Could this be Mesquite?

Dear Readers,
I'd like to invite you on a journey with me; a journey into the toilet. No, it's not as it sounds. Steve and I have decided to embark on a perilous quest. We are going in search of a litter-free lifestyle. The simple path would be to get rid of our cat. But, we have chosen the path less travelled. I want to have my cake and eat it to. Except instead of a cake it's a cat, and instead of eating it, it's not having to deal with litter bombs every evening and the smell of urine mixed with wheat every morning.

I'm going to train my cat...(drumroll)...to use the toilet!

Ok, stop laughing. It's actually more common than you might think. Many cats can be trained to use the toilet (see pic). I came upon this idea about 6 years ago when I saw a website called "How to toilet train your cat": http://www.karawynn.net/mishacat/toilet.html. It showcases a cat named Misha who was trained by her owner to use the toilet. Sadly, Misha has since perished from old age. But, her spirit lives on in countless cats who have since learned to use the toilet.

At that time, I had a cat named Buster. He was a "special" cat. By that I mean "special needs". He had problems. He was born with defective kidneys and anxiety, which leads to a lot of bathroom trouble. Plus, I was living in a small studio apartment with one toilet. So, I decided to wait. I'm not sure what exactly I was waiting for. I guess some sort of apparatus that would make the process easier (than using a kitchen bowl, as suggested by the website). Then, one came about. It was a flimsy plastic tray that fit on the toilet. It was designed for cats under 10 pounds only. Buster weighed in at 13+, so no luck. Buster and I moved a few times and then had roommates who were great, but would not like to mess with the process.

Then, Buster passed on, and thoughts of toilet training went with him. As you remember, about a year ago, Mesquite arrived in my life. She has been my fluffy little security blanket, complete with toe-stretch action and "prrooww!" noises. Right away, Mesquite started showing signs of litter trouble. Within a month of adopting her we ended up at the vet getting tummy x-rays to discover she was eating her litter. So, I switched to wheat-based litter, which doesn't hide smells very well. Steve moved in with Mesquite and me early this year. He, like so many cat owners before him, loves the cat, hates the box. Sending Mesquite outside wasn't an option. We live in a coyote-ridden neighborhood that serves as a "cat-sink" in ecological terms. Meaning, cats come in, but don't go out. So, Mesquite doesn't leave the apartment, for toilet business or any other reason.

One day, for fun, I suggested that we toilet train her. I was kidding, but Steve took the thought seriously, and started asking how this could be accomplished. I explained that you need to use an extra bowl, and it's messy. Steve doesn't like messy things. So, we joked about it, but still were not pursuing it. Then, one day, I was at the pet store, when I saw it...the litter kwitter http://www.litterkwitter.com. It's a 3-tray system that gives your cat less litter and more toilet over time (see pic). Plus, it's sturdy and fits snuggly on the toilet. The clouds parted and I felt that this was our answer. I bought it immediately. When I presented it to Steve at home, he laughed and said "wow, ok." So, we watched the accompanying video (hilarious, by the way), and we were ready to start.

But then, we remembered that we were having visitors for the next few weeks. Not a good time to embark on this experiment. Plus, we will be away for a week soon, and would be embarrassed to have the neighbors see the device. So, we waited. But soon, we will begin. I will try to chronicle the journey here, if I remember... 'Till then, best wishes, and I will see you in the toilet.