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I trained my cat to do its business in the toilet. I cannot tell you how much better this is than any other solution. There are training kits that our friends a

I trained my cat to do its business in the toilet. I cannot tell you how much better this is than any other solution. There are training kits that our friends and family have now used for their cats. If you live near the ocean, you won't want to do this if your cat could be a toxoplasmosis carrier (I.e. is outdoors or otherwise could be eating rodents). Apparently toxoplasmosis makes it through water treatment and harms sea mammals. Otherwise, this is a great way to go.

SyncTheory13 12y ago
Is there a particular training kit that you recommend? What are they cons to this? Do they sometimes miss?
- peatmoss 12y ago
  I did my own construction (not recommended). From the Amazon reviews, I ended up buying my parents a Citikitty training kit. I think a review of their main competitor, Litter Kwitter, said that kit was a bit flimsy and could result in a heavy cat taking a bath. I suppose there's always a chance that they'll miss during training, but neither I nor my parents had a problem. I had a fried try training three youngish kittens, and they had a couple mishaps, but I suspect that's par for the course. Our cat will "dig" in clean toilet water, which is a little gross. Fortunately, she won't dip her toes in soiled water. I'd much rather our cat track a little toilet water than soiled litter, as at least that has the benefit of some chlorine. We have a "no mellow" policy in our house. A recommendation: from day 1 we've rewarded our cat with the "Greenies" dental treats. As a result, she is pretty vocal about getting our attention when the toilet needs flushing, which is about twice a day (one solid, one liquid evacuation). Another benefit that we didn't anticipate, is that the vet always remarks at how clean her teeth are. So, win-win on the Greenies.
  - pronoiac 12y ago
    Oh, did you use Charles Mingus' cat training guide? http://mingusmingusmingus.com/mingus/cat-traning-program http://mingusmingusmingus.com/mingus/cat-traning-program (It is the jazz musician Mingus, and some friends are very find of this bit of trivia.)
    - peatmoss 12y ago
      No, while I was familiar with Mingus, I didn't know about his cat training when I started!
  - larrys 12y ago
    I did some marketing consulting for the "inventor" of citikitty (was on Shark Tank as you probably know). I just sent her the link to the article telling her she needs to invent some kind of consumable to her kit to get future residual income. I was half serious half kidding.
    - peatmoss 12y ago
      Non-slip, anti-microbial toilet bowl rim perch for cats. When she makes her next million, she can send me a thank you card or something.
      - larrys 12y ago
        Interesting I don't use her product but we do have a cat. She might like it. Although one potential issue is scaring off people by mentioning "germs". In other words putting an idea that didn't exist in many people's heads that they never thought of. Although also possible it would result in increased business as well.
DanBC 12y ago
>I trained my cat to do its business in the toilet. Male cats frequently have severe problems that can be identified by changes in production of urine. You can't see those changes if the cat is pissing in a loo rather than a litter box. Older cats become distressed when they are no longer able to use this method. There are a few other reasons why people might want to think carefully before trying to train a cat to use a loo.
- cowpewter 12y ago
  Yes, the problem with all these automated cat poop solutions is losing access to a super important clue about your cat's health. If you scoop every day, you'll notice when suddenly there is more or less pee in the box, or blood in your cat's urine or stool. Cats hide pain. Sometimes the litter box is the only way to catch something like a bladder obstruction before it's too late. Being able to smell their waste in the litter box is also an important part of a cat's territory marking. Having it all flushed away or covered up in scented cleaning solution is going to raise the chances a cat starts peeing in inappropriate places under stress. Same with the lack of 'sand' to dig in when peeing in a toilet (at least the automated boxes still have a digging substrate). The digging is so instinctual that you don't have to train even feral cats to use a litterbox. As soon as they realize it's the only place in the house they can dig, they'll use it.
  - joverholt 12y ago
    Good points. If you notice a bunch of little pee clumps, or you cat is trying to use the box way more than normal, probably want to have a vet take a look. Also, if they suddenly stop using the box and start peeing/pooping somewhere else on a consistent basis, have the vet check that out too. Our cats had bladder infections. They start to associate the litter box with pain, so go somewhere else. They may also be trying to send you a message.
- peatmoss 12y ago
  This makes no sense to me. I know how often, and what color my cat's pee is. I do not understand how a homogenous clump of clay would tell me nearly as much. Ditto blood in the stool, which I posit would be much easier to spot floating in clear fluid than caked "almond roca" style in litter.
emcrazyone 12y ago
In the US there is a TV show called the Shark Tank and this product was featured on an episode. http://www.citikitty.com/How-CitiKitty-Works-s/12.htm http://www.citikitty.com/How-CitiKitty-Works-s/12.htm
teh_klev 12y ago
Whilst being inflicted with toxoplasmosis is a pretty unpleasant thing, the chances of actually being infected are pretty low provided you maintain good litter tray hygiene. Also cats only release the oocysts once in their lifetime around about the time they digest their first kills that are carriers. There's a lot of FUD about cat poo and toxoplasmosis, especially with regards to pregnant women and children [1]. Also if you're allowing your cat to poop in your toilet I'd say you're at a greater risk of infection because that poop is going to be airborne and quite possibly casting off oocysts into the air. Finally having cats use human toilets is not natural, cats naturally want to bury their poop, it's normal for them. Not being able to perform this ritual can stress them out. Also you may miss out spotting signs of bowel or urinary diseases/infections which can bring down a cat pretty quickly if not treated promptly. If you decide to share your house or flat with a cat then you just need to put up with their natural potty habits, or don't it. [1]: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/toxoplasmosis.html http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/toxoplas...
- peatmoss 12y ago
  Regarding toxoplasmosis, my recommendation was simply in line with what my city waste department has said. They previously said to use flushable kitty litter to avoid bagged waste. Now they say bag it, because of toxo. Good to hear this is even less an issue than I thought. Not sure I understand how my cat's poo, in water, promptly flushed, is more airborne than litter-deposited poo. If anything, I've had lots of people remark at how crazy it is that our apartment doesn't have any litter box smell at all. Regarding health, as I wrote elsewhere, I'm fairly certain I'm much more aware of our cat's urine and feces than a litter box user. I cannot comment on the naturalness of toilet training our cat. Yes, cat's have an instinct to dig, which ours apparently satisfies by batting at the back of the toilet seat. Maybe she's secretly suffering, however she sure seems to make happy, excited sounds for her kitty treat that she gets each time she uses the toilet...
pm 12y ago
My old housemate had a bad habit of getting stoned and ordering random cheap shit from China on eBay (and forgetting about it until it arrived 3 weeks later). One day he beckoned me into his room, and showed me the training kit he wanted to get for his cat. The cat was the type that keeps meowing at whoever's nearest at high volume until it gets what it wants (which usually ended up being me), not to mention had specifically come into my room and pissed on stuff while I was sleeping, so I was already severely pissed off with this animal. I told him in no uncertain terms that training the cat to do its business in the toilet was crossing the line. The possibility of having to wait for the fucking cat to take a dump before I could go doubled with the fact I'd have to flush for the dumb fucker would be the final nail in the coffin of my dignity. I would not become the pet. I can understand the convenience training a cat to do this, but there are some luxuries that should be the privy of humans, and sitting down to take a steamer without having to dig a hole should be one of them.

