This post is not directly related to cat training but I had to publish it here after reading this shocking report on dog food. Same principles apply to commercial cat foods.
What shocked me was not the fact that commercial foods contain chemicals and preservatives which can be harmful for our pets. It was not a surprise for me to hear that even brands labeled as 'chemicals & preservatives free' or 'all natural' are in fact not necessarily free of these harmful substances. Manufacturers are not obliged to list the preservatives and chemicals if they didn't add them themselves.
What shocked me was the so called 4 D's - what AAFCO permits to be used as an ingredient in dog foods!!! Euthanized pets (with phenobarbitone in their bodies) including collars, ID tags and bags ... Truly shocking, disgusting and petrifying. You can read about it here:
Urgent Press Release For Dog Owners
Scary. I have 2 cats and 4 dogs - have I been feeding this stuff to them all these years? I don't know about you, but I am definitively going to change their diets! Cats too, the principle is the same...
Cat Behavior and Training Secrets
Friday, March 9, 2007
Friday, February 16, 2007
Toilet Training VIDEO: Cat in Action
This video exactly shows how a toilet-trained cat should go about its business. Really funny. Watch the cat in full action:
Cool, he?
And here's another toilet training method:
Measure the widest diameter of your toilet and buy a metal bowl which will sit in it securely. You may need to make some adjustments. Do not buy anything from plastic; it is just not strong enough to support cat's weight and could bend and break. You will also need to buy some flushable litter at this stage so your cat has time to get accustomed to it.
Gradually move the litter box closer to the bathroom. Allow a few days for cat to get used to each new position. Once the box sits next to the toilet and your cat is used to it, you can start to raise it higher until it is leveled with the toilet. Make sure the box is stable and cannot flip over. At this point, you should place the metal bowl in the toilet. Wait a few days until the cat is comfortable using the litter box at this level.
Now is the time to make the transition from litter box to the bowl. Fill the bowl with the (flushable) litter the cat is used to and take the litter box away. Wait a week or two to give the cat time to feel comfortable with using the bowl.
Then gradually reduce the amount of litter in the bowl until there is no litter at all. Wait again until the cat is used to eliminate in the empty bowl. If the cat's feet are still resting in the bowl at this stage, you can fill it with water as cats don't like to get their feet wet. This should help the cat to learn balance on the seat. Wait again. Then cut off the bottom of the bowl so that all eliminations fall straight into the toilet water. Wait a few days and then take the bowl away. Voila, your cat is toilet trained.
And did I say they couldn't flush the toilet? Watch this:
P.S. If you have questions about cat training or would like to see a posting on a specific cat behavior training subject just post it in the comments below.
Cool, he?
And here's another toilet training method:
Measure the widest diameter of your toilet and buy a metal bowl which will sit in it securely. You may need to make some adjustments. Do not buy anything from plastic; it is just not strong enough to support cat's weight and could bend and break. You will also need to buy some flushable litter at this stage so your cat has time to get accustomed to it.
Gradually move the litter box closer to the bathroom. Allow a few days for cat to get used to each new position. Once the box sits next to the toilet and your cat is used to it, you can start to raise it higher until it is leveled with the toilet. Make sure the box is stable and cannot flip over. At this point, you should place the metal bowl in the toilet. Wait a few days until the cat is comfortable using the litter box at this level.
Now is the time to make the transition from litter box to the bowl. Fill the bowl with the (flushable) litter the cat is used to and take the litter box away. Wait a week or two to give the cat time to feel comfortable with using the bowl.
Then gradually reduce the amount of litter in the bowl until there is no litter at all. Wait again until the cat is used to eliminate in the empty bowl. If the cat's feet are still resting in the bowl at this stage, you can fill it with water as cats don't like to get their feet wet. This should help the cat to learn balance on the seat. Wait again. Then cut off the bottom of the bowl so that all eliminations fall straight into the toilet water. Wait a few days and then take the bowl away. Voila, your cat is toilet trained.
And did I say they couldn't flush the toilet? Watch this:
P.S. If you have questions about cat training or would like to see a posting on a specific cat behavior training subject just post it in the comments below.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Training Your Cat to Use The Toilet
Cats are wonderful pets but cleaning the litter box can be a real drag and I am not talking about cat behavior problems associated with the use of litter box. But what if you could train kitty to use the toilet? Instead of dealing with messy, smelly litter, you could eliminate your cats elimination with just one flush!
When training your cat to use the toilet, it's best if you have two toilets in the house. Using one just for the cat and one for yourself during the training period will make things much more convenient although you can train your cat with only 1 toilet.
For toilet training your cat you will need an aluminum tray that fits into the toilet as well as an aluminum tray as a replacement for his litter box. The idea is to get him used to the aluminum tray in the same spot his box is usually in and then the tray in the toilet won't seem so foreign.
Keep the litter box in it's original spot but replace the box with the aluminum tray instead. Use the same litter and keep everything else the same.
Gradually move the litter box closer to the toilet. Don't move it too far each time and make sure your cat knows where it is by taking her over to it and scratching her paws in it. If your cat stops using the box, you are probably going to fast for her so slow down. Training a cat to use a litter box is a process that takes a long time so patience is key.
Once the cat is using the litter box next to the toilet, raise it an inch off the floor. make sure you use something that will keep the box stable and where the box will not slide off. Gradually, raise the box an inch higher until it is level with the toilet. As it gets higher the cat will have to jump up into it so it is critical that the box is stable, if it tips over this will scare your cat and she might not want to use it again.
At this point, you should have the tray ready in the toilet. You can use a cooking tray that is wide enough to fit the toilet. Put the tray in between that seat ring and the toilet base - make sure this holds it in place. Put some of the litter the cat is used to (make sure you use flushable litter) in the tray.
Leave the litter box level with the tray in the toilet for a couple of weeks, gradually taking away the litter in the box. Eventually, the cat should just jump up and use the tray on the toilet. Once this is happening regularly, take the litter box away.
The next step is to gradually reduce the amount of litter that is in the tray on the toilet. Also, make a little hole in the tray. Each day, reduce the litter more and make the hole a bit bigger. Do not move to fast on this or your cat might not feel comfortable using it. Eventually, you can remove the tray all together and your cat will be toilet trained!
Since your cat needs to balance on the toilet seat eventually, it is not recommended that you train cats that are too young. Wait until your cat is about 6 months old so that he is big enough to balance on the toilet seat. One important point that should be obvious is that once your cat starts using the toilet - you MUST leave the toilet lid open at all times - the cat can't open it himself!
Changing any cats behavior is a process that requires patience, so don't rush it. Toilet training your cat can take several months, but when your cat is trained you will have eliminated the smell and mess of a litter box. Now the only problem you will have is remembering to knock next time you want to use the bathroom as your cat may be using the toilet!
Welcome to the Cat Training blog
Hey,
Welcome to my cat training blog :-)
I'll be posting here some great stuff on cat training, methods that worked for me or others and also other cool stuff. Watch out for new content regularly!
Cat Lover
Welcome to my cat training blog :-)
I'll be posting here some great stuff on cat training, methods that worked for me or others and also other cool stuff. Watch out for new content regularly!
Cat Lover
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