Toilet training a cat.

[StrandedonEarth]

I have to wonder, has anyone here toilet trained a cat, or has a cat that was toilet trained? I'm in the process of toilet training our cat, using the book Toilet Training Your Cat: Relaxed Cats DIY Accident Free Guide by Marian Pack. I was able to download a free copy for the Kobo eReader app on my iPhone.

I'm currently at what I'm calling Step 2: Building a mock toilet: Step 0 was moving the litter box to the bathroom, and step 1 was elevating it.

Spoiler

 He's using it, so I think this might actually work. Has anyone else tried this?

I know patience and a stress-free cat is the trick. I wanted to try this much sooner, but we had gotten a puppy, and then when I was ready to try it he came down with a urinary issue (crystal formations needing a special (read:expensive) food). Now that I have a happy cat again, it was time to try.

[Chel]

I attempted to train mine, and it kinda worked. Instead of either peeing on the floor or in the litter box, she actually jumps up on the sink and pees in there. 

[StrandedonEarth]

Just now, The_Cat_In_Space said:

I attempted to train mine, and it kinda worked. Instead of either peeing on the floor or in the litter box, she actually jumps up on the sink and pees in there. 

Hmmm, a common accident according to that book, especially if the cat gets confused...

[Chel]

Just now, StrandedonEarth said:

Hmmm, a common accident according to that book, especially if the cat gets confused...

But it solved the problem of having to clean up cat pee, so I'm happy

[StrandedonEarth]

2 minutes ago, The_Cat_In_Space said:

But it solved the problem of having to clean up cat pee, so I'm happy

Fair enough, but where does he poop, still in the litter box? Any particular method or guide you followed?

Figures this thread would get a reply from a space cat...

Edited February 12, 2019 by StrandedonEarth

[Chel]

3 minutes ago, StrandedonEarth said:

Fair enough, but where does he poop, still in the litter box? Any particular method or guide you followed?

Figures this thread would get a reply from a space cat...

She poops outside or in the litter box, and I didn't really follow a guide.

The second I saw 'cat' in the title I was interested :3

[tater]

Years a go a college housemate tried this with his cats. I think it worked with one, while the other stood on the seat and crapped on the floor.

They didn't like being watched, so he never figured which was which.

[StrandedonEarth]

26 minutes ago, tater said:

while the other stood on the seat and crapped on the floor.

Well, his first crap landed on the mock toilet seat, and he scooped a lot of litter on the floor trying to bury it, but at least he's trying to use it. It's a learning experience for both of us....

Edited February 12, 2019 by StrandedonEarth

[tater]

Good luck!

 

[kerbiloid]

4 hours ago, StrandedonEarth said:

 He's using it, so I think this might actually work.

Now don't take them confused yourself when sleepy.

4 hours ago, StrandedonEarth said:

a stress-free cat

A cat doesn't have a stress. Humans do.
Only stressed humans produce a cat's stress. Just take it easy and don't stress him, and you will have a stress-free cat.
(Him because her's usually don't put marks everywhere.)

4 hours ago, StrandedonEarth said:

4 hours ago, The_Cat_In_Space said:

I attempted to train mine, and it kinda worked. Instead of either peeing on the floor or in the litter box, she actually jumps up on the sink and pees in there. 

Hmmm, a common accident according to that book, especially if the cat gets confused..

Nay, the cat gets relaxed. Humans do.

4 hours ago, The_Cat_In_Space said:

She poops outside

Born to be wild...

3 hours ago, tater said:

the other stood on the seat and crapped on the floor.

A gravity cat. It deserves a personal meme.

P.S.
The furry jerks hate the smell of kerosene. As well, the kerosene hides the smell of their marks.
So, we were using it as 2-in-1: to wash the cat marks and to make the cats avoid the most attractive places and resentfully hide in a toilet.
(Probably they thought: "What a smelly jerk is a human. A cat even can't 3.14 where they have put the human marks.")

[StrandedonEarth]

6 hours ago, kerbiloid said:

A cat doesn't have a stress.

A sick or injured cat, or a cat dealing with a lot of change, is a stressed cat. "What the heck is this big dumb puppy doing in my space?!?"

[kerbiloid]

4 minutes ago, StrandedonEarth said:

A sick or injured cat, or a cat dealing with a lot of change, is a stressed cat.

