Toilet Training (for Parents) – Nemours KidsHealth

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Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

When Are Kids Ready to Toilet Train?

Many parents are unsure about when to start toilet training or “potty training.” Not all kids are ready at the same age, so it’s important to watch your child for signs of readiness, such as stopping an activity for a few seconds or clutching his or her diaper.

Instead of using age, look for signs that your child may be ready to start heading for the potty, such as being able to:

• follow simple instructions
• understand and use words about using the potty
• make the connection between the urge to pee or poop and using the potty
• keep a diaper dry for 2 hours or more
• get to the potty, sit on it for enough time, and then get off the potty
• pull down diapers, disposable training pants, or underpants
• show an interest in using the potty or wearing underpants

Most children begin to show these signs when they’re between 18 and 24 months old, though some may not be ready until later than that. And boys often start later and take longer to learn to use the potty than girls.

There are some times when you may want to put off starting toilet training, such as:

• when traveling
• around the birth of a sibling
• changing from the crib to the bed
• moving to a new house
• when your child is sick (especially if diarrhea is a factor)

How Long Does Toilet Training Take?

Teaching a toddler to use the potty isn’t an overnight task. It often takes between 3 and 6 months, but can take more or less time for some children. If you start too soon, the process tends to take longer. And it can take months to even years to master staying dry at night.

Potty Types

The two basic potty options are:

• a standalone, toddler-size potty chair with a bowl that can be emptied into the toilet
• a toddler-size seat that can be placed on top of a toilet seat that will let your child feel more secure and not fear falling in. If you choose this, get a stepping stool so your child can reach the seat comfortably and feel supported while having a bowel movement.

It’s usually best for boys to first learn to use the toilet sitting down before learning to pee standing up. For boys who feel awkward — or scared — about standing on a stool to pee in the toilet, a potty chair may be a better option.

You may want to get a training potty or seat for every bathroom in your house. You may even want to keep a potty in the trunk of your car for emergencies. When traveling long distances, be sure to take a potty seat with you and stop every 1 to 2 hours. Otherwise, it can take too long to find a restroom.

About Training Pants

Disposable training pants are a helpful step between diapers and underwear. Because kids’ nighttime bladder and bowel control often lags behind their daytime control, some parents like using training pants at night. Others prefer that their child use training pants when they’re out and about. Once the training pants remain dry for a few days, kids can make the switch to wearing underwear.

But some people think that disposable training pants might make kids think it’s OK to use them like diapers, thus slowing the toilet-teaching process.

Ask your doctor if your child would benefit from using disposable training pants as a transitional step.

Tips for Toilet Training

Even before your child is ready to try the potty, you can prepare your little one by teaching about the process:

• Use words to express the act of using the toilet (“pee,” “poop,” and “potty”).
• Ask your child to let you know when a diaper is wet or soiled.
• Identify behaviors (“Are you going poop?”) so that your child can learn to recognize the urge to pee and poop.
• Get a potty chair your child can practice sitting on. At first, your child can sit on it wearing clothes or a diaper. When ready, your child can go bare-bottomed.

If you’ve decided that your child is ready to start learning how to use the potty, these tips may help:

• Set aside some time to devote to the potty-training process.
• Don’t make your child sit on the toilet against his or her will.
• Show your child how you sit on the toilet and explain what you’re doing (because your child learns by watching you). You also can have your child sit on the potty seat and watch while you (or a sibling) use the toilet.
• Establish a routine. For example, you may want to begin by having your child sit on the potty after waking with a dry diaper, or 45 minutes to an hour after drinking lots of liquids. Only put your child on the potty for a few minutes a couple of times a day, and let your child get up if he or she wants to.
• Have your child sit on the potty within 15 to 30 minutes after meals to take advantage of the body’s natural tendency to have a bowel movement after eating (this is called the gastro-colic reflex). Also, many kids have a time of day they tend to have a bowel movement.
• Ask your child to sit on the potty if you see clear clues of needing to go to the bathroom, such as crossing legs, grunting, or squatting.
• Empty a bowel movement (poop) from your child’s diaper into the toilet, and tell your child that poop goes in the potty.
• Avoid clothes that are hard to take off, such as overalls and shirts that snap in the crotch. Kids who are potty training need to be able to undress themselves.
• Offer your child small rewards, such as stickers or time reading, every time your child goes in the potty. Keep a chart to track of successes. Once your little one appears to be mastering the use of the toilet, let him or her pick out a few new pairs of big-kid underwear to wear.
• Make sure all caregivers — including babysitters, grandparents, and childcare workers — follow the same routine and use the same names for body parts and bathroom acts. Let them know how you’re handling toilet training and ask that they use the same approaches so your child won’t be confused.
• Praise all attempts to use the toilet, even if nothing happens. And remember that accidents will happen. It’s important not to punish potty-training children or show disappointment when they wet or soil themselves or the bed. Instead, tell your child that it was an accident and offer your support. Reassure your child that he or she is well on the way to using the potty like a big kid.

