Teaching your cat to use your toilet is not only really awesome, it’s extremely convenient and cost-effective. Many cat owners are tired of cleaning out multiple litter boxes, cleaning up litter on the floor and going through box after box of fresh litter. Since more and more owners are keeping their cats indoor-only, going to the bathroom outside isn’t an option. With the invention of handy training aids, cat owners are turning to regular people toilets. But how do I teach my cat to use a toilet, you ask? We’ll tell you! Training your cat how to use the toilet is easy and takes just a few steps.
- If you’re training a new kitten or adopted cat, you don’t really need this first step. This applies to owners who are transitioning their current cats to using a toilet over a little box. First, move the litter box to the bathroom if it isn’t in there already, placed as closely to the toilet possible. Then, slowly begin raising the litter box a few inches every few days. You can do this by placing books, magazines, etc. underneath it and can raise it as quickly as your cat gets used to the new height. After you have it raised the height of the toilet, you’ll scoot it over day by day until it’s sitting right on top. Gradually remove the amount of litter in the box so that by the time it gets above the toilet, you have none left.
- Replace the litter box with a training box of sorts. You can purchase commercially made toilet training boxes for cats at your local pet supply store, or you can make your own. This can be done by lifting your toilet lid and taping wax paper over the bottom of it. If you can, fill it with flushable litter but if not, it shouldn’t be too difficult a problem.
- Soon, if you’re using wax paper, you’ll want to cut a small hole in it to replicate the actual look of your toilet. Gradually increase the size of the hole until you can remove all of the paper and just have your regular toilet for your cat to use. If you’re using a commercial product, just follow the instructions given to you.
So there you have it! It’s pretty easy to teach your cat to use a toilet as long as you are patient. Remember not to force your cat onto the litter box if they are having difficulty adjusting to its new location, because this will only prevent them from ever wanting to use it at all. Make sure to always flush the toilet after your cat goes, because some cats are shy about using it if it’s full. Make sure to reward your cat after they use the toilet by giving them their favorite treat!