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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Help with training adult cats to toilet outside please!

131 replies

ShutUpAlex · 30/05/2021 09:10

My SIL has gone away for the week, she’s pregnant and when she gets back my brother is going to be working long, 12 hour shifts.
She wants the litter tarts gone as she can’t deal with them being pregnant and after 12 hours they absolutely stink. My cats were trained to go outside but we did this from when they were kittens, brothers cats are 3+.
I said I’d help him over the next week. He is useless, probably should t have the cats in the first place but he is too soft and has taken them all in off other people. 6 cats altogether.

Does anyone have experience with this?

OP posts:
Original poster
ShutUpAlex · 30/05/2021 09:11

Litter trays not tarts...

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 30/05/2021 09:13

I'm sorry but you should still have litter trays even if they do go to the toilet outside. Mine naturally started doing it outdoors so I didn't have to train them to do it. Still have a tray in case of bad weather.

dementedpixie · 30/05/2021 09:15

And she can deal with the litter trays if she uses a scoop and washes her hands thoroughly afterwards. Use clumping litter so that pee and poo can be removed easily

Rhubarbcrumblerules · 30/05/2021 09:15

Do they go outside at all? I put my litter tray outside for a while, then progress to.skattering some litter on an out of the way area and mine soon were used to going outside.

DicklessWonder · 30/05/2021 09:16

YABU. Why should people who don’t have pets deal with the crap of yours?

Original poster
ShutUpAlex · 30/05/2021 09:17

Yea they all go outside but for some reason my brother couldn’t be bothered to get rid of the trays. I do feel for her, she can’t even sit downstairs atm due to the smell.

OP posts:
cheesecrackerz · 30/05/2021 09:18

Do they have a cat flap?

NotAnotherPushyMum · 30/05/2021 09:18

If they have enough trays they shouldn’t stink after just 12 hours. He could try moving the trays outside and see if that encourages them. If they’re spending a lot of time outdoors then it shouldn’t take too long for them to get used to it.

Original poster
ShutUpAlex · 30/05/2021 09:19

Yes of course they have a cat flap. I’m going to put the trays outside and keep them out for a Few hours u too they’re sure where the trays are I think. Just worried about them going in the house.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 30/05/2021 09:21

How many cats are there?
It shouldn't smell if they are using decent litter
She could wear gloves to scoop poo and wash hands.
Some cats never poo outside

dementedpixie · 30/05/2021 09:22

@ShutUpAlex

Yea they all go outside but for some reason my brother couldn’t be bothered to get rid of the trays. I do feel for her, she can’t even sit downstairs atm due to the smell.
That's very unfair. My cats do the toilet outside but I still have a tray. It's not that I can't be bothered to get rid of the trays. I feel it is still necessary
Reg15notice · 30/05/2021 09:24

@DicklessWonder

YABU. Why should people who don’t have pets deal with the crap of yours?
This. 6 cats? Their poor neighbours!
Original poster
ShutUpAlex · 30/05/2021 09:24

She doesn’t want to deal with the litter trays whilst pregnant and that’s absolutely fine. I wouldn’t either. But something needs to be done as it’s effecting their relationship.

OP posts:
YellowFish12 · 30/05/2021 09:25

You should keep litter trays even if they go outside anyway.

The litter trays shouldn’t smell.

You need a litter try per cat, plus one spare.

Use good quality clumping litter.

Maybe start out by getting enough trays, giving them all a really good clean and starting with fresh litter.

cheesecrackerz · 30/05/2021 09:27

Can they give up at least some of the cats?

NavigatingAdolescence · 30/05/2021 09:28

@ShutUpAlex

She doesn’t want to deal with the litter trays whilst pregnant and that’s absolutely fine. I wouldn’t either. But something needs to be done as it’s effecting their relationship.
Still not sure why that should become their neighbours’ problem?
Original poster
ShutUpAlex · 30/05/2021 09:30

From what I’ve seen, only 3 of them are using the trays, but the smell is bad. It’s the first thing you notice when you walk in. She’s too embarrassed to invite people round and is worried about when the baby arrives and starts crawling etc. I honestly don’t know anyone other than by brother who has litter trays for adult cats. They’re long haired cats too so despite all the different mats she’s tried they drag the litter all over the house too. They are a nightmare, my brother has done no training what so ever. They’re all over the sides, they fight all the time. SIL had to get one of the neutered as brother hadn’t bothered to do it and it was spraying on her stuff when she moved in. I do really deal for her!

OP posts:
NavigatingAdolescence · 30/05/2021 09:30

@ShutUpAlex

Yea they all go outside but for some reason my brother couldn’t be bothered to get rid of the trays. I do feel for her, she can’t even sit downstairs atm due to the smell.
Whereas I love the smell of cat shit that greets me whenever I answer my front door. And having to clear it all up and bin it to be able to mow the lawn is an absolute joy.
Original poster
ShutUpAlex · 30/05/2021 09:31

They’ll shit in the field like all the other neighbours cats do.

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 30/05/2021 09:31

Cats train themselves as to whether they go outside or not. It has nothing to do with your preferences or 'training'.

I used to be v smug as I had 2 cats that only went outside.

Now I have 2 different cats that spend all day outside but come inside to use the litter tray.

I'm the same owner, cats just please themselves. Turns out I did not have special cat training skills.

cheesecrackerz · 30/05/2021 09:32

They need to give up the cats as if they can't look after them properly now, there's no way they'll be able to with a baby

I understand about the smell btw- when my cat does 1 poo it stinks out the whole house, no way we could leave it for 12 hours

Original poster
ShutUpAlex · 30/05/2021 09:33

@cheesecrackerz yeah I think people who say they don’t smell are just nose blind. I remember when mine were kittens... one shit would stink the whole house out. I cleaned the tray after every use and you could still smell. It’s gross.

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 30/05/2021 09:34

It sounds like her issues are:

  1. wrong cat litter
  2. too many cats
  3. cats that don't actually like sharing with each other

Of these the first is easy to change, 2 and 3 require your brother to wake up and see that his cats are unhappy.

nameychange · 30/05/2021 09:35

Our adult cat uses a litter tray. Yes it smells when he first poops but we just scoop it there and then and smell goes.

Can’t believe you want to inflict 6 cats worth of poo on the neighbours.

Original poster
ShutUpAlex · 30/05/2021 09:36

Every neighbour on the road has cats of their own, who all go outdoors. Not a problem for them.

OP posts: