You’ve probably heard of well-trained dogs using the toilet when they need to pee or poop.
Well, here’s some good news! You can train your cats to do the same thing.
Yes, they, too, can be trained to use the toilet properly!
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Imagine not having to go after their litter every time.
Just think of how convenient it’s going to be for you and your cats.
Now, this news probably got you all fired up. But before you jump ahead and start training your cats, take note that it’s not going to be an overnight process.
The good thing is, with a bit of patience, these four simple steps are sure to work in all types of cats.
First things first–setting the right condition
The first step is all about setting the right environment so your cats can easily ease into a new routine.
Since you want to train your cats to use the toilet, you must move the litter box next to the toilet bowl.
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This method obliges your cats to deliberately go to the bathroom whenever they want to pee or poop.
Keep in mind that this setup will require you to leave the bathroom door open so your cats can enter anytime.
If you tend to forget new routines, put a note on your bathroom door or anywhere visible that says do not close the door.
Alternatively, you may use a door stopper.
The resistance it creates whenever you’re closing the door is a pretty good reminder that you’re not supposed to shut it anyway.
They’ve learned to go to the bathroom; now what?
It takes about a week to get your cats comfortable using the bathroom.
But after this, your goal is to familiarize them with the height of your toilet bowl.
What you need to do is to use a stand to put the litter box on.
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It can be anything, like a pile of magazines or newspapers, for as long as it is sturdy.
It should be able to hold the weight of the litter box and your cats.
Remember, it’s all about setting a familiar and comfortable condition.
In the following days, what you’re going to do is raise the litter box’s height.
Just increase the height gradually until it’s at the same level as your toilet bowl.
During this period, remember to keep the toilet seat down and the lid closed.
This part will probably take quite longer than the previous stage, so don’t worry if their progress is slow.
Getting them to climb onto the toilet seat finally
The third part is quite tricky but manageable, nonetheless.
What you want to do now is to measure the size of your toilet bowl.
Then, you’re going to have to purchase a metal mixing bowl that will fit in the toilet seat.
Once you have the mixing bowl, please put it on the toilet seat.
Leave some litter in the mixing bowl so your cats will not be confused with the changes.
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To make sure that your cats will use the mixing bowl, get rid of the litter box.
However, keep the stand or material beside the toilet bowl for the time being.
You don’t want to overwhelm them with all the changes.
Eventually, remove the material or stand little by little until there’s nothing left.
Once everything is set, you may start leaving the toilet lid open while keeping the toilet seat down.
Making sure your cats know the right pooping and peeing position
Even after all the previous steps, do not expect your cats to go straight to the toilet bowl to do their business.
You want to make sure that they know the right position.
Observe them. If necessary, guide your cats as to where to put their front and back feet.
Assist them until they find the right balance.
Be patient. You probably have to assist your cats more than once.
As for the mixing bowl, empty it little by little, then replace the litter with water.
Don’t put too much water at once. Increase it gradually instead.
This part is crucial because you don’t want your cats to mistake the water in the bowl for drinking water.
Once your cats are well-adjusted to the new setup, you can finally remove the mixing bowl.
Well, is that all?
As you can see, it’s not that complicated.
In a nutshell, all you have to do is to lure them to the bathroom.
Then, familiarize them with the height of the toilet bowl.
Afterward, trick them into using the mixing bowl inside the toilet seat.
Yes, it’s that easy. You just have to be there all the time.
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Patiently guiding your cats throughout these steps is important.
You don’t want your training period to go to waste, do you?
Most importantly, you don’t want them littering all over your house again after all your efforts.
Now that you know what to do, go ahead and start training your cats!
