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The litter tray

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Original poster

Do you still have a litter tray if your cat goes outside?

28 replies

Shaffron · 04/11/2015 22:01

My 6 month old kitten hasn't used her litter tray for weeks. Since she could use the cat flap.

I've not refilled the litter tray since I last emptied and cleaned it (weather has been fairly mild). I suppose I don't want her starting to use it regularly again, although of course if the weather was awful I'd understand!

Just wondered what you all do?

OP posts:
PolterGoose · 04/11/2015 22:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

99percentchocolate · 04/11/2015 22:07

Yes of course, otherwise she'll just be shitting in our garden or a neighbours garden - a tray is preferable to either of those scenarios.

Kim82 · 04/11/2015 22:07

We have one but that's because we don't have a cat flap. If they need to pee during the night I refuse to get up to let them out so the litter tray is there as back up. It's rarely used (I'd say maybe one pee every 2-3 weeks) despite having 3 cats but I won't take it away just in case one gets caught short.

PolterGoose · 04/11/2015 22:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Moln · 04/11/2015 22:09

It's outside now.

He still doesn't blooming use it though.

Pipbin · 04/11/2015 22:09

I have one just because my girl has a curfew and, although she prefers to go outside, it's useful to have it there in case of an emergency.

Seawig · 04/11/2015 22:10

No thankfully. Huntercat disappears over the fields all day and Feistycat uses the bushes in our garden as cover.

We don't really garden much so it is easy to clear away when we do!

Sparklingbrook · 04/11/2015 22:10

Yes, for overnight and if she has decided to stay in if I am out (no catflap).

BrianCoxReborn · 04/11/2015 22:12

Yes.

Evil Cat refuses to go out in the rain.

Ginger idiot Beast will happily do his business in the middle of the garden (he often does it next to the dog!!) In any weather, but he has a habit of waking me at silly hours through winter to go out, so I keep the trays but only use them occasionally.

They're out at the moment because of the fireworks, both cats are climbing the walls as has been going on since Friday.

AnyoneButAndre · 04/11/2015 22:14

We got rid of our litter tray once the layer of dust on it started to over flow the top. They just wouldn't touch it.

Palomb · 04/11/2015 22:15

No. Our house is so small it would have to be in the living room or the kitchen. So no. We have a cat flap that we lock at night. Both cats use the toilet or the plug hole in the bath to we if they need to go overnight. One of them did wake us this morning so dh went and let her out. They are not allowed in our room at night as they are annoying buggers.

Wolfiefan · 04/11/2015 22:15

Yes. We have always had a tray. We keep our cats in overnight. Also if they are ill then they need access to one.

Moln · 04/11/2015 22:20

I keep mine in overnight and he still won't use it.

A while back I had to take him to the vets for his boosters so didn't let him out in the morning. I brought the tray in and he didn't use up it. Vet commented on how full his bladder was!!

Vinorosso74 · 04/11/2015 22:30

We lock the catflap overnight so we have a tray. She does prefer the corner of the garden but uses the tray if needs must.
She does wake us up scratching the litter around..

cozietoesie · 04/11/2015 23:02

We had one for The Lodger and the outside-going cat before him. Both preferred a tray - they'd come in from outside to use it - and I've always been quite happy to clean one.

DramaAlpaca · 04/11/2015 23:20

I did the same as you OP. When the kittens were about five or six months old and using the cat flap regularly they stopped using their litter tray, so I put it away. It's there in the attic in case it's needed, but I prefer not to have a litter tray in the house. We live rurally and have a big garden so no worries about neighbours.

Sparrowlegs248 · 04/11/2015 23:31

Old cat never had one. When he passed away we got a rescue cat so he had one while he was kept in. Just as he stopped using it a kitten turned up. Just as she stopped using it, rescue became very poorly and wasn't able to get in/out of cat flap. He's diabetes and touching wood stable now. He has a wee in it about every other day so was thinking of getting rid of it. 'Kitten' hasn't used it for months.

Archfarchnad · 05/11/2015 14:05

We keep a clean one in the house because we keep him inside when it's dark, but he must have incredible control over his bladder because he very seldom uses it - perhaps once a month? I'm pretty sure he only uses an earthy section of our garden under the trampoline, at least none of the neighbours seem to have a problem with cat poo. When we first got him and didn't let him out at all for a few weeks, he did used the tray reliably then, but it's clearly a last-ditch option for him. But I would never get rid of it, just in case.

JimmyGreavesMoustache · 05/11/2015 14:09

we have a litter tray still, even though she does 99.9% of her stuff outside in the flower beds
it's there as a backup, in case of really, really horrific weather that she won't go out in, or if she's been scared outside or something.

a previous cat we had took to weeing in the house, and cat wee is just the WORST to clean up. having been through that i'd rather take the boots and braces approach.

Sleepybeanbump · 05/11/2015 14:13

We do- when we first got our girls, one of them would come inside expressly to use the tray, and then go back outside again, like a person Grin

They mostly go outside now, but sometimes draw the line if the weather does not meeting their exacting requirements.

slicedfinger · 05/11/2015 14:20

Yes, we have a flap and a tray. Younger cat comes inside just to use it, and older cat much prefers to do it outside but has arthritis, so sometimes just hobbles to the tray instead.

SparklyTinselTits · 05/11/2015 14:24

No we took it away when SparklyCat started going outside...she's a priss anyway and always seemed quite disgusted at the stench of her own poop in a tray! She's pretty much an indoor cat for the most part, she just goes out, does what she needs to do and comes straight back in. Would never bring a tray back in...don't miss cleaning those nasty nose destroyers Confused

CurrerBell · 06/11/2015 10:44

Our boy hasn't used his tray once since we started letting him out. Feel bad for the neighbours (if he's using their gardens), but not sure what else we can do!

We kept him in for the fireworks last night but he spent the whole time scratching to be let out, and looked at his tray with disdain!

laflaca · 06/11/2015 12:13

LaflacaCat has a litter tray for emergencies. He uses it sometimes in the winter, or when we have guests staying.

fenneltea · 06/11/2015 12:40

I have two large litter trays for five cats, one is an indoor only cat and another always uses the tray the other three go outside, but the cat flap is locked at night so I'd feel guilty if they couldn't go and needed to. The litter has a baby powder scent and isn't too bad smell wise but it is cleaned at least once daily.