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

Why toilet train your cat? The answer is simple: cats could easily be the most perfect pet on the planet; they're smart, they're independent, they self-clean. Their one major draw-back stems from the mess that often accompanies the relief of their most basic needs in a filthy litter box, which in all fairness, is no fault of their own. Believe me, there is nothing that a cat, and I, hate more than a soiled litter box, and keeping it clean is a full-time job that you can never quit.  Like most people, I had seen Robert de Niro's clever kitty Mr. Jinx use the toilet in "Meet the Fockers," but until I could actually see a regular cat do it with my own eyes, I just could not believe it was possible. That was until my fiancé showed me a nifty video of a fully toilet-trained cat on Youtube (see my cat Albus' video at the bottom of the page). At that very moment, I was determined to say goodbye to stinky, messy, expensive and unhealthy litter forever. And I did. In the article below, I have broken down the steps so that you can learn how to toilet train a cat like a pro as well.

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.

A cat. I suppose it goes without saying.

Meet Albus, my 3 year-old, domestic, male toilet-trained cat. I actually successfully trained my two cats simultaneous, so just be mindful that the techniques in the next section can be applied to multiple cats (just go EXTRA slow). 




Flushable litter. This is important as a lot of the litter will be falling into the toilet bowl and you want to avoid destroying your plumbing because you chose clumping litter.

A cat toilet training system. I used the CitiKitty system (sometimes also seem as City Kitty, or Citi Kitty and Citty Kitty), and it did the job. Note that this tutorial is based on my experience with the CitiKitty, but that this can be applied to most other commercial systems such as the Litter Kwitter, it's bigger and most successful competitor..

Optional: Electrical Tape and cat treats!

You can purchase any of these (except for my cat) directly from the links below.

Step 1: Unless you have already done so, move your cat's litter box (full of litter) into the bathroom, next to the toilet bowl. Make sure your cat sees you doing this and knows where his or her litter box has gone. 

Step 2: Once your cat has grown accustomed to the litter box' new location, move the litter box on top of the toilet. You may wish to use electrical tape to fasten the box onto the bowl so that it doesn't fall off when your cat leaps into it. Electrical tape does not leave residue and the same piece of tape can be reused several times without wearing out. Note: if you have a very young cat, or a cat with limited mobility, you may want to provide him or her with a stool to make climbing on easier. If you have two bathrooms, reserve one for the cats. If not, work around them and make sure the litter box moves back onto the toilet bowl after you've used it. 

Replace the litter box with the CitiKitty tray. Make sure to fill the CityKitty to the brim with flushable litter. Place your cat onto the CityKitty and let them play in the litter for a while. If they seem uncertain throughout the day, gently guide them back to the CityKitty and encourage them to do their business in it. If they are reluctant, you may wish to gently take their paw and stroke the litter with it. You may wish to put some catnip in the Citi Kitty or even some of their old soiled litter to help them associate this new device with their old litter box. Be encouraging and patient. When they succeed, reward them with praise and treats. Make sure to keep the CityKitty clean! Do not let the soiled litter stay there very long as it will discourage them from using it.