I mean, the cat having toilet where he/she wants. 

Edited February 12, 2019 by kerbiloid

[benzman]

Kittens are toilet trained by their mothers.  If you have a cat that doesn't go outside or use its litter tray it was probably taken from its mother too early.

 

[StrandedonEarth]

1 hour ago, benzman said:

Kittens are toilet trained by their mothers.  If you have a cat that doesn't go outside or use its litter tray it was probably taken from its mother too early.

 

Oh, the cat is litter trained. I want it toilet trained so no more buying and scooping litter 

[benzman]

8 hours ago, StrandedonEarth said:

Oh, the cat is litter trained. I want it toilet trained so no more buying and scooping litter 

Good luck with that!

[Nightside]

My cat Truffle would poop but not pee in it so I gave up on it. 

It’s quite annoying when you only have 1 toilet. I like your idea of training on a box.

[LordFerret]

Wait until it starts complaining you've left the lid up.

[kerbiloid]

Spoiler

1 hour ago, LordFerret said:

Wait until it starts complaining you've left the lid up.

The cat is training to do it himself.

 

[Green Baron]

On 2/12/2019 at 9:38 PM, StrandedonEarth said:

Oh, the cat is litter trained. I want it toilet trained so no more buying and scooping litter 

Don't do that. It could slip and drown, but it probably won't step on the bowl for fear of that to happen.

I grew up with cats and we always had boxes with cat litter. Change it once there something in it because some cats won't use it twice.

And a few years ago i adopted a stray cat, that one actually goes out for business (enough space in the "garden").

Compared to other animals, the usual household cat is so unproblematic, a few minutes petting each day, food and changing litter and cleaning up the remains of small rodents or lizards is all there is to do. Only some overbred races may need more care.

[YNM]

Cats usually have to go and mark stuff too. So you might have to take that into consideration.

Here most people who 'own' cats are usually just letting it out and in. It'll come back at night then go out in the day. They just come for food and shelter, not much else. They'll do the other stuff themselves - you don't need to give more. While I don't own a cat, I know of cats which frequent my house, and who will just sleep in front of the house all day long. We even had a feral cat giving birth at my home once, so it was de facto their home for a few months. The car is usually a good place for the cats - esp. after usage, since they're warm. Furnitures and mats too, they feel warmer.

[LordFerret]

5 hours ago, YNM said:

Cats usually have to go and mark stuff too.

There's a lot I could say about that ... dogs and ferrets do also ... but for cats, read this.

[YNM]

1 hour ago, LordFerret said:

but for cats, read this.

Well, I'm basing it off of feral cats where I live. They don't normally do it to your things (like, only a few times in a few years), but one of the listed reasons there was "mating behaviour", which feral cats engages in. I've never really notice it for cats which are exclusively confined in a house, because I rarely see one - most people just leave the cat to be and they'll go out when they need to.

[kerbiloid]

8 hours ago, LordFerret said:

but for cats, read this.

Quote

There are several possible reasons your cat is urine marking:

They missed the main reason: from pure evil. Because the cat hates that you hate his cutie marks.

Edited March 10, 2019 by kerbiloid

[klesh]

What kind of a cat?  Some are smarter than others.  I have a silver bengal that I have no doubt would be able to learn this.  I'm cool with him using a litter box, so I've never attempted to train him to use the toilet.

[StrandedonEarth]

2 hours ago, klesh said:

What kind of a cat?  Some are smarter than others.  I have a silver bengal that I have no doubt would be able to learn this.  I'm cool with him using a litter box, so I've never attempted to train him to use the toilet.

I’ve been meaning to update this thread. I believe it’s an orange tabby cat (kinda peachy coloured). Small head so maybe not as bright as some, but doesn’t seem too dumb. As for concerns about slipping off, a padded seat is recommended for grip, and it’s not a trick for declawed cats to try!

He’s doing fine on his mock toilet so far. A week ago I tried the next step of burying a small container of water in the litter, but he avoided it for two days (got outside at one point so not like he was bursting). So I took that out, and will soon try again with a smaller, shot-glass-sizes container. But first I think I need to turn the seat around so he has to stand on the seat, with no room around it. 

Slow and steady is the trick. An end to scooping litter is the reward, so no rush if I want to get there.