Litter box woes

paddypaws101

Background.....I have 4 older cats as a family group who have always had outside access and used the garden for toilet purposes.
Last summer I got a female kitten and she very quickly learnt to use the garden instead of the litter tray. A few months later I got a second kitten, but despite having the same outside access, he has continued to use the tray indoors...in fact often comes inside just for that purpose.
Now, 2 of the older cats have decided that a tray is a fantastic convenience and have started using it too. I think there is some reason why they both started this....the oldest female is quite timid and I think maybe the kittens were disturbing her when she was toiletting outside. The male has diabetes/HT/kidney issues so drinks and pees a LOT. I guess the cold weather also makes an inside loo more attractive.
So....what are my chances of breaking this habit for all of them? Cleaning kitten pee from a tray is one thing, but I am getting seriously fed up of constantly trying to clean up the larger amounts deposited by the older cats ( and sometimes the old boy 'misses' and gets pee all over the floor )
The tray is sited in a downstairs bathroom right next to the cat flap to outside.Should I start restricting access to this tray in an attempt to persuade them all to walk the extra 6 feet and go outside?
Will this be easier to tackle once warmer weather comes or will the habit be more entrenched?
I obviously do not want to stress my old girl..or end up with wee around the house, but am seriously fed up with all the extra cleaning involved with constant tray changes. It seems that a clean tray is just an invite to pee/pooh and they almost think it would be rude not to!
Oh....and I know that to do trays properly I would need multiple trays in various locations, but that is something I will avoid at all costs.

rita-rabbit

good luck with that. Cats prefer warm convenience

Ms_Magnetite

Reverse psychology - there is a latrine tent outside.

It's dark, there are lots of possibly hostile things around that could pounce on you as you do your business. There's a breeze blowing right where it shouldn't be allowed to. It's going to start raining any minute now.

You have to walk past your lovely, warm and comfortable bathroom where you can read the paper, check your eyebrows, shout to someone else to bring the Andrex up if the roll runs out, to use the latrine tent.

Moreover, once you have used the latrine and dodged the nettle stings, you have to deal with your deposits. Whereas anything produced in the indoor loo magically vanishes with no effort on your part.


What would you do?


(I change the litter, but live in hope that they will decide to use the back garden, come summer - although then I would have to let one of them out at 4, one at 5 and one at 6am, judging by their current routine)

paddypaws101

Ha ha , Thanks for those replies!
I closed the bathroom door yesterday afternoon ( while I was at home to keep watch ) Oldest cat creakily moved off sofa and headed off in that direction...only to come back and scream at me to open the bathroom door! After a few minutes she gave up and went out side.
This morning though I had just cleaned the tray after the overnight activity ( gallons of pee ) when I spotted the second older boy heading in there....little beggar availed himself of the nice clean tray!
Youngest male kitten is due to be neutered this week....I wonder if his urine has started to smell more like 'boy cat' and this older male was scent marking?

rising_from_the_ashes

I have 2 cats just now, the wee one always uses the tray (and does come in from outside and head straight for it!) - the older one perfers going outside (but hasn't been out a lot recently as it's too cold)!

I'm also hoping things get back to usual once summer arrives!

I wouldn't block access to the tray as they may just start going anywhere which would be a bit of a nightmare!

Ms_Magnetite

The truly devious would use the warmer Spring weather (fingers crossed) to completely flummox the herd.

Slowly over the course of the week, move the litter box closer to the back door.

On the last day, open the back door and place it just outside.

They'll get the hang of it.



(Mine are all neutered and still use it)

925dancer

I would never get rid of the tray altogether, litter tray deposits can be a great give away for many illnesses that would otherwise go unnoticed until possibly too late if they were always going outside.

Mine prefer to go outside but as I keep them in overnight sometimes they just can't cross their legs long enough!

Cats will never do what is convenient for you, we just have to resign ourselves to this fact.

paddypaws101

925dancer wrote: »

litter tray deposits can be a great give away for many illnesses that would otherwise go unnoticed until possibly too late if they were always going outside.

A very good point, one to be considered.
BUT.....just today I have caught both of the other, older cats 'nipping in' to the bathroom for a pee. So all 4 of the oldies are now at it! Arghh! So.....I feel that as long as I provide luxury indoor facilities, my brood will choose those over al fresco!

925dancer

Well, given a choice between an outdoor loo in freezing exposed conditions and one indoors, nice and private in a centrally heated room, which would you choose?

I understand the dislike of litter trays, I don't particularly relish cleaning it and spending money on litter but I feel it's a small inconvenience.

Yes, i'm a certified crazy cat lady and their welfare is my priority