How would you deal with this cat's poo?

[LynetteScavo]

Old lady cat is 17 years old, and blind due to high blood pressure.

We have a large garden, and have never had a litter tray in this house (last time she used a tray was 12 years ago).

She started pooing on the patio which was covered in pea gravel. So I replaced the pea gravel (which was a lot of hard graft!) with 4mm slate- because I'd read on the internet cats hate it and never foul on it! (Don't believe everything you read on the internet!)

We've also given her a litter tray outside the back door. It's a covered one, but we've taken the flap off it. Ideally we'd like her to use it.
I think neighbours cat may have used it, and possibly old boy cat, but not old lady!

Not sure where to go from here. I seemed doomed to do a sweep each am and pm for her poos.

Would it be best to putt the litter tray in the house? Would that in courage soiling in the house...because I really couldn't cope with that!

Instate a couple of uncovered trays indoors, then if she's happy with using those, introduce a covered one, to see how she gets on with it.

Due to her age and blindness, she won't want to travel far from her core territory to crap/pee.

I'd put one or two trays in the house - and maybe start off in this case with completely clean trays as cats often detest going where another cat has. (They often dislike using the same tray to poo and pee in quick succession themselves which is why my own old boy has two - both of which he uses each day.)

Are you sure she really likes going out much if she's older, blind and with other cats around ? She may be going out reluctantly - because she's basically a very clean cat - to do her duty but just ending up with a splash and dash in the nearest or easiest place because she can't bring herself to use a tray which smells of other animals.

Oh, and I've put cat deterrent granules and spray on the slat, which hasn't helped.

Yes, she loves to go out. We don't let her out the front despite her mewing at the front door. She has a favourite spot in the garden she likes to sit in the sun. She finds her way around the garden better than the house, because the route doesn't change, unlike indoors with the DC leaving bags around, moving chairs etc.

*And no, litter trays in the house won't encourage her to start crapping about the house randomly. She'd be doing that already if she had a mind to. She'll appreciate the tray. Get some fine litter, rather than the gravelly sort, if she's used to going outside. World's Best is good, online from Zooplus. Scatter a bit of soil/gravel on top to encourage her.

You should try to read trainingcat.us guides or their products. They helped me a lot and now with my cat everything is good (I have old lady as well ;))