How to Toilet Train Your Cat

By Thena Reading-Franssen 4 years agoNo Comments

It’s a dream of so many of us cat owners…how to toilet train your cat. You’ve seen the movies, heard the stories, and probably watched numerous videos on Youtube from people all over the world showing just how easy it is to toilet train a cat. But…is it really that easy? Honestly, for some cats, it just may be.

Just like humans, all cats and their abilities vary. What may be super simple for one, may not be for others. And until you try out potty-training with your cat, you’ll have no idea if it will work at all. Interest in training your cat to be toilet trained? Here are some suggested tips to give it a go!

how to toilet train your cat

How long does it take to toilet train a cat?

As long as you’re working with them every single day and sticking with it, you should be able to start noticing a good effort in about 4-6 weeks. The more you work with your cat, the quicker they are going to learn.

Is my cat too old to toilet train?

This is totally up to your cat. Younger kittens who are full of spunk seem to have the hardest time grasping the concept. But, with enough persistence, they too can get it.

Older cats are actually the easiest to make that transition because they don’t have the “kitten playfulness” that occupies a lot of their day.

Should I flush kitty litter down the toilet?

Never flush kitty litter down the toilet. Ever. This can cause major plumbing problems that you’ll have to deal with later on down the road. It can also cause clogging issues immediately as well.

Why does my cat follow me to the bathroom?

Honestly, cats are just curious about where you’re going. They’re not taking any notes on going to the bathroom in the toilet but rather just not wanting to be alone. You’ll find that the moment that you close any sort of door, your cat is going to be right there meowing and waiting for you. This is true for the bathroom, bedroom, basement door…anything.

So while you might think that they’re curious about you going to the bathroom, they’re more just curious about why you’re shutting the door and not letting them in. Cats do think that they rule the house, right?

Now that you have a few answers about how to potty train your cat, let’s get down to the details of making it happen.

How to Toilet Train Your Cat

These simple steps can really help to toilet train your cat!

  • Start by moving the litter box into one bathroom. 

Your cat needs to start associating just one location with the place for them to do their “business”. Putting their litter box in the bathroom will start to implant in their mind that that room is where the bathroom activity needs to happen. Also, place your litter box close to the toilet as well that way they can get used to the idea of having it near (and soon to be on) the toilet.

  • Every week of couple of weeks, raise up the litter box higher and higher. 

The end result will be to have the litter box the same height as the toilet so that your cat can then associate that height as the area to go to the bathroom. Make certain that when you are raising the litter box higher and higher that you are using sturdy items and keeping it safe for your cat as well. Honestly, take your time with this as to not rush the cat. The whole point is to make them feel comfortable.

  • After the height is toilet-high, it’s time to move the litterbox to the top of the toilet.

Hopefully, you have two bathrooms in your house where the humans of your family can use one during this time of training, but if not, just remove the litter box when your family needs to use it. The rest of the time, leave the litter box sitting on top of the toilet and let your cat get used to hopping up on the toilet and using it there for a while.

  • Remove the litter box and head to the pet store or look online for a training kit to use.

Now that your cat has the idea of where to go, and is fine with the height, it’s time to ditch the litterbox and add a training kit. There are a ton of options available so choose one that fits your toilet accordingly. Your cat may think it’s odd at first, but if it has the litter in it, they should be able to transition and use accordingly. (Make certain to use a litter that is safe for your toilet and septic!)

  • Take away the kit and let your cat use the toilet. 

After all these steps, your cat should be able to start successfully using the toilet! Again, it’s important to give them time to adjust accordingly and if they are resistant, maybe take a step or two back and give them more time.

Never rush your cat to use the toilet but if you can follow these steps and help train them accordingly, you may be pleasantly surprised that your cat is able and willing to use the toilet!

Now, if only there were some way to teach them how to flush!

Is your cat toilet-trained?

how to toilet train your cat

Categories:
  Cat Care, Hacks
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 Thena Reading-Franssen

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