Cats in the Loo

Stay Tuned

2009-07-10T01:12:00.004-05:00

The family actually bought a Litter Robot!!!

http://www.litter-robot.com/

(achem... ours is in black.)

Concession Speech

2009-07-10T01:09:00.002-05:00

Ok, people. I'm giving up.

The more I tried to do this, the more I realized that toilet training was just not in the cards for one of my cats.

I reluctantly put the litter box back out and hoped Rex would continue to flawlessly use the toilet like he did, but alas he was temped back to the box.

I have since taken the Litter Quitter off.

It was a sad day, but I knew that what I did is truly what will make Pascha happiest. And boy was she happy.

She hasn't had a mistake since, and that has in turn made the family happy.

Pascha DID NOT GET IT

2009-07-10T01:07:00.003-05:00

I don't understand it.

Pascha was doing so, so well. But then she pooped on the downstairs kitchen floor.

The toilet was upstairs, and my mother would not allow the same apparatus downstairs.

I gave her the benefit of the doubt and cleaned the Litter Quitter until there was no chance she would avoid it because of its dirtiness.

A few days later, she did it again!

Fail. Fail.

Pascha is Getting It

2009-06-18T10:21:00.000-05:00

Each time it becomes more natural for her. This is awesome.

Dallas

2009-06-13T16:50:00.002-05:00

Well, I've officially moved to Dallas. The ride was long - Pascha went #2 twice in the car on the way, but fortunately with regards to the toilet training it seems that the Litter Quitter has been a huge success both in Austin and now in Dallas as well.

Because we had prior training, we started the cats out in Austin on the Yellow, intermediate ring. That worked wonderfully, and we kept them on it throuought the move so as not to change it up too quickly on them.

In Dallas, we introduced them to the house by keeping them in my bedroom and bathroom at first. The Litter Quitter was totally transferable (though it didn't fit as well on the toilet), but unfortunately so was my sink. Pascha instinctively found the sink and has only used that to pee in. The good news is that she seems to understand the difference between using the sink for pee and the toilet for poop. Honestly, if that's the way it has to be, I know it could be worse and so I'm alright with the outcome.

They've been in Dallas almost a week. Bathroom use is normal, instinctive, and they don't appear to want to go anywhere else (other than the sink for Pasch, of course). I yesterday moved them to the next level, and just discovered that it works well. Pascha let her foot slip in the toilet once, but it was before she used the bathroom and I still think she is pleased with how little the toilet releases smell. Time will only tell to know if this foot slip was devastating or not.

More later...

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2009-05-07T21:38:00.007-05:00

There's been a whirlwind of things happening in the Pascha likes/dislikes the toilet realm. Let's just assume Rex is trained already, cause he is. For instance, I took a sample of his pee to the vet today, and all I had to do was place little cup under his stream and got, like, 40 mL. The nurses were pleased.

So as we discussed before, Pascha just doesn't know what to do with herself on that toilet when she pees, and has sometimes turned to the sink for her gratification. *Sigh* Yeah, OK, she really really likes to pee in the sink. Better the sink than the floor! But still, it's not the toilet.

For the record, she has pooped repeatedly in the toilet like a perfectly toilet trained cat. This is all about the pee. Yeah, I don't get it either.

So I got to thinking, "OK, I should make her more comfortable. Perhaps I should let her pee in the sink."

Blaspheme!!!

Well, I did, because it's still sanitary and easy to clean up. And she likes it. So I did and things went smoothly for a few days.

But then.

I walked into the bathroom one day and saw her pawing furiously in the sink (as she always does pre-pee) and I found her start to do something horrid. She started to get in position to poop in the sink!!!!

No Way! No! Not in my sink!

So, instinctively I picked her up and put her on the toilet and she was upset and her foot fell in the toilet and it was bad. She finally positioned herself on the toilet and did her thing, but that got me thinking that his sink allowance would not fly.

I came to the conclusion that this whole setup was bad for her, and maybe she needed to start over entirely.

