Benefits of Toilet Training a Cat

Most cat owners might be leery about training their cat to use the toilet. Maybe they consider it gross that a cat uses the same toilet as the family or company might be disgusted by the idea. Actually, toilet training a cat is healthier for both the animal and the family.

Litter Boxes

Litter boxes are festering pools for bacteria. Even cleaning the box with soap on a regular basis does not eliminate all the bacteria. Each time your cat steps into the litter box, bacteria gets on the paws. The cat then walks around the house, leaving germs and bacteria wherever he steps. Bacteria are also transferred to children who hold the cat after it leaves the litter box. The whole family is in danger of contracting E. coli from handling the litter box or a cat that just used one. Toilet training your cat also eliminates the litter box odor from your home.

Litter

Most cat litter pet owners buy are manufactured with dyes and perfume. Many cats have allergic reactions to these litters. Silicon is another harmful ingredient in many clay litters. Breathing the dust of silicon, which is a carcinogen, is harmful to both your family and your cat. Silica dust causes respiratory disease in some cats. Litters that are advertised as clumping are made with sodium bentonite; a type of clay expands up to 18 times when wet. Clumping litters have the potential to be dangerous to toddlers and dogs. If dogs or children ingest clumping litter, it swells in the stomach and causes dangerous blockages in the digestive system.

Safety

Toilet training your cat also eliminates the danger of being exposed to the Toxoplasma gondii organism that lives in the intestinal tract of cats. This organism is especially dangerous to pregnant women. A pregnant woman cleaning a litter box is exposed to Toxoplasma which is a danger to the developing fetus. Toxoplasma causes eye and brain damage to the infant, as well as the danger of a miscarriage.

Going Green

Toilet training your cat is also environmentally safe. According to the US Bureau of Mines, 1.5 million metric tons of clay was strip mined to make cat litter in 1994. Using the toilet helps put a stop to clay strip mining and its destruction of soil and plant life. Not only that, but disposing of used kitty litter is also an environmental problem. Litter causes

Savings

In this economy, buying cat litter every week is an expensive proposition for pet owners. The price for one bag of kitty litter ranges from generic brands for around $10 to litter crystals and multiple cat litter for up to $50. Kitty litter is not the only expense, self-cleaning litter boxes and covered litter boxes cost up to $35 or $40. Litter screens and litter scoops are also costly.

Resources:

Patsy Lockridge: "5 Reasons to Learn How to Toilet Train Your Cat"

MSU: "Why Shouldn't Pregnant Women Clean the Litter Box"