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.
________________________________________________________________________________
Things are about the same.
Here's Tanya's impeccable aim :) It's great not to have to scoop.
Chanel is still doing okay. I am not ready to let her "fly" on her own yet. I position her for #2 every time. One time, I got there too late, but upon seeing me come in, she stepped forward into the right position. Another time, when I almost got there too late, she was standing sideways, like she did before. So, I think we on the cusp now.
6 comments:
you're so lucky they are doing well! I am still battling with Figaro to even use the toilet most of the time..
-A
Hey! Haha...I have found the little poo bead on Figaro's butt a lot of times, it used to happen every other time he did #2. So that's why I trimmed his butt hairs, lool. this is the first time it happened again since I trimmed so I guess I gotta do it again!!! I feel like Fig is never going to learn how to use the toilet...we are barely progressing with a lot of steps backwards..
if it was just Veronica I think I'd be at the place you guys are at now. I might have to try LitterKwitter? I dunno... we've been at the barely-there hole step for the past 2 months now.
-A
Yeah, I would definitely give up if Veronica wasn't doing so well. I had her at a point where she would use the toilet even with a very large hole in it, about 1/2 the size of the litter area. But Figaro wasn't using that setup at all so I kept going back and forth and trying to guess which one would go next and putting in the other disk, but that got too crazy as Figaro stopped checking if his disk was even in there and started going on the floor :( so now we are back to the steps of Fig. I think Veronica would be trained right now if it was just her. If Veronica was as bad as Figaro, I would have given up a month ago. Its funny how cats are different, I've never had 2 cats, and it is crazy how different their personalities are. Veronica loves being outside in the backyard on her harness, but Figaro hates to go, even if I leave the door open he won't step out. On the other hand, Figaro is so happy around strangers and other people and being in other houses, while Veronica hisses anytime someone who she doesn't live with comes to visit!
-A
hi dns-
i'm so glad that you realized that you had to go backward to go forward. i'm going to use you as an inspiration when i resume TT with hello by trying some major retraining back on the amber phase. can't wait to see what happens with you. i'll keep checking in.
I think Fig has trouble because my setup is a bowl within a platter and they have learned only to go in the bowl. when I start making a hole on the side of the container not in the bowl, he is fine, but if I make a hole in the bowl where he digs and then goes, he has a problem because he doesn't like to dig on the bowl, if that makes sense. I'm also hoping with the litter kwitter that they will be able to both use it and so I don't have to clean after one use (otherwise if I leave for 8 hours, one uses the setup, while the other one does it on the floor, because the small space in the bowl is then full..) also I am having trouble brainstoriming ways to make dams. :-P
I think I will try LK..at least before I give up completely! Maybe it will be just the break/change that Fig needs to continue?
Hi!!
Yes, Chester is staying with a few of my friends actually. I'm gone for two weeks, so unless he gets completely potty trained in the next week, its little box for him... I hope this doesn't make him regress too much!!!
Awesome stance Tanya!
Post a Comment