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 took away the Red tray underneath last night and replaced it with the Main Amber.
Tonight, Chanel did the same old thing. I didn't go in to check on her like I usually do. I walked in afterwards and saw skid marks again.
I don't know what I am going to do next. I'll probably stop stacking and just use the Main Amber until I can get some advice.....
To get away from toilet training a little, I started to harness train. Chanel is so small, I had to return the first harness that I got for her. Right now, they keep the harness on for a little while when I get home, before dinner. Chanel has taken to it faster than Tanya. After 3 days, she is playing and running with her harness on. Tanya, still isn't very happy. She doesn't want to walk or do anything in it. She has gotten a lot better. On the first day, she would throw herself on the floor in protest.
5 comments:
Cute pic! It looks like Chanel is grinning about how well she is doing with the harness while Tanya is being a sourpuss!
:)
Is your green on top of your amber, or did you put up the amber alone? I really recommend the intermediate amber, although my MtuliKMat kits *still* hasn't arrived from Australia. So by the time you got one, Tanya and Chanel may be past needing it.
In your other training, please tell how you got them to accept harnesses! Do you use clicker training? Did you go through steps of just laying it on them and treating, then wrapping it around, etc etc in tiny steps? Harnessing would help me keep my cats safe when people are going in and out of the house. (My two are indoor-only cats.) Do tell!
Very Very cute~~~~
I think the training is really really hard, good luck!!!
Harnesses are FUN!!!!!!! I love my Puppia harness. Its light and comfy and even comes in extra-small (I'm a small cat and I wear a small). Have fun!
Latte
Cute picture! I hope you've been successful in training your cats.
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