can you potty train a cat

You can also teach your cat to use a toilet instead of a litter box. The thought of your feline squatting on the porcelain throne may sound silly, but cat toilet training advocates point to less litter and less mess. But just because cats can use a toilet doesn’t mean they should.

5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Toilet Train Your Cat

Toilet training doesnt encourage your cats natural instincts. Litter boxes encourage cats’ innate tendency to bury their waste. Your cat loses an outlet for this instinctual behavior if they only use the toilet.
Evidence of potential health issues gets flushed away. As disgusting as it may sound, variations in your cat’s urine production and frequency can be a sign of several health issues, including dehydration, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, urinary tract infections, and cystitis (bladder inflammation). One complication, urinary (urethral) obstruction, can quickly become fatal. One method to recognize the early warning signs of these illnesses and seek veterinary care sooner is to monitor the contents of your cat’s litter box.
Your cat could get injured or fall in the water. Even though most cats love to climb, mounting the toilet can be dangerous, particularly if your cat is elderly or weak. Additionally, cats of all ages have the potential to fall into the bowl, which is a painful situation for everybody.
It may result in unhygienic circumstances for other toilet users. Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that can infect cats and then spread to humans through their feces. Pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems are more vulnerable to health problems, even though most humans infected with Toxoplasma gondii are immune to the disease. The risk of contracting a zoonotic (animal-to-person) infection can rise if humans and cats share a toilet.
Its harder to board your cat. Litter boxes are provided by most boarding facilities in place of accommodations for cats who use the toilet. Additionally, you should anticipate that your cat won’t have access to cat-friendly restrooms if they must spend the night at the veterinarian’s office or if you are traveling with them.

Can You Train a Cat to Use the Toilet?

Although it may seem less messy and more convenient, most veterinarians advise against toilet training cats. Cats can be trained to use the toilet, but should they?

Here are five reasons to skip this lesson.

Raise the height of the litter box gradually. Remove a little each time you increase the litter box’s height.

Pro-Tip: Scatter some litter in the water if your cat seems a little nervous about the water in the bowl. This will help your cat associate the smell with his litter box.

We’ve provided seven simple steps for potty training your cat. Your cat’s behavior will be shaped by this toilet training process, which will help them become gentle (and hopefully clean!) potty trained.

Pro-Tip: Do not teach your cat to flush the toilet. Cats can learn to flush, but occasionally they take pleasure in the process too much, wasting water.

Treat your pet! Giving your cat a treat for a job well done is crucial to their success.

FAQ

Are cats easy to potty train?

They cover their waste to cover the smell so they’re not more of a target for a predator.” Because of those instincts, litter training a cat is fairly easy—definitely easier than potty training a dog, as cats have a natural inclination to use the litter box once they know where to find it.

How long does it take to potty train a cat?

Don’t punish or scold your kitten; just clean up the mess with an enzymatic cleaner and keep reinforcing the training. Some kittens will get it right away, but some can take a month to figure it out. When you do see your kitten using the box successfully, reinforce the behavior with treats and praise.

Are stray cats easy to potty train?

Strays and Feral Cats Recently homed feral and stray cats may have to be actively trained to use a box filled with clay litter, especially if they have been imprinted on something else. While some strays catch on quickly, others don’t. Try a fine-grained sand-type litter rather than gravel-textured clay.