How to potty train your cat
Tired of cleaning the cat box? Here are some tips on how to potty train your cat.
So, you’re sick and tired of scooping poop out of your cat’s litter box, emptying the residual mess, and vomiting all over the process. Cats can be potty trained. It is safe, clean and effective. Some cats learn in a couple of weeks, while others will take up to six weeks to receive the message.
But first there are several things to consider.
What kind of cat person are you?
If you are indifferent to your cat and reluctantly consider it a necessity, it is doubtful that you have the patience and love to go through the rigorous potty training process. However, if you perceive that your cat is just another member of the family, a crucial part of your happiness, you have what it takes.
There are many types of cats. Is your cat a strictly outdoor feline? Is it a farm cat, your husband’s or wife’s cat, your children’s cat? If so, then there is little point in potty training. You prefer to do your business in your flower garden, on your neighbor’s lawn, or on the ground. Cats are very interested in your preferences for being the independent creatures that they are.
However, if your cat lives in the house and his happiness lies in being with his human family, he acts as if he owns the place and the engine runs hard when he is petted and loved, you are ahead of the game.
Potty training step by step
Well … now you’ve decided to potty train your cat. Let’s get on with the matter of how to do that.
The younger your Muffy or Scooter is, the easier it will be to train him. How curious is your cat about the bathroom? Do you go to the bathroom often and wander around the bathroom? Do you sometimes play in the water? The younger the cat, the easier it is to modify its behavior. Training a thirteen pound cat that is five years old will not lead to success. The younger the feline, the easier it will be.
Place a cat trainer liner under the toilet seat. These can be purchases at any good pet store, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc. Put some cat litter on the liner. Your kitty will likely play in it for a while, but it’s okay. You will find that this is your new litter box. When she goes to the arena, congratulate her and give her a cat treat as a reward. Clean the sand so she expects a clean spot at all times. When you’ve done your work on the liner several times, poke a hole in the liner for the waste to go down the toilet. You will get used to the noise this makes. Add a little less sand to the liner once a week and make the hole bigger each time. Do this step until your cat gets into the seat alone and comfortably.
Next, get a toddler toilet training seat and place it on the toilet. Putting a large amount of litter on the seat will make your kitty feel more comfortable at first. Since cats have the urge to scratch something when they go to the bathroom, this will help.
After several weeks of going through this last process, your cat will feel comfortable jumping on the toilet seat, doing his thing, and hopping to get on with his next business. The whole process will take several weeks and you will have to rinse for it.
Give your tabby a treat and praise him every time he uses the bathroom.
But dumping the water behind your kitty is a small price to pay for getting rid of that nasty litter box that makes you want to dump it every time you clean it up.
Alternatives
There are also self-cleaning litter boxes and even a flushable cat toilet on the market. Here are some links for more information. They can be expensive, but they are a good alternative if you don’t want to take the time and effort to potty train your cat.
http://cats.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=cats&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.petfoodexpress.com
[http://store.yahoo.com/americanesuperstore/lm500.html]
http://www.litter-robot.com/default.aspx?ac=1
http://www.litterbox-central.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=54