Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think about getting a cat but not wanting to do a litter box?

117 replies

Nolitterbox · 21/05/2023 14:46

We had a cat that died about 8 years ago, she was not an indoor cat - but hardly ever went outside. Really only to sunbathe! The good thing was: no dead wildlife. The bad thing was: litter box. I hated it. It was a bane of my life the whole time.

I have a really strong sense of smell and can always smell them when I go to people’s houses who have them and I really dislike them. Also, our house is very small - there’s nowhere “tucked away” it could go.

I told DH we could get a cat and not do the litter box thing. He isn’t so sure. It’s a dealbreaker for me!

So:
if you have a cat and a litter box, vote YABU
If you have a cat and no litter box YANBU

OP posts:
Original poster
Nolitterbox · 21/05/2023 16:05

SittingNextToIt · 21/05/2023 15:56

Hiya

If your cat doesn’t have a litter tray, where would it shit, please?

Show quote history

I was thinking our back garden, and that the cat would bury it! But it seems others do not have that experience!

OP posts:
TulipCat · 21/05/2023 16:06

My cat started going outside instead of using the litter tray once he was old enough to be allowed outside. We have so many foxes round here - people's gardens are already full of fox poo anyway.

crazycatladyof6 · 21/05/2023 16:07

I have 6 cats and no litter boxes apart from when any of them have been poorly

GloriousintheArctic · 21/05/2023 16:11

As others have said, you can provide an outdoor litter tray. I have a large one for my cats and they do use it, obviously you need to clean it out regularly. It contains a mix of sharp sand and the old compost from last year's pots (or you can use garden soil). It gets wet in the rain but that doesn't matter, it dries out again.

ColdHandsHotHead · 21/05/2023 16:14

It doesn't matter how much of an outdoors cat your cat is, there will always be times when you need to keep it in. For example, in case of illness. Mine is in overnight and at the moment not allowed out until about 10am because it's the nesting season and he has to be in from late afternoon until dark. He greatly prefers to use my garden BUT if he's indoors and needs a poo, he's got a litter tray.

Youknownorhing · 21/05/2023 16:14

I have had cats for over 50years.. no litter boxes ever. With the exception of kittens between arriving (8/10 weeks) and vaccinations .. then they have gone outside. The only difference this time round is a cat flap.. as got fed up being a footman !

Garden isn't 'cat proofed' not even really sure what that means. Nearest neighbours a quarter of a mile away and don't think they could be arsed to go looking for poo... but we are v rural so probably makes a difference.

Beneficialchampion2 · 21/05/2023 16:19

A litter box is a necessity, get an enclosed one, feed the cat a decent diet (blink etc) and their poo won't stink.

ImthatBoleyngirl · 21/05/2023 16:21

My cat was an outdoor cat with no litter tray for 6 years, and then the neighbours got a very friendly kitten ............let's just say that my cat is very unsociable and refused to go outside anymore. She's is now 11 and we still have the bloody litter tray! It's the bane of my life!!

ittakes2 · 21/05/2023 16:21

We have a male and a female cat - its only the male cat which brings in wild life the female cats likes to eat insects. We get what's called the world's best cat litter and I think it really is!

meatballsoup · 21/05/2023 16:21

It is something to really think about because no matter what litter you use or how often you clean the tray cat piss is pungent!. My husband has 2 cats ( they are definitely his, I never agreed to having them & I have nothing to do with the cleaning of the tray). He buys worlds best cat litter and keeps it clean but I can still smell cat piss. I hate it and will never have a cat in the house again after these two finally pop off.

Disclaimer: I'm not cruel to the cats I just really dislike them and don't have anything to do with them

Floralnomad · 21/05/2023 16:22

Even with an outdoor cat you will need a litter box at the start as kittens shouldn’t go out until they are neutered / a rescue cat needs to stay in for a while until it knows where home is / how it smells etc .

Kitkatfiend31 · 21/05/2023 16:27

If the cat will always be able to access the outside you should only need a litter tray while they get used to the house. Neither if our cats continued to use a litter tray once they were going out.

SussexSeaGal · 21/05/2023 16:28

Feed your cat good quality raw food from somewhere like Katkin or Purrform and the poo doesn't stink at all!

