Toilet Training Cats, Phase III b

There is more to Phase III than just elevating the litter box, the final step is to place the litter box on the seat. I forgot that bit until I read the instructions again. The litter box has been on the toilet (with the seat up, it was sliding off otherwise) since Monday night. They didn't even blink an eye and are happily using the box.

That just means they had some more time to get used to the high litter box. It's better to take things slow, than to clean the consequences of going too fast. I'm not sure that I want to start the next phase this week anyway because I have a business trip coming up and I want to be home until the last, crucial bit of the training is finished.

I doubt they'll learn in less than a week how to use the toilet and I don't want to force them to learn too fast. The downside is that there is litter all over the bathroom floor. Having the box without a lid means that if a kitten scrapes a little too vigorously, there's litter flying everywhere.

Oh well, this too shall pass. I'll just swipe up the litter regularly for the rest of this week and begin with the next phase next week.

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5-year Anniversary Feature, October

This is the last Wednesday of the month and I am posting what I was up to that month for the past five years. I hope you enjoy the trip down the memory lane with me.

2004, Stockholm

Some knitting

2005, Helsinki/Dublin

On the job training in Helsinki

2006, Dublin

Being quiet and got braids again

2007, Stockholm

Packing for the move to my new flat

2008, Stockholm

Of furniture and cats

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Toilet Training Cats, Phase II and III

Kittens are very adaptable. Sona learned immediately to be careful with jumping up to an open toilet, Juku took two dips before learning. By now they are old pros at jumping up to the seat without falling in.

Phase II and III: Moving and raising the litter box

Since the litter box was in the bathroom already, I didn't have to move it there, I just relocated it next to the toilet and raised it at the same time on Saturday after observing both of them successfully jumping up to the toilet seat independently.

Elevating the box was supposed to be done in stages, but I didn't have anything suitable to put under it. It is lidded, and the lid had indentations for the box feet, so I just lifted the box onto the lid. Voilà! A raised litter box.

I lifted them up to the box to show where it was, and it was smooth sailing afterwards. It's not as if they weren't there observing the whole process, or that they wouldn't be able to smell the litter in the new location. I'm confident they would have figured it out by themselves, but I believe it is a good idea to show an animal you are training what you expect them to do.

So far, so good. Things will get interesting now. Leaving a toilet seat up or relocating a litter box is nothing unusual, getting them to associate the toilet as a place to do their business is the crucial bit. Phase IV will start when I find a suitable bowl.

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Toilet Training Cats, Phase I

Ever since I heard that it is possible, I've wanted to toilet train my cats. When I moved to Hornstull two years ago, I looked around for instructions. All I found were expensive products that may or may not be successful. The initial investment vs. success was too unbalanced, so I gave up on the idea with Mao and Ursus.

Then I heard about these instructions and suddenly remembered that I have kittens now. Kittens that are old enough to jump that high. Kittens that are young enough to teach. Whee! The investment is a mixing bowl that doesn't cost hundreds of kronas, time, patience and some blood (we're talking about cats here after all). Seems fair to me.

Phase I: Lid Up, Seat Down

Results so far: toilet 1, Juku 0.

I begun with leaving the toilet lid up. Moments after I lifted it, Juku had an EXPERIENCE. He looked a bit panicky trying to get out and a little bedraggled when he did get out. Sona, having had an Experience (he didn't get wet) licked Juku a few times out of sympathy. Poor Juku. Fortunately, the water was clean and he dried off quickly.

I'll lift them to the seat a few times to show that one can jump up there and not get wet. Once that's successful, I'll start raising the litter box.

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Simon's Cat "Hot Spot"

Simon Tofield never fails to make me laugh!

See all films here.

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It Snows!

It snows already! Now, I love snow, but this is a whole month too early. It's been pretty cold this week, but come on! It's not even the end of October yet and I haven't got anything warm to wear.

I've begun the winter knitting thinking I had plenty of time to wear fall clothes. Not so. I've planned to knit gloves, arm warmers and two scarves for this winter. One scarf is half done (it was all the way done, but I ripped it back) one is 25% done, I have one glove and a nearly done arm warmer.

I also planned to buy a new winter coat before the winter hits, but no one is selling these yet. All the coats I've checked are thin fall coats. Useless. I could try to sew a coat for myself, but I'm not that good with modern stuff. Fitting one self is also tricky.

Enough with whining.

The other day I caught them sleeping in a pile of adorableness. They are the most fantastic kittens ever when they are not tearing this place apart. Thankfully, kittens grow out of the destructive phase faster than dogs or children. Meanwhile, I enjoy the moments of unbearable cute while they last.

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Meet Juku

After having decided that I shall not give up Sona, not even temporarily, I had to find a buddy for him. I asked around at work, friends, and looked on-line. There is a local Swedish ads site that has ads for pets and I got lucky. I spotted an ad for kittens of suitable age and located so that I could pick one up myself, without asking for J to drive me.

I picked Juku up on Sunday. There were three male kittens in that litter, but one was long haired and my preference was short. Both short haired males were ginger (be still my heart!) and I got to choose. I chose the bigger one because I thought he'd be better match to Sona's size. They are exactly four weeks apart and while Juku will probably eventually be bigger than Sona, I thought that being of roughly equal size in the beginning would be good for them.

The family I got Juku from is really sweet. They sent one of his toys with him so that he'd have something familiar, and some food he's used to to blend in with the food I had for Sona. They toy is two discs of felt sewn together with a little stuffing, but it's brilliant — both Juku and Sona absolutely love it. I have plenty of wool scraps to make more.

Juku and Sona hit it off well immediately. Both are in a new territory (although Sona had a few hours on Juku) and quite young. They were playing together within half an hour of bringing Juku home.

Juku is an Estonian boy name and a name of one of my Mum's late cats. Juku is also a hero of several Estonian anecdotes, a smart little rascal. If my Juku will be anything like those two, I'll never have a dull moment in my life ever again.

Right now he is a sweet little lively thing and I adore him. He and Sona came to check on me during the night, spending some time sleeping next to my pillow. I didn't get enough sleep, but I did get enough kitty love.

All will be well.

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Moving Out

I'll be moving out on Saturday.

The last few weeks have been tense. Things have not been well for a while and it all came to a head when I was asked to move out this Wednesday. We all have been increasingly unhappy and have come to the conclusion that it just plain does not work living together full time.

I'm sad and relieved and exited at the same time. Sad because I tried so hard to be a part of this family and all my efforts have been in vain. I'm relieved that the troubled times are over and we can continue building the relationship despite not occupying the same space. Exited because I can continue fixing my flat.

Yes, this is just the end of cohabiting, not the end of the relationship. Our living styles, needs and habits are too different to be able to compromise comfortably. What I need in a living space negates his needs. And his needs negate mine. We tried to compromise and those compromises made both of us unhappy. Thus, he will have his space that fits his needs and I'll have mine.

I know of a couple who have been together for 15 years, but do not live together. That gives me hope that we can make it work too. Our relationship probably has better chances of survival by not cohabiting — we get along very well in other aspects. All other aspects, in fact.

There are quite a few things to organize, and I must find a playmate for Sona. I don't want him to be alone while I'm at work, he's used to having Arthas to play with during the days. Anyone in Stockholm area know of 12+ week old kittens that need a new home? Please feel free to let me know if you do. This is urgent.

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