Believe it or not, you can train your cat to “go potty” in the toilet, but is this better than the ubiquitous litter box?
Dogs are praised for their intelligence. Some breeds, like Poodles and Border Collies, get major brownie points for how trainable they are.
But as you’ll soon find out, cats can be just as ingenious.
After all, you can teach them to pee and poop in the toilet (take that, dogs!)
How To Toilet Train Your Cat
Our white ceramic friends were created to capture human waste and to flush it out of sight.
As you can imagine, teaching a cat to do the same will require a great deal of effort.
Similar to dog training, using positive reinforcement techniques, such as rewarding good behavior with treats and verbal praise, will set your feline friend up for success.
To toilet train your cat, you’ll need to take a systematic approach from beginning to end. You’ll also need to incorporate kitty litter into your training program.
For a streamlined procedure, we recommend the Litter Kwitter 3-step toilet training system. And this quick video can show you how effective the product is for yielding stellar potty results!
Basic Steps to Toilet Train Your Cat
What the video doesn’t show you is that you’ll want to start by introducing the bathroom to your cat as a “safe haven.”
In other words, your goal is to show Kitty that your bathroom is a place for her to feel comfortable and at ease.
So, your first step would be to move your cat’s litter box right next to the toilet
If you notice that Kitty’s suddenly confused, try moving the litter box further away until she feels more comfortable approaching the litter.
Then, as you notice her easing into this “new environment,” you can once again move the litter box closer to the toilet.
The next step would be to gradually raise the height of the litter box.
You can achieve this by laying the litter box on a stack of old phone books, a wide footstool, or whatever household item you deem appropriate.
As your cat successfully relieves herself in the litter box over time, you’ll want to gradually increase the height of the box until it’s level with the toilet seat.
These basics steps on how to toilet train your cat (before starting the Litter Kwitter program) will ensure that you and Kitty are on the right track to victory!
The Pros & Cons of Toilet Training Your Cat
But not all cat owners love the idea of toilet training. In fact, some caution against it.
This all depends on how well your cat adapts to the bathroom environment (Kitty may not like it) and the amount of effort you put into the training program.
Below are some pros and cons to keep in mind as you toilet train your cat.
Pros:
- It provides for a cleaner household.
- It reduces odors from soils in the litter box.
- It eliminates the daily task of changing out the litter.
Cons:
- It can still be messy! That depends on your cat’s aim. In other words, it’s possible that Kitty will soil the toilet seat instead of aiming inside of the bowl.
- The litter box can be useful for examining (and collecting a sample of) your cat’s stool in case she’s suffering from digestive problems.
- Some owners have reported that cats spend too much time in the bathroom. This can lead to counterproductive behaviors, such as your cat flushing the toilet repeatedly!
(For a detailed list of pros & cons, click here.)
Final Thoughts On Toilet Training Your Cat
Ultimately, you know your cat better than anyone else.
Therefore, you should ask yourself, “Is Kitty up for the challenge?”
And while you’re at it, you might want to ask yourself if you’re up for the challenge, too.
Remember, toilet training your cat is no easy feat. It requires a deep level of commitment on your part.
If things go as planned, Kitty will look to you for guidance, reward and consistency above all else.
So, with that said, are you ready to embark on a toilet training adventure?
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