Training is finally back on track. Eight weeks has blown by and we're still only on the first amber tray, but at least Zoey has finally been convinced that pooping on the rug has consequences.
Sadly, the rug got thrown away.
The last time I introduced the amber tray, Zoey decided that using the rug was a better alternative. Nothing seemed to work - I went back to the red tray, but she was on a mission to make training as hard as possible. Finally, after a good nose rubbing, tossing the pink rug, and a "coming to Jesus" talk, Zoey has returned to using the toilet.
I kept the red tray on the toilet for a couple weeks to make sure she was using it consistently again, and then I swapped it out for the amber one with crossed fingers. It's been about two weeks now, and so far there haven't been any problems. Both cats are using the tray perfectly, and I think it's about time to move to the second amber tray with the bigger hole. Based on our past experiences with transitions though, I'll probably wait at least another week before I try it. In the meantime, I'm loving not having to worry about stepping in a fresh pile when I walk into the bathroom!
Here's hoping that from now on, it's smooth sailing!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Pooped.
After the success of having Zoey poop in the amber tray for the first time, my elation quickly turned into a new string of problems.
For about a week, Zoey used the amber tray if she was being watched and encouraged. Always the defiant cat, she started waiting later and later to evacuate. She somehow managed to change her schedule - by 12 hours. Instead of going in the evening like she used to, she's now going sometime in the early hours of the morning around 6.
The part I can't understand is that she still uses the tray when she needs to pee, so obviously she has no issues getting up on the tray. I'm starting to come to the conclusion that Zoey is not only defiant, but out to make my life miserable. I've even switched back to the red tray, but she still is insisting on going on the bathroom rug.
I'm starting to run out of ideas. My mom suggested that I kennel Zoey during the night so she'll have to wait until I'm up in the morning to go. While it's not a terrible idea - I have a large, dog-sized crate - I would have to do some serious soundproofing. When Zoey's not happy, you know it, and I have a feeling my neighbors wouldn't be thrilled.
Before I resort to kenneling, I might have to try my grandpa's advice: "Maybe she just needs a magazine." Next time I'm at PetSmart, I'll have to pick up an issue of Cat Fancy.
For about a week, Zoey used the amber tray if she was being watched and encouraged. Always the defiant cat, she started waiting later and later to evacuate. She somehow managed to change her schedule - by 12 hours. Instead of going in the evening like she used to, she's now going sometime in the early hours of the morning around 6.
The part I can't understand is that she still uses the tray when she needs to pee, so obviously she has no issues getting up on the tray. I'm starting to come to the conclusion that Zoey is not only defiant, but out to make my life miserable. I've even switched back to the red tray, but she still is insisting on going on the bathroom rug.
I'm starting to run out of ideas. My mom suggested that I kennel Zoey during the night so she'll have to wait until I'm up in the morning to go. While it's not a terrible idea - I have a large, dog-sized crate - I would have to do some serious soundproofing. When Zoey's not happy, you know it, and I have a feeling my neighbors wouldn't be thrilled.
Before I resort to kenneling, I might have to try my grandpa's advice: "Maybe she just needs a magazine." Next time I'm at PetSmart, I'll have to pick up an issue of Cat Fancy.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Smell of Success
It's been a couple weeks since I've posted, mostly because nothing new had developed. My cats were seemingly stuck on the red tray and I was starting to lose hope that my neurotic Zoey would ever get the hang of moving to the next step.
Last Saturday, since it had been a couple weeks since I'd tried replacing the tray, I decided to give it a another whirl. I wasn't too optimistic, but the red tray needed a good cleaning anyway so I gave it a shot. Later that evening, Zoey went through her usual signs of stress - she hopped up on the tray with the hole, scratched litter everywhere, then hopped down on the rug and scratched some more. Luckily, she typically poops at night, so I was home to watch her and keep her from going on the rug.
When she started scratching the rug, I would tell her no. She came over and whined to me, then went back to the toilet and hopped back up on the tray. She did this a few times, but finally --
She pooped on the amber tray!
A few of my close friends got texts of excitement from me before Zoey was even done. I feel like we've hit a major breakthrough. Since Saturday, she's been using the toilet every night. She still has to hop between the toilet and the rug a couple times, whining, but it seems to be getting easier. I reward her with a treat each time she uses the toilet, and of course I give JC a treat too because he's awesome and has had it down from the beginning. JC has even stopped missing the toilet when he pees.
I have had to sternly warn my boyfriend that he still needs to take the litter tray off the toilet before he uses it. I can just see most men looking at that little hole and thinking, "I bet I can make it..."