I bought a Litter Kwitter with the additional intermediate rings (for stubborn cats). It hasn't arrived yet, and since I'm moving to Dallas in June I will begin to use it for her as soon as we move. New bathroom. Clean slate.

I like the fact that the Litter Quitter keeps it close to the rim. Right now the turkey roaster pan is so low down into the toilet it must be hard for her to know what to do. Hopefully this whole new approach will be easier, especially since she's already got half of it down. She just needs to know how to place her feet when she pees. Nothing else has worked. I'm hoping this will.

In the meantime I bought a new turkey roaster litter pan and have started placing it on the ground like a regular litter pan for when she needs to pee. Then I take it up, clean it, and place it in a cabinet so it won't always be there to use (cause, you know, I have nothing better to do!). I'd rather take it this many steps back than for her to go sideways thinking the sink is OK. When she hops in the sink or the bathtub I now turn the water on quickly and that usually keeps her out.

So that's what's been going on. I'll fill you in when we get the Litter Quitter or if anything traumatic/miraculous happens.

Oh yes - just one more thought: if, for some reason, I find her already pooping in the sink, I think I'm just going to let it sit there for a long time. Cats hate that. That's one reason why they like to poop in the toilet - the smell goes away really fast. If she poops in the sink shes going to have to endure that smell for a long, long time (cat time). That's my backup plan.

What may have been Missing

2009-04-24T21:29:00.002-05:00

So, I recently discovered this other toilet training product called the Cat Seat by Feline Evolution. It uses a different tactic - it's a mountable toilet seat that you use on the ground at first, but train the cat to just use that on the ground and remove the litter until the cat is just using the pan with disposable bags. Once that's successful, begin lifting the pan eventually to the toilet, and the cat is already used to not having any litter. The training is done before they get to the toilet!

And it hit me - Pascha is having such a hard time transitioning because she is trying so hard to aim her urine over the litter. She won't put all fours on the seat because she wants to squat on that little patch of litter. Poor thing - and I am making it increasingly uncomfortable for her.

Rex is practically already trained. He could care less if there was a pan there or not. In order for this to work for both cats, however, I need to take extra care to make sure Pascha is comfortable.

There are a couple of ways I can do this:
1) Cut a similar hole - slightly smaller and reduce the litter before making the hole any bigger.
2) Wait until I move in May and start over after purchasing this Cat Seat
3) Put a tray - without a hole- in the toilet with a small amount of litter and gradually reduce the litter before putting any hole in the toilet. That way the hole will eventually be preferable to her peeing in the foil (with her feet nearby).

I'm deliberating and will make a decision soon.

Slow and Steady

2009-04-22T14:19:00.000-05:00

...will hopefully win this race.

Words of Wisdom

2009-04-21T20:01:00.001-05:00

"That I did not fail was due in part to patience...."
- Jane Goodall, talking about something most likely higher on the importance chain than toilet training cats, but nevertheless still relevant

Update

2009-03-24T10:11:00.003-05:00

Rex: Couldn't be better. Puts ALL FOURS on the toilet seat without hesitation, even though the hole in the litter pan is not significantly bigger than before.

Pascha: Hit or Miss. Puts two paws on toilet all the time when she pees, and sometimes puts ALL FOURS on the toilet seat when she poos. This sounds good, but just yesterday she missed the toilet all together. I'm taking her to the vet.

General: This should work out in the end. If Pasch can get all fours up there sometimes, then I believe it's only a matter of time. We are already using about a fourth of the litter we used to. The cleanup has never been easier, and they are comfortable with the sounds and the view of the water in the toilet.

FACT

2009-03-11T10:32:00.002-05:00

According to www.kidshealth.org, potty training a human child can take between 3-6 months.

Why should a cat learn in any less time? Am I right!?

It worked!

2009-03-10T23:24:00.002-05:00

Not only did Pascha jump into the toilet pan without hesitation after I moved the hole back a bit, but she also put her two front paws on the toilet seat! Usually I had to place them there carefully for her, so this is truly a good sign.

Also, in other news, Rex put all fours on the toilet seat the other day. He's practically already there.