SyncTheory13 12y ago

Is there a particular training kit that you recommend? What are they cons to this? Do they sometimes miss?

peatmoss 12y ago
I did my own construction (not recommended). From the Amazon reviews, I ended up buying my parents a Citikitty training kit. I think a review of their main competitor, Litter Kwitter, said that kit was a bit flimsy and could result in a heavy cat taking a bath. I suppose there's always a chance that they'll miss during training, but neither I nor my parents had a problem. I had a fried try training three youngish kittens, and they had a couple mishaps, but I suspect that's par for the course. Our cat will "dig" in clean toilet water, which is a little gross. Fortunately, she won't dip her toes in soiled water. I'd much rather our cat track a little toilet water than soiled litter, as at least that has the benefit of some chlorine. We have a "no mellow" policy in our house. A recommendation: from day 1 we've rewarded our cat with the "Greenies" dental treats. As a result, she is pretty vocal about getting our attention when the toilet needs flushing, which is about twice a day (one solid, one liquid evacuation). Another benefit that we didn't anticipate, is that the vet always remarks at how clean her teeth are. So, win-win on the Greenies.
- pronoiac 12y ago
  Oh, did you use Charles Mingus' cat training guide? http://mingusmingusmingus.com/mingus/cat-traning-program http://mingusmingusmingus.com/mingus/cat-traning-program (It is the jazz musician Mingus, and some friends are very find of this bit of trivia.)
  - peatmoss 12y ago
    No, while I was familiar with Mingus, I didn't know about his cat training when I started!
- larrys 12y ago
  I did some marketing consulting for the "inventor" of citikitty (was on Shark Tank as you probably know). I just sent her the link to the article telling her she needs to invent some kind of consumable to her kit to get future residual income. I was half serious half kidding.
  - peatmoss 12y ago
    Non-slip, anti-microbial toilet bowl rim perch for cats. When she makes her next million, she can send me a thank you card or something.
    - larrys 12y ago
      Interesting I don't use her product but we do have a cat. She might like it. Although one potential issue is scaring off people by mentioning "germs". In other words putting an idea that didn't exist in many people's heads that they never thought of. Although also possible it would result in increased business as well.

