Problems with the green stage? Tips here

[Norwegiangirl85]

Some cats has problems with all the stages, some with none of them - but I know for a fact that some cats have been good troughout the prosess until they hit the green wall...Why? Maybe because the hole is so much bigger, there is less litter, scratching surface, less surface to stand on and they might get wet while using the toilet. Depends on your water level.

On this stage you would think that you don't need to use much litter anymore, but I think this was the stage we used the most since alot goes in the water. It's very important to fill it up as much as possible in the beginning, don't reduce the litter until your cat is ready.

If your cat has problems with bum splash you might want to lower the water level in the toilet if possible. Here in my country there is not much water in the bowl, but I think in the US toilets it's very high. Some people also put toilet paper in the bowl to help with this problem.

If your cats are using the green stage, but still needs litter - do not remove it yet. I didn't remove it completely before the white stage.

If your cat has problems going straight from green to white I would advice the cardboard method as an option: http://www.litterkwitter.com/forums/...ead.php?t=2662

Here is some pics of what we did from green to white:

I used a thin cutting board in almost the same size as green and slowely made the hole bigger.




I was cutting the whole tray, but since all the cats usually sit on one side of the toilet and Mina usually hit the tray with her poo and pee I wanted to cut more there so it would go in the water and it would be easier to clean. I also drilled a few holes in the tray so more pee would go in the water...


Here I started to cut where they never sit since they wouldn't notice anyway...Slowely getting to the white stage...

[Norwegiangirl85]

I started having some problems with the ducktape since there was not really much of the cutting board left underneath the white LK to stick it too and I didn't want ducktape on the top of it since I wanted it to look white like the seat. I decided to put some silicon between the cutting board and the white lip of the LK seat, worked very well and there was not so much litter sticking between the tray and the white seat anymore. (I remember that was annoying).


I used the silicon to attach some of the litter to the tray at all times so that they cats would be happy there was always litter on the tray. I also pored some extra litter on top so they could scratch some of it down the toilet to make them happy.


Now I only had the attached litter on at all times, didn't even need to change it. They had almost stopped scratching it since it was almost impossible to get it down the toilet. After two weeks on the white stage I reduced the litter to none. They were on the white stage for a month before I removed the LK completely.


You are all welcome to add your pics here aswell

Polls:

How much time did you spend on the green stage?:
http://www.litterkwitter.com/forums/...ead.php?t=2951

How much time did you spend on the white stage?:
http://www.litterkwitter.com/forums/...ead.php?t=2952

[mrsporter09]

Hello,

Mia is 3 months old. We have been using the litter kwitter since she was 5 weeks. So it's been about 2 months, For the last 4 weeks we have been on the green stage and have been using cardboard to transition. Ugh! She pees perfect and she was pooping good on the green part until I tried to transition her with the cardboard. Then we had 3 poops on the floor so we are back to the green stage were she is using it, only her positioning has been bad. For the last 7 times she has pooped on the rim white part. She has never really tried to aim for the water she has always just tried to go on the orange or green rim.

I don't know what to do, Help!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyWs7DyB_6Q
Video of her pooping down the backside of the LK

[Aurora]

Since she is still so young, it could just be that her small size is what helps her go in the wrong position. As she gets bigger, she won't be able to fit on the seat the way she does now, and she may have to naturally adapt a better position. The LitterKwitter brochure suggests you do not start the training with a cat until they are 3 months old.

If she used to be pooping in the proper position, but changed when you introduced the cardboard, hopefully she will return to the proper position if given enough time to get used to the fact that her sturdy green disk has returned. Obviously the cardboard made her feel insecure in her old position. Have you tried to change the angle at which she is going? You could try waiting until she has started going, and then gently maneuver her to a better position. If you can get her to return to her better position, I'd stay on green for quite awhile as she gets a bit bigger so she makes it a habit to use the LK in the proper way.

[devora]

She is a nice big girl for 3 months, but I have read that one of the reasons not to start early is because they are not able to balance properly until they are over 4 months old. So she is really doing brilliantly.

Most cats do not like being disturbed but you may be able to turn her a little, if you can, just as the poo starts to come out, they freeze when it starts and you can move them around, I would be very careful though you do not want to put her off the whole thing and end up with her doing it elsewhere. If she is disturbed by the movement I would not push, I would just clean the poo of the white rim until she is bigger. I know that sounds gross, but she is really great, perhaps a little afraid.

