Toilet Training my Kittens

[simpleblue]

Day 53

hole 3" x 2.75"

i started soaking my kittens dry food in water. each cat now gets 4oz of water twice a day PLUS whatever they drink (9oz at least). they've been peeing like crazy!

one of my cats 'bonkers' is peeing in the toilet, but most of his pee lands on the portion around the hole, so i have lots of pee to clean up. i'm contemplating helping to guide him to the right position. and at the same time i'm thinking maybe it's better to just 'leave well enough alone.' he's going in the toilet and as the hole widens he'll most likely catch on by himself. why take that chance? so i'll think about that.

the camera has helped soooooo much. and the kittens seem to be going with ease now. no more fiddling, meowing, then jumping down, and then trying again later. it could also be the feliway plugin. but who knows. at least something is helping.

it's starting to get a tiny bit cold so i got a small theramal heater that and i attached it to a timer. i timed it to start heating the washroom two hours before they go pee or poo. its aimed well above them so if they do go in while it's on they won't feel the draft - i'm trying to take every precaution.

i may be widening the hole again tomorrow as the kittens seem to feel confident. it'll the be 3" by 3". my potty pal toilet seat still hasnt come in yet and i think it may come in on monday instead.

that's all for today

 

[thedivinemisst0]

Hello, One of my cats had their first accident today

I cut the hole in the "potty" a bit larger before i went to sleep and when i woke up (five miniutes ago) there was a big steaming pile of poop sitting right infront of the toilet. What do i do about this? How do I teach them that this isn't the proper place to poop?
ANy ideas?

 

[simpleblue]

Day 56

hole 3.5" x 3.25"

tomorrow i should be receiving my pottypal toilet. i'm so excited.

i hope it comes *crosses fingers*. i'm gonna install it on day 58 in the morning, and see how things go.

today tinkerbell almost had an accident behind the toilet. i caught her before she was able to poop. it was one of those times where i was rushing around trying to change the litter and she had to go quick. i just said 'NO' and she walked right up on the toilet and went. i feel so relaxed after she goes because i know the others will not make mistakes - ever. they've always been perfect.

i'm using so much less litter these days. only about 1/2 cup. the cats dont seem to care about digging as much because i've been taking them off the toilet immediately after they go and giving them their treat.

Originally Posted by thedivinemisst0

Hello, One of my cats had their first accident today

I cut the hole in the "potty" a bit larger before i went to sleep and when i woke up (five miniutes ago) there was a big steaming pile of poop sitting right infront of the toilet. What do i do about this? How do I teach them that this isn't the proper place to poop?
ANy ideas?

accidents are bound to happen - it's okay *hugs*... one of the things i try to do is if i'm gonna cut the hole bigger i make sure i'm around to evaluate and correct their performance. if i see the cat is about to poop somewhere besides the toilet i immediately lift her up and put her on the toilet. even if the cat is in the middle of a poop. they know then. but you have to act fast! or it will now help at all.

i would wash the pooped on area very well. preferably with natures miracle. do not block it with anything because the cat will just go elsewhere, and you may not want that to happen. and just make sure the pooped on spot is clean. do not try putting cat repellent on that area. i dont think it'll help.

the good thing is that the cat pooped 'near' the toilet. to me it means that they still wanted to poop there, but were a little scared. its much better then in a hiding place, so you're very lucky. searching the house for poop is not fun.

you're doing fine. keep it up divinemisst. training cats is not a straight path. there are curves and sometimes even trips that involve going back a little. its okay.

 

[thedivinemisst0]

thanks for the incouragement. She's done it two more times. *sigh* she pees in the toilet ok but has yet to poop in the enlarged hole...
She pooped near the toilet, but where the litterbox use to be so i don't know if thats such a good thing or not...Also if i'm anywhere near the bathroom she won't use the toilet or if I walk by the bathroom while she's in there she will run out,m so i don't know about finding her in action... but i cleaned the area well and nature's miracled the hell out of it

So hopefully that will do somthing.

 

[simpleblue]

Day 58

PottyPal Installed:



there it is

the cats have just been looking inside and sniffing around for a while. i'm gonna see if i can get them to go without the insert and litter. i guess i'm asking quite a bit

, but it's worth a try.

it would so awesome if they used it. i'm thinking they'll make a few mistakes, but catch on. i'm hoping that me being with them will help them out.

