Cat help!

serenity2019

Hi all,

I’ve found myself in a little bit of a dilemma, I’m moving to a new rented house and my new landlords just advised me that he’s happy for my 2 cats to move with us (result) but as it’s a brand new property we can’t install a cat flap as it’s patio doors as my back door and he won’t allow cat flaps in front doors or walls etc.

My cats have always come and gone as they’ve pleased through magnetic cat flaps but my landlord won’t let me put one in now! Argh

My main problem is one of my cats was a rescue cat and she refuses to go outside to do her business at night, Shes happy to go out through the day if she can be bothered (she’s lazy) as long as it’s not raining of course, she doesn’t do getting her paws wet! She’s a bit of a diva if truth be known. Lol, and she won’t use a litter tray at all (tried it) and every litter on the market amongst other things.. she’ll do her business at the side of the tray,

but this new house has nowhere for her to go to do her business, cream carpets and a small kitchen with vinyl which she’ll ruin in a week with her messing! so my question is:

Do I put her out at night and hope she doesn’t yowl the whole street out ? Or can you all give me another suggestion, I’m truly lost at the minute, moving house with cats is bad enough and I have to use the plug in feliway things to relax them but now this!

I’ve thought about a cat house/kennel type thing but other than that I’m out of ideas

Suggestions please!

WeggieUK

If she goes to the toilet next to the litter tray, this suggests she knows where she should be doing it, but is being put off from entering the litter tray. Some cats do not like to share a tray. You could try two trays side by side, and with different types of litter in each, or get a really large tray to see if the size helps.



I had a similar problem to you with one of my cats. Changing the litter from a clumping bio to Catsan made a massive difference. I had tried all types of litters too - I only used Catsan as I moved house and needed something to use until I could order the usual brand.



To get around the issue of night time, you are best locking the two cats (unless they do not get along) in the kitchen with a litter tray, food and bedding. It is horrible to hear them crying and scratching to come out, but they get adapt after a few nights and get used to the bedtime routine.

GwylimT

Don’t lock your cat out, not only will it annoy neighbours, it is also cruel.

You can remove the glass from the patio doors, get new glass with a flap, simply replace the glass with the original cartridge when you move out.

Personally I would shut the cat in the kitchen at night, due to the soiling issues I would also have her tested for cystitis at the vets.

Slinky

My cat has no access outside at night, we lock her catflap. She has a litter tray but I think it must be 6 months or more since she last used it. Providing your cat has access outside during the day you may well find she gets used to doing her business outside during the day and keeps her paws crossed overnight as ours does.

Silvertabby

Put a cat flap into the patio doors then change the glass when you move out?

Robin9

My cats have never used a catflap nor a litter tray. Depending on their routine they are sometimes out / sometimes in at night. If in one has a little squeak when she wants to go out; the other has a technique of running over the bed - and repeats until I get up and open the door.

Brambling

Have you tried putting garden soil or compost from the garden centre in the litter tray if she will only go outside? When I rescued mine from cat protection I was told that he preferred soil but would use wood pellets litter. I don't think he had used a litter tray or a cat flap before I got him and will very rarely use the tray now and he's shut in all night..

gettingready

Extra litter tray as was suggested already - any space in the bathroom maybe?

When I moved with my 4 adult cats they never knew what a cat flap was and never had own garden before but I always kept one window at the back open for them to come in and go out before I got a cat flap.

Friend does not have a cat flap - leaves bathroom window open.

Is that an option maybe?

jenny-wren

We have a cat flap in our glass french doors. I think a full height double glazed glass panel with a hole cut for a flap costs about £300 (ours was done as part of a larger job). Obviously you have to supply the maker with the dimensions for the hole plus you have to add the cost of a flap. I'd highly recommend a microchip activated flap. Ours keeps the neighbour's cats out and we can confine our furry rascal to barracks at night and if the weather is awful.

If you are prepared to pay for a new glass panel with a cat flap fitted to it, and have somewhere to store the existing panel safely, then I don't see why the landlord should have a problem. Surely it would be better that your cats can come and go as they please than kitty potentially having a messy accident in his lovely house? I'd definitely run it by him first though.

TripleH

What about leaving an upstairs window open for the cat to get in and out the house from (security and cat willing). Our eldest cat would use windows to get in and out the house, but that was partly the layout of the house.

I remember when I first met our older cat (pre me being adopted) she was on the roof and came wandering in through an upstairs window,