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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.

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Original poster

Any tips for getting young cats to poo outside?!

15 replies

BotBotticelli · 15/09/2018 22:06

I have two gorgeous young male cats (8mo now). Pic attached for “awwwwws”. Since they were castrated at 5.5mo they’ve been loving going out in the garden several times a day - climbing trees, hunting bugs, etc etc.

We don’t have a cat flap and do not plan to get one (bad childhood memories of finding half-dead birds, rodents and frogs in tbe house!).

They spend HOURS outside each day and evening (we get them in around 10pm) but they always hold their stinky poos in until they come home!!!! Literally, as DH says, they “run around for hours then come back home for a massive dump” 😂😂

Are there any tips to encourage them to stop shitting in the house?! I can’t stand the smell!!

OP posts:

Original poster

BotBotticelli · 15/09/2018 22:07

Oops - forgot the pic

Any tips for getting young cats to poo outside?!

OP posts:

Original poster

BotBotticelli · 15/09/2018 22:08

Ps - when I say shitting in the house, I obvs mean in the litter tray!

OP posts:

Marmite27 · 15/09/2018 22:08

Tbh they’re your pets, it’s your responsibility to clean up after them rather than send them out to shit all over your neighbors gardens.

I have no cats, don’t want one and still I’m stuck cleaning up cat she’s so my child can play in her garden

Original poster

BotBotticelli · 15/09/2018 22:11

Do you just stalk the cat owners board to moan about cats? On a Saturday night?! 😂😂

OP posts:

Datedandold · 15/09/2018 22:14

Oooh, you’ve got a storm comin’ your way!

(I have a Catio, FWIW and hey do it in one corner- easy clean up)

Original poster

BotBotticelli · 15/09/2018 22:15

Wow I had no idea this was such a thing!

OP posts:

Mindchilder · 15/09/2018 22:16

Try making a nice sheltered shit corner in your garden with fine gravel or sand.

Original poster

BotBotticelli · 15/09/2018 22:16

When I was a kid my cats pooed in the garden but always buried it in tbe soil so it never bothered anyone. I thought that was quite normal? Is it not?!?

OP posts:

Aph413 · 15/09/2018 22:16

It's part of owning a cat. You clean up after them, and yes unfortunately that for me has involved scooping from a neighbours garden when I caught my very large cat staring me down trying to bury the evidence.
It stinks but if you scoop as soon as you see it it's not so bad.

shouldwestayorshouldwego · 15/09/2018 22:19

Your neighbours will moan!

You might find that if you make a sandy/gravel part of your garden that they go there, however if you don't clear it up it might get smelly, at least though it would be outside but in your garden.

Babdoc · 15/09/2018 22:21

You really need a cat flap to ensure this works long term, OP.
You start by positioning the litter tray indoors but close to the cat flap. Then you put it outside, but again close to the flap. Gradually move it down the garden until it’s on a patch of earth or sand that you’d like them to use. Then don’t change the litter, so it’s its a bit unpleasant, and they’re likely to prefer the clean earth or sand around it. Once they’re thinking “ outside the box”, so to speak, simply remove the litter tray altogether.
They will need free access to the cat flap thereafter for toileting purposes.
If you plan to lock them in at night, then obviously you’ll still need an indoor tray for overnight use, and it will be harder to persuade them not to just use that all the time.

Marmite27 · 15/09/2018 22:21

Tbh I’m trapped under a breastfed baby that seems to have the appetite of an elephant today, so I’m just stalking active conversations due for entertainment, I’m that rock and roll

RubaDubMum89 · 15/09/2018 22:22

Mine are exactly the same, come in from outside to use the tray then go back out. However, I have on the odd occasion seen both of them pooing at the bottom of the garden in the wasteland shrubs, where the neighbours cat poos.

Could you maybe try scooping a poo from the tray and putting it in the place you'd want them to do it? Leaving it there might tell them 'hey look, it's a turd... It must be OK to shit here' 😂

Meet0nTheIedge · 15/09/2018 22:23

It does not just disappear, it takes ages, some cats don't bury it so it stinks and attracts flies, if you are a gardener its pretty disgusting finding it in amongst your veg. Many, many people hate cats for this reason. You can get outdoor litter trays or dig fresh soil patches in your garden for them to use (we do this as well as having indoor trays). But please don't inflict it on your neighbours.

viccat · 15/09/2018 23:34

Using a litter tray is much, much better for many reasons. Not annoying neighbours being one, and more importantly it will be much easier for you to know if they have any health issues if you can monitor their output, so to speak...

Keeping them in at night is definitely the safe option anyway, and in that case you definitely need a litter tray or two available.

For what it's worth, some cats just seem to prefer outside and some not. Our garden is cat proofed so they can't annoy neighbours anyway but young girl cat seems to prefer doing her business outdoors but her brother will specifically come indoors to use his tray and then go back again. Nature/nurture...?

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