Common Toilet Training Problems

Many kids who’ve been using the potty have some trouble during times of stress. For example, a 2- or 3-year-old dealing with a new sibling may start having accidents.

But if your child was potty-trained and is regularly having problems, talk with your doctor.

Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about toilet training or your child is 4 years or older and is not yet potty trained.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

Date reviewed: March 2019

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Toilet Training | Johns Hopkins Medicine

What is toilet training?

Toilet training is teaching your child to recognize his or her body signals for urinating and having a bowel movement and using a potty chair or toilet correctly and at the appropriate times.

When should toilet training begin?

Toilet training should begin when the child shows signs that he or she is ready. There is no right age to begin. If you try to toilet train before your child is ready, it can be a battle for both you and your child. The ability to control bowel and bladder muscles comes with proper growth and development.

Children develop at different rates. A child younger than 12 months of age has no control over bladder or bowel movements. There is very little control between 12 to 18 months. Most children are unable to obtain bowel and bladder control until 24 to 30 months. The average age of toilet training is 27 months.

Learning when my child is ready to begin toilet training

The following may be indicators of your child’s readiness to begin toilet training. Your child should be able to:

• Walk well in order to get to the potty chair.

• Tell you when there is a need to go to the potty.

• Control the muscles used for going to the potty.

Signs that your child may be ready for toilet training include the following:

• Asks to have the diaper changed or tells you a bowel movement or urine is coming

• Shows discomfort when the diaper is wet or dirty

• Enjoys copying what parents or older children do

• Follows you into the bathroom to see how the toilet is used

• Wants to do things (like going to the potty) to make parents happy or to get praise

• Has dry diapers for at least 2 hours during the day or is dry after naps or overnight

Getting started with toilet training

The following tips may help parents get started with toilet training:

• If there are siblings, ask them to let the younger child see you praising them for using the toilet.

• It is best to use a potty chair on the floor rather than putting the child on the toilet for training. The potty chair is more secure for most children because their feet reach the floor and there is no fear of falling off. If you decide to use a seat that goes over the toilet, use a footrest for your child’s feet.

• Children should be allowed to play with the potty: sit on it with clothes on and later with diapers off. This way they can get used to it.

• Never strap your child to the potty chair. Children should be free to get off the potty when they want.

• Your child should not sit on the potty for more than 5 minutes. Sometimes, children have a bowel movement just after the diaper is back on because the diaper feels normal. Do not get upset or punish your child. You can try taking the dirty diaper off and putting the bowel movement in the potty with your child watching you. This may help your child understand that you want the bowel movement in the potty.

• If your child has a usual time for bowel movements (such as after a meal) you can take your child to the potty at that time of day. If your child acts a certain way when having a bowel movement (such as stooping, getting quiet, going to the corner), you may try taking your child to potty when he or she shows it is time.

• If your child wants to sit on the potty, you may stay next to your child and talk or read a book.

• It is good to use words for what your child is doing (“potty,” “pee,” or “poop”). Then your child learns the words to tell you. Remember that other people will hear these words. It is best not to use words that will offend, confuse, or embarrass others or your child.

• Avoid using words like “dirty,” “naughty,” or “stinky” to describe bowel movements and urine. Use a simple, matter-of-fact tone.

• If your child gets off the potty before urinating or passing a bowel movement, be calm. Do not scold. Try again later. If your child successfully uses the potty, give plenty of praise (such as a smile, clap, or hug).

• Children learn from copying adults and other children. It may help if your child sits on the potty chair while you are using the toilet.

