Elderly cat too proud to use litter tray?

[clockwatcher666]

Hi, my 17 year old cat has injured a front leg. The vet has given him anti inflammatory's, and advised to keep him in, but he won;t use the litter tray. He is not soiling inside either, but is holding on. We've been carrying him outside and plonking him in a flower bed, as we are worried he will make himself ill.
Have swapped the cat litter for soil, given him a huge tray and privacy, but to no avail!
Any ideas?

Hi - my elderly cat is the opposite - she goes outside for a good couple of hours and then as soon as she comes in has a crap in the litter tray!

Could it be that he doesn't realise what it is for - I know this sounds horrendous - but could you collect some of his crap from the garden and put into the tray to give him a clue?

If he hasn't used it for years, perhaps he has forgotten how handy it is....

Good idea, will give that a go!