On Labor Day weekend, 2007, I brought home two cute 3-month old female Devon Rex kittens. Tanya (TAN-ya) and Chanel. This was my first time living with cats, so I prepared with books for dummies and how-to manuals. During my readings, I came across books and websites about toilet training. Yes, you teach your cat to use the toilet! I was intrigued and read multiple strategies to train my kitties to poop in the commode. The process can take anywhere from 4 weeks to a year!! It was still early, and all sources advised to wait until 6 months of age.
So I waited. In the mean time, I learned how annoying litter can be. I got the automatic LitterMaid Elite Mega Advanced Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Box which scoops the poop every time the kitties go. I got it lightly used from a craigslist.org posting. It was worth the money and I didn't become too much of a slave to the litter box. Even though I didn't have the burden of all day scooping, I started noticing that litter traveled. I saw little litter granules beyond the laundry room (original location of the litter box). I 'd see it track out from the laundry room door and occasionally see a granule or two on the kitchen floor or on the couch. I know cats are clean animals, but litter granules on the couch can't be very sanitary.
So, as they started pushing their 6th month of life (Tanya was 6 months, Chanel was 5 1/2 months), I decided to start their training to use the toilet. I love my kitties, but I hate the litter. They are super smart, so I think they will pick it up quickly.
I'm writing this blog on Tanya, Chanel, and the Toilet so you can keep up with their (and my) daily progress (or lack thereof). I am by no means an expert. But you can see pictures and watch the brief videos that chronicle their status and the methods I've used.
You can start from Day 1 by scrolling to the bottom of the page.
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I got back a day later than expected because of a delayed flight and missed connection. The report back from my friend was that Tanya and Chanel did well while I was away. On the first day, she saw some poo that appeared to have fallen from the seat. After that day, everything was hitting the water or the tray.
When I got home, there was #2 in the bowl already. Tonight, I watched Chanel place herself in a 3-paws-on-the-seat-and-poo-in-the-bowl position by herself! I was actually waiting for her to go after a nice moist meal. But I was in the shower, so could not have intervened even if I wanted to.
Today is Day 12 on the Main Green Disk and Day 63 using the Litter Kwitter. I am not going to make any changes anytime soon. They will stay on the Main Green for at least 3 weeks.
3 comments:
z- i am so impressed with how well your kittens are doing! how often are their wastes hitting the water vs. the disc? just curious.
jenny
Hi!!
We're on the full Amber stage. I didn't buy the intermediate steps since they were out of stock and didn't know when they could ship them to me. Chester is doing really really great, and I was thinking about pouring a teeny bit of water into the red disk (which is at the bottom) just to get him used to there being water down there as well as the sound!!
Congrats to Chanel on the awesome bowl stance, keep up the good work!!!
btw, you have a wonderful friend. i can't even get my own brother who lives with me rent-free to help out with the t-training. he gets annoyed enough dealing with the LK on his toilet and having to remember to cover/uncover the baby monitor camera everytime he is in the bathroom, i just couldn't ask. tell her i said she is awesome!
jenny
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