How to train your cat to go to the bathroom

Tired of cleaning the cat box? Here are some tips on how to potty train your cat.

So, you’re sick and tired of pooping out of your cat’s litter box, emptying out the residual mess, and gagging from the whole process. Cats can be potty trained. It is safe, clean and effective. Some cats learn in a couple of weeks, while others take up to six weeks to get the message.

But several things must be considered first.

What kind of cat are you?

If you’re indifferent to your cat and begrudgingly consider it a necessity, it’s doubtful you have enough patience and love to go through the rigorous potty training process. However, if you perceive your cat as a 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 or wife’s cat, your children’s cat? If so, then there is little point in potty training. It prefers to relieve itself in your flower garden, on the 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 her happiness lies in being with her human family, she acts like she owns the place, and the engine makes a lot of noise when you pet and love her, you’re ahead of the game.

Step-by-step potty training

Ok… now you have decided to potty train your cat. Let’s get down to the business of how to do that.

The younger your Muffy or Scooter is, the easier it will be to train. How curious is your cat about the bathroom? Does he often go to the bathroom and wander around the toilet? Does he sometimes play in the water? The younger the cat, the easier it will be to modify his behavior. Training a thirteen pound cat who is five years old will not lead to success. The younger the feline, the easier it will be.

Place a cat training liner under the toilet seat. These can be purchases from any good pet store, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc. Put some kitty litter on the liner. Your kitty will probably play in it for a while, but that’s fine. You will realize that this is your new litter box. When he goes to the arena, praise him and give him a treat as a reward. Clean the sand so you expect a clean spot every time. When you’ve done your work on the liner a few times, cut a hole in the liner for waste to go down the toilet. She will get used to the noise this makes. Add a little less litter to the liner about once a week and make the hole bigger and bigger. Do this step until your cat climbs onto the seat comfortably on her own.

Then get a toddler potty training seat and put it on the toilet. Putting a large amount of litter on the seat will make your kitty more comfortable at first. Since cats have an urge to scratch something when they go to the bathroom, this will help her.

After several weeks of going through this last process, your cat will be comfortable hopping on the toilet seat, doing her thing, and hopping off to take care of her next business. The whole process will take several weeks and you will have to rinse for her.

Give your tabby a treat and praise him every time he uses the bathroom.

But flushing the toilet behind your kitty is a small price to pay for getting rid of that disgusting litter box that makes you want to throw it out every time you clean it.

Alternatives

There are also self-cleaning litter boxes and even a 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