Toilet Training A Toddler Around Kitten

[Issy86]

Possibly a weird/stupid question, but I'm about to start potty training my 2 year old daughter.
I just wondered if her having accidents on the floor, settee etc could affect our kitten? Like would she react by starting to want to mark over the accident areas or anything? Or do cats only do that regarding other cats?
I sound totally stupid haha, but I just wanted to ask the question to see if I should prepare myself for potential issues x

 

[ArtNJ]

I don't think it is a stupid question, but the reason I can answer you from personal knowledge is stupid. My 14 year old human(ish) son . . . doesn't aim well. Or at all, sometimes. The left side of the toilet and nearby flooring needs frequent cleaning. Maybe the little *&^! needs different litter or his neck scruffed, or we are just parental failures, but either way I can state with complete and total confidence that human urine does *not* trigger felines.

I can't say my 14 year old son has ever shat on the floor. There is that at least. But I've never heard of cats reacting to the odor of human #2 (or #1), and certainly I did have babies and toddlers (and lots and lots of diapers) in the same house as cats for years. Never any interest shown in a toddler training potty or anything like that. (There are many humans that claim that human and cat pee have very distinct odors, so I guess the fact that cats ignore human pee makes sense. (I've not found much reason to verify this by smell test myself, but it would have been useful knowledge years back when my son was sleepwalking and I thought a cat was peeing in his closet.))

Please forgive me, I need to go chase after my son and beat him with a banana peel. It may not be good parenting, but its fairly satisfying.

 

[Kflowers]

That's an good to know, A ArtNJ . Speaking as a woman who has shared a house with husband and several guys back in college, I have a bit of news for your son. Women are not impressed. Few things cause a woman to lose interest in a guy faster than one whose aim isn't true, or given that it isn't can't be bothered to clean up his own mess. I expect the same is true of anyone he ever plans to room with for any reason.

Cleaning with ammonia cleaners tends to make cats think another cat is marking in their turf. They will mark over the ammonia cleaned place. I've been told this is because cat pee is very high in ammonia. I just know I avoid ammonia cleaners no matter how tempting.

 

[Issy86]

That's an good to know, A ArtNJ . Speaking as a woman who has shared a house with husband and several guys back in college, I have a bit of news for your son. Women are not impressed. Few things cause a woman to lose interest in a guy faster than one whose aim isn't true, or given that it isn't can't be bothered to clean up his own mess. I expect the same is true of anyone he ever plans to room with for any reason.

Cleaning with ammonia cleaners tends to make cats think another cat is marking in their turf. They will mark over the ammonia cleaned place. I've been told this is because cat pee is very high in ammonia. I just know I avoid ammonia cleaners no matter how tempting.

I've heard that about ammonia based cleaners before too so I avoid them. Just dont understand why they wouldn't react to human wee but glad to hear they dont. Same with poop I am hoping! X

 

[danteshuman]

ArtNJ

I would use an enzyme cleaner any accidents my human baby made, just in case (why tempt fate?)

Good luck with the potty training!

 

[Issy86]

ArtNJ

I would use an enzyme cleaner any accidents my human baby made, just in case (why tempt fate?)

Good luck with the potty training!

Thanks ArtNJ

Which cleaner did you use? Would it be a good idea to get one designed for cats toileting accidents? X

 

[ArtNJ]

Issy86 - Expensive enzyme cleaners are necessary because cat's have amazing noses and the lingering smell of cat pee is a glowing bullseye that says "here is a good spot". Also, I think it is particularly necessary because cat accidents dont tend to happen on tile, they happen on materials that are absorbent and much harder to clean like carpet. Even a keen human nose is not equally troubled -- an enzyme cleaner is not needed for a little human pee on tile. It definitely wouldn't be a terrible idea to use it if a toddler has an accident on carpet though! On a hot day, a pee stain that you thought you cleaned well enough can prove you wrong long after the fact, so it pays to take care of these things right the first time. Enzyme cleaners are great for human vomit too.

I once moved in to a home where the prior owners had cat problems that hadn't been cleaned well. It was very ugly until we figure out what was going on & bought a blacklight. This was 20 years ago when enzyme cleaners weren't a big thing so I guess I dont hate them too much. Not now anyway, lol.

 

[vyger]

I don't think it is a stupid question, but the reason I can answer you from personal knowledge is stupid. My 14 year old human(ish) son . . . doesn't aim well. Or at all, sometimes. The left side of the toilet and nearby flooring needs frequent cleaning. Maybe the little *&^! needs different litter or his neck scruffed, or we are just parental failures, but either way I can state with complete and total confidence that human urine does *not* trigger felines.

I can't say my 14 year old son has ever shat on the floor. There is that at least. But I've never heard of cats reacting to the odor of human #2 (or #1), and certainly I did have babies and toddlers (and lots and lots of diapers) in the same house as cats for years. Never any interest shown in a toddler training potty or anything like that. (There are many humans that claim that human and cat pee have very distinct odors, so I guess the fact that cats ignore human pee makes sense. (I've not found much reason to verify this by smell test myself, but it would have been useful knowledge years back when my son was sleepwalking and I thought a cat was peeing in his closet.))

Please forgive me, I need to go chase after my son and beat him with a banana peel. It may not be good parenting, but its fairly satisfying.

Maybe you should tell the 14 year old that if he can't figure out how his equipment works then maybe he just needs to start sitting down. And also show him how the cleanup is done. Another suggestion is to go outside and join the rest of the animals and water the bushes. I don't intend to be mean but 14 is plenty old enough to be house broken.