Doubts about getting a cat.

[Kooshdakhaa]

Cats usually stop peeing all over the place once they're spayed/neutered.

That is a myth. And I've never owned a cat that wasn't spayed or neutered.

 

[Gracie]

Fatty never sprayed anywhere. Gosh I miss him. But he is long gone. I will see him again some day..along with all my other furbabies.

I have decided that when the two I have left go over rainbow bridge..I will be done. I don't go anywhere...I stress over them all the time....but when none are left..then maybe I can stop worrying so much.

 

[MDiver]

My girlfriend has two cats and having been over to her house many times, it convinced me to NOT own cats. They jump up and lay on all surfaces (including food preparation areas, dining tables, couches and any other surface that they can reach. You will find their fur/hair wherever they walk or lay and no matter how meticulous you are about changing their litter box, or vacuuming, your house will smell like, cat. You won't notice it because you live with it, but guests do, although they won't say anything out of politeness. I recommend a stuffed animal.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Cats usually stop peeing all over the place once they're spayed/neutered.

That is a myth. And I've never owned a cat that wasn't spayed or neutered.

No, it's not a myth. It's just not always the case.

My experience with boy cats (I've had a lot of them) is that they stop spraying when they're fixed - if you wait too long, they'll sometimes continue spraying.

 

[jon_berzerk]

our cat uses the toilet

for number one and number two

her cat box is for emergency only

she is a great cat

 

[theDoctorisIn]

our cat uses the toilet

for number one and number two

her cat box is for emergency only

she is a great cat

I've always wanted to train my guys to do that, but I've never had the time (or patience).

 

[Gracie]

With Pretties...she just started using the shower to pee in. She would sit right over the drain hole. She pooped there ONCE. Me gagging probably gave her a clue that was not cool, and she never did it again. Even when it rained...she would go out and head for the eaves of the house and do her business there. But sometimes...she would head to the shower if it was really cold outside.

 

[jon_berzerk]

our cat uses the toilet

for number one and number two

her cat box is for emergency only

she is a great cat

I've always wanted to train my guys to do that, but I've never had the time (or patience).

it is pretty easy

but does it takes both

it is well worth it

 

[theDoctorisIn]

our cat uses the toilet

for number one and number two

her cat box is for emergency only

she is a great cat

I've always wanted to train my guys to do that, but I've never had the time (or patience).

it is pretty easy

but does it takes both

it is well worth it

It would probably save time in the long run, to not have to clean the litter boxes every day.

 

[Gracie]

How do you train a cat to go in the toilet, Jon?

 

[protectionist]

Cats usually stop peeing all over the place once they're spayed/neutered.

That is a myth. And I've never owned a cat that wasn't spayed or neutered.

No, it's not a myth. It's just not always the case.

My experience with boy cats (I've had a lot of them) is that they stop spraying when they're fixed - if you wait too long, they'll sometimes continue spraying.

This is true. And the male cat urine in the litter box no longer has that strong odor either. That's because after neutering, they no longer have the male territorial hormone (where the bad smell comes from)

http://www.usmessageboard.com/pets/340452-take-home-a-stray-cat.html

 

[theDoctorisIn]

How do you train a cat to go in the toilet, Jon?

Slowly moving and raising the litter box up next to the toilet, then moving it onto the toilet, then putting saran wrap and litter over the toilet, until eventually you take the saran wrap away, and they just go in the toilet.

Or so I've read.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

That is a myth. And I've never owned a cat that wasn't spayed or neutered.

No, it's not a myth. It's just not always the case.

My experience with boy cats (I've had a lot of them) is that they stop spraying when they're fixed - if you wait too long, they'll sometimes continue spraying.

This is true. And the male cat urine in the litter box no longer has that strong odor either. That's because after neutering, they no longer have the male territorial hormone (where the bad smell comes from)

http://www.usmessageboard.com/pets/340452-take-home-a-stray-cat.html

It starts as a response to hormones but the problem is that by the time he's neutered, the behavior has become habit. Sometimes the behavior does not stop.

Spay and neuter early. There's no reason to wait until 6 months, the first heat, after a litter or any of the other myths that make the rounds.

Because anesthesia is so much safer nowadays, some vets s/n puppies and kittens at 2 months or 2 pounds. IOW, a gsd at one month is plenty big enough to alter while a kitten is big enough at around 14 weeks.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

You can actually buy a device to help you train your cat to use the toilet. It works a lot better if you have a second toilet in your house to use for the training phase.

The thing fits over the toilet seat and is basically a toilet-seat-shaped cat box thingy. It has plastic rings that can be punched out. First you get the cat comfortable getting up there to do its thing using cat litter. Then, you punch out the middle circle so now the cat is going there, but can see through to the toilet. Gradually you punch out more pastic rings until the cat has naturally begun straddling the toilet to go. At some point in this process you discontinue using cat litter! Then you completely remove the device and voila! the cat has learned to use the toilet.

I tried it once with a cat and it was working, but then I discontinued the training, I don't remember why. I only had one cat and it was no big deal to pick out a litter box for one cat every day. It was about the time they came out with clumping litter, which made it really easy to maintain a cat box!

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

Ah, here you go...

Litter Kwitter - The Original Cat Toilet Training Kit

Actually, this looks more like the one I used:

http://www.citikitty.com/

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

How do you train a cat to go in the toilet, Jon?

Slowly moving and raising the litter box up next to the toilet, then moving it onto the toilet, then putting saran wrap and litter over the toilet, until eventually you take the saran wrap away, and they just go in the toilet.

Or so I've read.

I don't think saran wrap would be strong enough. The cat might break through and it would traumatize them and they'd never want to go near the toilet again.

Better to get one of those plastic devices. Worth the money, probably.

 

[Zoom-boing]

A male cat that has been altered will spray and it does stink. Maybe not stink as bad as if he hadn't been fixed, but it stinks. I know because my 16 yr old male started marking the curtains about six years ago, when the feral cat population started to grow. I've washed them so many times they are starting to fall apart.

Just discovered a litter of brand new kittens under one of our bushes. Born yesterday, as we saw the mom on the new neighbor's patio Saturday. Thought she might be his but when she stood up and we saw she was full of kittens . . . she's wild. One little guy wander out and was squealing. Found the litter and put him back. Just now the dog was whining at the front door. The mom moved the kittens under the porch (which is latticed off, she found the one loose spot). Kittens are far under, tucked into a corner.

<sigh>

 

[saveliberty]

How do you train a cat to go in the toilet, Jon?

Slowly moving and raising the litter box up next to the toilet, then moving it onto the toilet, then putting saran wrap and litter over the toilet, until eventually you take the saran wrap away, and they just go in the toilet.

Or so I've read.

I don't think saran wrap would be strong enough. The cat might break through and it would traumatize them and they'd never want to go near the toilet again.

Better to get one of those plastic devices. Worth the money, probably.

...then how do you teach them to put the lid down?

 

[Dot Com]

if the incoming roommate is bringing a dog & you didn't tell them you might get a cat, that might be a serious issue.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

if the incoming roommate is bringing a dog & you didn't tell them you might get a cat, that might be a serious issue.

Why? I've had as many as five dogs and seven cats living in the same home. And five of those cats were strays I brought in off the streets. And two of my dogs were dobermans..one of them would let the new cat know she was boss of the house by snarling at him a few times and that would be the end of it.