Instincts are a very powerful motivator! Cats, especially smaller breads are typically not the dominant predator in the wild. Pee and poop has a very strong scent which is often used as a form of territorial marking. A dominant predator coming across a new predator in their territory could spell disaster for a small cat. Cats loo habits could be a potentially deadly mistake for them (in the wild) which is why they bury it. They want to make sure their scent isn’t carried long distances or mistaken for territorial marking or a risk it being seen as a threat by any other dominant predator.
We know your little house cat hasn’t been living in the wild and there definitely aren’t any dominant predators anywhere nearby however in their mind this doesn’t matter. Their natural instincts have developed over thousands of years. They want to make certain their loo habits keep them safe and as such will mimic wild conditions even in your home by burying it.
The concept of burying their business isn’t the main driver here. It’s the removal of scent. If they do their business and there isn’t a strong scent then they don’t necessarily need to bury it. This is why sometimes the strong deodorising chemicals in cat litter cause cats to feel like they don’t need to fully bury their business or why they’re happy to continue using the same litter box for a long period of time. It’s this same behavioural aspect that is the key when wondering if your kitty can be trained to use the toilet. Essentially wherever your kitty goes to the loo as long as they’re able to remove enough scent they’re going to feel comfortable using that loo – even if it’s a human toilet.
Since instincts are the main driver and cats simply want the scent to go away you can train any kitty to use the toilet as long as you do it consistently and with some patience and of course make certain that their new toilet remains scent free.
How does a cat toilet training system work
The kitty toilet trainer is in many ways simply a clever litter box. In its starting configuration you have a base which mounts on the toilet and a section to place regular litter. This setup results in a standard type litter box that just happens to be mounted on a toilet and is kind of shaped like a toilet.
The main difference is that on the internal side of the kitty toilet training system you have 4 removable sections. As each section is removed more of the toilet is accessible and there is less litter box.
As each section is removed your kitty will become more and more comfortable in and around the toilet area. Initially just using the outer perimeter of the litter box (because the first removable section is small) to sometimes using the toilet and sometimes using the litter box. Eventually once all the segments are removed they will be happy to use the toilet.