Originally Posted by thedivinemisst0

Also if i'm anywhere near the bathroom she won't use the toilet or if I walk by the bathroom while she's in there she will run out,m so i don't know about finding her in action... but i cleaned the area well and nature's miracled the hell out of it

that sounds really tough. that's why i use the camera. my cats usually wont go with me standing by them either... i'm glad you used the natures miracle. and remember that in order for them to go in it they might require some sort of incentive (treats). so i'm hoping you have a way to reward them when they do.

 

[simpleblue]

Day 60



i didnt want to take the chance so i added the insert. and i didn't think the cats were ready to go without litter. they still need a little bit. now i'm only using about a cup a day.

potty use has been better then ever. all the cats get their pee and poop right in the hole and there is NO cleanup for the first time ever!

i just re-ad a small amount of litter every now, and flush

, and it's all good.

also, i can trust that all the cats won't make 'mistakes' so i don't have to be on guard so much. i just try to know when they've went because i like to give them their treat.

some may question why i have a stepping stool near the toilet. well, it holds the litter and is a convient place for access. my plan is to keep it there even after i don't use the litter anymore. i think it helps the cats to make the decision to 'go' more easy because instead of having to jump up they can slowly step up and 'peek' before going. and i think it makes them feel more comfortable. i'll remove it when i feel is best.

i'm thinking it'll take about 2 weeks to a month to get rid of the insert. that's just a guess. then they'll be trained - wooooohoooooo

.

what a long road. i'm so glad this is starting to pay off.

 

[thedivinemisst0]

Thats Wonderful DreamingRecover!!!! Congratulations on your cat training.

My cats have just begun to poop in the toilet again (after i stalk them and when they go to the bathroom i run in and place them on the toilet.

I came across this site http://www.abum.com/file/shadow/videos/20594.wmv
and thought you, would appreciate it. Apparently it is possible to teach your cats to flush...(if you can afford it

)

 

[simpleblue]

Day 64



wow that holes gettin big!

tinkerbell (or at least i assume it might've been her) made another mistake after i widened the hole. she pooped right behind the toilet. i then got out the spare 'inner' and made the hole smaller. the cats seemed to fuss with the smaller hole as much as with the bigger one and they missed the smaller hole often when peeing and pooping... so i put the bigger one back. i'll just try my best to keep on gaurd.

i really let it stress me out when i saw tinkers mistake. it even affected my workday.

the cats seem to pee very easily in the toilet. pooping seems to be more of a challenge for them. i was thinking of getting them a different treat for pooping. maybe a bigger one. i'm sure that the effort they go through is worth more then the current "1 temptation kibble."

i've also come to another conclusion: maybe the kittens aren't really struggling all the time when they're on the toilet. it may be possible that they are 'forcing' themselves just for the treat. and when nothing comes out they meow. but i'm not sure. it's just a guess.

Originally Posted by thedivinemisst

Thats Wonderful DreamingRecover!!!! Congratulations on your cat training.

My cats have just begun to poop in the toilet again (after i stalk them and when they go to the bathroom i run in and place them on the toilet.

yayyyyyy!

repetition can be key.

it sounds like you've got quite the job hunting down pooping cats all day!

welcome to the club.

i'm lucky that tinkerbell usually will only make a mistake when i'm around, so i have the option of putting her on the toilet like you did.

Originally Posted by thedivinemisst

came across this site http://www.abum.com/file/shadow/videos/20594.wmv
and thought you, would appreciate it. Apparently it is possible to teach your cats to flush...(if you can afford it

)

i've already seen it, and yes, i'll not be teaching my cats to flush. i don't think there are many that can do it correctly. i think it's a little above most cats intelligence level.

 

[starryeyedtiger]

Wow! I just ran across this thread. I think it's awesome how well your kitties are learning to go potty! Keep up the good work! They will be completly potty trained before you know it!

 

[simpleblue]

Day 67



as you can see the hole is getting wider. its about 3/4 the width of the toilet hole itself. the cats have adapted great. tinker made 2 mistakes. one on occasion another cat was using the toilet and on another she had dirreah. poor kitty.

they rarely bury after they go. i taught them this by immediately taking them off the toilet when they were done. i do wonder how i'll start winding down on the litter, but i think as the toilet hole decrease their urge to use the litter might as well. and i'll also be decreasing the amount as well.

Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

Wow! I just ran across this thread. I think it's awesome how well your kitties are learning to go potty! Keep up the good work! They will be completly potty trained before you know it!

thanks

. i expect a long journey. if i'm really really lucky and somehow do things good enough they may be trained by day 90 (3 months). and boy, has it ever felt like a long time so far. i think with all the equipment, treats, and experiments (some which didnt work and cost me) i've spent over $200 (cdn) easily, but to have a cat go potty in the toilet, and have no litter mess to clean up i think it's an investment that'll pay off in less then a year.

with every day i'm becoming more and more confident. it's been a ruff journey for all of us (me and the kittens) but we're doing it. my sleep has not been the best and i'm averaging 5-7 since this project begun. usually i get about 7-10 a day. it's been affecting my work and my ability to enjoy life, but i'll persevere. just another month or so.

anyways, tootaloo

 

[lookingglass]

I'm so glad that you keep updating! Thank you for taking us on this journey with you!

 

[simpleblue]

Day 73



here's another picture.

tinkerbell made mistakes 2 days in a row. she pooped behind the toilet and didnt even wait for me to come home as usual. then i saw her pee in the shower that same day. a first for her! though i think it was because one of the cats had peed on the insert by accident and not in the hole, and there was also poop in the toilet, which was unusual. so it may have been just to smelly for her to handle. plus she gets really excited when i get home. she knows she'll get a treat and support if she waits for me to come home from work. and when i did get home one of the cats was on the toilet while she struggled to hold it in.

i do have a plan for tinkerbell:

1. new treats - the cats will now get greenies (savoury salmon flavour) instead of temptations. greenies are bigger, healthier and more filling. a treat to be looked more forward to.
2. tinkerbell will receive 2 greenies for a poop and 1 for a pee giving her greater incentive to wait for me to come home.
3. extra pets and fuss. which i usually try my best to do anyways.

today i had to work overtime. i thought i would for sure come home to poop behind the toilet and even possibly pee in the shower. but guess what? NO POOP and NO PEE!!!!

i was so surprised. and tinkerbell went poop and got her treat and pettings. i was so happy after feeling devastated from the two days before. PLUS, i dont work for the next two days so i'll be home to moniter her. when i'm home i can catch her and guide her.

Originally Posted by lookingglass

I'm so glad that you keep updating! Thank you for taking us on this journey with you!

thanks for the support. it helps me alot. especially when times are tuff and i'm asking for so much... i'm glad you enjoy it and i hope to show you them on video when their fully trained.

anyways i'm extemely tired from work. i havent eaten yet. and i have had a cold for the last few days. so i'm off.

 

[declawed]

I've just read your last month's thread and just have to say keep it up. Don't give up. It's worth it.

I started back in Feb or March. The CitiKitty directions said 4 weeks, but I think it took me 3.5 months. I went really slow.

In a way, I was lucky that my female cat Shucks and male cat Boscoe would wait for me to wake up or come home from work before they used the toilet. And they rarely made an accident (luckily in the tub). Anyway since I was usually there when they used the toilet, I could tell if one of them is having problems under the new conditions. If one of them hasn't used the toilet within 24 hours, I'd use masking tape to undo the new cut-out. I later proceeded at smaller increments. My incremental changes were done on Fridays because I tried to be home more for the weekends.

I'm proud to say my 2 cats were toilet trained in July 2006.

I bought an automatic toilet flusher for about $150 to celebrate. I knew that I didn't want to scare them with the flushing action, so I put a towel over the sensor/handle. Wouldn't you know that one of the cats pulled that towel off (during a routine pawing after using the toilet), and Shucks freaked out and made an accident near the front door. You should have seen how scared she was walking by that toilet. I eventually had to put toys in the bathroom. I tried to make her feel more cozy in there. Anyway, I think I have the accident problem solved. It's tough getting the odors out of the carpet.

Next task for me is to get them used to the flushing. I'm going to uncover the sensor maybe for a few hours every weekend to see their response. I hope to eventually move on and keep the auto-flusher sensor uncovered a couple hours on weekdays too. Of course while I'm at home though.

About water usage - I heard horror stories before I started and then I've seen that recent video. I might get a hold of a flow meter so that I can monitor water usage through the toilet. I'm an enginerd (engineer + nerd = enginerd), what can I say.

I think the cats are funny when they are balancing on the toilet seat and pooping. I have some videos too. I wonder if we can post videos.

Anyway, best of luck. I'm going to read your whole thread (but not today). I haven't been in the forum for a few months, but I'll keep an eye out for this one and try to comment if I can.

 

[tru]

I just want to say that I think your perserverance in training the cats and also keeping this thread updated is wonderful. It's something I cannot even imagine doing with half a county of cats living with me. (Not really, but sometimes it feels that way

)

I'm a happy camper that all mine use their boxes, (with the exception of little poo-poo spots from miss no tail from time to time).

I know I will certainly watch a video of your cats post training with awe, wonder and happiness for you.

 

[norden]

A friend of mine got a kitten, whom she used to train. However the beast quit doing this things in proper way in some time. As she explained :"felt too confident about not getting kicked out from the house". Does anyone can tell us what to do.



freelance writing opportunity

 

[thehouseofgods]

for a young person who sure could use some money saving tips, this thread just made my day! and what better novelty than getting your beloved felines to use the toilet! I have three cats now, all still technicly kittens, so i will be trying this as soon as i can, i hate how stinky they can become after a trip to the litter box. Any big pointers since i have multiple cats? i have all the time in the world for them since i am currently not working...

 

[simpleblue]

Day 77



not the best picture

if you look closely you can see the rim that holds the litter.

Originally Posted by declawed

I'm proud to say my 2 cats were toilet trained in July 2006.

woooooohooooo declawed

the 3.5 months payoff for you!

Originally Posted by declawed

I bought an automatic toilet flusher for about $150 to celebrate. I knew that I didn't want to scare them with the flushing action, so I put a towel over the sensor/handle. Wouldn't you know that one of the cats pulled that towel off (during a routine pawing after using the toilet), and Shucks freaked out and made an accident near the front door.

i didnt know automatic flushers existed for regular toilets. i think i'll look that up. i want one now.

i think my cats would be okay with it because they're used to me flushing while their on the toilet. infact, they like it.

Originally Posted by tru

I know I will certainly watch a video of your cats post training with awe, wonder and happiness for you.

thank you so much for the support. i do promise a video. and maybe even a sneak preview of their training.

my camera hasnt been working the best lately, and i'm not sure why, but you'll still see the idea of it.

Originally Posted by NorDen

A friend of mine got a kitten, whom she used to train. However the beast quit doing this things in proper way in some time. As she explained :"felt too confident about not getting kicked out from the house". Does anyone can tell us what to do.

i would look in the 'sticky' posts on the top of the thread. they have lots of information that may help you. or you could post a new thread to get a better response.

Originally Posted by Thehouseofgods

Any big pointers since i have multiple cats? i have all the time in the world for them since i am currently not working...

1. i would go at the speed of the slowest kitten regardless of the others excelled progress.
2. it may help to always know which cat is using the toilet at whatever time. so a pc cam may be a good idea. you wanna be able to treat and correct the right kittens.
3. i put alot of water on top of my cats food to get them to urinate more often, so they can then get used to using the potty more. about 1/5 of their calories come from healthy treats earned through using the potty.
4. clean up messes quickly and with a good cleaner (ex natures miracle) and flush poop right away. or the others won't go near it. its too powerful a smell. this is vitally import, especially for multiple cats!


well, i'm off to ryan's pet food store to buy more greenies (savoury salmon flavour). we're about to run out with the cats peeing so much and earning a treat... with all this running around and waking up early i've lost about 10 lbs this past month and about 14 lbs in the past 2 months - my calorie intake hasnt been the best. my energy seems not be as high as usual as a result. well, just another month or so.

 

[simpleblue]

Day 81



the toilet insert is thinning out fast. if you compare to day 73 you'll see the difference. they just may be trained in less then 2 weeks!

tinkerbell is still making mistakes from time to time. last nite she pooped behind the toilet when i wasnt 'on guard.' and this morning she peed in the shower. not good at all. when i'm there to correct her she usually does so much better, but i can only be there so much for her.

two nights ago i refreshed the feliway comfort zone. the cats have seemed calmer since. especially when i come home from work. they dont meow so much for food and attention. a refreshing change.

i'll see if i can make a preview video today.

 

[simpleblue]

Video of all three kittens peeing!

they're still in training, but here's a preview...


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4506473137420773129&hl=en

 

[lookingglass]

Originally Posted by DreamingRecover

Video of all three kittens peeing!

they're still in training, but here's a preview...


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4506473137420773129&hl=en

CONGRATS!!!!!! The video was amazing!

You babies are beautiful by the way.