• Children often follow parents into the bathroom. This may be one time they are willing to use the potty.

• Initially, teach boys to sit down for passing urine. At first, it is difficult to control starting and stopping while standing. Boys will try to stand to urinate when they see other boys standing.

• Some children learn by pretending to teach a doll to go potty. Obtain a doll that has a hole in its mouth and diaper area and your child can feed and “teach” the doll to pull down its pants and use the potty. Make this teaching fun for your child.

• Make going to the potty a part of your child’s daily routine, such as first thing in the morning, after meals and naps, and before going to bed.

After training is started

The following tips may help parents once the training is started: 

• Once children start using the potty and can tell you they need to go, taking them to the potty at regular times or reminding them too many times to go to the potty is not necessary.

• You may want to start using training pants. Wearing underpants is a sign of growing up, and most children like being a “big girl or big boy.” Wearing diapers once potty training has been started may be confusing for the child.

• If your child has an accident while in training pants, do not punish. Be calm and clean up without making a fuss about it.

• Keep praising or rewarding your child every step of the way: for pulling down pants, for sitting on the potty, and for using the potty. If parents show that they are pleased when children urinate or have bowel movements in the potty, children are more likely to use the potty next time.

• As children get older, they can learn to wipe themselves and wash hands after going to the bathroom. Girls should be taught to wipe from front to back so that germs from bowel movement are not wiped into the urinary area.

• Remember that every child is different and learns toilet training at his or her own pace. If things are going poorly with toilet training, it is better to put diapers back on for a few weeks and try again later. In general, have a calm, unhurried approach to toilet training.

• Most children have bowel control and daytime urine control by age 3 or 4. Soiling or daytime wetting after this age should be discussed with your child’s healthcare provider.

• Nighttime control usually comes much later than daytime control. Complete nighttime control may not happen until your child is 4 or 5 years old, or even older. If your child is age 5 or older and does not stay dry at night, you should discuss this with your child’s healthcare provider.

• Even when children are toilet trained, they may have some normal accidents (when excited or playing a lot), or setbacks due to illness or emotional situations. If accidents or setbacks happen, be patient. Examples of emotional situations include moving to a new house, illness or death in the family, or a new baby in the house. In fact, if you know an emotional situation is going to be happening soon, do not start toilet training. Wait for a calmer time.

Books and videos on toilet training can be found at the library or bookstore for additional information. Talk with your child’s healthcare provider for more information.

How to toilet train a kitten yourself

For a kitten, adapting to a new home and getting to know the owners can turn into a lot of stress. Getting used to the necessary attributes of his daily life, such as a personal sleeping place, a bowl of food and water, a toilet, will help him gain confidence and quickly get used to a new place.

The question of how to toilet train a kitten is one of the most important. The timely completed stage of learning to properly relieve the need, guarantees the absence of bad habits in the pet in the future.

How to prepare a toilet for a kitten

First of all, you need to choose the right place where the pet will relieve himself. It should be a quiet and secluded corner where the washing machine does not make noise, and the sewer pipe does not rattle. The cat toilet should not be too far away.

When he grows up, the toilet can be moved. It is important that the kitten is accustomed to a certain place and filler (or lack thereof) in the tray.

How to toilet train a one month old kitten

Toilet training should be done when the kitten is 1 month old. At this time, kittens begin to consume complementary foods other than mother’s milk. The tray can be placed next to the nest box so that a small kitten can run to it. By the age of 1.5-2 months, the kitten has already developed the appropriate reflex associated with visiting the tray. Loose litter for the toilet helps the kitten to get used to it faster, using the digging reflex.

Convenient is the situation in which the mother cat had the opportunity to accustom the kitten to toilet procedures in the cattery. Visiting the tray does not cause problems for such a kitten, you just need to add a little familiar filler to his new tray. If the kitten has no idea about the tray, you need to take care of how to accustom the kitten to the toilet at home on your own.

