Do People Really Train Cats to Use the Toilet?

Before we dive into this article, we must disclose toilet training is not for every cat. There could be behavioral or medical issues which prevent your cat from being able to safely perform this task.  

If your cat has problems using the litter box or is under six months old, for example, this is not recommended. If your cat is skittish, it’s not exactly the best activity either. Cats who are anxious prefer to ‘hide’ their scents themselves and ‘cover up the evidence.’ 

If your cat is healthy, full-grown, uses the litter box well, and has an outgoing personality, you may be able to teach her how to use the litter box step-by-step. 

The Steps 

Place the litter box next to the toilet. If you have more than one bathroom, place it in the bathroom where you feel your cat is most comfortable. Leave it there so she’s able to accept the new setting. 

Begin raising the litter box once your cat has accepted the new placement. You can usually do this by grabbing a handful of boxes that are slightly larger than your litter box to hold the litter box in place. 

Wait until your cat is comfortable with the height of the litter box before raising it up another notch. Eventually, the goal is for the litter box to be the same height as the toilet.

Put the litter box on the toilet. This isn’t really an option if you don’t have two bathrooms or more in your home (unless you want to be the one going outside). But, if this is a possibility, and your cat has come this far, the litterbox should only have to be on there for three to four days or so.

Now it’s time for the Litter Kwitter. If you have read about this anywhere, especially magazines, you have likely seen this product. The Litter Kwitter is a round tray that fits in your toilet. The Litter Kwitter is a step-by-step process as well and contains multiple pieces. Each tray you place on the toilet has a larger hole in the middle. (P.S.- There is flushable cat litter if you’re wondering). 

Finally, the last step. Remove the litter tray. No more tray. It’s time for it to come off. If your cat has been doing well, she should be ready to use the toilet just fine at this point. And then you have a toilet-trained cat. Interesting.

It’s important to remember your cat may backtrack or move forward faster than you expect. Some cats adjust well and others don’t. Some cats are also more stubborn than others and simply want things to stay the way they are.