Litter Tray just for Night Time

[newkit]

Hi there.
I need some advice on litter trays please.
I want to get two kittens and once they are old enough I want them to have the ability to come and go as they please during the day and get lots of exercise [ lockable cat flap available ]
But at night I would want them safely in the house [ we live on a quietish lane, but the traffic can bomb up and down depending on some teenagers or work traffic ]
I HATE litter trays ! So I was wondering how realistic it is to NOT have one for the cats during the day .. But have one out at night for emergencies.

If the litter tray is left out all day , will the cats bother doing their toileting outside at all ??

Does anyone have cats that happily manage to "hold it" during the night.

[unclefest]

yes, that can work in the end, especially if you monitor them and when they look like using the tray during the day, put them in the garden (tip - they are lazy and will use the tray if it is raining outside)

[newkit]

Well its good to know it would work in theory.
Does anyone do this in practice ?

[girlywhirly]

I found that my kitten preferred to go outside to the loo. She is 5 now and sometimes uses the tray at night if she can't wake us to let her out, and very occasionally during the day if she is feeling threatened by another cat. Incidences can be weeks apart. Cats are quite vulnerable while toileting outside, imagine yourself being pounced on and scratched/bitten while you were trying to have a poo! Especially if you are half the size of your attacker. My previous very old cat used the tray most of the time because it was safer for him, and I would rather that than have him upset and toileting innappropriately anywhere in the house.

I keep at tray in the downstairs loo all the time as we have no catflap, and an aggressive cat lives next door.

I think you have to train kittens to go to the loo outdoors, but also useful to have them accept a litter tray for when they need to stay in cattery for example.

[steben]

Our cat does this naturally - locked in when we go to bed and uses his tray in an emergency but usually crosses his legs stil he gets let out in morning :)

[Fluffycloudland77]

mine will use his litter tray at night but much prefers to feel the breeze on his bottom.

he used to come in to use it as a kitten but soon learnt. bet the neighbours are pleased.

[newkit]

Steben .. do you leave the litter tray out all day ?

[CeliaFate]

We had a cat that would stay in all night and didn't soil. No litter tray, though my Mum and Dad would have to let him out if he cried during the night.