Stages of toilet training a kitten

Toilet training a one-month-old kitten usually does not cause problems and passes fairly quickly. It is more convenient to start accustoming kittens some time after feeding or sleeping by following these steps:

1. Some time after feeding or sleeping, take the kitten to the toilet and observe it.
2. When the kitten starts to give signals (paw, fuss, sit down, sniff, meow), put him in the tray and do not let him go until he relieves himself.
3. In case of successful completion of the process, praise the kitten in an affectionate tone, stroke it.
4. In order for the kitten to find its own toilet next time, you can soak a small napkin in the place of its excrement and leave it in the tray. After a while, the kitten himself will remember the algorithm of actions required from him.

Toilet training should take place for the kitten in a calm environment. Even if the kitten did something wrong, you can not scream, hit him or poke his nose. It is necessary, with the help of a disgruntled tone, to make it clear to the kitten that he did the wrong thing, right at the moment of the mistake.

The kitten may not like the filler. To eliminate this factor, you can try different filler textures and tray models.

Assistants in toilet training can be special tools that both attract cats and scare them away from unwanted places.

How to teach a kitten to go to the toilet in a private house

Living in a private home, it may be more convenient for a cat to go to the toilet outside. Outdoor toilet training for a kitten begins with the usual litter box training scheme. After an adult kitten has learned to use the tray, it should be moved closer and closer to the front door until it is behind it.

When the kitten sits down in the tray, you should take him to a place where he can relieve himself outside of it. Over time, the need for a tray will cease to exist.

How to teach a kitten to use the toilet in the apartment (toilet)

Many owners dream of getting rid of the obligation to wash the tray and replace the filler. However, sending a cat to the toilet has many features. There is an opinion that this method is not completely natural and may interfere with the recognition of problems with the urinary system.

Before toilet training, make sure that the kitten is old enough, used to the litter box, has a tendency to learn quickly, and is not afraid of the toilet.

There are many ways to train a cat living in an apartment to the toilet. The simplest method is to raise the level of the tray. Before potty training your cat, make sure that it has grown enough, is litter trained, and is not afraid of the sound of flushing water. Tray and toilet should stand side by side. Next, using coasters or newspapers, you need to raise the level of the tray until it is equal to the level of the toilet.

The next step is to move the tray to the toilet. The cat must learn to walk in the tray on the toilet. Then, you need to try to remove the tray. It is important to note that all permutations must be safe for the cat, and the tray must be well fixed to prevent slipping. If the cat refuses to go to the toilet, you can try to return the tray to the toilet and try again. You can try using special trays with an expanding opening.

Basic recommendations for potty training a cat:

• Kittens can be toilet trained from the age of 5-6 months.
• The toilet lid must not close or slam when the cat tries to clean up after itself.
• The entrance to the toilet must always be open.
• You can use special tools to train your cat to the toilet.
• The toilet should be wiped with a cloth for hygiene purposes.

Toilet training a cat is considered an extremely difficult task, both for the owner and for the pet. Much more important is a calm state during the administration of natural needs, and easy access to the toilet for your pet.

Listening to the behavior of the cat, you can understand whether this or that way of sending needs is convenient for her.

Difficulties in potty training a kitten

1. It may be difficult for a kitten to get into the litter box. The toilet should be proportionate for the kitten.
2. Toilet access may be temporarily closed. Check if it is easy for the kitten to open the door and get into the toilet.
3. Is there any extraneous noise in the toilet: a running washing machine, humming pipes, objects falling from shelves, extraneous chemical odors.
4. The litter may seem too large, hard, smelly to the kitten. You should experiment with different textures of the filler and try a different model of the tray.
5. The tray may not be removed in time. For some cats, a dirty litter box can be a signal to look elsewhere for a litter box.
6. Before potty training a kitten, make sure it is not stressed or sick. When cats have a pain syndrome, they can go out of need in the wrong places, protesting.
7. If the kitten has chosen the wrong place as a toilet, wash the traces of the crime and spray them with a special animal odor destroyer.
8. When you catch a kitten while urinating in the wrong place, you can lightly spray it with water and calmly express your dissatisfaction with words.
9. Unwanted places selected by the kitten as a toilet can be blocked by rearranging the furniture, or closing the door there.
10. At first, you can put the trays in several places, allowing the cat to choose the most convenient one.
11. The reason for sending the need in the wrong place may be illness, discomfort. The cat is trying to find a place where she does not feel pain. In this case, it must be immediately shown to the veterinarian.
12. The cat may protest against any changes or your actions by going to the toilet in the wrong place. It is important to find out the cause of her anxiety and establish contact with the pet.

