How to teach cat to toilet outside

Kim_kim

Hi - I have a year & a half boy cat (neutered).  I bought a 9 month old girl cat as a pal for him (also neutered). 

She was much more nervy than him, when she arrived she had a few accidents rather than go in a covered tray, I put an open one out for her.   Eventually she settled in, stopped being so scared & started to use the covered tray (I had left both options out).  

I have a smart cat flap, works via a microchip & app.  I’ve taught her how to use the flap, she doesn’t hardly ever go outside voluntarily, I put her out, she comes back in.
I’ve got the cat litter tray by the french doors, during the day I put it outside the doors, at night I take it in.
The other day the door closed, rather than go out the cat flap, she poo-ed on the floor, where it usually is.
Her poos are evil smelling for such a pretty dainty little cat! 

How do I get her to use the garden, like my big boy? 

Mnoee

Did you only get her a few weeks ago? From your other thread it looks like around the 7th, but I know not everyone is glued to this site! She might just still be settling in and the moving tray is confusing her. If you have multiple trays already, you could always leave the less preferred one in place and the 'favourite' one outside and give her a few more weeks.

Other than that, praise and treats when she does what you want!

sheramber

if she is scared outside she is unlikely to toilet outside. She will feel too vulnerable.

Silvertabby

Our previous fur babe was always too much of a lady to 'go' outside.  She would play in the garden, shoot inside to use her tray, then return to her game outside.

Present fur babe is a pedigree house cat, so no option but to use a tray.

A good quality cat litter - 'Cat's Best' gets the paws up from us - will make life more pleasant for both of you.

Kim_kim

Silvertabby said:

Our previous fur babe was always too much of a lady to 'go' outside.  She would play in the garden, shoot inside to use her tray, then return to her game outside.

Present fur babe is a pedigree house cat, so no option but to use a tray.

A good quality cat litter - 'Cat's Best' gets the paws up from us - will make life more pleasant for both of you.

Honestly, no matter what cat litter, they are awful!  You wouldn’t believe it to look at her!
She is a pedigree, but I live in a pretty rural location & I have a large garden. 

Kim_kim

Mnoee said:

Did you only get her a few weeks ago? From your other thread it looks like around the 7th, but I know not everyone is glued to this site! She might just still be settling in and the moving tray is confusing her. If you have multiple trays already, you could always leave the less preferred one in place and the 'favourite' one outside and give her a few more weeks.

Other than that, praise and treats when she does what you want!

I didn’t update that the instant I got her, I’d say I’ve had her about 4 weeks now, she’s only been going outside (or I should say had access to outside) for about a week.
Ive only the one tray, now she is using the box, rather than the tray.  

I just wondered if there were any tips, my boy just started using outside as soon as I let him out.

Kim_kim

sheramber said:

if she is scared outside she is unlikely to toilet outside. She will feel too vulnerable.

She’s a timid little thing, in comparison to Charlie big potatoes anyway!  But they are very sweet together now, they cuddle up together. 

I would have thought her being fond of him would encourage her to follow him out. 

sheramber

Kim_kim said:

sheramber said:

if she is scared outside she is unlikely to toilet outside. She will feel too vulnerable.

She’s a timid little thing, in comparison to Charlie big potatoes anyway!  But they are very sweet together now, they cuddle up together. 

I would have thought her being fond of him would encourage her to follow him out. 

That may come in time but 4 weeks is not very long for her to feel secure. She thinks there is a big, bad world out there. Everything is  totally foreign to her.  

theoretica

Do I read right that you put the litter tray just outside the doors in the open?  She might prefer a more secure feeling place outside - free from ambush potential.

donnac2558

If her poos are so bad, it could be the food you are feeding her?  Just because Charlie does well on the food might not be the same for her.

I use a brand of litter called Pura and a few minutes after my cat has done a poo it looks like King Tut did it 3000 years ago and no smell.

TripleH

Only our eldest cat would know how to poo outside I suspect.

The smell could also be due to a change in diet and her settling down. I know if ours didn't get wet meat for a while, when we fed them it, there was definitely a more offensive smell for a day or 2.

Agree with above, it's quite likely nerves. Our boy can be as timid as anything, in a new place he takes ages and is very cautious about wandering far unlike his sister who bounds out to explore. The moment he settles in he bounds off and explores an area to his hearts content. He is coming up to 5 now and still does this. Is the same with people he meets outside our home. (Inside he is a borderline pest and will jump up for a cuddle from you whether you want one or not).

When your new girl has settled in and feels comfortable she'll no doubt want to follow her new brother around.