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 21/05/2023 16:31

Kitkatfiend31 · 21/05/2023 16:27

If the cat will always be able to access the outside you should only need a litter tray while they get used to the house. Neither if our cats continued to use a litter tray once they were going out.

The issue is, there's no guarantee OP's cat will be the same as yours.

I'm a cat sitter and look after loads of indoor/outdoor cats - the vast majority have access to a litter tray - and they do use it - especially in bad weather and as they get older.

If you get a cat, you do need to at least be prepared to have and maintain a litter tray, because if you don't and the cat won't go outside, the only alternative is that they'll piss and shit all over your house, which is far more unpleasant to clean up than a litter tray Grin

ghostyslovesheets · 21/05/2023 16:34

Depends on the cat - I have 6 - 2 of them use the tray - one likes to wee where the tray is and it’s only there because otherwise he would wee there anyway! (Weeing came before we put a tray there). Our 7 nth kitten comes inside to USE the tray! Just won’t go outside.
my big issue with you plan would be winter - when it’s cold! They can’t be out 24/7 in the ice! Unless you have a cat flap - we can’t have one and I prefer it as I don’t like scrappy neighbour cats coming in.

Ladybirdlashes · 21/05/2023 16:40

My neighbours cat is using my daughters mud kitchen tyre and out flower bed as a litter tray. Yesterday it had diarrhoea over my freshly planted raised bed, it was vile.

It absolutely disgusts me to be honest, I don’t have a cat or dog and a large part of the reason for that is that I don’t like to clear up animal poo, however now I have to make sure I always check the garden for cat poo before my children can go out to play and make sure I always have poop bags in so I can deal with it. People like you are the problem - if you have an animal you should be responsible for it, not passing it off to your neighbours.

Jarstastic · 21/05/2023 16:54

I think all cats should have access to a litter tray. Even if they spend most of their time going outdoors if they are not well or the weather is bad they should be able to go indoors. Also I think cats should stay in at night. I always thought this over decades of cat ownership. We recently stopped locking the cat flap at night and our cat went missing at night within a few weeks.

madeinmanc · 21/05/2023 17:09

All cat owners should have litter boxes, otherwise you're just ruining other people's gardens!

MonumentalLentil · 21/05/2023 17:28

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 21/05/2023 15:05

IMO all cats should have access to a litter tray. Providing a safe, clean place for toileting is just a basic part of cat ownership.

My experience is that while young cats may be quite happy to go outside, older cats aren't as much - and the last thing you want is for your cat to pee or poo on your bed because you've failed to provide them with an alternative.

Also if you can't cope with wee and poo confined in a litter tray, how are you going to cope with them bringing in half-dead animals, or vomiting hairballs, or having accidents when they get sick or old?

This.

It is unfair to get a cat and not provide a tray where he or she can feel safe if something is happening outside or in cases of illness. A litter tray also provides a resposible owner with the change to check the health of the cat, blood in urine or stool, constipation, worms...

You could train a cat to use a toilet, buy a set of plastic rings designed for the purpose, but that still removes the ability to do the health checks and ensure the pet that you love enough to give a home to is in good health.

If you don't want to care for a cat, please don't get one.

Smartiepants79 · 21/05/2023 17:31

I’m not sure you can have a cat and NEVER have a litter tray. We very rarely use one but it is becoming occasion.
When they first arrive and need to stay in for a week or two. When they’re I’ll or injured and can’t go out for a bit. When you go away over night?

Harringtonperle · 21/05/2023 17:41

Mine will go outside for 2 hours and then come in and immediately shit in thr litter tray 🙄I think you do need one, I've had about 20 cats over the years and never not had a litter tray. You can't guarantee they will want to poo/wee outside. Mine won't even go outside when the weather is bad.

red78hot · 21/05/2023 17:42

Get a litter tray, yabu to expect your poor neighbours to clean cat shit up.

Alwayswonderedwhy · 21/05/2023 17:47

Depends if you're going to stop your cat from getting out of your garden. If you are please get a litter box.

HadalyEve · 21/05/2023 17:53

Please do not get a cat without a litter box because their shit doesn’t magically disappear. If you aren’t cleaning it up, your neighbours will be and they will know it is your cat.

LoobyDop · 21/05/2023 18:01

It’s part of owning a cat. Even if you have one that mostly goes outside, they need a tray for emergencies. It’s not fair not to provide one, imo.

Swipe left for the next trending thread