Better Placement

2009-03-10T10:00:00.001-05:00

Getting axious to set things in the right direction again, I decided it would maybe work to make more subtle changes more frequently. This change, though not as subtle, may make Pascha more comfortable seeing as there is more front room to stand. Let's see how this works, shall we?

Scaling Back a Bit

2009-03-06T19:48:00.001-06:00

Not too much, but I think this will be better in the long run. Pascha has already moved the litter around in this one, which means she's not worried about getting wet. I have treats ready. I mostly want proof from her that she'll use this at least.

I'll keep this on for a little longer than a week and make the hole bigger more gradually.

As long as it takes!

It's Come to This

2009-03-06T16:06:00.000-06:00

Hunt the Hunter (or misbehaving Pee-er)

2009-03-06T09:58:00.003-06:00

Today, I will follow Pascha around to see when (and where) she decides to use the bathroom next. She's gotta poop somewhere. That somewhere better be in a toilet. I need to know she still uses it at all. This freewheeling, unruly behavior must stop right now, mostly because I don't really know how long it's been carrying on.

Also, I will convince her that peeing in the sink, bathtub, or any other non-toilet location will get her nothing but a nice faucet full of water. Using the toilet, however, will get her a delicious Wellness brand treat.

Go ahead, Pasch, show me what's up.

Bummed

2009-03-05T15:10:00.004-06:00

So, I just walked into the bathroom only to find Pascha peeing in the sink. Trouble is, she only used to do that when the litter pan was really dirty and she would have had to step in something. This time, the pan is clean, and I have a worry that I may need to take the litter pan hole back a little bit.

I knew this progress was too good to be true. In order to make sure I know if she's using the toilet or not, I'm going to plug up the sink and the bathtub with water. I did this at first and it worked, but I assumed she was over it.

Guess Not!

Point of no Return?

2009-03-03T16:18:00.002-06:00

This is what the litter pan looks like!!

They use this as if there was no hole in it. It's kind of surreal to watch.

I am going to change the shape of the hole from now on. I'm going to cut away at most of the back of the pan and then slowly cut to the front. This way they'll learn how to face the right direction each time since they won't be able to put their paws in the back of the toilet.

Wow!

Putting things in Perspective

2009-03-03T16:04:00.001-06:00

I just mopped my bathroom floor with (sigh) Litter Box Disinfectant and Deodorizer.

Still worth it? Yes.

When They're Not Pooping

2009-02-27T12:45:00.001-06:00

Foot in Water!

2009-02-21T21:08:00.005-06:00

Ack!

Today was "New litter pan Day" which means I cut a larger hole and replaced the old litter pans. Pictures to follow.

Unfortunately, I JUST stepped into the bathroom and found Rex had accidentally let his foot slip into the toilet!! This could be really bad. He jumped out and began kicking his leg. I cleaned his leg not knowing what was in the toilet, but the problem is that I was not sure if he had already gone or not!

If the cats become traumatized while using the toilet like this, then we could have a problem.

More later...

________

UPDATE: Ten minutes later - Ok, so apparently Rex had NOT used the toilet and just freaked out when his foot fell in. The good news is that I just watched him put three legs on the seat and do his business straight into the toilet. There was some splashing, and that's something I need to find a solution for, but he was does not appear traumatized. I immediately gave him a treat.

Location, Location, Location

2009-02-21T18:47:00.004-06:00

As you may or may not know, there are hundreds of resources for cat toilet training. One incredible big I recently discovered is www.toilettrainedcat.com. It's got a format I hope to mimic once this is all finished. I'd like to compile all the "progress" posts in chronological order, and have one main page for simplified easy-to-read instructions that contain angles I've discovered.

One thing this guy mentions that I hadn't previously thought about before invovled determining where the hole in the pan should be. Should it be in the front or the back of the pan? I never thought of this because my cats naturally face towards the front like I've seen all the other successfully trained cats do. But if you try and do this and your cat faces the tank instead, then his advice is really helpful!!

He basically talks about how the placement of the hole in the pan cannot only affect how quickly your cat catches on, but also where the cat will learn to naturally face AND this consideration could prevent splash-back!.

