Cat Training

Review by SJ:

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3KW7YUD5UIYN We were quite skeptical about the Litter Kwitter after buying a “CityKitty” a few months earlier which we threw out after a few weeks because there was no way of taking a step back after we physically cut out a larger hole in the plastic. It also was quite “wobbly” for the cat to stand on. Now I know why the Litter Kwitter costs twice the price…it’s made of high-quality plastic (the same material as what hard-hats are made of according to the manufacturer) and it’s 3 rings mean you can go back a step if needed.

Anyway, after asking the very patient folks at Cleverlad Pets 8 questions about the product, we finally decided to buy one and we are very impressed with our cat’s progress in using it most of the time after a few weeks.

After getting him to use the tray on the floor for a couple of weeks with the red ring, we moved it up onto the toilet and then changed to the orange ring on week 3…I think we probably were a little too impatient with our expectations at that point, because went a couple of times on the floor next to the toilet bowl, and became ultra-fascinated by the hole where I think he could see his relfection in the water! At this point, we reverted back to the red tray for a few days until he was using it consistently again before changing back to the orange ring.

To cut a long story short, we’re now onto the Green (go) ring and “Jeebus” is using it about 90% of the time after about 6 weeks of training.

We absolutely love not having to clean up a stinky litter tray anymore, or worrying about what germs Jeebus has on his paws from scratching through the litter.

Many thanks to Cleverlad Pets for your patience and great customer service. We hope to report more progress soon, but for now, here’s a video of Jeebus using the Litter Kwitter

Litter Kwitter – Toilet Train a Cat – No More Litter Box

Review by Timothy Neumark:

This product is an absolute waste of money; I highly recommend that you look for other alternatives. I tell you this after trying to use it myself (two kittens) and giving it to my friend to use (four cats of various ages). No one had any luck with it. But keep reading, we DID find other systems to use.

The design and promotional videos all seem logical: just use this thing that puts a hole in the middle, and the cats will use that! Then make the hole bigger! In reality, there are a number of problems with the Litter Kwitter.

The first problem with the product is the first step: replace the cat’s litter box with the Litter Kwitter on the floor. This shows the poor design of the product: cats are used to burying their mess, and the Litter Kwitter isn’t deep enough for the poo to be buried. The first day I used this, there was cat poo all over the bathroom floor and walls, because the kittens could not figure out how to clean their mess. Further, my friend’s cats were uncomfortable with the awkward ridge in the middle of the Litter Kwitter.

The other problems are similar: the whole premise is to put a giant hole in the middle of the litter box, which is completely unnatural for your kitten. Also, they sell a “multicat system” that has intermediate tray sizes, and many reviews I found online complained that these tray sizes are not included in the product. The bottom line: As shipped, the product goes from a too-shallow litter box where poo cannot be buried, to the same litter box with a giant hole in the middle, instead of intermediate hole sizes.

I searched for a number of systems and I found this one to be highly reviewed, but then I read a number of reviews where people compliment the system without having fully trained their cats. My gosh, just read some testimonials on the website for the product! They say things like “I’m soooo looking forward to the end of the litter box” and “It sounds like a great concept. I’ll try anything” and “Congratulations on a great idea by the way, whether it works or not, I think it’s a brilliant concept.” These are ACTUAL COMMENTS that the site has posted as TESTIMONIAL! Clearly, these people don’t even know if the system works yet, and I’m quite sure that it probably didn’t. Let me tell you that this system is not logical.

After further research, I found another system that cost me about .00, and I trained my two four-month-old kittens within 4-5 weeks. The system is The Toilet Trained Cat (The Toilet Trained Cat), and frankly I didn’t even buy it because I found it online (about 80% of it, which was enough) and its system makes more sense. The premise of The Toilet Trained Cat is that you use an aluminum foil roasting pan within the toilet, and put a small hole in it. Unlike Litter Kwitter, you put the hole in the corner, not the center. Gradually, you increase the hole size until the cat needs to balance on the toilet while going in the litter/water. Further, the idea of this system is that the cat will eventually “miss”, which means they will go in the toilet. Litter Kwitter assumes that a cat is immediately willing to go in the water and not the litter. This is ridiculous.

