Day 76

Today I feel proud to show what day of toilet training we've reached.
There are different emotional stages that one reaches on the road to kitty toilet training. In the beginning (I'll call it, 'The Opening Stage'), you feel ambitious, hopeful, and excited about the project and the ability to be litter-free. You may even start a blog so you can share the great experience with the rest of the world. You think it will be a smooth, eventless road that will take only 21 days--or 8 weeks at most (thanks to the commercial training kits and books that boast this).

Then you hit the bumps and potholes in the road ('The Crisis Stage'). Something happens, whether it be kitty rebelling, poo on the floor, pee in the sink, both in the bathtub, kitty not pooing for days, kitty objecting unless you are right there coaching her on, or (in my case) one kitty peeing on the other kitty's favorite faux Chanel scarf. Whatever it may be, the challenges will indeed happen. You feel frustrated and sometimes at your wit's end. You start buying and trying various things that you think will help. These challenges make you ask yourself "why the heck am I doing this again?" and "why did I have to tell everybody I was doing this and write a blog about it?"

Eventually, through the support and advice of others, you learn how to cope and modify your set-up so that you and kitty are happy ('The Resolution Stage'). You become content with the progress you and kitty have made. You feel accomplished. And most importantly, you learn (or remember) that this is not a race to Day 21 or even to week 8.

I think it's common to cycle between Crisis and Resolution stages during the training. Over time, however, Crisis stage becomes less frequent as you remember to slow down and learn tricks to adjust. I think there is even a blending of these two stages at times.

Right now, I am feeling the confidence of the Resolution Stage. Last night, we moved up to the Intermediate Green tray and I am loving it. I am absolutely loving it! :)) Just about everything is falling into the toilet. I'm no longer a slave to the Litter Kwitter!!!

Much less litter fits on this tray. In fact, so little that most of it is easily scratched away and into the toilet. This will be good for weaning them away from having litter there.

Tanya and Chanel took to it right away. I didn't do any stacking of trays before this switch. #1's are great and mostly go right into the bowl. Chanel has stopped side saddling because there isn't enough space. Tanya has gone back to #2's with two paws on the seat and going through the hole. Chanel doesn't quite get it yet for #2 and will need some time. The video below shows her first time on the Intermediate Green Tray. At least she got 1 paw on the seat....