The blog has some pretty serious reproduction restrictions, so I'm not going to quote him here. But I do reccommend checking out his blog!

Hole #3 and #4

2009-02-15T18:11:00.004-06:00

I forgot to get a picture of hole #3, but I can assure you it also worked well. The cats weren't phased by it. It was slightly bigger than hole #2 and, well, slightly smaller than #4.

Hole #4 is frightening.

Below is Hole #4. Litter falls in the toilet like at waterfall. Litterfall? Whatever, I'm just glad I haven't, so far, had any plumbing problems. The cats have not used this yet. I just "installed" it. Wish me luck.

Hole #2

2009-02-15T18:08:00.001-06:00

Worked like a charm.

Next one should be a little daunting though.

The Pros and the Cons

2009-02-04T10:33:00.002-06:00

Since cutting a hole into the litter pan, I have started developing some pros and cons. I will probably republish this again and again with updates. It'll be like a game.

Pro - Um, Pascha pooped and it literally (accidentally) went straight into the toilet. Cleanup consisted of flushing the toilet. Ahhh....

Con - Lifting the pan out of the toilet to go to the bathroom has now become a messy, no, much messier experience. I recommend getting an old flexible cutting board to place it on so you can easily put the spilled litter back in to the pan when needed.

Pro - Both cats are taking to this quite well. We'll see how that turns out when I cut the hole bigger soon.

Con - Duct tape likes to come off easily.

Pro - I forsee this being finished in a month

Con - I started this in November

The Next Big Step

2009-01-26T20:09:00.004-06:00

So - It's been a little over a month since we put the litter pan inside the toilet. Things have worked out very smoothly, considering Chris or I clean it EVERY time they decide to use it. It's been a lot of work, but if all goes well it will be very worth it.

Some good news is that Rex has decided to start standing only on the toilet rim while the litter pan is still in the toilet! This means he's already getting comfortable using the toilet in this correct position. Hooray!!

Pascha is a little stubborn, and we'll have to watch her more closely during this next step.

Today is the day we cut the first hole into the litter pan. Since we doubled up, we cut a larger hole in the top pan, and a smaller hole in the bottom.

Here's the top pan. I duck taped the sides to protect them and keep them from making the hole larger by stepping on it.Here's the whole thing as of today.

I'll be posting again very soon to let you know how they react to this change.

Looking Good!

2009-01-08T21:27:00.006-06:00

Haha, hopefully he'll end up standing on the toilet as opposed to in.

Big Day - Moving the Pan into the Toilet

2009-01-08T18:47:00.007-06:00

So the basic process for this whole thing goes as follows:

1) Make the pan smaller and use flushable litter
2) Move the pan up the side of the toilet
3) Move the pan into the toilet
4) After a month, cut a small hole in the pan
5) After cat gets used to it, make the hole gradually bigger
6) Once the hole is practically gone, take the pan away

Of course, if it were this easy we wouldn't have books and blogs and things telling us in detail how this process works.

As of December 2oth or so, I decided it was time to move to step 3 - into the toilet!!

This sounds really fun and great - but certain things had to be considered:

1) My toilet seat is angled inward, making it hard for Rex especially to balance well on it.

Solution: I bought a new $20 toilet seat from Target. It had a flatter seat and was made with an antimicrobial plastic material. This made me feel a little better, and the cats have a much easier time standing on it.

2) A turkey roaster disposable pan is great for holding turkeys (or say, cats) when it's resting on something like a table. Once you suspend it, the risk of puncturing through can be higher. Cats stand on their toes when they poo, and the small surface area of their foot made me a bit nervous. I actually punctured my first one with the litter scooper and had to replace it.

Solution: Two turkey roasters, with the inner pan's rim folded in. This provided a stronger surface, and will help later with the hole puncturing process (more on that later).

3) Securing a litter pan - If you have a couple of toilets in the house then duct tape the hell out of that pan and don't worry about it. But what happens when you have only one. What are you supposed to do? Un-duct tape it each time you want to go to the bathroom? No.

