How to Toilet Train Your Cat

Ever dream of flushing that fur ball's rancid waste down the toilet - without ever touching a pooper-scooper? How about never having to scoop up clumps of mushy cat-mess from the litter box again? Cats get a reputation for being un-trainable, but these highly intelligent creatures can adopt any behavior a patient human can teach them. The trick is to get 'em while they're young. That's what I did with my feline as soon as I swooped him up from the pound. While still a kitten, I taught my little cat, Willy, some bathroom etiquette, and kissed my litter-box goodbye.

Cats instinctively know how to bury their smelly secretions - it's just a matter of getting them to go where you want. You may catch him urinating in his favorite spot behind the television, or wonder why he's decided that your dirty laundry is the purrfect potty spot (pardon the pun). These creatures like their waste to be hidden, and seem to know, as evidenced by their great effort to bury their odors, how offensive their smells are. The payback for showing your cat the human trick to hide bodily waste will go both ways: You will learn earn your cat's lifetime adoration when he realizes your knack for dumping without digging, and he will provide you with bragging rights to having the coolest pet on the block.

The first step is to get him litter box trained - the conventional way. Set him up a clean little box near, or better, in, the bathroom. The best bet for getting a pre-trained kitty is to get one from the pound. Animals (especially young ones) are often trained in these facilities, and get you brownie points for rescuing a cuddly orphan.