Cat - Is Your Cat Ready for Toilet Training? Here's 5 Ways You Can Tell

At the end of a long day, who wants to sift through a messy litter box? Certainly not me. Up until now, the litter-box has been a necessary evil, a small price to pay for our beloved companions. But not anymore. In fact, there's an underground alternative designed for those of us who are ready to kick the litter habit: toilet training your cat. Sounds complicated, right? Not at all. Although far from mainstream, cat toilet training is gaining momentum and cat owners across the country are beginning to embrace the trend. But before you toss that box in the trash, there's a few ways to tell if your cat is ready to take the leap into a litter-free lifestyle. Think Fluffy has what it takes? Read on. 1. Your cat is already litter-box trained. OK, I know what you're thinking: "Of course my cat knows how to use the litter-box" But the simple fact is, cats that already know how to use the litter-box can be reconditioned to use the toilet instead. That's because cat toilet training utilizes your cat's natural instincts to bury their waste to hide their scent from predators. During the training process your cat will learn to put its waste in water instead of in litter. Once your cat makes this transition toilet training becomes a breeze and - voila! Your cat is successfully potty trained! 2. Your cat is eager to please you. Does your cat love making you happy? Whether she leaves the occasional "gift" on your doorstep or offers a warm nuzzle while you're reading, cats who are eager to please are the purr-fect candidates for toilet training. After she learns that using the toilet pleases you, she'll be happy to oblige! 3. You have trained your cat to do something in the past. Does your cat come when you call them? Believe it or not, simple actions like responding to a voice command can help lay the groundwork for the toilet training process. After all, if your kitty already knows how to "follow the leader", toilet training will be a breeze. 4. Your cat is healthy. This one might seem like a no-brainer, but healthy cats have a much easier time jumping up onto their new throne. Illnesses like arthritis or urinary tract infections can affect their ability to learn how to use the toilet, so sick kitties should stick to the box. 5. You know your cat. Can you tell when your feline friend is having a rough day? If you're like many pet owners, you're probably very in tune with your cat's feelings. This unique bond works as a positive force during the toilet training process. How? Cats will use body language to tell you if they are comfortable with a particular training step. When you pick up on these signals, both of you can work together to achieve a relaxed training pace. You'll both feel satisfied when you work as a team! Want to read more? Check out www.citikitty.com to see a video of a toilet trained cat and read how to successfully toilet train your cat with a training kit. Rebecca Rescate is the creator of the CitiKitty Cat Toilet Training Kit. She has helped thousands of cat owners pursue their dream of a litter-free life with their beloved feline. Visit her site to find out more about CitiKitty - http://www.citikitty.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rebecca_Rescate Cat - Burmese - The Facts Every Owner of this Cat Breed Should Know The modern Burmese breed has roots muddled in history. It is generally believed that Burmese are a man made breed descending from the crossbreeding of a Siamese and an ancient version of a pure Burmese (that later died out). This Burmese breed had almost died out until a breeder named Dr. J. Thompson brought one of these remaining cats, Wong Mau (who may have actually been a Tonkinese), to America in the 1930s because of his interest in Wong Mau's markings. The doctor wanted to study these markings and bred Wong Mau to a seal point Siamese. The resulting liter was the first Burmese kittens. Burmese cats tend to be of average height and weight and live approximately thirteen years. Their coats come in a variety of colors: brown (seal brown), blue (soft blue-gray with a silver sheen), chocolate (milk chocolate), lilac (dove gray with a pinkish cast), red (tangerine), cream, brown tortie (brown with shades of red), blue tortie (blue with shades of cream), chocolate tortie (chocolate with shades of red), and lilac tortie (lilac with shades of cream). The coats are shorthaired and tend to shed very little. Burmese enjoy the company of humans, make a good family pet, and adapt well to any environment. They get along with children and other family pets. Burmese are loyal to their human companions and will move with them from room to room of the house. They enjoy the affection they give and receive in this relationship. Burmese are lap cats and enjoy being pet and stroked. They are also very loving and accepting of strangers - a characteristic that is a plus for an indoor cat but quite dangerous if the cat is allowed to roam the outdoors. Burmese are quite trusting of everyone and everything and have no instinct to fight or defend itself. Adult Burmese are very nimble cats (despite their stocky looking build) but this may not be apparent when they are kittens. Burmese kittens, attempting new feats, tend to be clumsy. They grow into their agility and age gracefully. Burmese do have some health concerns. They are prone to cherry eye, and corneal dermoids (a surgically correctable attachment of skin or hair to the cornea). There is a website that has great information on Burmese and most other breeds of cats. It has details that pertain to a cat breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url: http://www.dogandcatfacts.com By Robert W. Benjamin Copyright ? 2007 You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.