# anyone try toilet training - pros, cons?



## Fran (Jan 9, 2008)

Before we got Gracie, we were considering toilet training and had even decided on a type of seat (the CatSeat looked best to me, also thought about CityKitty and LitterKwitter, but not the inexpensive ones from the pet shop). It was always a project we thought we'd go slow on, though - first, get her happy living with us, then the holidays and company, and possibly some disruptive minor work on the house, and then spaying and recovery...

So now, all is well, but I am finding that having a cat box in the bathroom with flushable litter is actually not particularly troublesome, with only one cat. Yes, the box can be smelly, but really, with the fan in the bathroom and cleaning as promptly as possible, it's no more of an issue than us humans lol:!) And a whisk broom takes care of the tracking. The only part that is a bother is the expense - especially calculating it out over the years to come. (And occasionally 'poopie foot', of course). 

Now that she's old enough to start the project, I find I am procrastinating. I kind of like keeping the toilet seats closed in both the bathrooms (a dumb preference, if you think in terms of $$ over the years). The seat which I like the best for ease of training and "cat oriented" approach, the CatSeat, is meant to stay in place on your toilet and it doesn't come in a color I really like (that sounds dumb too - we could paint it...) But what if we eventually get another kitty to keep Gracie company after Jamie goes to college - how does that work, if a new kitty won't use the toilet and wants a box? All of these concerns seem a little feeble to me. I am not sure why I am stalling. 

Have some of you toilet trained your kitties? Are you happy you did? Would you recommend it? I don't get the impression that it is very common, and I am wondering why. 

Have a purry day  Fran


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

wouldnt that be so odd to go into the bathroom and have to pee, but your cat is already using the toilet??? lol.

i dont think its a bad idea, because then no more litter box cleaning needed!

but knowing the way my life works, it would end up for me that only 1 cat uses the toilet, and the other refuses, so we would stilll have the litterbox anyway, lol


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## Kittys Mom (May 7, 2004)

Well, there are a lot of things to consider.

Some people think that it's not in a cat's nature to just go without something to dig in, etc. Cats naturally go in a litterbox or on dirt or sand, no training required, because that's what they do. Training them to do anything else isn't what they are meant for and can be stressfull and make them unhappy, even if they go along with it. That's what some people say, anyway.

Secondly, lack of litterbox means that if your cat ever needs to be segregated away from another animal, your cat will have to be put in the bathroom. If you only have one bathroom, this can be a PITA.

Another reason I've heard, what about travel? If you take your cat with you on a long drive...do you take them into the gas station toilet? Not gonna work. If you leave your cat at home, do you have a neighbor come by and flush the toilet everyday?

That said, a friend of mine at work trained his cat to use the toilet. Works great for them and he has had no issues after several years of this.

I know that Kitty could never be trained to do use the toilet (too stubborn and nervous). Thomas could be trained, but given his love of peeing straight out behind himself, I would find the back of the toilet and surrounding walls covered in pee...not my idea of fun. There goes the possibility that I would ever attempt this.


_edited to add:_ I forgot about trips to the vet where the cat needs to stay for surgury, dental cleaning, etc. They aren't going to have a cat potty there either. If you needed to see how much your cat was peeing or somehow take a sample, that would be difficult as well.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

Sam (Bridge kitty) used the toilet sometimes when his litterbox was dirty. That was something he figured out on his own from watching me.
I saw him doing it once, and it looked like it was very awkward for him. 
That would explain why after he used the toilet he would complain to me about his litterbox.


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