By showing patience and perseverance when training a kitten to the toilet, you will teach him to be educated for the rest of his life, and communication with a pet will bring only joy.

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How to potty train a kitten quickly and easily

Potty training a kitten – how to cope with this task?

05 March 2021

Contents

• Preparation

• How to choose a tray

• How to choose a filler

• How to choose a place for a cat litter box

• How to train a kitten to go to the tray

• How to correct misbehavior

• How to turn a skill into a habit

Taking a kitten from a breeder, it may seem that he is already accustomed to the tray. This is partly true: the basic skill is laid back in the nursery and is reinforced by observing the mother cat and companions. But will it survive in the new location? And what to do if the animal got into the house from the street? We tell you how to accustom a kitten to a tray quickly, whether it is possible to fix the result in just one day and what to do if nothing helps.

Preparation

The success of litter box training depends on three factors: the right choice of litter box, cat litter and place for the litter box. If you make at least one mistake, nothing will work. The animal will refuse to go to the tray until all conditions are met. At the same time, it is not easy to guess his needs. Therefore, it is better to ask the breeder about them. If the shape of the tray and the filler are familiar to the kitten, it will be easier and faster to accustom him to the toilet. If the animal is picked up from the street, there are also basic recommendations, but the final choice will have to be made on your own.

Step 1

How to choose a tray

Decide on the size. Consider the size of the kitten when choosing a cat litter box. The pet should have a place not only to sit down, but also to easily turn around.

For example:

The tray is sized here.

Small here.

Bought here for growth.

If the kitten is very small, buy a regular food container. This is a temporary solution until the animal grows up and becomes accustomed to the litter box from the pet store.

If you buy a tray for growth, there is a risk that the kitten will not sit in it. Large trays can cause anxiety and distrust in the baby.

Select the format. Conceptually, trays are divided into open and closed. Open are considered universal. Closed ones like shy animals who like to go to the toilet where no one sees them. However, each option has its own nuances that need to be considered.

Example:

• Open tray with removable mesh
• Open tray with high sides
• Closed tray house

Open tray with removable mesh. It is expected that urine will drain through the grate and the kitten’s paws will remain clean. At the same time, the tray can be used both with filler, putting it on the bottom of the collection container to stop the smell, and without it.
This option is convenient for the owner, but the pet may not like it. Instinctively, cats do their business in the ground and carefully bury them. When the kitten begins to scrape the net with its paw, it can catch on the rods with its claws and get a negative experience. If this affects the behavior of the pet in the future, it will be more difficult to accustom the kitten to a new toilet.

Open tray with high sides. This model can be bought both for the current period and for growth. The main thing is that the sides are not too high, and the animal can jump inside without effort.

This option is good because it will last a long time and will prevent the filler from scattering on the floor. But there is also a minus – you will have to pour a lot of filler.

Closed tray house. Suitable for adult cat and kitten from 6-8 months. The design is not universal, but there are always lovers on it.

This option is good because it will easily fit into the interior and will look neat. However, if you place such a tray in a small apartment, the free space will noticeably decrease. Yes, and cleaning the pallet is not always convenient.

Start with the simplest open model. An ordinary tray with medium sides will not scare a kitten.

Stage 2

How to choose a litter

High-quality cat litter helps to realize the natural instinct to dig in with a paw and prevents the spread of an unpleasant smell around the apartment. In addition, it is much easier to teach a little kitten to do his business not in an empty pan. And if earlier the owners used newspapers or ordinary building sand, today the choice has become much wider.

For example:

• Mineral filler
• Mineral filler
• Clumping filler
• Silica gel fill

Wood filler. Attracts with its availability and safety for health. At the moment, this is the most inexpensive filler with the prefix “ECO”, which can be flushed down the toilet. But only in small quantities.

The product consists of densely compressed granules which turn into sawdust when wet. The granules can be large, medium or small – the choice depends on the preferences of the kitten.

Of the minuses – the filler does not absorb moisture well when wet again and does not retain the smell for long. The toilet will have to be cleaned daily. And sawdust can stick to the paws, and then the garbage will spread throughout the house.

Mineral filler. This option will cost a little more. However, the level of absorbent properties and odor control is much better.