[Norwegiangirl85]

My cats started at 11 and 13 weeks and I don't see a problem in that - but 5 weeks might be a bit young...Anyway, since she was doing OK before I don't think the age is the problem -but I do agree with Aurora that she wouldn't be able to stand like that on the seat if she was bigger. I thin it would help to put the seat down over the LK...If she doesn't like that maybe go back to amber with the seat down just to get her used to it and then go back to green with the seat down when she is ready. I don't think it's good to reposition cats too much so hopefully you want have to...Maybe putting more litter in the green will help her get that she has to go where the litter is...Just poor as much as possible even if alot goes in the toilet. (It doesn't matter if she is pooping in the tray and the litter instead of in the toilet - that will usually solve itself, but the pooping on the white seat is a problem...)

My cats didn't like it when I tried the cardboard for some reason either, but when I used the same method with a thin cutting board they did very good It might be that the cardboard was not steady enough or maybe she didn't like the smell or the lack of her scent...Try to put some used litter in the new tray to get her scent there...

[mrsporter09]

Thank you ladies that's great advise.

I can't move her while she is pooping b/c she likes her privacy. (Won't go while I'm standing there, probably b/c I've moved her before while she was mid-poop) (It's tough to catch her in the act)

I don't think toilet seat down will work, it is super slippery. Is there anything I could put on it to make is less slippery? (I don't want to use tape)

Although we were at the point on green with almost no litter. I'm going to start with a lot of litter, this way she knows she has to poop on the litter and not on the white rim. (Great advise)

Mia doesn't like a sudden transition so the cardboard method has been working great going from orange to green, so I put a new piece of cardboard. This one is totally sturdy (much much better then the original).
-Great advise that the old somewhat unsteady cardboard made her feel unsteady so she changed her position. (Bingo!!!)

When we first got her at 5 weeks we knew she was going to be toilet trained so the only litter she knows is the LK.First we put it in front of the toilet on red then as she grew we would elevate it so she would get use to jumping up to go potty, we used boxes to make steps because she was so tiny.
Even though she is young she is smart and has pretty good balance. (She has the pee position down pack)

We will push forward and see how SHE feels about it. If she doesn't like it then we will stay on green for a while longer.

Thanks again ladies, you have really helped!

PS. Who ever came up with the name "Pee Pee Dance" is just brilliant. I finally have a name for it!

Mia Going Pee Red Stage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8QSYk_Gnuk&feature=autoplay&list=ULd_nHBc H-vy4&lf=mfu_in_order&playnext=1

Mia Going Pee Orange Stage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8QSY..._order&list=UL

[3kittyslave]

If you have trouble using cardboard to help transition between stages, there is a possible reason, that is very simple.
I have information from the vets, books and research papers that some cardboard contains glues as part of its manufacturing process. Some of these glues smell horrible to cats, and some are actually toxic. If you've left a cardboard box out, and they've weed on it, it's because they're trying to cover up the nasty smell.
So if you use cardboard in their toilet that contains a nasty smelling glue, that would put them off their toilet, and possibly stress them as well if they can't do anything about the smell (such as if you replace the cardboard), and it's a bad smell in what is their territory.
I used to work in a paper mill, and glues are what help bind the fibres together, and it would be the same with cardboard, except they'd use stronger glue as the fibres are bigger.
I had success using thin plastic oval picnic plates - they didn't mind that at all. I could cut them, and drill holes, all the same things as with cardboard. They're better as they don't disintegrate, and don't stink for the cat.
In the meantime I forked out for the multi kat kit, and didn't need the plastic plates then. I may later at the green stage.
So just consider that the cardboard may just have stinky glue. If they didn't mind at first, it may have been a different type of cardboard. Alternatively, the glue smell may build up over time in the enclosed space of the loo bowl.
I try to avoid having it around the cats.

[Norwegiangirl85]

Wow, she is so tiny and sweet

If you are going to make her use the toilet with the real seat it's best to let her get used to it early in the training...Maybe you can get a flat, wide seat. I have heard a wooden one is the best for cats. (Don't have that myself).

I had no idea that cardboard was toxic to cats, but most people use cardboard wrapped in duct tape - I guess that is not as bad? I just used a thin cutting board, but other materials like perspex or courrgerated plastic is usable

[lozza2442]

What tool did you use to cut through your cutting board? Considering giving it a go!