Toilet Training Cats
POSTED: 2006-01-28 22:17:23 
Comments:
If you think that potty training a child can be a challenge,
imagine trying to toilet train your pet. That's exactly what some people are
doing with their house cats in urban areas. As density increases in cities many
people are choosing to live in condominiums or apartments which provide less
outdoor space for pets and less ways to get rid of pet waste. Teaching a kitten
to use a human toilet has a number of benefits including the fact that you don't
have to clean out a litter box or spend money on litter. Toilet trained cats are
also easier to take along when visiting friends or family or when going on
vacation. Comments:
Training usually begins when the kitten is about six months old. While the training methods may vary, they generally involve a process of slowly weaning the cat off the litter box and onto the toilet. As anyone who has ever owned a cat knows, they all have different personalities. Some cats will be satisfied with verbal praise when they master a training step, others may have to be bribed with special food treats to reinforce proper behaviour.
When the training is complete the cat will be able to balance on the toilet seat independently while urinating or defecating. Some owners even teach their cat how to flush. However, for most cats flushing becomes a game, rather than something that is done when it's necessary. Owners may want to avoid showing cats this trick and instead teach them how to notify people in the house when the toilet needs flushing.
Information regarding cat toilet training is available from a variety of sources. Many pet stores sell cat toilet training kits or you can check a library or book store for instruction manuals. A number of cat enthusiasts also provide free advice or step-by-step training guides on their website that use common household items in training rather than a commercial training kit.
As a final note, remember that toilet training might not last the cat's lifetime. There may be times when your feline friend has to return to the litter box temporarily due to illness or injury. As well, aging cats can have difficulty jumping up to the toilet seat. Always be sensitive to your cat\'s needs and remember that even a few years in a litter free home can be a tremendous convenience.