The process of raising little fluffies sometimes takes a lot of time and effort. Therefore, here you will need patience and a clear sequence of actions more than ever. Many kitten owners teach their pets to go to the toilet in a litter box. However, it is much more profitable in terms of the cost of filler and the time you spend cleaning the bathroom, train your cat to use the toilet. Of course, such a process will take more time than introducing the purr to the tray. However, the result will certainly please you. Let me tell you a few simple techniques for toilet training a kitten.
Why toilet train a cat?
Before I share with you the secrets of how to teach a cat to go to the toilet, let's figure out why this actually needs to be done. After all, you should know why it’s worth putting in so much effort and time. In fact, the cat's ability to go to the toilet on the toilet has quite a lot of advantages:
- Saving your time. Now you won’t need to regularly clean and put away the litter box for your fluffy one. It will be enough to simply flush the toilet. Cleaning the room will also become much easier - because the filler will no longer be scattered all over the floor. In addition, after accustoming the kitten to the toilet, you will not have to constantly monitor the availability of filler and rush headlong to the store if it is not in the house.
- If your cat goes to the toilet, you no longer need to spend money on a variety of litters, which allows you to save a little on the family budget.
- Any new skill that a cat develops has a positive effect on its nervous system and mental abilities. Therefore, the more commands your cat is taught, the more developed it will become.
How long will it take
The guarantee of successful acquisition of a useful skill is slowness in action.
Rudeness and punishment are unacceptable, only a gentle approach.
It is possible to train emotionally stable pets in 3-4 weeks. Animals with a more capricious character will take a little longer to adjust - approximately 8-9 weeks.
Cats, like people, are individuals. The owner, who knows his ward better than anyone else, must feel when it is better to pause the training process so as not to ruin everything. According to reviews of some cat lovers, even stubborn purrs were able to make friends with a porcelain friend in 3 months. Therefore, you should be patient.
At what age should a kitten be toilet trained?
If you are determined to train your kitten to use the toilet, you need to figure out at what age it is best to begin the process of instilling the skill. I’ll share a secret with you: at a very early age (up to 6-7 weeks), kittens have difficulty remembering any commands or instructions. The fact is that their nervous system is not yet ready to quickly perceive the already constantly arriving new information.
Over time, when the fluffy becomes more independent, you can begin to teach him to go to the toilet in the right place. However, before teaching a kitten to go to the toilet on the toilet, it is necessary that he already knows how to go to the litter box. So to begin with, you will need to stock up on a good tray, quality filler and time for training.
As soon as your pet is able to go to the toilet in a tray on a regular basis (all training may take about 1-2 weeks), feel free to begin introducing your pet to the toilet.
How long does it take to toilet train a cat? Unfortunately, I cannot give you a definite answer to this question. Situations are different, and so are the characters of fluffies. Some study in 10-15 days. And some - in one and a half to two months. Here everything will depend on the cat’s temperament and its age.
Preliminary preparation
Preliminary preparation is needed in two cases:
- the cat is afraid to go to the toilet;
- the cat does not know how to use the litter box;
In the first case, accustom the animal to the toilet gradually. Pick him up and carry him inside, let him get comfortable. If you keep the door slightly open, the cat will gradually show interest in the room. When your pet can fearlessly go inside, accustom him to the sound of water flushing. To prevent the cat from being afraid, hold it in your arms. Toilet training begins only after the anxiety disappears.
In the second case, use the litter box training method. When this skill is mastered perfectly, move on to the next stage.
Training a cat to use the toilet step by step
There is a proven system for toilet training cats. It consists of several steps that must be performed in the correct sequence. This way, with a minimum of effort, you will get a quick positive result.
Place the tray as close to the toilet as possible
If you want to train your kitten to use the toilet faster, you must first move his litter box to the bathroom or toilet. If before this the purr's pot was located in another room, it must be moved in several stages, moving it by 10-15 cm. After moving, you need to leave the tray in the new place for 2-3 days so that the pet remembers the location of the pot.
Over time, try to arrange everything so that the tray stands directly next to the toilet. Be sure to let the kitten get used to the new location of the toilet.
Increase the height of the tray
As soon as the kitten gets used to the toilet in a new place, try to discreetly, but at the same time regularly raise the tray to a higher level. To do this, you can use durable cardboard boxes or stacks of old newspapers.
Do not immediately raise the tray 20 cm from the floor. I recommend increasing its height by 5-6 cm per day - this is the optimal distance, which also will not become very noticeable for the purr. Make sure that the tray is at a comfortable level for the animal. If you notice that your fluffy is experiencing discomfort, then the height of the tray is too high for him. In this case, it is necessary to temporarily stop training the cat to use the toilet.
Place the tray on the toilet
It is necessary to proceed to this stage only if the little purr regularly goes to the toilet in a tray that stands on boxes or magazines. Once the cat litter is the same height as the toilet, discard the old newspapers and simply place the litter box on top of the toilet. Before this, you can pour a little litter under the rim so that the cat gradually gets used to the new toilet.
The most successful option is to place the cat litter directly in the toilet. Of course, this is not very convenient if several people live in the apartment and also use a common toilet. You will have to constantly put the tray in after the pet sleeps, plays and eats, and take it out as soon as the cat goes to the toilet. But, I assure you, you won’t have to endure the inconvenience for long – this stage is the penultimate stage in the process of accustoming a cat to the toilet.
Be sure to ensure that the potty does not move or fall off the toilet. This can greatly frighten the kitten and significantly slow down its learning process.
It's time to clean out the litter box
Well, you have reached the final stretch and taught the cat all the necessary skills. Now it’s enough to simply consolidate the result obtained and refuse to use the tray in favor of the toilet.