I am in no way affiliated with The Toilet Trained Cat; I simply find that its system is more logical and much, much cheaper. My cats and my friend’s cats are proof that Litter Kwitter has serious design issues. My cats are proof that The Toilet Trained Cat is a better system.

Review by :

Before I bought these scat mats, I read many reviews that either said the mat was inhumane (and some people refuse to use it) OR the mat was the most incredible invention ever. Below is my review and hopefully it will help someone else decide if it is a good idea to purchase the mat, or not.

First of all, I begin by saying, the mat works. There is no question about it. However how well it works, and where, and to what degree are all the variables that depend on YOU, the user as well as on the subject, your PET, cat or dog.

Tall/Smart Dog

I had a 40 lb bulldog (a temporary house guest) who was quite tall (even for bulldogs, because I think he is mixed) and the dog was able to jump over a scat mat I placed in a doorway. It was only the second time the bulldog encountered the mat, and he was smart enough to know what to do. He took one leap and was already in the other room (where the Christmas tree, which I was trying to protect, was located). Therefore in the case of taller dogs (especially the ones that know how to jump very well) you may need to set down two mats (one next to another) rather than just one mat, to increase the surface area of the mat – that way the dog will never try to jump it.

Smart but Short Legged and Lazy Dog

My own bulldog, who is also 40 lbs but short and stumpy and lazy, NEVER tries anything with the mat in the same doorway. (Please not when you place mat in doorway it needs to completely cover the entire entrance – if there is space for the dog to get through without stepping on the mat, he or she will try it). When the mat is in the door way, it doesn’t matter if there is a steak on the other side of the mat, my short legged bulldog will not even bother to try to go on, or near it. So that mat is a GREAT alternative to pet gates, which are usually made very poorly anyways that you end up breaking it. Your home also looks so much better without an ugly pet gate as. The mat is simple, and sweet, and your dog will never touch it and you yourself will just have to step over it so it is great in doorways or right below the stairs, like when/if you don’t want your dog to go upstairs). However make sure you tell guests right when they get in the house about the mat because someone will always step on it and while it won’t hurt them, it might be a little embarrassing – I had a house guest who was so startled by the mat shock, he said a bad word very loud, and I had to contain myself from laughing.

Couch Hogging

My bulldog was also taking over our family room couch (and this guy is pretty spoiled, he has his own personal trainer and when her numerous suggestions didn’t work), so we left mats on the couch and he never goes on the couch anymore. However keep in mind, the couch has to completely covered, because the dog will go on any areas large enough that was left uncovered on the couch . We have a large sectional and we use two large mats on each side. You also have to make sure that if the dog isn’t allowed on the couch, he has another desirable place to rest his head (this is the interest of training, so that one day even without the mats, the dog will no longer go on the couch, and use his own bed).

Smart Small Dogs

My neighbor has a small tiny dog (mixed breed) and I sometimes babysit her, and this gave me insight on the use of scat mat on small dogs. It actually works better on them. With bulldogs, they have high threshold for pain, and it takes them a good 3/4 seconds to actually realize the scat mat for what it is. However for small dogs they will approach it, yelp from the surprise of shock and will never ever go near it. With bulldogs, they don’t even make a sound after touching the mat so the high setting is recommended. However for small dogs, low or medium setting is fine. Plus you will not need the large size of the mat for small dogs, unless you want to make sure to cover a large surface area.

