Why cat poops on the floor instead in toilet?

[matuxaz]

I am training my cat to poop and urinate on the toilet. He urinates with no problem, but always poops on the floor. I am going REALLY VERY VICIOUS! The toilet is clean, no bad smell, always flushing down the water after cat urinates. Sometimes, when I notice that cat is going to the toilet I also go, so when he tries to poop on the floor I quickly put him on the toilet - he don't gets disturbed by that and makes his "work" perfectly.
P.S.: I ALWAYS REWARD MY CAT WITH TREATS WHEN HE URINATES ON THE TOILET. Even when I put him on the toilet to poop correctly I also give him a small treat, but I NEVER EVER give him treat if he poops on the floor. Also, I never ever yell or shout at my cat if he poops on the floor, just put his poop in the toilet and show him.

Just don't say to (because I already know that):
1) Keep the toilet clean
2) Praise cat after he does everything correctly
3) Go back to litter box, because I WON'T

Any ideas how to make him go poop on the toilet? Please help Thanks in advance!

INFORMATION  ABOUT CAT:
Breed: Kurilian Bobtail (shorthair)
Age: 6 months

Sex: Male

 

[missymotus]

Sorry but part of having a cat is having a litter tray.

Some cats simply can't be toilet trained and it's quite unfair to expect it. He's clearly telling you he's not happy with the situation.

It's not at all uncommon for cats to refuse to poop on the toilet, I had 3 cats who were trained without issues but seems I was pretty lucky with them. 

 

[violet]

Excellent article on the subject from a veterinarian.

http://manhattancats.com/Articles/toilet_train_.html

 

[violet]

And one more.  A great article from a wonderful cat behaviorist

http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/toilet-training/

 

[otto]

Your cat poops on the floor instead of the toilet because he is a cat and pooping on a toilet is not natural for him. Please give him a litter box and let him poop, pee and bury as nature intended.

 

[callista]

Some cats use the toilet without problems, and don't mind doing it; I wouldn't categorically say it was a bad idea.

But this particular cat seems not to like it; and if the cat doesn't like it, then forcing him is a bad idea.

For a human parallel, think of our own instinct when it comes to using the toilet: We want privacy. We close the bathroom door or the door of the toilet stall. When we go camping we duck behind a tree. Even in group toilets, we know not to stare at each other. Right? It's cultural, but by the time we're three or four, it's as ingrained as a cat's instinct to bury its waste.

You could, if you wanted, teach a human to use the toilet in public. But some humans would hate it to the point that they would refuse; and it wouldn't be kind to force them. Just like it isn't kind to force an unwilling cat to use a human toilet--Some cats will use a toilet and have no problems with it; some cats are stressed and hate it. This cat evidently hates it.

The best solution is to go back to a litter box; but you evidently don't want to do that. Why is that? Is it because it might smell? We can show you ways to keep it from smelling bad at all. Is it because the litter gets tracked over the floor? We've got solutions for that too. Because the litter is expensive? There are ways to get it cheaper. Explain to us--we'll show you. Between the lot of us, TCS people have had and solved just about every kitty litter box problem. Seriously, a litter box doesn't have to bother you--and your cat will be happier to have one.

 

[otto]

^^ Excellent post Good point about helping the OP finding a litter box system that will be acceptable. There are automatics, and there are even self washing/flushing boxes.

It's true, some cats don't have any trouble adjusting. But a cat who has shown that he cannot adjust should not be continually forced.

I have a friend whose cat toilet trained himself. He saw his mama doing it, so he copied her. Then they ran into a problem. He has FLUTD and had to be hospitalized. While at the vet he did not poop or pee because he never used a litter box. He had to be catheterized, and given an enema. Now she keeps a litter box for him at all times and he uses it about 50 % of the time.

However I think litter boxes are important. Changes in litter box habits, or changes in amount of pee or color or poop quality can be early signs of illness, that would be missed, if a cat uses the toilet.

 

[Willowy]

I'm not sure why everyone is saying you'd miss seeing the poop color or blood in pee, etc. . .cats don't flush! :lol3: Not that I'm a fan of toilet-training cats but that occurred to me while reading the responses.

 

[callista]

Keeping a litter box around even if your cat is toilet-trained probably ensures that the cat remembers how to use the box, but can use the toilet if Kitty prefers to do so.

 

[chesterrebecca]

My cat is in the last stage of toilet training. I had issues with him pooping on the floor.Before he would do it however he would make it clear he needed to go by running back and fourth from me to the washroom so i could set him on the toilet and guide him. I found out cats do not like to defecate on top of urine and that seemed to be the problem with my cat. Try to make sure the toilet is always flushed. I think its a hard concept for them to learn and it takes a lot of time and attention but its worth it. And for anyone bashing kitty toilet training you should educate yourself first. it may not be natural, but its not natural for any living creature to reside in a human dwelling. twas us that created the domesticated animal. litterboxes are also unhealthy. a cat poops and pees in a litterbox and it is filled with germs, germs that are harmful to humans. the cat covers its paws in the bacteria then tromps around your house, on your bed, on your body. so no, using a toilet is not natural to a cat it was introduced, eating kibble and processed food was introduced, why not taking it one step further and introduce a toilet so in the long run everyone can be happier and healthier and save money in the process! Maybe you just did the steps too fast. go back to the previous bowl trainer, make sure your kitty gets it down and is totally comfortable. i hope this helps and dont listen to anyone telling you it is wrong!!