The product consists of mineral granules which do not break down when wet. Therefore, wet areas are well localized and easy to remove with a shovel.

Of the minuses – the filler is very dusty, and the kitten may develop an allergy. However, this problem is solved by changing the manufacturer. In more expensive fillers, the granules are polished, so there will be much less dust.

Clumping filler. Often used to toilet train the little ones. The mixture of small granules is similar in consistency to the earth, so it helps to awaken the natural instincts.

The product consists of granules of bentonite clays, which immediately stick together when wet into dense clods and are easily removed with a shovel. Intact filler remains usable. Therefore, the consumption of the product is very economical. All the smell is stopped inside the lump. Of all the natural formulations, this one is the most successful.

Of the minuses – dusty when poured. However, the more expensive the package, the cleaner the granules.

Silica gel fill. Absorbs moisture quickly when wet again, so you only need to clean the tray 1-2 times a month. White granules are similar in chemical composition to ordinary sand. Blue – treated with cobalt dichloride.

The product consists of porous polysilicic acid granules designed to re-absorb moisture after drying. When the fill becomes unusable, the blue indicator crystals change color to pink, which indicates that it is time to clean the tray.

Of the minuses – a specific hiss when wet, due to a chemical reaction with the liquid. It can scare a small kitten. Therefore, for accustoming to the tray, it is better to consider something else. And return to silica gel when the animal grows up.

• To train your kitten to use the litter box, use a litter with fine particles that look like earth. This stimulates the activation of natural instincts. You can also experiment with sawdust – they are more specific. But you can try them on the tooth, and this will not affect the health of the baby.

Stage 3

How to choose a place for a cat litter box

Placement of a tray in an apartment requires patience. Sometimes the right angle can be found immediately. But often the tray has to be moved repeatedly.

Watch the kitten. Perhaps he will choose a place on his own. And if it suits you, the tray can be put there. If not, look for a quiet nook away from heaters, a washing machine, a TV, a refrigerator, and anything else that might draw your pet’s attention to itself.

• Look for the most fenced area so that the kitten is not distracted. Make sure that there are no sources of extraneous sounds and other animals nearby that could use the tray for their needs.

Stage 4

How to litter box train a kitten

The first step in toilet training a kitten is to limit it to one room and remove all carpets from it. The tray should be located in a corner or in a niche between the wall and large furniture, away from the feeding and play area. In order for the baby to go to the smell, ask the breeder for a handful of litter from the mother cat’s tray and litters.

The second is to track the urge to urinate or defecate. This usually happens right after waking up or eating. When the kitten begins to sniff, scrape and spin in place, carefully transfer it to the tray, pick the litter with your fingers and move away so that the pet can get used to it without prompting. Repeat the exercise until fully secured.

Third, emotionally reinforce the right action with a treat.

How to correct misbehavior

If the kitten makes a mistake, wipe the puddle with a tissue and leave it in the tray as a mark. The animal will definitely come to the strong smell.

If the kitten does not show interest in the litter box, use a special toilet training spray from the pet store.

If the kitten persistently poops in the same place, wash it with a chlorine solution and spray it with Antigadin. Sometimes a bowl of food helps. Usually, animals do not go to the toilet where they eat. But the frightening smell of a special spray is still more reliable.

If you suspect that the kitten does not like the litter box or the litter box, buy several different ones to choose from and place them next to each other. This will help save time on choosing the right one.

• It usually takes 2-3 days to 2 weeks to train a kitten to the litter box. According to zoopsychologists, this is how long it takes to adapt to a new place. If the skill is not fixed, look for the reason in the tray or filler. Perhaps the animal feels uncomfortable and needs to try something else.

Owner’s Manual

How to Turn a Skill into a Habit

1. Don’t insist on quick results. Complete consolidation of the skill occurs in the first six months of life in a new home. All this time, the pet can make mistakes, and this is completely normal.
2. Do not scold for mistakes. The animal may think that it is receiving negative reinforcement for the very fact of toileting, and will start doing its business where you can’t see it.
3. Do not clean the tray with bleach or scented household chemicals. This makes it unattractive to cats.
4. Restrict access to the tray to other animals. The toilet must be personal for everyone.
5. Do not leave the tray in the aisle or move out of your usual position.