Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Getting Closer...

I am now down to about a 1 - 2 inch strip of roasting pan and litter in the toilet for Bella to use. Most of the time, she overshoots the small strip of litter and the pee goes directly into the toilet bowl.

It's funny to hear the tinkle of tinkle in the water and know it's Bella on the toilet. When she does a #2, it usually lands on the edge of the roasting pan, so I just take the pooper scooper and flick it on in the toilet and flush.

As you can see, the set up is much more sparse than previously:


This was just after a pee incident, so you may be able to see a bit o' yellow in the water. I hadn't flushed yet because I wanted to document that she did, indeed, hit the bowl.

Then, we have the important treat set up. I put a variety of treats in the medicine cabinet of that bathroom. She knows when she uses the big potty, she gets 2 treats. So, she'll hop up on the sink to get her reward (and praise) right away, giving her no time to think about covering her eliminations to throw off predators (some things with cats are so ingrained, they're harder to make a change).


This is my nail polish/cat treat medicine cabinet. LOL.

I will slowly continue to shorten that front area of litter until all that remains is the rim of the roasting pan in there. Then, eventually, that rim will be taken out, but saved (in case she needs the crutch scent of a familiar potty area.

Personally, I think Bella is smarter than the average cat, but I may be a little biased. According to the book I have followed, even a maybe not-so-bright cat can be potty trained.

I am the furthest thing from a tree hugging hippie who ever lived, but I do more good for the environment than most people who shout the loudest about taking care of it. No more cat litter/waste in landfills. When I had the female office, I used OB tampons, so no cardboard or plastic applicator in landfills. And those are not conscious decisions to be "green", they're just ideas that make sense to me.

I'll have more on this tomorrow, but it's a more delicate subject and I'm still considering my approach.

Until then, don't forget that tomorrow is Wear Purple Day in solidarity for the young homosexual boys/men who have committed suicide lately, due to public harassment. I will wear my purple in memory of my friend Michael Lloyd Parker, who died in 1997, age 26, from AIDS. He didn't have it easy in high school. He was bullied and picked on, but he kept his chin up. It's tragic that he died so young.

Wear purple on Wednesday, make ETW happy (I LOVE purple!) and have a great Tuesday!

Love,

9 comments:

  1. I'm just amazed & impressed that you can toilet train a cat.

    I also think that if Bella wants to get her nails done instead of having a munchie treat, you really ought to indulge her.

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  2. Didn't know about the purple thing. I have the perfect shirt!

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  3. Just waiting to hear about the splash and cat yowling.... does that make me evil???

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  4. I once had a cat who once pottied on the toilet all on his own. He didn't do it every time but sometimes he just squatted over the side and went...weird.

    Well, you are covered for tomorrow whether you wear purple or not, your hair should take care of it!

    enjoy your day!

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  5. I didn't know about tomorrow, but I will wear purple.

    I try to do my bit for the environment. I'm not pedaling for electricity but I try to recycle, I sleep nekkid so no pj's to wash. Lights out if we're not in the room. I still have female office space so I too use the applicator-less OB. Small stuff I suppose but doesn't every little bit help?

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  6. One of our cats fell in the toilet once...that's about as close to toilet trained as they ever got - mind you, they never pee indoors (apart from the litter tray).

    Perhaps they understand when I growl?...;-)

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  7. It takes a very bright woman to train a cat! ;) Thanks for the reminder about tomorrow.

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  8. I'll wear purple tomorrow. Unbelievable what people will do to someone who's different from them.

    Very sorry about your friend.

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  9. I am SO impressed with your cat training skills.

    Thanks for reminding me to wear purple today. I'm not dressed yet, but I will wear a purple shirt!!

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