How to Potty Train Your Cat on the Toilet - Cat Toilet Training Tutorial

As Wizzley writer Sara Krentz points out when discussing the differences between cats and dogs, it is important to know your pet, its character and its general motivations. Therefore, before diving into the potty training instructions, you will need to understand why the steps below will work, and understand what might have gone wrong when they don't. 

Cats, as you may know, are creatures of habit; they hate it when you rearrange your bedroom, or  -- god forbid -- you move out of your home and into a new one. Rapid changes make them anxious and unhappy. Many a cat-owner has found an unpleasant surprise at the bottom of a shoe, on a pillow case, or on the side of the little box any time your kitty may be upset. Given that cats express so much of their displeasure with strategically deposited, near-impossible to remove bowel-movements (try this, it's quite good), it is no surprise then that by toilet training your cat, you are likely to cause your feline friend some bowel-releasing anxiety if done wrong.  Rightly so, when it comes to a change as drastic and intimate as their restroom habits, you can understand that your kitty might seem a little reluctant to jump on board overnight.

Knowing what to do is not difficult, but it might not always seem intuitive at first. Here is a quick list of dos and don'ts before we delve into the practical details.

• Do move from one step to the next slowly. Give your cat a chance to get used to the new situation and feel comfortable with it.
• Do always encourage your cat and show them your appreciation with lots of love, caresses, hugs and treats.
• Do try to be with them and guide them, gently, when they seem unsure.
• Do be patient with them at all times.
• Do always give them bathroom priority. They may not always be able to hold it in as long as we can.
• Do always keep the bathroom door open, the seat down and the lid up.
• Do watch and listen for their signals; they may be telling you they need to use the facilities (if you're already in them), or that the toilet needs flushing, or that they're having a tummy ache.

And here's a list of thing you must never do while training your cat unless you want to sabotage your progress. Doing the things below will not only be counter-productive, as they do not take the science of cat behaviour into account, but they will only serve to damage your relationship with your feline friend.

• Don't move on to the next step too fast; make sure your cat has perfectly mastered each step for at least a week or two before advancing.
• Don't be overconfident (again, don't move too fast); things should advance at your cat's pace, not your own.
• Don't get upset at your cat for misunderstanding or having an accident -- these are often signs of anxiety and that you are moving too fast.
• Don't ever use negative reinforcement (beating, yelling, isolating, starving) when your cat shows resistance or makes a mistake. Remember, this is a sensitive topic for them, it can be embarrassing, and sometimes they make mistakes. This is normal. Negative reinforcement will only strengthen their negative association with the toilet and with you and their progress will not only stall, it will often vanish.
• Don't get frustrated if things are moving slowly; how quickly you make progress depends entirely on your cat. Be patient.
• Don't forget to flush the toilet frequently! You may wish to invest in an automatic toilet flusher if you cat is ready for it.
• Don't forget to have fun with the experience and remember why it is you're doing this in the first place: To have a cleaner home, to save money, to be gentle on the environment, and to care for your cat's overall heath (clumping dust can get into their lungs and kidneys, making them sick in the long term). Besides, cats hate litter too; by the end, they will be thanking you. Trust me.