Toilet training cats

[SirenSongWoman]

I know what the response will be but, ever hopeful, I'm thinking maybe this is doable:

I have 5 cats, two of which go outside. The litter boxes are all in the bathrooms. Is toilet training all of them even a possibility? A co-worker told me I may train two, maybe even three, but that if I'm dreaming of a home free of litter boxes I'm living in Fantasyland. I just keep thinking 'Logistically... How would I even pull this off?'

 

[Jazcam]

I've read somewhere that you can order a special on the toilet kitty box and train them by cutting back on kittie litter a little at a time. I'm not sure if it works, but if it does I would love to see a youtube clip.

 

[SirenSongWoman]

I've read somewhere that you can order a special on the toilet kitty box and train them by cutting back on kittie litter a little at a time. I'm not sure if it works, but if it does I would love to see a youtube clip.

YouTube has 'em. In fact, that's what led me to all the many devices out there. I really don't want to fork over the $ for a how-to manual only to find out it doesn't address my specific situation. Most people don't have 5 cats who all hate each other, and all the litter boxes in a single place. Individual training will be tough and trying to train them all at once, doubtful. Then, the fact that two are in/out cats complicates things. I think my co-worker is right but I can't surrender the fantasy. How sad.

 

[pepnchar]

Cats are very clean animals; they probably hate the messy cat box as much as you do. Depending on the cat's demeanor, it may not be hard to train them to fo in the toilet at all. I have one cat who every once in a while will go in the toilet. We never trained him to do this, he just figured out that was a nice place to let it go. I think you have a head start by having the cat box in the bathroom. Good luck to you! It will be great if you can make it work!

Charlene

 

[kathryn]

The idea of toilet training cats is intriguing, and it would certainly save some time and odor if it works, but I've always had several personal objections to it:
1) I want my toilet COMPLETELY closed when not in use. I've always found the idea of a home toilet with the lid up kind of strange.

2) Cats can't be trained to flush (well, maybe some can, and there's a video out there, maybe on youtube?, that proves it, but I think that cat just kept on flushing the toilet instead of just flushing once after use)

In addition to training cats to use the toilet, I've seen 'flushable' litterless "litter boxes" that attach to the toilet somehow for flushing, but are on the floor.

 

[Govtgirl]

...Cats can't be trained to flush (well, maybe some can, and there's a video out there, maybe on youtube?, that proves it, but I think that cat just kept on flushing the toilet instead of just flushing once after use)

Even if they can be trained to flush, can they learn how to jiggle the handle??

 

[SirenSongWoman]

Even if they can be trained to flush, can they learn how to jiggle the handle??

Yea!

About having the lid down (this is how you can tell I've been thinking about this for a long time): I've thought of cutting a hole, just the right size, in the lid with a jigsaw and just leaving the lid down, after they're all trained. I question whether my biggest cat (Gracie, my avatar, is HUGE) could ever balance on the seat. As I understand it, once they've nearly fallen in the bowl during training you can pretty much kiss goodbye any hope of them ever using the john.

As for flushing. I am cool with flushing before work and again when I get home. I'd have to brush the bowl more often but it's got to be a whole lot cleaner than dealing with constantly sweeping up all the kitty litter scattered everywhere, all the time. I have 5 cats and would have to change the pads at least every 2-3 days or I'd switch to the Breeze system (big pellets). I just can't afford the pads.

I need to research the different training methods but I recall one method involved putting the cat in the bathroom and closing the door until he/she is trained. Yea, right.

 

[kathryn]

I recall one method involved putting the cat in the bathroom and closing the door until he/she is trained. Yea, right.

Hmmm...good way to train them to maybe use the sink or the bathtub or the floor!

 

[dss62467]

I couldn't deal with it if they didn't flush. An unflushed toilet is one of the most repulsive things to me. Right up there with cigarette butts in drinks and dead mice on my front steps. Actually, I've gotten over the dead mice thing. That's just a sweet gesture that just doesn't translate well between species.

 

[kathryn]

Actually, I've gotten over the dead mice thing. That's just a sweet gesture that just doesn't translate well between species.

Neither does dead mice on the bed (which is what Pete gifted me with one morning). GAK!

 

[cottagecheeks]

I thaught about this until I heard that if they slip and fall in the water they will just go around the toilet instead.