Puppies

The only reservations I have about the scat mat is its use on puppies. I just would not do it. It maybe too young for them to experience something alarming or surprising and it may impair their emotional development or trust towards you or your household so buyers if you want to train a puppy, consult a trainer and use treats and positive vs negative methods. DO NOT USE THIS DEVICE ON PUPPIES. I think this mat is more for matured dogs, whose ingrown habits you are trying to break. For instance, my bulldog took over the couch because my boyfriend kept letting him get on it and watch TV with him, and soon the entire couch was his and it got all smelly and gross so I used these mats to sort of wean him away from it, by preventing access, and giving him another comfortable place. Whenever the scat mat is not on the couch (temporarily, like when I have guests, my dog will still try to get on it but it’s only been a few weeks so I think it will make some time. Puppies will always go on couches too for comfort but be strict about the couch issue (either they are allowed or they are not) while the puppy is young and it will solve the problem but it is necessary to use the scat mat for anything regarding training puppies – if you consult a certified trainer you can practically teach a puppy to do anything. When I say puppies, I am referring to a pet under 1 year of age or less. DO NOT USE SCAT MAT ESPECIALLY ON VERY YOUNG WEEK OLD PUPPIES I CANNOT ADVOCATE THIS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

Cats

I looked after my best friend’s cat and he was exposed to the scat mat. He took a few steps, got shocked and never even went downstairs ever again (where the mats are located in the house). However the cat is a rescue and he is very hostile and angry and has little confidence so I am not sure if the scat mat was what caused this extreme/over reaction or if the cat’s personality contributed to it. I don’t know much about cats, but this was the kind of cat that if you touched him, he will actually bite your hand. My dog also stays downstairs in the house so I don’t know if it is because of the scat mats or dog that the cat refuses to venture to the first floor of the house. However I have heard that scat mats are great for kitchen counters when it comes to cats, who gets on them to access food, but I don’t know enough about cats at all to tell you how they will do with scat mats. Whatever the case, you will have to know your cat or dog well enough to know if the scat mat will work or not.

Inhumane or Not?

After using and trying the mat out for some time, I also concluded that it is not inhumane (IF USED ON ADULT DOGS AND CATS), and here’s why – people touch the device and say things like “it is too powerful, etc”. but they forget that their animals are actually very highly intelligent. A dog or a car will only ever really feel a scat mat once or twice, and will NEVER go near it again. In my household, the ones that keep getting shocked are actually the humans because we leave it in the door ways, and on the couch and everyone forgets about it and either keep stepping on it, or sitting on it. So this device isn’t an pain inflictor (maybe to yourself) but not to your animals – once they felt it they are over it, they will never go near it again. The pain is also psychology (almost tingly in fact and not physically harmful, I would know about this very well because I’ll come downstairs all sleepy and sometimes forgets and stands on the mat for about a good 5/6 seconds). My friend told me about a lady whose standard Poodles were so tall they were getting food from kitchen counter tops it got so bad the owner had to put mouse traps on the counters – now THAT is what I call inhumane, and sheer desperation. I had to tell my friend to tell the lady about scat mats.

I recently bought two scat mats and I use it in a door way to prevent my dog from messing with the Christmas tree, and another one below a shelf (where my dog was getting DVDs off of and biting them into pieces). I had to switch these two mats around to go on the couch as well so today I am getting another two to use solely for couch so it can stay put there, and my dog learns the entire thing is off limits, all day everyday. However I anticipate many people (humans) including myself accidently experiencing the “shock” value of the mats in my household than my dog (who is obviously smarter than us) ever will.

I hope this review has been helpful to you, and again I would like to reiterate my point not to use the scat mat nor any other “devices” on young puppies – they can easily be trained with treats and repeating good habits and positive or negative reinforcements.

Review by Wolverine:

My cat had me at wits end. He wanted to be on the counters all the time. I’d come home to find cat litter on the counter which is gross. Tried using the xmats which have plastic spikes on them (he got used to them and walked all over them). Then I decided he would not win the war and got one of these shock pads(the shock is mild depending on how you set it). All it took was one time jumping on this and he got the surprise of a lifetime. He stays clear now. The secret is to put it where the cat likes to jump to then once they learn to avoid that spot move it to the next place they choose to jump up to. I think they remember the spots to avoid (at least my cat did). This product is made of cheap materials but it works and thats what counts. I highly recommend to owners of stubborn cats.