 

[otto]

My cat is in the last stage of toilet training. I had issues with him pooping on the floor.Before he would do it however he would make it clear he needed to go by running back and fourth from me to the washroom so i could set him on the toilet and guide him. I found out cats do not like to defecate on top of urine and that seemed to be the problem with my cat. Try to make sure the toilet is always flushed. I think its a hard concept for them to learn and it takes a lot of time and attention but its worth it. And for anyone bashing kitty toilet training you should educate yourself first. it may not be natural, but its not natural for any living creature to reside in a human dwelling. twas us that created the domesticated animal. litterboxes are also unhealthy. a cat poops and pees in a litterbox and it is filled with germs, germs that are harmful to humans. the cat covers its paws in the bacteria then tromps around your house, on your bed, on your body. so no, using a toilet is not natural to a cat it was introduced, eating kibble and processed food was introduced, why not taking it one step further and introduce a toilet so in the long run everyone can be happier and healthier and save money in the process! Maybe you just did the steps too fast. go back to the previous bowl trainer, make sure your kitty gets it down and is totally comfortable. i hope this helps and dont listen to anyone telling you it is wrong!!

Cats have been domesticated for thousands of years.

This goes beyond "un-natural habit". In addition to all the other reasons already mentioned why this is not a good idea, the strain on a cat's muscles having to hold a position on a slippery surface is a strain those muscles were never meant to take. That's four times a day your cat is forced to put that strain on his muscles. That's going to cause a lot of problems for him as he ages.

Not to mention the frustration of being deprived the enjoyment of his digging and burying instinct.

Why not just accept that having a cat means having litter boxes, and let your cat be a cat?

 

[missymotus]

.
Not to mention the frustration of being deprived the enjoyment of his digging and burying instinct.
 

Lots of cats don't dig and bury anyway

 

[otto]

Lots of cats don't dig and bury anyway

That doesn't make it okay to force a cat to perch on a toilet seat, straining muscles and tendons. There are many reasons why a cat might not bury, but he should always have the option.

 

[missymotus]

That doesn't make it okay to force a cat to perch on a toilet seat, straining muscles and tendons. There are many reasons why a cat might not bury, but he should always have the option.

There is no way for FORCE a cat to use the toilet instead, as shown by the many threads on the topic. If they want to be trained and use the toilet they will, you cannot make them do it. 

 

[otto]

There is no way for FORCE a cat to use the toilet instead, as shown by the many threads on the topic. If they want to be trained and use the toilet they will, you cannot make them do it. 

Haha, well that's true, they are just going to go on the floor, or the furniture or the laundry or the rugs. Still, it can cause a cat a lot of stress. Not only don't they have an appropriate place to do their business, and most cats take their litter habits very seriously, they are possibly being yelled at for going where "they aren't supposed to". It's a lose-lose situation.

Let the cats eliminate their waste closer to the way mother nature intended, the way their instincts tell them is the right way. In a clean quiet area with a couple of clean boxes of some type of material they can dig in, and bury if they want to.

 

[callista]

Wow, this is an old topic...

OP was probably lucky that the cat just used the floor. Most cats will attempt to bury somewhere--potted plants, piles of laundry, even your bedsheets. Their instinct is that strong. And it makes sense; a cat is a predator, but it's also small enough to be prey, and cat fights are vicious things that a cat will avoid unless absolutely necessary. Burying means keeping the evidence of their presence away from predators and hostile cats.

Some cats do take to using the toilet without problems. Perhaps, for those cats, the instinct isn't as strong, or in their minds the water in the toilet bowl counts as "buried", since they can no longer smell it strongly. But if the cat wants to bury, there's nothing you can really do to change that instinct.

 

[Willowy]

Some wild cats "go" in water. I guess that's almost as good as burying, especially if it's running water. I kind of think it would be interesting to offer it as an option for cats who like it, but I do think they should have a litterbox, too, in case they don't feel like getting up on the toilet that day.

 

[happylilkitty]

I agree I have seen where alot of people like us are having the same problem with there cats and I don't know what to do about it either wish someone had a answer. And to the one who says its cats nature to use the litter box WRONG you can teach a child to learn how you think serves animals are trained you think they were born with that knowledge? I have been around animals my hole life and there smarter than most humans. 

 

[stealthkitty]

It is a cat's nature to use a litter box. Two weeks ago, I brought home 2 kittens who were born and raised outside, never having seen a litter box or litter. They took to their new box immediately and we've never had a problem. No special tricks or training, they just use it.

If a cat is not using the litter box, it's trying to communicate something.

 

[duckdodgers]

I agree I have seen where alot of people like us are having the same problem with there cats and I don't know what to do about it either wish someone had a answer. And to the one who says its cats nature to use the litter box WRONG you can teach a child to learn how you think serves animals are trained you think they were born with that knowledge? I have been around animals my hole life and there smarter than most humans. 

I am with StealthKitty- most cats seem to take to using the box without having to be taught/trained.  My previously feral kitten began using her litter box immediately and with no accidents at the 5-6 weeks that she was captured.  No special training there.  She just has the instincts to dig and bury her waste, so the litter box provided an ideal place to do that.  Yes if you have a service animal you have to train them to perform unnatural tasks such as opening the washing machine or something, but most cats do not require much training to learn to use a litter box.  They may not be born with the knowledge to sit on command, but pooping in a hole they dig is pretty innate.