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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Will our sensitive cat get used to his new neighbours?

11 replies

vjhist85 · 16/09/2013 23:26

We have two toms, just over 2yo. One of them is of a delicate disposition. Anxiety induced cystitis at every change. Mostly, we can fix it. New baby meant he was shut out of our room for a while, cue the pissing in corners and looking sorry for himself. Solved when baby got a little older and the feliway diffuser was replaced. Local cat started coming in through our magnetic cat flap, the pissing started again (they are usually happily outdoor and no litter tray) solved with microchip cat flap. However, our next door neighbours recently adopted 5 rescue cats, and they are all now spending a lot of time in our garden. I think this is why our little boy is now pissing EVERYWHERE that's not outside (poos still outside though?) what can we do? We can't keep them out of our garden, we have a new feliway diffuser, ensuring lots of water, and cystophan etc, but will he eventually get used to the intrusion, or will it always stress him out? Our 6mo dd will be crawling soon, and as much as I love him I can't risk a situation where dd discovers the puddles before we do. Any advice?

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 16/09/2013 23:34

Have you got inside trays, vjhist?

cozietoesie · 16/09/2013 23:37

PS - and a nice water gun, perchance?

Original poster

vjhist85 · 17/09/2013 00:00

No trays, and really want to avoid that. We have a water gun, is that for the neighbours cats? Problem is, we're on good terms with them despite them being quite tricky, and our cats have spent quite a long time crapping in their garden over the last few years before their cats came along, so we have no leg to stand on...

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 17/09/2013 00:10

I think you have to get tray(s), sorry. Sounds as if your lad is scared to go out to do his business if he can possibly avoid it so trays would obviate that need. You could get covered one(s) but initially leave the top off so that he became used to it.

It might only be for a certain time, until he got used to any other cats around remember. Not necessarily permanently. And it would be a sight easier for you than cleaning up his pee. He'd be a lot happier as well.

As for your neighbours - getting 5 new cats! I think that that raises the stakes somewhat. Personally, I'd use the water gun on their cats. It won't harm them and cats don't like water at all. It's worth a try.

peachmint · 17/09/2013 00:12

FIVE rescue cats? Blimey.

Could you look into that invisible fencing stuff?

thecatneuterer · 17/09/2013 00:34

You definitely need to get trays I'm afraid. Even without all the other cats it's difficult to avoid having trays. Cats often don't like to go outside to the toilet when it's raining, or when the ground is frozen, or when they're just feeling a bit off colour and certainly when they're scared of cats outside. And the older they get the more necessary it seems to be as the older they get the more reluctant they seem to be to go out.

Why do you want to avoid trays? If you get covered ones and use wood-based litter there really isn't a smell.

Fluffycloudland77 · 17/09/2013 08:16

I'm thirding trays, he must be looking for somewhere to go and using the house out of desperation.

Chick crumb makes excellent cat litter, it's very cheap and masks smells plus you can flush it.

This mat comes in a bigger rectangle size too, it's brilliant for stopping tracking. I wish I'd got one years ago. £10 in store.

Original poster

vjhist85 · 17/09/2013 08:34

Thanks all. Want to avoid trays because they've never needed them before, and I just find them gross! Also don't know where I'd put them once baby is mobile. But sounds like I'll have to give in. Thanks for chick crumb and mat advice!

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 17/09/2013 09:19

Don't worry - you get used to them. I'd much rather have trays than pools of pee around the place. (My old boy is a housecat and has two - and uses both as the mood takes him.)

Your cat will be so much happier as well. Cats are naturally clean animals so to just pee on the floor means there's something which has gone very wrong with their world.

Best of luck - and come back if problems persist.

peachmint · 17/09/2013 20:24

"Want to avoid trays because they've never needed them before, and I just find them gross!"

Apologies if I sound a bit rude, but you can't have a cat and then just decide you don't fancy using litter trays. My cat goes outside but he's been ill recently and we had to keep him in, so we had to use a tray.

They're really not that bad...

WinterWinds · 20/09/2013 13:50

My two boys usually go out in the garden to toilet but always have litter trays available for emergencies ie if its cold and rainy or during the night.
If your cats do not have anywhere available to do their business then yes they will go wherever they feel the need.

I have always had cats from way before any of my dc's were born and each of them have grown up with litter trays in the house. I never had a problem with dc's going near them.

Litter trays are much more preferable to pissy carpets as if you don't clean the smell properly they will continue to use the same spot not to mention that eventually your house will stink much more than the litter tray will.

I do think this is your only option

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