How do you manage the move from indoor to outdoor cats??

MissShoes

Hi all

A quick question, have searched and seen similar threads but not that answers all my questions!

Moving from a house with no garden to a place with one. How do you manage the issue of a litter tray? Will my cats naturally prefer to go outside? Will they go in my garden, do I make a toilet area?

Am I right in thinking that I keep them inside for a couple of weeks, then let them out when I'm in the garden increasing the time and frequency?

I've had them microchipped and neutered and they have tags and break away collars.

Just really confused about litter trays

Thanks in advance!

gettingready

If they are used to litter trays they mey continue to use them.

My 4 do go out but will run into the trays as soon as I bring them home. To me that says that they do not pee/poo outside...

They may be out all day but as soon as I get them home - off they go to the litter trays.

gingin_2

Mine are indoor cats with access to a tiny walled courtyard. Mine use both - litter box when they are inside and then they like to wee and poop behind and in! the plant pots which are set on gravel. Its never caused them any confusion.

Just_want_a_house

Sounds like you're doing all that is recommended. We let ours out from about 6.30am - 7.30pm. They have a flap and can come and go during the day as they please. They do use (much to the amusement of the neighbours) the garden for wees and woopsies during the day and are sometimes lazy and use the litter tray during the day too!

As we keep ours in at night, we have always just kept a litter tray for them aswell. TBH I don't really care where they go as long as its not on someone elses driveway/walkway etc, I cannot police them during the day, and cats will go where cats will go! Luckily I have understanding neighbours, one of whom has a cat herself, so I guess I'm very lucky.

When we moved hse recently, we kept them in for 2 weeks, then began to let them out for about 10 mins at a time. If you go out with them and leave the door open they can at least bolt back in if something scares them. They like to hear your voice too so keep calling them back in with treats too, to reward them coming back to you. I also spread some of the litter (used) in the back garden as it contains their scents and eventually the rain washes it away.

HTH, and good luck!

mazza111

Mine won't go toilet outside, she waits until she's desperate then flies upstairs to use her litter tray.

KxMx

Can't add anything to the excellent advice already given, except I would let them out the first few times just before a meal, so they come in easier and begin to get into a routing.

LittleMissAspie

You could get covered litter trays for the garden. That way you know there is no poo lurking behind some leaves, and the cats won't annoy the neighbours by going in their garden.

My own cat always comes back inside to use her litter tray, how ladylike

Mayflower10cat

My indoor/outdoor cats will use the garden during the day and the trays only if caught short at night (they're curfew'd at night.) If you have any freshly dug flowerbeds outside, that's where your cats will head for!!! When we've moved house, we've kept ours in for up to a month, but that's just what we feel comfortable with. Our recent adopted stray was an adult, we found him in November and as the weather was so atrocious from then on, we first let him out at the begining of March. He wasn't remotely interested in going out up until then! Yes, as others have said, let them out while you're there and when they're hungry. If they know the sound of treats rattling in the box, that's a really good way of banging the dinner gong. We keep ours in at night, they're used to it and we both feel happier knowing they are all safely tucked up when we go to bed!

prettykitty

Hi, I started letting my indoor cat out during the day while I am at work, as he was getting cabin fever. I started taking him out on a harness a few times, then loose but supervised round the garden (it's a small communal grassy area behind my flat). He now goes out all day and comes in when I get back from work, then stays in overnight. At first he would only go out with me, he would shake and his tail would puff up like a squirrel's, but now he is used to it and so happy.

I have kept the litter tray indoors, which he uses at night occasionally.

It's saving me a fortune in litter and I have a very contented cat!! :beer:

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

By being relaxed. Some cats will love it, some will be quite happy with it, some will hate it. Some will do a mixture of all three.

It's up to them.

But the odds are that the litter tray will still be a fixture in your life, if only for the days when it's a bit nippy out there and they don't fancy a howling gale up their whatsits.

MissShoes

Thanks to all for your help and advice. I've taken it all on board. Will keep the litter tray and just hopefully have to empty/change it less frequently!