My very outdoorsy cat has not used the litter box since op!

[FrazzleRock]

My outdoorsy cat had a lump removed (from her errr... armpit?) on Monday and must be kept inside for a few days. We're moving next week so will probably keep her inside until we've been in the new house for at least two weeks.

The problem is she hasn't used the litter tray whatsoever, and I can't find any evidence of her going anywhere else in the flat. She keeps meowing to go out and she kept us awake most of the night last night. I keep lifting her to the litter tray but she will not us it.

Sometimes she stays with my mum and she uses the litter tray there, so I don't undertand why she won't use the one at ours. Pretty sure my mum uses the same brand of litter, too.
I'm worried she's going to do some damage to her kidneys and she's prone to UTIs anyway.
We're going back to the vet tomorrow for a post op check so I will ask her then, but she can't possibly wait another day without going to the toilet, surely! She's eating and drinking normally.

Any ideas to help her use the litter?

Where have you placed the tray compared to your Mum's eg is it in a fairly 'private' place?

Could you get a harness and just take her outside? Might be tricky with an armpit wound though.
One of mine is a litter tray refuser, and we were similarly worried after an op, so we had to let him go outside.

It's in the bathroom. She likes going in there as she likes to hide under the bath, so I thought it would be a good place to put it. At my mum's I think it's on her landing.

I am really tempted to let her outside, but there is a cat who she fights with a fair bit. She normally comes away unscathed, but she's obviously quite weak at the moment and I'd hate for her to get in a fight with such a fresh wound.

Harness might be the way to go, but not sure she's be comfortable going to the toilet with that tied to her? Might be worth a try if all else fails

I'll admit that when I did it, I looked the other way, as he wouldn't go with me watching

I assume that she won't have eaten or drunk much on the day of her op so the poo might just be 'working its way through' so to speak. They can cross their legs for quite a time as well.

I'd put the tray somewhere else but hang tough on using it.

Perhaps I'll try moving it then. We're rather stuck for space right now. My flat is teeny tiny (reason we're moving) and packing boxes everywhere. I'll find a little spot for her though somewhere. Hopefully that will do the trick!

And don't watch her. Some of them are real sensitive souls.

Probably best to show her the new location and then go about your business.

Good luck.

And this board isn't called The Litter Tray for nothing!

First Use Of Tray - for whatever reason - can bring even the most experienced cat owners out in a rash.

haha, thank you!!

Any joy?

Yes!! It worked! The eagle finally landed, and very neatly in her litter tray. Phew. She clearly did not like going to the bathroom. It's in the corner of the living room instead surrounded by packing boxes.

Thank you so much for your help

Twoago didn't like the bathroom for his tray. I rationalised it to myself by thinking that maybe he didn't like the trip there from wherever he was, or that he was edgy about the 'big whooshing things' (toilet and gas geyser) but at the end of the day - he just didn't like it. As soon as we moved his tray to a different room, he was a happy camper.

Of course, she may have been absolutely desperate and you've just won a battle of wills. Either way, I'm glad it's sorted.