2 reasons why you shouldn’t potty train your cat, according to an expert

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If you’re thinking of potty training your cat, you might want to consider these things first.

Cat sitting on the toilet seat
(Image credit: W-ings)

For pet parents with indoor cats, potty training is probably the most appealing option when it comes to dealing with their stool. 

There are lots of self-cleaning litter boxes on the market that will do the hard work for you, but you might want to avoid it altogether and teach them to go to the bathroom instead. After all, all you have to do is flush the chain and it’s gone. 

It might seem a little surreal to imagine your cat using a toilet like we do, and you’re probably wondering how they do it. So, let us explain. 

First, you move the litter box next to the toilet and over time, you raise it a little bit higher and closer. Once they’ve got used to this, you then place it over the toilet. In time, you swap the litter box for a training box inside of the toilet, which you gradually make smaller and smaller until they are using the toilet seat normally.

Once your cat knows how to do this, this method is very convenient and makes life a whole lot easier. However, Amanda Campion, a clinical animal behaviorist, shared some of her concerns about it in a recent Instagram post. So, if you’re thinking about going down this route, you might want to hear what she has to say first:

A post shared by Kittysitty Cat Behaviourist (@kittysittycatbehaviourist)

A photo posted by on

1. “What happens when your cat needs to go to the cattery?”

In the video, Amanda questions what would happen if your cat needed to go to the cattery. Since it’s unlikely they will have an actual toilet they can use, this might make things a little confusing for them.

2. “What happens when it gets older[...]?”

When your cat gets older, they might not be able to jump onto the toilet seat as easily, making the process a lot harder (or impossible) for them. Although this might be fine for some older cats, you never know if yours might struggle in the future.

Whilst Amanda feels that toilet training isn’t a good option behaviorally speaking, she says that if it works for you, there is no judgment.  

If you’re looking for the best cat litter, this buying guide will help you choose the right one for your furry friend. Wondering ‘can you train a cat?’ An expert reveals all in this feature.

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Megan Milstead
Megan Milstead
Staff Writer

Megan is a Staff Writer on PetsRader, covering news, features and buying guides. She has a wealth of experience looking after animals, having grown up with dogs, cats and horses all of her life. She’s particularly interested in pet happiness and behavior, which she loves to research in her spare time. You’ll often find her watching webinars on reactivity in dogs or researching cat body language. She loves going the extra mile for her cats Chilli and Nala (who also help out with testing the best products for our buying guides). 

Megan studied BA Journalism at the University of Westminster, where she specialized in lifestyle journalism and was editor of Smoke Radio’s online magazine. She also graduated from West Herts College with a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Journalism. Before joining the PetsRadar family last year, she worked on the editorial team at Harrods and has spent most of her career writing for specialized titles, like RunningShoesGuru, Licklist and Mr. After Party. 

Megan works alongside qualified vets and accredited trainers to ensure you get the best advice possible. She is passionate about finding accurate and helpful answers to your pet-related questions.