Solution: Velcro strips! Oh man, how nice it is to just lift the pan out to use the toilet, knowing those Velcro strips can hold something like 40 lbs before they split. These have worked great. Just lift the toilet seat and place some strips on all four sides of the toilet rim, making sure to measure where they will meet up with the pan.

4) The newspapers next to the toilet seat - If you just take them away, then they will not recognize where the pan has gone.

Solution: Like everything else in this process, gradually take more and more away until they only need a couple for a step stool (if desired.)

Holiday Break

2009-01-08T18:36:00.005-06:00

I've been sort of absent from this blog during the holidays - but I can assure you that I have not been absent from the toilet training process. No, sir.

To recap - the cats' litter box was right up next to the toilet last (check out that pic of Rex below), and certain issues needed to be resolved before we moved on.

Issues

Preference to use other places as litter box - Pascha has become ever-picky about the cleanliness of her pan/box. Before, when we had a huge litter box, we could be a little lazy and clean it out every other day and be fine. Now, if it is not entirely clean (and she will inspect), then she'll hop into the sink.

How I fixed this - I made sure to take note of when they used the box. Then, right afterwards I'd clean out the bad litter and spray a little pet litter refreshing spray. If Pascha went over to the box and used it immediately, I made sure to have a declious treat waiting for her. If she hopped up in the sink and started pawing, I put her in front of the pan until she used it. Then I'd also give her a treat. The trick is to stop getting her to expect that the box is dirty. As soon as she could reliably hop into the box knowing it would be clean, then the problem went away.

Messy Bathroom - The bathroom became a complete, disgusting mess ... real fast. Litter kicked everywhere. In order to keep this process healthy for me and the cats, I had to make sure the area around was in good condition. Don't just clean the pan, be prepared to sweep every day, and mop at least once a week in the bathroom. Keep deodorizers nearby.

Drinking Toilet water - Just one or two sprays of bitter apple in the toilet helped a lot. This problem will fix itself once the litter pan goes inside the toilet.

Hot Mess

2008-12-15T20:46:00.003-06:00

This is what the multitude of cat toilet training instruction manuals refer to when they remind us to take a deep breath and remember why we're doing this.

One Month

2008-12-10T09:53:00.004-06:00

The header now says "in three months or less"

I did some rethinking and found out that it will probably take about 2.5 - 3 months to complete this task, and that's if there aren't any complications - complications like Rex deciding he'd rather drink from the toilet, or ... Rex not agile enough to stand on the toilet seat without his leg falling in.

In order to prepare for moving the litter pan INTO the toilet, I'll need to secure it and purchase a few more things.

I will need a better step stool that is a little taller and sturdier. Something like a step stool.

I will need to either get no-slip pads for my toilet seat or a new seat that's flatter, thicker, and more tactile. My current one is rather old and kind of slopes down towards the bowl. It's very thin and made of slippery plastic. Pascha is capable of hopping around on it, but Rex's weight is distributed differently throughout his body and he has a harder time.

The biggest worries I have involve the cats getting wet. If they poo and there is splash back, then it's over - at least for a while. I want to make sure it's all in place and everything is figured out before I make my next move. Thoughts?

Behold: The Step Stool

2008-12-10T09:24:00.004-06:00

Temporary, but effective! Yes, it is a shoebox.

Please excuse my horrible photo quality but my camera broke on election night and now I have to resort to my phone.

Small Litter Pans Smell Trouble!

2008-12-08T16:11:00.003-06:00

Warning: when using a small litter pan (like this freaking 9 inch disposable turkey roaster!) be prepared to clean it at least 3 times a day.

This morning, before I had a chance to clean the litter box, I caught Pascha as she discovered the dirty litter box, only to change her mind and hop into the bathtub. I saw her pawing at the drain and I knew what was coming. So I quickly cleaned the box and placed her in it. She did not like the idea of being back in there so she hopped out, lept instead into the sink and proceeded to pee there!!! I didn't know what do do so I waited. I thought she was finished but she raised herself like she was going to defecate. I picked her up up gently and placed her into the now-clean litter box, but she lept out and instead pooed on the floor in the corner of the bathroom.

