Toilet Train Cat: Week 1 (Day 30)

10 weeks old

one of his favorite toys...

From Day 1, I had Kiku’s litter box in the bathroom next to the toilet. So, on Day 30 at 10 weeks old, (mind you, much younger than what is usually recommended), I took Step 1, the first step in Kiku’s becoming “Toilet Train Cat” of the Toilet Train Cat Blog. I got a one or two inch stack of old newspapers, bundled with duct tape, and then taped them to the bottom of the litter box, making a platform for the box to sit on. That’s it! That’s all you do on Day 1. And then you leave it that way for a week.

Why such a small change? Cats get very nervous about change. And when cats are nervous, scared, angry, or just plain “in a bad mood”, they sometimes get revenge – like peeing somewhere else. So keep all the changes gradual. Really gradual. If your cat starts to veer from the program by relieving himself somewhere other than the litter box, back up in the process. Take the newspaper away, give your kitty another week at the original height, and then try again.

Day 1. In the bathroom, hiding from Tosh, with a bin of Tidy Cat kitty litter behind him, which will soon become obsolete.

Toilet Train Cat: Week 2

More newspaper. An inch higher. Gradual, remember…?

Toilet Train Cat: Week 3

More newspaper. One more inch.

Toilet Train Cat: Week 4

Still more newspaper. Yet another inch higher.

Toilet Train Cat: Week 5

Yep. Same. (OK. Maybe you can try two inches at a time…)

OK. So you get the idea. Now let’s assume that the litter box is finally the same height as the toilet by Week 10. Go to Week 10, where things start to get exciting…

Toilet Train Cat: Week 10

The Litter Box Goes ON TOP OF The Toilet

ready to bolt...

Alright then. Now that the litter box has been the same height as the toilet for one week, you’re ready for the next step – to put the box on top of the toilet. Of course, it’s much easier if you purchase a product like Litter Kwitter or CitiKitty, which is designed to fit your toilet in the first place.

If you don’t buy one of those products, you’ll have to get out the duct tape again. Yes, you need to make sure the box is securely fastened to the toilet. Again, cats don’t like change and you’ve been giving him lots of changes over the past few weeks. If he jumps up onto the litter box and it moves or scares him in the least, you just set yourselves back a couple weeks. So get out the duct tape and make sure the box sticks fast to the toilet.

Toilet Train Cat: Week 11

Replacing the litter box with a colander.

Ah... The red, catnip mouse...

The next step will require that you measure the toilet bowl and then purchase a colander of the same size. (Or you can break down and buy Litter Kwitter or CitiKitty…) When I say “the same size”, I should say that the colander needs to have a lip on it that will keep it from falling into the toilet.

If the colander fits perfectly in the toilet, just put it in and then pour in some kitty litter to the usual depth. If the colander wobbles, it’s advisable to use the old duct tape again. Fasten it to the toilet. Don’t make any changes for a week, except of course, the usual daily cleaning.

sitting on the imac, checking out the camera

Toilet Train Cat: Week 12

Decreasing the amount of kitty litter.

Now that your kitty is used to his new litter box being inside the toilet bowl, you can start to decrease the amount of litter – gradually. Or if you’ve purchased Litter Kwitter or CitiKitty, you can decrease the litter and start to take out the rings.

Toilet Train Cat: Week 13

Continue decreasing the amount of kitty litter.

Continue decreasing the kitty litter until there’s none left. Now your kitty is peeing in the colander without any litter! (Or if again, you’re using Litter Kwitter or CitiKitty, you’ll be down to the last ring and there’ll be no litter remaining!)

Toilet Train Cat: Week 14

Removing the colander/last ring.

a little older here... closer to the age when he was actually going through the training...

Once your cat has gone one week without any litter in his colander or on the rings of his Litter Kwitter or CitiKitty seat, he’s ready to try “his business” with the bare toilet seat. Just remove it and see what happens.

At this point, it’s possible that he’ll regress and relieve himself somewhere else. If that’s the case, just get the colander out again and just a teaspoon of litter. Kiku went back and forth through this phase a few times.

And viola! you now have your own toilet trained cat! Congratulations and welcome to your new, litter-free life!