can i please have some advice on getting my kittens to pee in thr garden ?

[travellingwilbury]

I have two gorgeous kittens , they have settled really well and so far we have had no accidents which is fab .

Now they have started venturing into our garden and having fun but they still insist on coming indoors to use the litter tray .

Do I start putting the tray out ?

Any ideas please ?

They might not have discovered al fresco toileting yet. Keep a patch of earth dug over so it's easily dug by small paws and let them get the idea. You could put the tray outside by the earth and scatter some litter over it so it smells like somewhere a cat might like to pee.

Mine took months to figure out he doesnt have to wee inside.

I wish I'd used a litter qwitter on him now, I think it might be too late now.

It might be tomorrow, it might take a while - and it might be never! Most of my boys have been housecats but I've had one cat who went outside but always preferred to do his duty inside the house - and another more recently who started off using outside and came to prefer inside. (And who could blame him, really - safe, warm, dry and always (thanks to the Litter Fairy) clean and nice.)

Having a tray around which they'll use as well is actually no bad thing. If they start using outside, you'll find it's dirty less and less but I tell you - on a cold winter's night with the snow coming down....... Having a tray inside can be a weight off your mind!

Gradually move the tray closer to their exit (cat flap?), and eventually otside by the catflap. They'll get te idea, especiallyf you also do as fluffycloud suggests. I've never - in 30 odd years of keeping cats - actually got to the stage where the tray has gone outside! They've always worked it out long before. Owever, it is cold, wet and horrid outside atm so they might need a bit more time.

Good luck.

Thank you , I will move it closer to the back door but good points about the cold , and also the soil is a bit solid just now . Bit like potty training then ?

Best done in the spring / summer .

No hurry , they have had no accidents and are fab .

I wouldn't move the tray. Cats hate change and it could start off the common problems of going on the floor (or worse places)
Sprinkle used litter on the earth and they will start using the garden when they get used to it.

Yes, cats can get pretty confused very easily, portrait! I don't mean move the tray to a different room or anything drastic! Gradually is the key word here. I move the tray about 6 inches at a time, once a week! We've had no problems doing that.

Mind you, if they've only just started going into the garden, it'll take them a while to get used to it anyway, and to learn that it's safe with no big predators.

I'm very envious of you having kittens! I want another one now!

I do move the litter tray between two rooms already so I presume that will help . I will scatter some used litter in a soil spot , but no hurry , I am hoping they will be around for a very long time , so I am happy to wait until we have softer soil .

Jux you have every right to be jealous , they are marvellous ;) the house feels better for having them in it .