Last Saturday, since it had been a couple weeks since I'd tried replacing the tray, I decided to give it a another whirl. I wasn't too optimistic, but the red tray needed a good cleaning anyway so I gave it a shot. Later that evening, Zoey went through her usual signs of stress - she hopped up on the tray with the hole, scratched litter everywhere, then hopped down on the rug and scratched some more. Luckily, she typically poops at night, so I was home to watch her and keep her from going on the rug.
When she started scratching the rug, I would tell her no. She came over and whined to me, then went back to the toilet and hopped back up on the tray. She did this a few times, but finally --
She pooped on the amber tray!
A few of my close friends got texts of excitement from me before Zoey was even done. I feel like we've hit a major breakthrough. Since Saturday, she's been using the toilet every night. She still has to hop between the toilet and the rug a couple times, whining, but it seems to be getting easier. I reward her with a treat each time she uses the toilet, and of course I give JC a treat too because he's awesome and has had it down from the beginning. JC has even stopped missing the toilet when he pees.
I have had to sternly warn my boyfriend that he still needs to take the litter tray off the toilet before he uses it. I can just see most men looking at that little hole and thinking, "I bet I can make it..."
Monday, January 16, 2012
Slow Learners
In my last post, I described the problems I had with Zoey transitioning to the Amber phase, so I went back to the Red phase. JC and Zoey both seemed a bit "relieved" (yeah, I'm punny...) to have their solid red tray again. I thought that I would let them use the red tray for a couple days, then try to switch to the amber tray once more.
This time, I was going to do what I should have done the first time and use the amber tray with the smaller hole.
JC quickly redeveloped his problem of missing the toilet, but I suppose women who live with men - of any species - just have to get used to the occasional splash zone. Still, it pretty much ruined my night a few days later when I woke up in the early hours of the morning and stepped in something wet. Later, when I was fully awake and functional, I tried installing the amber tray again.
No luck. Again, it was Zoey who was having problems with the transition. One day and some carpet cleaner later, I gave up and put the red tray back in. I'm really at a loss for what to do next. Zoey may need more time, but it's been five weeks now. She may just not be cut out for toilet training, but I'm hoping that's not the case.
I'm still using the red tray, but starting tomorrow I'm going to change how I put the litter in it. The circular body of the tray is divided in half by a small ridge, so I'm going to leave the inner circle empty and only put litter in the outside circle. It's like Toilet Training Your Cat for Dummies - or Toilet Training Your Dummy Cats - the smaller the transitions, the better.
It'll still be solid, but maybe it will get Zoey more acclimated to having an absence of litter in the middle, and eventually we can try moving on to the amber phase again. If anyone has any other ideas, I'm open to suggestions!
This time, I was going to do what I should have done the first time and use the amber tray with the smaller hole.
JC quickly redeveloped his problem of missing the toilet, but I suppose women who live with men - of any species - just have to get used to the occasional splash zone. Still, it pretty much ruined my night a few days later when I woke up in the early hours of the morning and stepped in something wet. Later, when I was fully awake and functional, I tried installing the amber tray again.
No luck. Again, it was Zoey who was having problems with the transition. One day and some carpet cleaner later, I gave up and put the red tray back in. I'm really at a loss for what to do next. Zoey may need more time, but it's been five weeks now. She may just not be cut out for toilet training, but I'm hoping that's not the case.
I'm still using the red tray, but starting tomorrow I'm going to change how I put the litter in it. The circular body of the tray is divided in half by a small ridge, so I'm going to leave the inner circle empty and only put litter in the outside circle. It's like Toilet Training Your Cat for Dummies - or Toilet Training Your Dummy Cats - the smaller the transitions, the better.
It'll still be solid, but maybe it will get Zoey more acclimated to having an absence of litter in the middle, and eventually we can try moving on to the amber phase again. If anyone has any other ideas, I'm open to suggestions!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Resolutions
Happy New Year! After ringing in the new year with a few friends, I awoke on New Year's Day to find yet another present in the bathtub. Admittedly, this one seems to be my fault, because the toilet seat was down, covering up the Litter Kwitter. I hadn't made any resolutions before this discovery, but I quickly resolved to not put the seat down again. Oops.
We went a few days without any problems, but then JC suddenly started missing the toilet when he was peeing. Not just by a little bit - it was like he was hanging his butt off the side of the toilet and just going there. I thought that if I moved the cats on to the next phase, the Amber Phase, maybe he would be forced to use it correctly because he wouldn't be standing in the middle of the toilet.
When I purchased the Litter Kwitter, I purchased the additional trays to go with it. The extra trays make the steps more gradual, and honestly should just be included in the kit. I skipped the extra amber tray with the smallest hole and went right to the regular amber tray, hoping to correct JC's problem.
