Experts warn that the potential benefits of such a trick may be far less than the consequences for your pet.
Humans and cats have lived side by side for thousands of years, but our pets never cease to amaze us. Every owner of a kitten knows that all they need to do is place it in a tray with sand, and they will do the rest of the work on “tray training” themselves. What’s more, cats are so smart that they can actually be toilet trained and even flushed, but experts question whether it’s worth it, Inverse writes.
According to certified cat behavior and training consultant at Feline Behavior Solutions, Marcy Koski, cats can actually be toilet trained, and perhaps even flushed. However, an expert fears the potential harm from this handy at-home trick could spell disaster for their physical and mental health.
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The expert notes that the process of relieving themselves, in general, puts pressure on the animals’ hind legs. According to Sarah Ellis, head of cat mental wellbeing and behavior at the charity International Cat Care, the animals enjoy being on a soft surface during this process as their paws are extremely sensitive. At the same time, precarious balancing on a plastic toilet rim requires more effort than squatting in a relatively stable sandbox.
As our pets age, it becomes increasingly difficult to maneuver and hold themselves in awkward positions, such as balancing on the rim of a toilet. As a result, the cat runs the risk of falling into the toilet and getting wet, and their fur may become covered in germs.
Another equally important risk factor is that toilet training a cat actually deprives owners of important signals about the pet’s health – many cat diseases and problems first appear in the litter box. The frequency of bowel movements and the consistency and color of urine and feces provide important information about your pet’s overall health. According to Koski, if we train a cat to go on the toilet and flush itself, we simply lose the opportunity to notice all these early signals.
Experts note that the problem will become more serious with age. For example, the kidneys that are most vulnerable in cats are the kidneys, which are more likely to become damaged in old age. At this stage, according to Koski, owners may notice more frequent urination.
Ellis also notes that a cat’s instincts also program a specific set of actions. For example, it is enough to place a small kitten in a tray with sand so that it begins to bury. Experts believe this behavior is a manifestation of the behavior of generations of cats – in this way they tried to cover their tracks from predators, other cats and parasites. Interestingly, in an attempt to “cover their tracks,” some cats may even attempt to dip their paws in water to complete the defecation process.
Although cats can be toilet trained, it can cause psychological stress in the pet. For example, in an attempt to train an animal to use the human toilet, owners may completely remove the tray from the animal’s field of view, which will make the cat nervous. Overall, Koski says, while cats are highly intelligent and capable of learning, experts don’t recommend teaching them the toilet trick, at least because the behavior doesn’t come naturally to them.
Previously Focus wrote that every cat carries a “strange bag” under its belly: scientists cannot understand its purpose.
