MADISON (WKOW) -
MADISON (WKOW) -- The latest product we tested this month in our "Does It Work?" segment is the CitiKitty Cat Toilet Trainer, which as the name implies, is marketed as a tool to help you potty-train your cat.
A commercial for the CityKitty asks the question, "Tired of cleaning your cat's litter box?"
27 News reporter Jennifer Kliese was brave enough to volunteer her cat, Noodle, for our experiment.
Here's how it works: You put the City Kitty tray over the toilet seat, fill it with litter, and take out a section each week, starting with a roughly on-inch wide oval in the middle, until it's all toilet and no more litter. The CitiKitty is supposed to have your cat using the toilet in a matter of weeks.
"It's an interesting concept," said Jennifer. "But I don't know. Just based on cats' personalities, in general, I'm not sure if it's gonna work."
And on day one, Noodle wasn't sure if she wanted to play. She hid behind the fridge, scared of either the CitiKitty or our video camera.
Still, Jennifer sounded at least a little optimistic.
"I would be shocked if she didn't use it with the litter," she said. "I bet, if you guys leave, within 15 minutes she'll approach it."
Jennifer sent us cell phone video, after we left, of Noodle inspecting the CitiKitty. And she quickly started using it.
But there were a few issues, like the fact Jennifer and her boyfriend, Brad, have a one-bedroom apartment.
"It's kind of a pain," Brad said. "Because you have to take it off the toilet every time... every time a human wants to use it."
Still, things went pretty well until they cut out the first hole from the middle of the CitiKitty litter tray.
"As soon as we cut that hole out, I knew it was probably over," Brad said.
Jennifer and Brad noted that when Noodle moved the litter around a lot of it went into toilet,
meaning less litter in the already shallow CitiKitty tray.
"And at that point, she barely used it at all," Brad said. "I think it might have something to do with the litter level."
Noodle was holding it, and eventually started pawing at the bath mat as if to dig up a spot.
"I kind of looked at her, and she started making this helpless noise, just over and over," Brad said.
Brad took pity on Noodle and pulled out the old litter box, ending this CitiKitty experiment.
Still, Jennifer and Brad aren't completely down on the product. Brad thought it might have been more successful with a cat that didn't move the litter around as much, or if they had a second bathroom.
He gave the CitiKitty Cat Toilet Trainer two paws out of five.
