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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.

Original poster

Do all cats use the litter tray within 30 secs of it being cleaned?

31 replies

treaclesoda · 19/03/2016 20:07

I find that no matter what time of day I clean the litter tray, the cat manages to, er, have a deposit for me within about 30 secs of me replacing it.

Is my cat just doing it to show me who's boss (I'm new to cat ownership) or is this common? Is there some sort of cat psychology reasoning behind the behaviour?

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 19/03/2016 20:09

Mine watch me and then go in the minute I'm done. I clean it out.
Clean out the second tray and they bloody do the same.
I think it's "FFS I've been WAITING for you to clean that out you substandard slave!"

FuzzyOwl · 19/03/2016 20:10

As long as 30 seconds?! One of my cats has been known to use it between me emptying and refilling! Hmm

But yes, it is really common and it is because cats like clean litter trays.

KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes · 19/03/2016 20:11

Oh, yes!

Nothing like a good dig in some fresh litter...

gamerchick · 19/03/2016 20:11

Sounds about right.

Although I find the same at work, as soon as the cleaners have done their thing it's a race for the bog to have a dump.

Wolfiefan · 19/03/2016 20:11

Do you have only one tray? Clean out only once a day? Could they be hanging on until it's clean?!

Wolfiefan · 19/03/2016 20:12

Haha King! You or the cats?!?!

Original poster
treaclesoda · 19/03/2016 20:12

I've only got one tray, but I clean it more than once a day Smile

OP posts:
hugoagogo · 19/03/2016 20:13

In contrast, I can't remember the last time my kitty used her tray. She likes outside Grin

mrstiggy · 19/03/2016 20:15

Yep, mine does this. He's a pita for it. Even when he doesn't seem to need to use it he will come down and have a fettle about and get litter everywhere. I just assumed he prefers it to smell of him. I prefer it to smell clean, but I don't get a choice apparently. Grin

ivykaty44 · 19/03/2016 20:16

Would you prefer a dirty or clean loo to use?

IHaveBrilloHair · 19/03/2016 20:17

Yes.
Fucking fuzzy wee shites

Do all cats use the litter tray within 30 secs of it being cleaned?
Original poster
treaclesoda · 19/03/2016 20:17

Mine scrapes at the back door to come in and use the litter tray, then immediately goes back outside when she's finished. Obviously it means I can polish my halo, fairly certain that she's not messing up anyone else's garden, but at the same time we have a row of trees at the back of the garden and it really wouldn't hurt anyone for her to have a pee there if she's outside!

OP posts:
MingZillas · 19/03/2016 20:18

gamerchick Grin

Our boy cat comes inside for a crap then goes back out again.

Notgrumpyjustquiet · 19/03/2016 20:18

Mine is the same. She supervises me closely while I empty the tray and then gets straight back in and squeezes another one out. Or just flings the litter all over the place for about 5 minutes, probably to make sure I haven't missed any of her leavings. Luckily it's one of those covered thunder box type ones with a lid although I'm sure she'd prefer just a simple tray arrangement so she could scoop it all out all over the floor, just so she could then watch me lose my temper hoover it up Hmm

bertsdinner · 19/03/2016 20:33

Mine will go outside for ages, them come in and use the tray. If it's a poo he will cry non stop while I clean it then get straight back in and do a wee.
He also likes to dig, and he's a big lad, so manages to throw it everywhere with his shovel like paws.
My old cat was even worse. She would come in to use the tray (only to wee though, strangely),and if it wasnt ready she would just wee on the floor, no waiting, no warning.

cozietoesie · 19/03/2016 20:38

Seniorboy comes to tell me when he's used a tray. I think that it's partly pride in his achievement and partly so that I can dash off and clean it. I tell him when I've cleaned it so that he can relax. Smile

TondelayaDellaVentamiglia · 19/03/2016 20:51

we have five litter trays! ....used to have three cats and used to have six trays.

dining room one is wee's only
top of the stairs one is also wee's only
bathroom and landing wee's and bigjobs
kitchen one is never used thank goodness but is in under the shelves just in case anyone gets shut in there.

Faerie does use the garden but I have seen both of them run in to use the trays and then back out Reuben likes to use different trays for different things....he also likes to accompany folks to the bathroom and use the tray at the same time

Actually I probably have double that amount of trays, just five in the house and the rest in the wash house ready to come in. It's a life of glamour and relaxation between scrubbing litter trays and clearing up after the dogfaces.

Notgrumpyjustquiet · 20/03/2016 08:41

Who was the person in here somewhere who posted a pic the other day of their cat using his tray ON TOP OF THE GAS HOB? Shock Apparently it was the only place he did his business anyway so they decided to put the tray up there for his convenience Hmm

prokupatuskrakedatus · 20/03/2016 09:46

Oh yes,
the minute I start on the tray, he senses it, wherever he is, storms in, watches me critically until I'm just about finished and then uses the tray before I even get the shovel out.

PestilentialCat · 20/03/2016 14:33

Mine like to dig in the clean litter and throw it around but hardly ever use it for toilet purposes, only really if we're up too late to let them out by about half seven they use the vegetable plot

problembottom · 20/03/2016 20:05

I'm lucky if it's 30 seconds. My cat usually gets on as soon as there's fresh litter in it, am often reattaching the hood and moving the tray back to the corner while he's mid wee!

He's not shy my cat.

Vinorosso74 · 20/03/2016 21:19

I'm trying to get ours to provide a pee sample in the Katcor. No problems any other days but this weekend no, as soon as normal cat litter goes in she will probably pee. I suspect this may be due to loss those tiny bastard plastic balls each time we use it so there's not much to dig in.

sportinguista · 21/03/2016 13:04

Mine does and then she plays with the clean litter too! I think she likes to personalise it!

cozietoesie · 21/03/2016 13:18

A saucer under the backside, Vino. Only way we use and it works like treat. Smile

cozietoesie · 21/03/2016 13:19

like a* treat