How to Train Your Cat to Use the Toilet

Cleaning out a litter box is never fun and even the most expensive litter never quite covers that unattractive smell. It is even harder to live in a small house or apartment with a cat, so why not train your cat to use the toilet? Thousands of people have had success with training their cats to use the toilet and it makes for much less mess than using a litter box. As long as you follow the steps below, you can have your cat toilet-trained in less than two weeks (though it might take as long as two or three months; it depends on the cat).

First of all, you should know that kittens shouldn't be trained to use the toilet until they are at least five or six months old. Their balance is not sufficient to stand on the rim of the toilet and they risk falling in because of their size. Some experts recommend waiting until a cat is nine or ten months old, but you'll be the better judge as you watch for indications of improved balance and agility.

You can use your cat's formative years to train him or her to use the litter box, which must be accomplished before you train your cat to use the toilet. Your cat should be comfortable with the smell and use of the litter box, so make sure that he or she isn't leaving droppings or urinating in other parts of the house. If you are thinking ahead, put the litter box in the bathroom where you will expect your cat to use the toilet. Don't put it on the commode, but situate it across the room or in a far corner. If possible, use a bathroom in your home that others don't frequent as often.

When you are ready to train your cat to use the toilet, purchase a large metal bowl that will hang above the toilet itself. Metal is much better than plastic or other materials because it won't bend or shift, and you don't want anything to happen so that your cat becomes afraid of the toilet. Your entire family will need to be on board with this training as everyone will have to remember to leave the toilet lid up after they use the restroom. Further, you won't be able to close the bathroom door when it isn't in use.

Once you have your supplies, start getting your cat accustomed to using the litter box in the bathroom if you haven't already. Give your cat some privacy and don't flush the toilet around him or her if you think it will be scary. Eventually, you'll want the litter box to sit on top of the toilet lid so that your cat will be used to climbing up to find his or her toilet.

Your next step in training your cat to use the toilet is to fill the metal bowl about one-quarter full with kitty litter. Discard the litter box outside or get rid of it entirely so that your cat won't have any other option except to use the kitty bowl. At first, you'll want to put the metal bowl on top of the toilet lid, but once your cat grows accustomed to this, move it down so that it balances in the bowl itself.

After you've successfully completed the above steps and your cat is used to using the bowl, start decreasing the amount of kitty litter you put in the bowl until you don't need any for your cat to use it. Wait a couple of days, then remove the bowl entirely. Voila! Your cat is trained to use the toilet! Again, this could take as little as two weeks, but often takes significantly longer than that because cats have different learning abilities. Don't become impatient with your cat if it takes him a little bit longer to learn to use the toilet.

Remember that you will need to remember to leave the bathroom door open and the toilet lid up. If your cat can't get to his or her bathroom, you can't get angry when you find droppings or urine on the floor. You might also find accidents if someone takes an exceedingly long shower, though a well-trained cat will hold its bladder for half an hour while you finish.

Most cats can be trained to use the toilet, but cannot physically flush it when finished. This requires both dexterity and a particularly keen memory, so don't expect too much. Make a habit of checking the bathroom frequently to see if you need to flush, and remember that cat feces are far less pungent when submerged in water.