I feel defeated. And now I have a lot of sanitizing to do.

But the good news is that eventually we won't have this problem. This would have happened to any dirty litter box and the difference is that before this small one I had an enormous one that only needed to be cleaned once a day. Nine inch turkey roasters are not suitable for 2 cats.

This does, however, reinforce the notion that the cats just want to go to the bathroom in a sanitary, smell-free place. I'm pretty sure Pascha will be happier when she won't ever have to worry about dirty liter pans again.

By the way, if your cats do this then please do not, under any circumstances, scold them. I wanted to so badly and in fact I did ignore Pascha for a little while afterwards. Ignoring is not the same as scolding (blowing off steam is more like it!), and negative reinforcement just does not work with cats. In reality, any human would have done what she did. I will make sure to praise her wildly next time she uses the litter box. Wildly.

Onward!

Moral Thoughts on the Subject

2008-12-04T09:59:00.005-06:00

Lately I've been reading opinions from people saying that potty training your cat is a bad thing to do. Reasons given are similar to the following:

1) It can kill sea otters
2) It makes them jump which can be uncomfortable
3) It's not natural for them

I am very concerned that I don't want to do anything that could hurt them, so I welcome feedback to flesh out these concerns. As for these three, I do agree that they all could do what they say, but I believe there are ways to explain why they aren't necessarily relevant.

For instance, the poo can kill sea otters because of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, whether they use the toilet or you use "flushable litter." It is not a given, however, that your cat will have the parasite, and this is very easily tested for. If your cat does not have the parasite then there is no reason to worry.... especially if your cat is indoors and will most likely not become exposed to it. More on this problem here.

To solve the second problem I will do what I have been planning on doing all along - I will get for them a very easy and comfortable step stool. No jumping necessary, not ever. I'd like to find a stool that folds up easily and is portable, incase we ever are out of the house.

The third problem has been the most concerning for me. I don't want to force them to do anything they don't want to, so if it goes that it is not natural for them in the end I will gladly move them back to litter.

But the reality of house cats is that much of their lifestyle is not "natural," yet they live longer, happier lives indoors (assuming they have stimulation and room to run around). If we truly wanted them to live "naturally" then we would make them hunt for their food. We'd also keep them outside, which I know some cats are used to. If Pascha suddenly roamed around outside I fear she wouldn't last a month.

Anyway, I'm not blindly going into this. I ask questions, seek answers, and definitely keep my mind open to the possibility that this may not be best for them as individual felines. But there's one thing I do know: my cats hate the smell of the litter box, they hate being in the litter box because it can be dirty, and they may just enjoy the experience of being able to go to the bathroom and not have the smell linger in their paws and nose. For this reason, and the obvious personal benefits to training them, I am going to keep at it.

What do you think?

Moving On Up!!

2008-12-04T09:54:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving

2008-12-04T09:52:00.004-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all, and speaking of which I need to say that the holidays totally screwed up my previously very meticulous attention to schedule.

So, this endeavor will probably take longer than two months, but it will still be tracked properly. I am moving at a slower-than-expected pace because I want to make sure that the cats are comfortable. I don't want to rush them..... and I forget to pick up newspaper. :-/

Unsophisticated or just Uncomfortable

2008-11-23T11:36:00.008-06:00

Note: this post is all about poo.

Rex has a problem that Pascha does not. After he defecates, often times he'll find the nearest carpet (aaak!) and scoot his butt along it in what I thought was a very unsophisticated way of cleaning his rear.

Pascha has never done this, and I ignorantly never questioned the difference. I guess my subconscious thought she was better taught than that.

But when Rex did it today I decided to look it up. Maybe find a way to stop it, since, I really don't want that stuff on my carpet.

It turns out he may have a problem with his anal sacs, and he'll probably need to go to the vet to have them treated.

More on that HERE, in case you ever noticed this about your pet.

Photos when they're not in the Bathroom

2008-11-21T20:41:00.006-06:00

We need a little balance in this blog. More to follow. Videos too!

