Getting cat to toilet in the garden...

[suchatiredbunny]

Can someone just remind me the best way to move from using an indoor litter tray to going in the garden please? Haven't done it for a few years and can't remember what I did before. Cat is now six months and in the last few weeks has been allowed out (he's in at night). We need him to stop using the litter tray during the day.....should I put some used litter in the garden where we want him to go and then remove the tray in the day?.. I'm not sure....suggestions gratefully received! We have seen him wee outside (on the gravel beds) but not poo.

Just to prepare you, I posted a similar question a few months ago and got flamed for letting my cat go to the toilet outside. Don your hard hat!

I think our cats have made a natural progression to going outside. We always have a tray available because they're reluctant to go out when it's wet but since we let them out around March time, they use it less and less. Used litter in the garden is supposed to be a good idea. Or could you dig over some earth and make a sort of outside cat flap?

Thanks. I'll try putting some litter out and show him where it is. He will still have his tray overnight though.

I posted similar last year and got torn a new one rather than any helpful advice.

I put litter in the flower bed and this did work, but it took a while for him to get the hang of it. Lots of coming in and looking for the tray. Lots of paitience needed for this.

Also, I think I tried putting the tray outside the cat flap but don't remember it working but that might have just been my little darling that it didn't work for.

Good luck!!

From experience, move the litter tray slowly towards where you want the cat to go and the mix in the litter with fresh earth. If you want to keep the cat pooing on your garden , keep digging a fresh earth area for him/her.......most favourite for our cats are areas which we've just grassed or bulb planted!

I just found that the more they went out the more inclined they were to toilet outside. They will adapt fairly quickly. My 2 are 10 years old, go out all day but they stay in between 7 at night and 7 in the morning. They never use the litter tray overnight unless poorly.