Cleaning out a smelly litter box is not exactly the most appealing activity one can imagine. And the messy litter that sticks everywhere on the carpet, the room smelling like ... But have you ever thought of training your cat to use the toilet? Wouldn't it be a lot easier if you could just flush it down?
There are some questions which you should take into consideration before you decide to toilet train your cat. Cats are not able to flush the toilet simply because they are not heavy enough to manipulate the flushing mechanism. So, you will have to do it yourself. This means that the eliminations may sit in your toilet for a while. However, the smell of cat's poop is much less evident when submerged in water. If you have two separate bathrooms in your house, you could assign the less frequently used toilet to your cat so you don't feel embarrassed when you get visitors.
You can find many books and articles on cat toilet training but what works and what doesn't depends on your cat's personality and individual preferences. Young kittens cannot balance very well so you will need to wait until they are 5 to 6 months old at which age their musculoskeletal system and locomotion are more developed. On the other hand, a cat is never too old to be toilet-trained unless it suffers with a condition preventing it from jumping and balancing, such as arthritis.
Before you start training your cat to use the toilet, it should be trained to use the litter box and the family members should get used to keeping the bathroom open and toilet lid up!
Measure the widest diameter of your toilet and buy a metal bowl which will sit in it securely. You may need to make some adjustments. Do not buy anything from plastic; it is just not strong enough to support cat's weight and could bend and break. You will also need to buy some flushable litter at this stage so your cat has time to get accustomed to it.
Gradually move the litter box closer to the bathroom. Allow a few days for cat to get used to each new position. Once the box sits next to the toilet and your cat is used to it, you can start to raise it higher until it is leveled with the toilet. Make sure the box is stable and cannot flip over. At this point, you should place the metal bowl in the toilet. Wait a few days until the cat is comfortable using the litter box at this level.
Now is the time to make the transition from litter box to the bowl. Fill the bowl with the (flushable) litter the cat is used to and take the litter box away. Wait a week or two to give the cat time to feel comfortable with using the bowl.
Then gradually reduce the amount of litter in the bowl until there is no litter at all. Wait again until the cat is used to eliminate in the empty bowl. If the cat's feet are still resting in the bowl at this stage, you can fill it with water as cats don't like to get their feet wet. This should help the cat to learn balance on the seat. Wait again. Then cut off the bottom of the bowl so that all eliminations fall straight into the toilet water. Wait a few days and then take the bowl away. Voila, your cat is toilet trained.
Most cats can be successfully toilet trained. Some of them learn fast and can be trained in as little as 2-3 weeks, others may take 2 months or longer, but it is worth to be patient if your reward is saying good buy to smelly litter box forever.
Kittens love to play as well as adult cats. But they want you to interact with them during playtime.
There are four games they love to play.
?wrestling with their co-felines or a toy; ?scooping fish in the floor or any toy will do; ?bird swat, and; ?prey pouncing.
You do not have to worry if your kittens wrestle with each other. It is definitely normal in their behavior and they are not likely to hurt each other. You can join the fun but see to it that you wear protective gloves. Scooping a fish literally means finding an object on the floor. They will scoop it over their shoulders, turn it up side down and pounce it. Similarly, in prey pouncing, they would use an imaginary prey or you can make a toy for this game, and they will run and try to catch it. When they do, they pounce on it. Usually, it is their mother cat's tail or your shoe or even another kitten.
Cats love to reach for dangling objects and toys. When they are successful in getting it, they smash it with one paw and finish off the prey. This is the bird swat game.
The difference in these games is that they are best with people's interaction. Oftentimes, cat's toys are free and you can readily make them but again, PARTICIPATION in the games is crucial.
Like in scooping a fish game, you can make your cat a toy with a feather string and a stick. You can enjoy watching your cat as he leaps for it. Once in a while let him get the thing so that he will not be easily bored.
Another good toy for cats is the classic crumpled paper. You can use it like a ball. Hide it behind your back, show it to your cat, and throw it. See how amazingly he will chase and tear it into pieces. Another handmade toy you can make for him is to cut up fuzzy pipe cleaner or make it into a ball and enjoy the same reaction from him as he chases and pounces on it it.
A popular toy that cats also enjoy is the grocery paper bag. You can do a lot of tricks to the bag and see how it can be fun.
Playing with your cats can be a totally hilarious and exciting experience.
Both Sarah Williams Williams & Jasmine Stone are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Sarah Williams Williams has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets. Sarah is a vet with special interest in cats. She owns Cat Behavior Training where people can find practical tips & advice on . Sarah Williams Williams's top article generates over 590 views. to your Favourites.