Review by L. McGrath:

We have 3 indoor only cats, one who just would not use any of our 4 litterboxes placed throughout the house. I was constantly mopping up puddles. After many visits to the vet to make sure there wasn’t a physical problem, I happend across this litter and decided to give it a try. Much to my suprise, after only one day, our problem child decided to use the litter boxes. Its been 2 years and we have had no setbacks. Another plus is that there is hardly any dust. Try it, you have nothing to lose and a clean smelling house to gain.

Review by Amanda Koh:

I have a cat who would “think outside the box” and I tried everything over the first 7 years to resolve the situation. (Different litter boxes and litters.) Now, I can’t say it was this product alone, because when I finally found my solution – it was using this product, in conjunction with the Kitty Wonderbox litterbox. But I’ve had my experience with various kinds of litter, and I LOVE THIS LITTER!

I really dislike perfume smells, and was concerned about chemicals and the environment, so I stayed away from clay litter for the longest time. I used Swheat Litter for quite a long time, preferring that among most of the biodegradeable litters. I’ve tried the corn, paper pellets and pine – and all of them would be OK, but still leave a bit of a smell. At that time, I still preferred them, though, because they didn’t have perfumes or chemicals AND were better for the environment. But, I still had a house that REEKED of URINE! (One of my cat’s was still peeing on the floor.) So, I came full circle when finding this one because it has no perfumes – just a very light herbal scent and the odor is TRULY FRESH! I was hesitant at first, because it was clay, and I didn’t want to add to the landfill… (same with the disposable Wonderbox.) But… it (they both) have been a GOD SEND!

First of all, my cat found success in using this litter/box combo. And now, if all that happened was the cat began peeing in the litter, I would have been overjoyed – but that happened PLUS I found a combination cat litter/box which has NO ODOR! I DO NOT SMELL OUR LITTER ANYMORE!!! I even get down at cat level to smell it, and am blown away that there really isn’t an odor after more than a week of use! This has excellent odor control…. and in combination with the Wonderbox, I am truly blown away. I would recommend this for people having open houses/trying to sell their home – use both of these products together. I know of another FRESH, (non-smelling – non-perfumed) product for cleaning any accidents, too, that I’ve been using for several years. Wish it was sold on Amazon so I could write a review on it! Search NOGC to find it. (They sell different products – but I love B.O.S.S. the most – you’d be amazed how blood will disappear with it!)

Oh – but I will say – you may not need to buy the more expensive Cat Attract… I RECENTLY discovered the other clay litter by the same company – and have started using it instead. If your cat has a problem, maybe start with Cat Attract for consistency of scent, until the cat is fully accustomed to it, then you could try this… You can buy the herbal additive by this same company, and get their regular clay litter in the Blue bag (which still has no perfumes/smell) – and I sprinkle that additive on top occasionally. I find it is cheaper, and I like the scent of the herbal – and so do the cats… (that’s how I KNOW they like it – they come in from the other room with this ultra “I gotta use that litter now” look when I sprinkle it on top.) And I really like the smell of it – so it’s nice to sprinkle on an amount that I can smell too, every once in awhile. Just a suggestion!

Oh, and as another tip if your cat isn’t using his/her box – (mine hated covered boxes, because he felt trapped/unsafe – he had an unfortunate mishap with another cat when he was a kitten.) I witnessed it, and it took me awhile to put the pieces together to understand the root of the problem. But that was a big thing for him! Having an open litter box makes a BIG difference for him! That’s not all of it – but that’s a piece of my puzzle, that may help someone else…. good luck! (and sorry I wrote so much – hard to say it all in a short amount!)