I have three rabbits, soon to be four; and my fiance has 12 cats. We live together in a mountainside paradise, in a farmhouse built in 1844 on South Mountain in Western Maryland. A month or so ago, I saw videos on YouTube of Rabbit Jumping and was immediately enamored of training my rabbits to perform such stunts. I started to train them with a little jump that my fiance made for me, and even posted my results as "Rabbits in Harness II -- High Jump on YouTube, which can be seen at
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=MyRabbits
Then today on YouTube I saw a video of "clicker-trained rabbits" doing an obstacle course. I was, of course, immediately both charmed and curious. I researched this matter on the web, and ended up buying the downloadable eBook for training rabbits, three clickers (to be delivered by UPS) and a PET (also to be delivered by UPS). Needless to say, I am eager for these items to arrive so that I can commence with clicker training.
I believe that the "girls" -- my rabbits Dorcas, Jemimah and Maddie -- will take to it readily. They already beg for treats every morning by standing on their hind legs to earn the treats. I figure that's a perfect place to introduce the clicker. But I also realize that I need to think about a training space -- should it be the bathroom or should it be their very own Rabbit Room (because my fiance has 12 cats, the rabbits are confined to the other bedroom -- the Rabbit Room, except when we take them out to graze in their pen in the front yard).
So I admit, I have high expectations. I see the clicker training as that which will enable me to do high jumping with all my rabbits. I probably shouldn't place these expectations on them. Though they already go over a small jump for me, Dorcas and Jemimah are five years old and Maddie is two years old. But maybe even with the clicker, old rabbits can learn even newer tricks.
ANd I would like to be able to train the cats, too, just because I think it enhances the owner-pet relationship. I am just not sure what I would want to train the cats to do. Several of them do not consistently use the litter pan, and it's hard to identify the culprit with this many cats so I don't think the clicker will have any effect on that, but if anyone knows any tricks for that, I'd certainly like to hear.
about the litterpan
Just a few quick comment.
It is generally recommended to have a number of litterboxes = number of cats + 1... so with twelve cats, that would be 13 ! litterboxes. This is recommended because cats are very fastitious and some will prefer to use anything but a litterbox that they find the least bit offensive. Try increasing the number of litterboxes.
You also need to find out whether the soiling is done for marking (small amounts of urine, often on vertical surfaces. Faeces can be used as marking, it will be located in a very prominent place) or is purely elimination (larger amounts of urine, horisontal surfaces. If faeces often in a less visible location, or next to the litterbox)
Some cats develop a surface preferance - basically they decide that the nice soft carpet (or what ever) is much nicer to sit on for elimination purposes than the litter.
Some cats choose a certain area to eliminate in. If the soiling is always done in the same area - place a litterbox there. Later you can move it slowly (a few inches at a time) to a more preferred location.
Litterbox location is important. Do not place the litterbox next to the food or water. It should be easy to access, but not in a too traficated area.
Some times a cat will attack other cats as they try to use the litterbox, thereby forcing them to soil - multiple litterboxes will help that.
An older cat might have trouble getting into a litterbox if the sides are high. Or have trouble reaching it in time, or even have trouble remembering where the heck it is...senility happens to animals too.
Intact cats are more likely to soil than neutralized cats.
Some cats like a closed litterbox, others hate them. Some like one kind of litter, others want something else. Some like a certain location, others like another. Having multiple litterboxes of different types and with different kinds of litter helps.
Cleanliness is essential. Remove "lumps" in the litter as soon as they are seen. Remove all litter once a week and clean the litterboxes with hot soapy water and rinse several times. Desinfect it with hot scalding water (82 C or more) (careful)
The places that have been soiled needs to be cleaned with an agent that is both desinfecting an deodorising. I do not know what are available in the US but over here (I live in Denmark) I recommend using Rodalon. Avoid strongly smelling detergents. (some like Ammoniachloride and Ajax tend to make the soiling worse - the cats think they smell like urine)
That is the first things that comes to mind. A behaviourist with cat expertise in your area, that could see how things are arranged, would be able to give you more specific guidance.
But for a start I strongly recommend that you get more litterboxes. :)
Christina