Toilet Training Cats

[serenamlambe]

So, as I have mentioned before, I don't know much about cats... besides the fact that they're cute! Hahah. I have never owned a cat and none of my extended family has had a cat for me to be around. So I'm hoping to use this forum as my way to learn more. I hope you guys don't mind! I want to be well-versed in all things kitty, just in case I decide to add one to my family some day.

Anyways, I have recently heard a few things about training cats to use the "human toilet." What do you all think about this? Is it difficult, easy, impossible, dangerous, etc.? Have you had any experience with it or heard anything about it? I'm just curious, more than anything.

Thanks!

[sugarcatmom]

I'm personally not a fan of toilet training cats. I say let cats be cats, and using a flushable toilet just ain't in their genetic code. It really only benefits the human in the equation, not the cat (unless the human is so totally lazy about scooping the litter box that it piles up to unsanitary levels and the cat doesn't WANT to use the box - in which case, a toilet would at least be better than that).

Also, most cats get arthritis later in life (80-90% over the age of 12), and using a toilet would not only be uncomfortable, but dangerous. It also makes it difficult to keep track of how much or how often a cat is urinating, which is an important aspect to monitoring their health.

Here's a previous post on this subject: http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=635013

[serenamlambe]

Thanks SCM! It sounded so strange to me to toilet train a cat. And scooping litter doesn't seem like it's so hard to do!

[driver8]

lol.... I cringe at the water bill!!!

We just put dual flush toilets with push buttons in, so I guess even if I wanted to, my cats wouldn't be able to use that.


I remember when I was young (before my family learned to put the lid down as a matter of habit), we had a cat that was curiously walking around the edge of the toilet and fell in. Whoops!

[driver8]

I've seen kits that you can get to train them this way. I think it involves putting the litter box next to the toilet, and then a shaped litter pan that fits over the rim of the toilet, and then eventually you remove the litter. I've never known any cats that were trained this way though.

[Love4himies]

Kittens can drown in a toilet if they fall in. The wet bowl makes it too slippery for them to get a grip to pull themselves out.