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 yesterday morning. NYC was great.
I was so happy to remove the huge automatic litter box from the bathroom. It was gone within the first 30 minutes of my stepping into the apartment. I put the Litter Kwitter back with some changes. I stacked the Main Green tray on top of the Red tray. There was no water exposed, so I had to scoop everything. I had forgotten how labor intensive scooping out the Litter Kwitter was!
So far (for the past 2 days), the pattern of Chanel standing sideways on the seat for #2 has been broken. (YEA!!) Everything is deposited centrally now! If she does well with this, I will switch the Red tray for the Main Amber one tonight or tomorrow and see what happens. I am hoping that Chanel will continue to face the right way on her own.
BTW, any DRex people out there who can tell me why Chanel's fur looks like this? She is shedding her longer hair from the sides up. Maybe she's loosing her "baby hair"? I don't know. I looks a little funny.
2 comments:
Wow, it's amazing how similar we look! I have read that baby Devons have really fluffy babyfur that molts away and then the adult coat grows in, but I think this happens really early. I went to my home when I was 12 weeks old and I was already growing my adult coat. My sister Pixie was almost hairless and slowly grew in her adult coat. I am not sure why Chanel would have some fur loss on the sides like that. Does she do a lot of grooming there? Excessive grooming can cause hair loss, and it does look kind of like a typical grooming spot. Good luck!
Le Chat did some excessive grooming for awhile a few years ago when she had 2 kitty friends staying with us. She did not like having kitty friends.... The vet gave me a Rx for anxiety pills. Which I never ended up using, though, because the kitty friends moved out. Maybe Chanel is stressed out? Feeling bad because Tanya is such a star and she can't get it? Sibling rivalry?
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