It seems that most cat people have their own favorite type
of kitty litter and box, as do I. (In a past blog, I extolled the virtues of the
Breeze Litter System.) But wouldn’t it be great to do away with the
litter box altogether?
Not
only is kitty litter bulky and heavy, it’s also expensive. The cost of litter for one cat averages $150
per year, and you have to make frequent trips to the store to buy it and haul
it home. Then you have to scoop one or more
litter boxes every day and find a way to dispose of the soiled litter. Most cat litter is not biodegradable, and
each year millions of tons of it end up in landfills. It’s
not hygienic for cats to tromp around in their dirty litter box and then jump
on your counters, furniture, and bed.
Litter scatter is a nuisance. And
the odor — need I say more?
When I got my first cat, a Persian named Shad, the idea of
eliminating the litter box intrigued me, so I trained him to use the
toilet. There was no Internet back then to guide me,
nor did I use a book. But it turns out
that the method I used is very similar to those proposed by modern-day cat
training gurus.
Before you try it, make sure your cat is a good candidate
for toilet training. The good news is
that your kitty doesn’t have to be a genius.
But following these guidelines will improve your chance of success:
- Your cat should be 6 months old or older.
- Cats that have arthritis or balance problems, that are overweight or that are in poor health won’t be able to jump on the toilet seat safely. Leave their litter box on the floor, preferably in a spot that is accessible without navigating stairs. Do not try to toilet train a cat who isn’t reliably litter trained.
- It’s not essential, but it’s helpful to have an extra bathroom that humans don’t need to use, with a door that’s left open. You have to be willing to always keep the toilet lid up. But if you want to use the toilet yourself during the training period, simply remove the temporary litter pan described below and replace it when you’re done.
- If you have a traditional hard toilet seat, consider replacing it with a soft padded one.
Many years ago I used a soft plastic
bowl for training, but I recently learned about a better method that uses a
disposable aluminum roasting pan. A pan
measuring around 12” x 9” x 2 ½” should fit snugly inside your toilet
bowl. Find a flushable litter (BetterWay Flushable is an example) and slowly replace your cat’s regular litter over about a week. Once he’s used to the new litter, you’re
ready to start.
The key to toilet training is a gradual
progression through the steps:
1.
Move the litter box next to the toilet, with the toilet lid up. Once the cat is used to using it there,
gradually raise the box a couple of inches every day by putting it on a stable
surface: a stack of newspapers, for example.
Eventually you’ll notice that he jumps onto the toilet seat and then
into the litter box. When the litter
box is level with the toilet, move it directly on top of the seat. Make sure it doesn’t slip — use duct tape if
you must.
2.
Now throw those newspapers or boxes out, put away the litter box, and
lift up the toilet seat. You’re ready
to fit the aluminum roasting pan snugly into the toilet bowl, crimping it to
fit. Place about one inch of litter in
the pan, and lower the seat on top of it.
Use pressure to flatten the
aluminum edges.
3.
The next steps involve getting your kitty used to seeing the water in
the bowl. You’ll need to cut a series of
holes in the aluminum pan. Cut a 1”-by-1”
X-shape in the bottom of the pan toward the rear of the toilet, bend the flaps up,
and then roll each flap down. This will
form a hole with raised rolled edges, like a dam, which will keep most of the
litter in the pan. When your cat gets used to seeing the water
through the hole, enlarge it inch by inch from side to side across the toilet
bowl. Keep cutting and folding the
excess aluminum to retain the litter.
How often you do this depends on how well your cat adjusts to the open
water. As soon as he seems comfortable with each size
hole, make it a little bigger.
4.
Continue to enlarge the hole gradually until only one inch of litter is
showing around the edges of your aluminum dam.
At some point, your cat will learn to put all four paws on the toilet
seat to eliminate. Remove the pan — you’re
done! Just remember to flush the toilet
once or twice a day.
Although some cats can be taught to
flush, I wouldn’t recommend it unless you want this to happen:
You already know that you can
teach your dog a plethora of cool tricks and commands, but give your kitty some
credit; He or she can learn a few tricks, too.
For a neater, less malodorous home and cleaner cat paws, give toilet
training a try. And don’t forget: bathroom door open, toilet lid up!
More detailed instructions can be found in The Toilet Trained Cat by Aston
Lau. Interested in owning this
book? Become a follower on my Google+page. If you’re the first person to
follow and email me (mmcculloughdvm@gmail.com),
I’ll send you a free copy.