Getting a kitten to use the toilet outside

gabyjane

Our kitten has been going out for quite a few weeks now but seems to insist on coming in to use the litter tray and then goes out again it is actually annoying me now as want to get rid of it..
What is the best way to do this as i imagine removing it will result in a mess!

Thanks

gabyjane

Lol reading the title it sounds like he has his own private loo! it's obviously just getting him to use outside!

nanokitten

you can move the tray gradualy closer to the back door and then outside or make a nice spot in the garden with some dug earth and sprinkle with the (used) contents of the tray on the surface so it smells right. If you sit the kitten in this spot regularly after meals, they'll get the idea eventually. Other than that cats usually cotton on eventually (not all). I guess whilst the garden is still new and scary kitten will want to go somewhere safe for the loo as its quite a vunerable position, as they get more secure they should start to go out side. Obviously you'll still need a tray for when you keep them in at night.

mustangsal

Nano kitten is totally right. If you make the nice spot in the garden quite private too like in a corner it will help. cats do actually like their privacy :oand if he feels too exposed or the earth is too hard for him to cover his doings it will put him off. put some of his litter, used in the place and he should click on. they're just really fussy. i know how frustrating it is as my cat was exactly the same.

Tigsteroonie

I tried the trick of moving the litter tray outdoors, moving it further down the garden, putting it on the garden ..... they would use the tray outside, and when I moved it indoors (night / rain) they would go back to coming inside to use the tray. :mad:

So when I was in hospital, Marley made them go "cold turkey" - no litter tray at all. They were shut out for about 6hrs a day while he was visiting me, but during morning & evening the backdoor was open and they could come and go as they wanted, and overnight they were shut in. It worked - no puddles, no mess, no accidents. Not sure why, perhaps they just needed to be forced into it.

Lil_Me_2

We can't get a cat flap in our house so the litter tray is a permanent feature for when my two are in at night. When we first let them out one always used to come back to be let in to use the litter tray, 6 months later and now they hold it in and wait to be let outside even though the tray is still available.

It look longer than a few weeks, but I'm sure that eventually you'll be able to get rid of the tray. If mine had a way to get out at night I'd have got rid of ours before now. It only gets used about once a week but it's nicer than having to clear up any puddles.

gabyjane

Thanks for the replys.
Well we will start moving the tray gradually outside then and see how he goes..he seem to be pooing more now he is bigger and so i'm noticing the lovely smell more and have had enough! Our bigger cat goes out every night and this one will do the same when he is big enough so not worried about leaving a tray in as he wont use it.
One question if we put litter in a corner of our garden will he not just keep pooing in the same place?..when do they decide to go elsewhere?!
Thanks again will see how we get on x

Kimberley

How old is he? You know what i'm going to ask now don't you? Is he neutured?

Kimberley

gabyjane wrote: »

Thanks for the replys.
Well we will start moving the tray gradually outside then and see how he goes..he seem to be pooing more now he is bigger and so i'm noticing the lovely smell more and have had enough! Our bigger cat goes out every night and this one will do the same when he is big enough so not worried about leaving a tray in as he wont use it.
One question if we put litter in a corner of our garden will he not just keep pooing in the same place?..when do they decide to go elsewhere?!
Thanks again will see how we get on x

Don't put the tray outside and just leave it. Empty the contents of the tray (poo not litter) into the garden and then put the tray back inside with a fresh lot of litter and let him get used to his own mess being outside. Put him in the place where you have empted the litter. Close the back door on nice days if you have to supervised obviously and see what happens. It won't take long.

snapping_crocodile

We gradually moved the litter tray closer to the back door, then on days when we were in all day we left the tray in the garden so we knew what they were up to. Eventually i just didn't bring the tray back in. It has been outside, tucked underneath the patio table, for about 10 days now and (*touch wood*) i haven't had any puddles. Also got a cat flap which makes it a bit easier overnight, not that they tend to go out overnight anyway

gabyjane

Hi thanks will give it a go..he's not out loads but quite a bit he does not go any further than the garden anyway so i can always see him..he is not neutered no but is booked in to be.
Thanks