Rex's head has not caught up to his body yet.

Success

2008-11-21T20:40:00.002-06:00

Day 12

2008-11-21T20:33:00.004-06:00

Hooray for Duct Tape!

My tower of toilet training kitty litter has grown taller and taller, and is now completely stable thanks to the help of duct tape.

No more spilling, no more pooping and leaving it uncovered for fear of the litter box moving around too much. Things are much more under control.

Also, I had another recent revelation. Up until now, I've kept the toilet seat DOWN because it's safer for the cats and easier for them to jump on. If I'm going to get them comfortable going to the bathroom in the toilet, I need to also get them comfortable with the toilet seat up.

This has caused issue.

Pascha loves to play with water, and this now includes the water in the toilet. While my toilet is clean and it's cute right now, I have a feeling this could be Big Trouble once the toilet training is complete.

I am asking for suggestions to help me train her to keep her paws out of the toilet. So far spraying Fooey (Bitter Apple, a non-toxic spray used to keep cats away from things like cords) on the water does very little. Anyone?

Day 6

2008-11-15T17:10:00.003-06:00

Everything is going smoothly, except for the more frequent cleanup of litter on the floor. The cats are using the litter pan about 4 inches from the ground, still way too low for them to need to jump.

I am thinking that in order to make sure they are entirely comfortable I will eventually buy or make for them a little step stool. That way they wont ever have to jump if they don't want to.

I also need to find a way to secure the litter pan to the ground or the papers while it is getting increasingly taller. Any suggestions on how to do this?

Day 3

2008-11-13T12:15:00.012-06:00

Today I decided to start the process of raising the litter pan. I went to Whole Foods, got myself a delicious cookie and snagged about a dozen week-old Austin Chronicle magazines. They are perfectly sized, free, and no one will miss them since Thursdays are new issue days. I'll head back next Wednesday for more.

Here's the height I raised it for today. It's practically unnoticeable, but I guess that's the point.

The cats are always interested in what I do with the litter box. Usually Rex likes to hop in for a quick pee as I clean it. Inevitably, one of them will decide the perfect time to use the litter box is right after I've cleaned it. One of the things I need to look out for is that the cats don't look for other locations to relieve themselves (i.e. the sink) as I increase the height of the pan. As this becomes more of an issue I will take more cautious measures to try and combat that temptation. Water and foil tend to help. More on that later.

Day 2

2008-11-12T10:04:00.004-06:00

Day 2

Just to make things clear, the date on the post might be a different day than the actual day of the context of my post. This photo, for instance, was taken yesterday. This post is about Day 2.

So, my cats like to kick litter around!! This was expected, but the constant cleaning was something I was hoping not to encounter.

I am continuously telling myself that this will be worth it, even though I cleaned the litter box approximately 4 times yesterday.

Onward!

The Pan

2008-11-10T22:31:00.005-06:00

For this challenge, I bought flushable litter (Swheat Scoop is very good) and a heavy duty roasting pan that fits inside the diameter of my toilet. It's quite a change from the previous bathtub-sized litter box they enjoyed. The pan is slightly larger than Rex's ass, but it will have to do.

And, here we go.

The Setup

2008-11-10T20:42:00.001-06:00

For my instruction, I am using the book Potty Talk by Toast by Trisha Yeager Menke. I found her book to be the most honest and true to everything else I had read on the subject. If this doesn't work out, I will in no way put the blame on this book but rather my misunderstanding of the instructions.

So, as you can see we have the current litter box next to the toilet. It's been here for a while and the cats are very used to using it in this location.

Day 1

2008-11-10T20:32:00.000-06:00

This blog is going to be a no frills, no long paragraphs, simple walk through of my process training my cats how to use the toilet.

First of all, I should introduce you.

On the left we have 1 1/2 year old spayed Pascha, and on the right we have 7 month old neutered Rex.

Pascha is very outgoing and loving, though very shy around strangers.

Rex is basically the same constant cool all the time. So surprises.

I am curious to see who teaches who in this process, or if they just do it at the same time (or, gasp! not at all!)