The only fixtures anyone will find in local school restrooms are toilets and sinks. Nobody is using a litter box.
In recent weeks, The Review has received messages alleging litter boxes, just like those cat owners have for their pets, have been placed in the restrooms of area schools for students who identify as cats or other furry animals to use instead of toilets whenever nature calls. The allegations and rumours are completely false.
“This is misinformation that is related to an urban myth that has been circulating across the United States and Canada for over a decade. I can confirm that this is a wide-spread hoax, that holds no truth within our schools,” said Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) Manager of Communications April Scott-Clarke.
Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute (VCI) is part of the UCDSB. The Review has spoken with three VCI students who, with amusement, rolled their eyes, smiled, and said there are no litter boxes at their school, and that it was nothing but a rumour.
The school board responsible for École secondaire publique Le Sommet in Hawkesbury has also confirmed it is bathrooms as usual in school restrooms under its jurisdiction.
“There are no litter boxes in our schools,” read a short answer received by The Review from the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario.
The Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien (CSDCEO), which is responsible for École secondaire catholique régionale de Hawkesbury and École secondaire catholique de Plantagenet, does not only state there are no litter boxes in its school restrooms, allowing them would never be tolerated. A short statement from the board said litter boxes would go against the mission and code of its schools.
Since 2021, rumours have abounded across Canada and the United States that school authorities were accommodating the toilet needs of cat-identifying students with litter boxes. School authorities in each of those jurisdictions have disproven the rumours and allegations.
According to an NBC News story from October 14, 2022, the litter box rumour has been promoted by dozens of elected officials, activists, and personalities as a way of demonstrating how rules to protect LGBTQ+ students in schools could lead to further extremes for individuals who have other identities such as cats and other furry animals. The rumour emerged in the context of the ongoing debate in many jurisdictions over allowing transgender individuals to use restrooms in accordance with the gender they identify as. Many of the American politicians who have promoted the litter box rumour as fact have connections to former President Donald Trump.
However, individuals known as furries are part of an established subculture that has existed for decades. Their activities are based on an interest in anthropomorphism, or human characteristics given to animals. They dress and behave like animals with other furries. According to the NBC story, furries do not want to use litter boxes and use regular restrooms like everyone else at their conventions.