I switched out the trays and placed Zoey and JC on top of the new tray, showing them that it had a new hole in the middle because I didn't want them to just hop up there and fall in. Actually, that would have been hilarious, and I wanted to see it happen - but I decided to show them so they wouldn't boycott the toilet altogether. JC was the first to use the new tray. He looked a bit confused, but he positioned himself correctly and the poop went into the toilet! Finally, solid progress.
And then, regression...
Zoey wasn't afraid to get up on the new tray at all, but she was very perplexed by the hole. She kept sticking her head down into it and raking all the litter into the water below. I could tell she needed to use the tray, because she kept jumping up and scratching, but then she would just hop down and come whine to me. After she pooped on the rug, I replaced the original amber tray with the one with the smaller hole. Still, she was overly anxious about the "hole" thing after a day had passed, and I had a feeling the rug was going to be getting some more carpet cleaning love soon if I didn't do something.
So now, we're back to the Red Phase. Back to step one. We're almost four weeks into a program that's advertised to work in eight weeks. I don't think we'll hit the eight week target, but my cats are between 4-5 years old and fairly set in their ways. It'll take time, but I still haven't lost hope. I just made another resolution: to stay patient.
We went a few days without any problems, but then JC suddenly started missing the toilet when he was peeing. Not just by a little bit - it was like he was hanging his butt off the side of the toilet and just going there. I thought that if I moved the cats on to the next phase, the Amber Phase, maybe he would be forced to use it correctly because he wouldn't be standing in the middle of the toilet.
When I purchased the Litter Kwitter, I purchased the additional trays to go with it. The extra trays make the steps more gradual, and honestly should just be included in the kit. I skipped the extra amber tray with the smallest hole and went right to the regular amber tray, hoping to correct JC's problem.
I switched out the trays and placed Zoey and JC on top of the new tray, showing them that it had a new hole in the middle because I didn't want them to just hop up there and fall in. Actually, that would have been hilarious, and I wanted to see it happen - but I decided to show them so they wouldn't boycott the toilet altogether. JC was the first to use the new tray. He looked a bit confused, but he positioned himself correctly and the poop went into the toilet! Finally, solid progress.
And then, regression...
Zoey wasn't afraid to get up on the new tray at all, but she was very perplexed by the hole. She kept sticking her head down into it and raking all the litter into the water below. I could tell she needed to use the tray, because she kept jumping up and scratching, but then she would just hop down and come whine to me. After she pooped on the rug, I replaced the original amber tray with the one with the smaller hole. Still, she was overly anxious about the "hole" thing after a day had passed, and I had a feeling the rug was going to be getting some more carpet cleaning love soon if I didn't do something.
So now, we're back to the Red Phase. Back to step one. We're almost four weeks into a program that's advertised to work in eight weeks. I don't think we'll hit the eight week target, but my cats are between 4-5 years old and fairly set in their ways. It'll take time, but I still haven't lost hope. I just made another resolution: to stay patient.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
One Step at a Time
Because I went home over Christmas, I didn't try to introduce a new phase to my cats before leaving. While I was gone, I had someone go to my house and change the litter. It wasn't done to my cats' standards though, so there was a huge mess around the tray when I got home.
When I got back Sunday night, I decided to try moving the tray back on top of the toilet. Once again, I plopped both cats up there so they knew where the tray had gone. It wasn't too long after I moved the tray that I heard one of the cats scratching in the litter - when I investigated, I saw JC using the tray correctly!
I don't think I've ever been so happy to see a cat poop before.
The tray has been on top of the toilet for three days without incident, but today I found poop in the bathtub again. At this point, even though I still haven't caught either cat in the act, I'm starting to suspect Zoey. I've actually seen JC use the tray correctly, but although I've seen Zoey on top of the toilet scratching around, I've never seen her actually use it. Maybe she's been holding it in for three days...
My bathtub is full of water again, so I'll see what happens within the next few days.
When I got back Sunday night, I decided to try moving the tray back on top of the toilet. Once again, I plopped both cats up there so they knew where the tray had gone. It wasn't too long after I moved the tray that I heard one of the cats scratching in the litter - when I investigated, I saw JC using the tray correctly!
I don't think I've ever been so happy to see a cat poop before.
The tray has been on top of the toilet for three days without incident, but today I found poop in the bathtub again. At this point, even though I still haven't caught either cat in the act, I'm starting to suspect Zoey. I've actually seen JC use the tray correctly, but although I've seen Zoey on top of the toilet scratching around, I've never seen her actually use it. Maybe she's been holding it in for three days...
My bathtub is full of water again, so I'll see what happens within the next few days.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas!
We just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Plus, it gives me a chance to get some small revenge on my cats for covering my bathroom in litter while I was gone...
Merry Christmas from JC
A cardinal scarf on a cat is like a hamburger scarf to a human.
And Zoey, too!
Too cute for an ugly sweater party.
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