To start, try to reduce the amount of filler in the pot, keeping it to a minimum. After this, you can completely remove the cat litter and replace it with special systems. These “training tools” for cats are quite easy to use and will help you quickly achieve the desired result.
By the way, it is not necessary to buy special systems for training cats to use the toilet. You can choose a simpler method. Make a hole in your cat's litter box and gradually make it larger until you can ditch the plastic litter box completely.
By the way, not all purrs need such techniques. Some cats calmly refuse the litter box and start going to the toilet on the toilet.
Then it's just a matter of habit. As soon as you notice that the cat copes with all its affairs without special systems and a tray, discard these devices.
General care recommendations
Before purchasing a Maine Coon for a family with small children, it is important to consider that they may be allergic to the animal’s fur and secretions. This needs to be clarified before the kitten arrives.
Children and cats tend to get along with each other. To prevent your child from being harmed by the claws of a Maine Coon, you should choose non-contact games, for example, with toys on a string or remote control. If a child handles a cat carefully, he will be happy to play with him. Maine Coons have a gentle character; they will not knowingly cause harm to their owners, but they can do this through negligence.
Maintaining and raising these large cats will require considerable financial costs, especially during the period of their active growth, when Maine Coons need large portions and complexes of vitamins and microelements.
When a Maine Coon girl goes into heat, it becomes a test for the owners: in addition to loud calling meows at any time of the day, the furniture and clothes of the owners may be damaged. If the owners do not plan to get offspring, then it is better to do sterilization. The operation must be carried out before the first heat begins.
If breeding animals is intended, then the appropriate time for the first mating is 10-15 months. A cat of this age is already ready to bear offspring. At the same time, the first estrus in cats appears at 6-10 months.
Toilet training systems
Above, I already told you that to speed up the process, there are special systems for training cats to use the toilet. You can buy such devices at various veterinary stores. They are suitable for both small kittens and adult pets. The most popular designs are:
- Litter Kwitter. Products of Chinese origin. The set includes several cat toilet covers made of plastic. As the manufacturer promises, such devices can accustom a cat to the toilet in less than 8 weeks (here, again, everything will depend on the age and nature of your hand). How do such systems work? It's quite simple. First, you need to teach your fluffy to go to the toilet directly into these plastic “trainers”. To do this, they must be placed next to the toilet. Over time, the linings are placed on the toilet, thereby enlarging the hole. The price of this system for toilet training cats is about 2,300 UAH (3,400 rubles).
- Anti-scratch. Another popular system for training a cat to use the toilet. The kit includes one pad, in which you make a hole with your own hands as your furry gets used to the new toilet. Anti-scratch products are quite budget products - their cost is about 650 rubles.
Special attachments
Often difficulties arise at the final stage of training, when the tray needs to be installed on top. The box may not be the right size, making it difficult to jump into. It is more rational to use special attachments sold in pet stores.
With the help of such a pad it is much easier to teach your pet to go to the toilet
The principle of operation of the system is to sequentially expand the hole in the middle until a regular lining is obtained. They come in 2 types:
- plastic container fixed to the toilet. It already contains markings for cutting out circles of different diameters. Start with the smallest one and increase it by one contour every 5 days. When the cat confidently begins to stay on the rim and recovers, the nozzle is removed;
- a system that includes several rings of different diameters, inserted into each other according to the pyramid principle. It is enough to periodically remove one ring at a time to expand the hole in the center.
More advanced designs are also sold, equipped with folding legs (for gradual lifting) and retractable curtains. With their help, the process of training a pet will become as simple and convenient as possible.
When choosing a system, be sure to take into account the weight of the animal. Large representatives require durable plastic to withstand heavy loads.
Things to remember (helpful tips)
If over time you notice progress, and at the end of all stages there is a positive result, congratulations - you were able to train your kitten to go to the toilet on the toilet. Now the main thing to remember is the following:
- Do not close toilet doors for long periods of time. Otherwise, the cat may simply find another secluded place for the toilet. If you don't want to keep the bathroom door open all the time, you can make a special door for your furry cat.
- Never close the toilet lid.
- Don't forget about bathroom hygiene. The toilet seat should be regularly wiped with delicate detergents or at least with a damp cloth.
Care for eyes, teeth and ears
It is also necessary to take care of your Maine Coon's eyes, teeth and ears. Dental care involves brushing with a special brush and cat toothpaste. The cat may not like this procedure, but it can be accustomed to it gradually. Hard foods are also necessary to ensure natural teeth cleansing. It is also important for the formation of the correct bite in the Maine Coon.
If mucus appears in the corners of the eyes of a coon, then it is necessary to wipe the eyes with a swab soaked in tea. Coon ears should be cleaned with a cotton swab and then sprinkled with antiseptic powder - this procedure will prevent the appearance of ear mites. Do not use water to clean your ears.
Nail care
As your pet's nails grow, they can be trimmed with a special tool. For coons taking part in exhibitions, this procedure is mandatory. In other cases, this can be done at the request of the owner.
If there is a scratching post, then the furniture in the apartment and the owner’s clothes will not be damaged. You just need to teach the kitten to use it. You can even make it yourself. An alternative could be a special house or play complexes in which animals can sharpen their claws, sleep and play. Cats love to sharpen their claws as soon as they wake up, so the scratching post should be located close to the Maine Coon's sleeping area.
To please your pet, you can buy or make a house for him with your own hands. Since coons are distinguished by their large size (the body weight of an adult cat can reach up to 15 kg) and high activity, the house must be stable. Manufacturers offer special cat complexes, including hammocks, ladders, shelves, and hanging toys.
