Potty Training Your Cat

Miss Kitty, being the exceptional cat that she is, breezed through her potty training in just 4 weeks. Your furry family member can do just as well with a little patience and the right equiptment.

You love your cat and certainly don't want to find him another home, but those nasty smelly litter boxes can drive you crazy. If you've wished you could find a solution - you've come to the right place.

It's not your cat's fault. He has to go to the potty just like we do, but unfortunately, it is impossible for him to be able to flush his litter box. I'm sure he would if he could, because cats are clean by nature, and he doesn't like the mess any more than you do.

You've seen the videos and probably read the books on potty training your cat, but still wonder "How did they do that?" It can be done. 

You should start his/her training as soon as possible - around the age of 4-5 months, before he decides that the litter box is going to be his permanent place to do his business.

Older cats are a bit harder to train. After the age of 7 or 8, they become set in their ways and balk at change, thus taking a little longer to convince that your way is much better for the whole family.

I have trained 3 cats to use the family toilet, one at the age of 10, and am going to give you the short version right now. Just remember to be patient, because it will take about 30-45 days to get him completely through his training.

You will need some props to get you started - newspapers, a small litter box,  (preferably no larger than 12X14 inches), and his favorite litter. You want him to get used to a smaller area, to prepare him for the toilet seat later on.

WEEK #1 - Set his new litter box next to the toilet and add your usual amount of litter or about 3/4 full. Every day slide your daily newspaper under his litter box, and remember to be very diligent about keeping it clean. You want him to be happy about the reduced size of his potty place. As you scoop out the debris, don't replace it with more litter. This will get him used to having less to dig around in.

At the end of the week, wash his litter box , re-filling it with only half as much fresh litter as you started with at the beginning of the week. If you have continued to place your newspapers under his litter box every day, it should be about 5 or 6 inches off the floor by now. I know this is work, but remember - patience will bring freedom from a smelly litter box. Let's call that your reward.

WEEK #2 - By now he is getting used to the elevated litter box, and doesn't mind because you are keeping it clean for him. Continue on with your scooping and newspaper chore. If you don't have enough newspapers to do the job, ask your neighbors to save theirs for you. They're going to throw them out anyway, so they shouldn't mind. Besides,they're probably as anxious as you are to see the result. when you tell them what you are up to. Don't get impatient, at this point, and try to speed up his/her training by raising the litter box too fast.  If you push too hard, he will decide he doesn't like this game anymore, and you will be back to week one, with the litter box back at floor level.

WEEK #3 - Continue as before, with the newspapers and the scooping. Most toilets stand about 16 inches high, and the top of his litter box should be almost even with the toilet seat. Clean his litter box as you have the past 2 weeks, but give him half the litter you did in week #2. What sometimes happens at this point, is he will do his business on the floor in front of the litter box, especially if he is very young or a small cat. Don't panic - it's just because it is high off the floor, and he finds it easier to use the floor instead of making the effort to jump up. Just place a stack of newspapers in front of his litter box to make it easier for him to get where he needs to be. We've come this far. Let's not cause him to backslide. Remember the reward.

WEEK #4 - By this time, his litter box should be about even with the toilet seat, and contain 1/4 the amount of litter you started with the first week. Stack his newspaper step higher so as to keep him happy. This week we are going to get the toilet set up for the grand finale'. 

I need to mention, at this point, that it is less cumbersome if you have more than one bathroom - one for his training and one for the rest of the family.  After his training period is over, you will find that he will use which ever toilet is handy.

Leave his litter box in place. Raise the toilet seat and stretch a strip of Cling wrap (I used Saran wrap) over the toilet bowl and then let the seat back down. Place a couple of spoons of litter from his litter box (not from the fresh litter container) on the surface of the cling wrap and spread it around so that he can't miss it. 

Now this is the part that you won't like, but remember the reward. Only clean out his litter box every other day. I know - it's messy and smelly, but do I need to again mention the reward? He won't like it either, and will begin to look for a cleaner place. It will take a few days for him to get the picture, but you will walk into the bathroom one day and see that he has perched himself on the edge of the seat and used the litter in the cling wrap. After a few days,  you should remove the litter box and keep changing the cling wrap and adding clean litter for a few more days. Gradually remove his newspaper steps, allowing him to get used to jumping up to the toilet. Don't forget to reward him and tell him what a good boy he is every time you see that he has used the toilet. After another week or 2 you can forget the cling wrap and litter, because now he is used to the toilet and will use it all the time.

Week# 5-6 - Congratulations! You are now litter-box free!! All you have to do is pass by the bathroom a few times a day and flush the toilet for him.

And don't forget to use the money you will save on litter, to buy yourself a special gift. You've earned it!