#cat training

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So much of my life has been cat activism, “dogs make this world unfair for cats”, “I can’t with only dogs in pet spaces”

And my mindset HASNT changed. 6 years of this isn’t going to go away from 2 weeks of liking dogs. But honestly it’s eating me alive because I’m realising that well like;

Yeah cats are GREAT, trainable, good companions, etc, but I can take an easier route and get all that I want from a cat training prospect from a dog. And that even doing more things with would probably help my case.

Because when people see my non-dog owning ahh talking about animal training I’m seen as unexperienced.

When people hear “animal trainer” they think of dogs.

When I subvert their expectations it’s seen as “unprofessional” and a waste of time.

It’s not fair to cats. It’s not fair to me. It’s not fair to everyone else who spends years and years studying animal/cat psychology and behaviours only to be dismissed because they simply don’t own a dog.

Quite frankly if you want something to train and can’t keep up with a dogs needs, get a cat. More people who want a cool trick pet that’s low maintenance will do better with a good temperament, people oriented cat breed.

Not a freaking border collie?

No for real I’ve had this happen to me.

Person: “Oh well if I wanted a cool trick animal I’d get a border collie!”

Me: “but you just said you can’t keep up with your own dog?”

Person; “yeah but I can train it to be chill, cats never chill”

Are we so for real?

Am I only doing dog things out of spite? Yeah.

Freaking fair dog lady cussed me out for training cats and called me an incapable trainer

Even though I’ve TRAINED dogs before.

I’ve trained working breeds, I’ve trained cats, I’ve trained freaking fish. If another person tells me I’m incapable one more time because I think cats are great for a house pet that’s you want to do things with, I’m going to go out and find another dog to train out of spite.

“Oh well if you’re so capable then get a dog”

There’s a reason why I don’t have a dog, my lifestyle isn’t fit for one and my health is too unpredictable for a dog who needs considerably more maintenance than my cat.

One of my biggest points is that a cat is good for someone who wants to train animals without owning a dog, because I see lots of people getting dogs for tricks and those dogs grow up and they think “wow I really can’t handle a huge, driven dog”

Cats don’t have that issue??

So, so, many things can be avoided if we accepted cats in our society as things to train as well.

“Oh but cats weren’t made for this”

Yeah and some dog breeds aren’t made for what you want to do with them. My cat has better recall than a lot of dogs I see on the street. Does breed/species really matter if you can’t train it?

Yeah, a smart dog will pick up things quicker than my cat, sure. I admit genetics do affect the trainability .

But a smart dog is a dog with energy.

We have to admit that some people who want a smart animal can’t keep up with that energy.

That’s fine, they just shouldn’t have dogs. Get a cat.

“My cat would scratch me to death if i handled him like that! My dog is way better!”

Your under socialised, nervy, genetic mess, moggie, with a feral mother at birth, who is under stimulated, is aggressive??

If you had an undersocialised, unpredictable mutt, raised by a reactive parent, and is also understimulated and underfufilled was lashing out at you, would you also say it’s the whole species’ fault?

If you let one dog define your entire outlook on the species, you need to think harder.

If you think your cat is how all cats are, you need to think harder.

If you’re denying cats can do things like mine, while I’m demonstrating my cat right infront of you, you’re ignorant as hell.

So what’s my point?

I shouldn’t need to have a dog to prove my experience.

I shouldn’t need to have a dog to prove I can train animals.

People should stop telling others to get a dog without knowing about their lifestyle.

People should start using their brains more when it comes to animals and so adequate research.

Cats are very capable.

If you’ve ever meticulously scrubbed out a litter box, filled it with premium, lavender-scented clay, and turned around just to see your cat look you dead in the eye and pee on a flat puppy pad… welcome to the Litter Box Rebellion.

It feels personal. It feels like a protest. But as any seasoned cat servant knows, our feline overlords rarely do things just to be petty (okay, sometimes they do, but not when it comes to their bathroom habits).

If your cat has officially traded their high-walled plastic tray for the flat, unprotected expanse of a puppy pad, they aren't trying to ruin your day. They are trying to tell you something.

Here is the real, breakdown of why your cat prefers the "flat life" over their clean litter tray.

1. Box Claustrophobia (The Covered Box Trap)

We buy covered litter boxes because we don’t want to look at cat poop. Cats hate covered litter boxes because they feel like they are walking into a trap.

In the wild, a bathroom break is a moment of extreme vulnerability. A covered box limits their vision and traps them in a space with only one exit. If you have a multi-pet household—even if the other pets are friendly—your cat might be terrified of getting ambushed while doing their business. A puppy pad offers 360-degree situational awareness. They can see threats coming from a mile away.

2. The Sandbox Is Painful (Declawing or Arthritis)

If your cat is older, or if they were declawed (often common in rescues), the physical act of stepping into a tray and digging through heavy litter can genuinely hurt.

Arthritis: Stepping over a high plastic lip can painful for stiff joints.

Tender Paws: Declawed cats often experience chronic phantom pain or nerve sensitivity in their toes. Coarse, heavy litter feels like walking on sharp gravel.

The Puppy Pad Appeal: It’s completely flush with the floor (no climbing required) and soft on sensitive paws.

3. The "Litter Texture" Sensory Nightmare

Cats are highly sensory creatures. Sometimes, the issue isn't the box at all—it’s what’s inside it.

Scent Overload: That "fresh linen" scented litter that smells great to you? To a cat’s hyper-sensitive nose, it smells like a chemical factory explosion.

Texture Drama: Some cats despise the feel of crystals, pellets, or dusty clay sticking to their paws. Puppy pads are predictable, dry, and scent-free (usually), offering a uniform texture every single time.

4. The Cleanliness Standard is Too High

You might think the tray is clean, but your cat’s nose begs to differ. Plastic is a porous material. Over time, it scratches from digging, and those tiny microscopic grooves trap bacteria and urine odors that no amount of dish soap can fully remove.

A puppy pad is an absolute blank slate. It’s used once (or twice) and thrown away. There is zero residual ghost-odor of past bathroom trips.

How to Broker a Peace Treaty

If you want to transition them back to a traditional setup, you have to play compromise. You can't just take the pads away (that’s how carpets get ruined). Try this instead:

Ditch the Hood: If you have a covered box, take the top off completely.

Lower the Threshold: Switch to a low-sided tray (like a cookie sheet or a senior-cat specific litter pan) so they don’t have to step high.

The Hybrid Method: Put a puppy pad inside an empty, clean litter tray. If they use it, gradually add a tiny, paper-thin layer of ultra-soft, unscented litter on top of the pad over a couple of weeks.

Location, Location, Location: Move the box to where they are currently using the puppy pads. You don't get to choose the bathroom location anymore; they do.