In space-challenged Hong Kong, most cats are toilet-trained, but the thought of cleaning up the mess around the litter tray after it does its business is enough to make people think twice about getting a feline friend. Don't you wish your moggy was like Mr Jinks, the toilet-trained cat in Hollywood comedy Meet the Parents? The movie was the inspiration Australian Jo Lapidge needed to invent the Litter Kwitter Cat Toilet Training System - a three-stage approach to helping cats make the transition from litter tray to toilet. The package includes written instructions, a comprehensive, step-by-step 'how to' DVD, a base plate - which fits over the toilet bowl - and three colour-coded training trays (in red, amber and green). The trays are placed on top of the base plate according to your cat's progress. At the red stage, the tray is filled with litter to train your cat to hop onto the toilet whenever it needs to answer the call of nature. At the amber stage, the cat will learn to make use of a hole in the tray surrounded by litter. At the green stage, your kitty will learn to balance on the edge of the tray, which has a much larger hole and no litter. When the cat gets used to this, the tray can be taken away completely and kitty should be able to use the toilet without assistance. It is suitable for cats of either sex and all ages and breeds. Using the Litter Kwitter, Lapidge claims most cats can be trained to use a toilet in fewer than eight weeks. The Litter Kwitter costs A$120 ($700) and can be ordered at www.litterkwitter.com.au .
