Toilet training cats is one of the best ways to save time, money and years of frustration. Many people look to toilet train their cats because it's a very cool thing to show off to friends and family about. However...

The real reasons people are toilet training cats are far more beneficial. So, here's how and why you should be toilet training your cat as soon as possible...

According to a recent survey by Arm & Hammer(R), eighty-eight Percent of cat owners are concerned with their cat's litter-box and overall maintenance.

From this insight alone, it's no wonder people are interested in toilet training cats; as cat litter will continue to cost pet owners an increasing amount of money. Not to mention the hassle of constant maintenance keeping the litter tray fresh and clean.

According to this same survey, there is a clear message that cat owners are more concerned than ever about their cat's litter-box cleanliness and odour.

The survey also demonstrates that sixty-nine percent of cat owners report that litter-box odor is one of the worst things about owning a cat. In fact, many go to great lengths to mask odor with forty-five percent having used room deodorizers or air fresheners to hide litter-box odor. A further forty-four percent are overly concerned about how the foul smell of cat litter affects their hygiene and comfort levels within their own homes.

Since smelly litter boxes can be a source of major embarrassment for all cat owners, some have taken to hiding away the litter-box to avoid these situations.

-- One-quarter of cat owners place their cat's litter-box in the bathroom.

-- twenty-three percent of owners stick the litter-box in the basement.

-- eight percent go so far as to hide the litter-box in the closet!

Despite their best efforts, one in five cat owners report that they've been embarrassed in front of guests because of their cat's litter-box odor. The days of hiding the litter-box are over, because Odor Alert contains six times more baking soda.

You're likely reading this because you're looking to avoid these common cat litter problems via toilet training your own cat. That's a great idea, and you should consider getting your cat toilet trained as soon as possible to save these common hassles, costs and discomforts.

However, toilet training cats isn't easy. In fact, without the right guidance, it might not ever happen. To begin with, you should consider the following...

1. The age of your cat.

Although toilet training cats is applicable to any aged cat, it's more effective to toilet train a cat that is still relatively young. Kittens are the most receptive, able to learn easily and fast. Cats in the one- to three-year range are still pretty young, though. At that point I wouldn't worry much about the age factor at all; if your cats are generally bright and sociable, you should make out okay.

2. The number of cats you have

Usually, there is only one cat in question. However, it's also possible that you wish to toilet train many cats at once. If this is the case, you must consider which one to reprimand if there is a mess up. Confinement is a good idea but not always practical. Also, if all cats are being trained simultaneously, it can be difficult to monitor and keep tabs on their progress. Howevever, with the right cat toilet training guide, you can easily avoid such problems.

3. Balancing issues

Although I can't help smile with empathy and "awww, bless" like feeling when I hear stories of young kittens or "dizzy" cats who fall into the toilet or bath, I would say that a cat with particularly poor balance should be monitored and possibly avoided from toilet training. However, it certainly wouldn't do any harm to try and see how you get on. In most cases, cats have exceptional balance, co-ordination and lightening fast reactions, so this shouldn't really be an issues for the majority of people.

After you're ready to get started, I can't recommend a specialist cat toilet training guide enough. don't opt for the general cat behaviour guides as you might be wasting time and money with something you likely don't need right now.

Toilet training cats is tough without full instructions, as cats are naturally prone to "do as they please" and certainly will not see the huge benefits of using a toilet as you would!