bathroom that says “potty training in progress.” This way, other members of the household and houseguests will be reminded that the cat also uses the bathroom. Houseguests might also be shocked of the plastic tray in the toilet and think that this is for human use. It is recommended that you inform your guests that there is a “weird contraption” on the toilet seat, and you can ask them to remove it and put it back when they are done. For the other members of the household, the sign in the toilet will remind them that he cat is being trained and keep in mind the other tasks that need to be done while in training.
2. Store away your plants.
Potted plants should be stored away because this will encourage the cat to defecate there. The rule of toilet training is that the cat must only pee or defecate in the toilet only. Leave a little water in the bathroom sink as well so he will not use it. Other doors of the house should also be closed shut to make the cat litter in other places.
3. Be there.
When deciding the right timing for your cat’s training, make sure that you are not in an out of town conference or long holiday. If you are not there to supervise his training, the cat will not learn properly.
4. Keep the toilet paper in the cabinet.
Cats can be mischievous and they might think that the thick roll of toilet paper is a plaything. Since this is a new object to them, they might scratch it or pull it. Make sure that the toilet paper is not within his reach. When he is used to the idea of the toilet, you can put the toilet paper back, but make sure that he knows that he is not supposed to play with it.
5. Stick the toilet cover up with tape.
It is important that the cat knows that the toilet is accessible to him. Having the toilet cover down will discourage him from using the potty and will find other places to go.
6. Keep the toilet area as clean as possible.
Put a trash bin in the toilet. This is handy for you in keeping the training area clean. The first few days will be a mess that’s for sure.
7. Be accident free.
The cat might find it hard to stay on the toilet seat, causing more mess to deal with. In this case, replace your seat to one that is made of rubber or wood.
When toilet training your cat, keep in mind that his pooping schedule will also be dependent on his feeding schedule. A shift on the schedule might be necessary. You might want to feed him when you are home from work so you can supervise his potty habits.
For best cat care, always take him for grooming and reward him with a nice bath and brush, claw trimming and ear cleaning. Places like Petsmart offer such services. This will definitely lighten up his mood, and so will yours. A hard working cat and owner always deserves bonding time together and socialize with other cats as well.
In spite of the contrary opinions on toilet training, I think training my cat was one of the best decisions I made for him. Definitely challenged both our mental skills, and we were better for it.