DanBC 12y ago

>I trained my cat to do its business in the toilet. Male cats frequently have severe problems that can be identified by changes in production of urine. You can't see those changes if the cat is pissing in a loo rather than a litter box. Older cats become distressed when they are no longer able to use this method. There are a few other reasons why people might want to think carefully before trying to train a cat to use a loo.

cowpewter 12y ago
Yes, the problem with all these automated cat poop solutions is losing access to a super important clue about your cat's health. If you scoop every day, you'll notice when suddenly there is more or less pee in the box, or blood in your cat's urine or stool. Cats hide pain. Sometimes the litter box is the only way to catch something like a bladder obstruction before it's too late. Being able to smell their waste in the litter box is also an important part of a cat's territory marking. Having it all flushed away or covered up in scented cleaning solution is going to raise the chances a cat starts peeing in inappropriate places under stress. Same with the lack of 'sand' to dig in when peeing in a toilet (at least the automated boxes still have a digging substrate). The digging is so instinctual that you don't have to train even feral cats to use a litterbox. As soon as they realize it's the only place in the house they can dig, they'll use it.
- joverholt 12y ago
  Good points. If you notice a bunch of little pee clumps, or you cat is trying to use the box way more than normal, probably want to have a vet take a look. Also, if they suddenly stop using the box and start peeing/pooping somewhere else on a consistent basis, have the vet check that out too. Our cats had bladder infections. They start to associate the litter box with pain, so go somewhere else. They may also be trying to send you a message.
peatmoss 12y ago
This makes no sense to me. I know how often, and what color my cat's pee is. I do not understand how a homogenous clump of clay would tell me nearly as much. Ditto blood in the stool, which I posit would be much easier to spot floating in clear fluid than caked "almond roca" style in litter.

emcrazyone 12y ago

In the US there is a TV show called the Shark Tank and this product was featured on an episode. http://www.citikitty.com/How-CitiKitty-Works-s/12.htm http://www.citikitty.com/How-CitiKitty-Works-s/12.htm

teh_klev 12y ago

Whilst being inflicted with toxoplasmosis is a pretty unpleasant thing, the chances of actually being infected are pretty low provided you maintain good litter tray hygiene. Also cats only release the oocysts once in their lifetime around about the time they digest their first kills that are carriers. There's a lot of FUD about cat poo and toxoplasmosis, especially with regards to pregnant women and children [1]. Also if you're allowing your cat to poop in your toilet I'd say you're at a greater risk of infection because that poop is going to be airborne and quite possibly casting off oocysts into the air. Finally having cats use human toilets is not natural, cats naturally want to bury their poop, it's normal for them. Not being able to perform this ritual can stress them out. Also you may miss out spotting signs of bowel or urinary diseases/infections which can bring down a cat pretty quickly if not treated promptly. If you decide to share your house or flat with a cat then you just need to put up with their natural potty habits, or don't it. [1]: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/toxoplasmosis.html http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/toxoplas...

peatmoss 12y ago
Regarding toxoplasmosis, my recommendation was simply in line with what my city waste department has said. They previously said to use flushable kitty litter to avoid bagged waste. Now they say bag it, because of toxo. Good to hear this is even less an issue than I thought. Not sure I understand how my cat's poo, in water, promptly flushed, is more airborne than litter-deposited poo. If anything, I've had lots of people remark at how crazy it is that our apartment doesn't have any litter box smell at all. Regarding health, as I wrote elsewhere, I'm fairly certain I'm much more aware of our cat's urine and feces than a litter box user. I cannot comment on the naturalness of toilet training our cat. Yes, cat's have an instinct to dig, which ours apparently satisfies by batting at the back of the toilet seat. Maybe she's secretly suffering, however she sure seems to make happy, excited sounds for her kitty treat that she gets each time she uses the toilet...

pm 12y ago

My old housemate had a bad habit of getting stoned and ordering random cheap shit from China on eBay (and forgetting about it until it arrived 3 weeks later). One day he beckoned me into his room, and showed me the training kit he wanted to get for his cat. The cat was the type that keeps meowing at whoever's nearest at high volume until it gets what it wants (which usually ended up being me), not to mention had specifically come into my room and pissed on stuff while I was sleeping, so I was already severely pissed off with this animal. I told him in no uncertain terms that training the cat to do its business in the toilet was crossing the line. The possibility of having to wait for the fucking cat to take a dump before I could go doubled with the fact I'd have to flush for the dumb fucker would be the final nail in the coffin of my dignity. I would not become the pet. I can understand the convenience training a cat to do this, but there are some luxuries that should be the privy of humans, and sitting down to take a steamer without having to dig a hole should be one of them.