why do my cats come into the house to use their litter tray?!

[Twonewcats]

In their previous home they had NO litter trays, so went out as and when they pleased to do the toilet.
However, we do not have a cat flap, so they can't come and go during the night, but the back door is open for most of every day. However if they are outside, they come back in to use their litter trays instead of doing it outside. WHY?! And does anyone have any tips to encourage them to do it outside?
Thanks

I'd far prefer to have them shitting in your litter tray than shitting in my back garden thank you very much. Please leave well alone.

Agree with previous poster. The fact that you can be reasonably sure that your cats are not shitting all over the neighbourhood is a GOOD thing!

hehe
I was more thinking of a small area in the garden, is it possible to encourage them to do use a certain area as a loo?

If you dig a patch of earth over for them it might help. They love freshly dug soil.

The Lodger started using an inside litter tray after raising himself on the street. He just preferred it! (Warm, safe, dry, self cleaning - I can't blame him.) I didn't mind in the least: cleaning trays is far easier than dealing with neighours who discover poo in their rose beds and also helps you keep a weather eye on their health.

(And because he was kept in at night, it also lent itself to a better night's sleep without worry about accidents.)

Mine have always done this too.. much as I hate litter changing every day, I feel glad that mine aren't pooing in my neighbours' gardens! Also I could see if their stomachs were ok... my Morphy's first sign that he was ill, was his poos going liquid...

Move the litter tray near the door to your garden for a few days.

Then just outside the door for a few days.

Then a bit further away from house.

And so on, until gradually litter tray is in a suitable spot where you'd like them to go (NOT your NDN garden ).

Leave it there a few more days.

Eventually tip kitty litter out at said spot.

Voila - cats will now have a new toilet area.

Dig a corner over for them in your garden and sprinkle some cat litter on the area. Hopefully this will encourage them to go there instead of their tray.