Cat scared to go outside and using garden as a toilet - help!

[TheGlitterFairy]

Hi - we adopted an 18 month old female cat at the beginning of the year; she settled in well and at the appropriate time, started to go outside (with catflap hooked up to her microchip).

Over the summer, we - and a neighbour- had a problem with a neighbourhood cat that was terrorising ours (hers and mine); my cat was attacked by this unneutered tomcat and a vets trip ensued with meds.

Anyway - we managed to build her confidence up again over the summer - she was happy to be in and out during the day but now over the last few weeks seems to be very unhappy going out. Today for example - I can see that she's only been outside for 30 mins since 7am (it's now nearly 5pm). Yesterday, she was very reluctant to go outside; though she did eventually go out but then I saw she is using her own garden as a toilet (pees, I've not seen a poop). This is obviously unusual for a cat and I can only assume that she's scared to go over the fence and do her business as she normally would.

Does anyone have any advice on how to get her back over the fence?! Is it just a case of building up her confidence again?
Thanks in advance!

Where does she normally poo, you say she goes over the fence, is that where she was attacked. Id try a litter tray in her own garden or create an area she can use without having to leave her own garden.

I would put a litter tray in your garden.

Where is 'over the fence'?

You need to provide a litter tray. So it’s ok for your cat to poo in your neighbour’s gardens but not yours?

Do you have an issue with her using your garden as her toilet?

Why not get a litter tray and allow her to do her business in her house where she feels comfortable. You basically want advice on how to force her to go further than the garden but if she's content being inside and in the garden then I'd leave her be.

She's had a scare and unless the tom is no longer in the area it could happen again so surely its better that she stays close to home so it does not attack her again.

Unless 'over the fence' is fields or something?

I don't understand. What's wrong with using her own garden?

My cats mostly toilet in our garden. I prefer that to annoying our neighbours.

Just get her a litter tray and leave her be. She shouldn't me made to go places she isn't comfortable.

I don't understand the issue here either - most people would be delighted if their cat didn't leave their own garden - much safer and no risk of annoying neighbours either.

Every cat should however have a litter tray. Bad weather, other cats, noise from nearby building work etc. can all make going outside a really unpleasant experience.

It’s getting cold now so she probably won’t be bothered to go far anyway

Cats toilet in their own gardens - mines does.

Thanks for the replies. We don’t want her to feel unhappy or uncomfortable. Equally, she was very happy to be outside until recently so trying to work out if we can/ should get back to that or not.
“Over the fence” is to an alleyway behind the house - this is her usual place, not others’ gardens.
I’ve not known cats to toilet in their own garden before....responses seem to be that this is normal though.
Thanks again for your replies.

Alleyway? A footpath? Yuck.

No, not a footpath....not accessible to people....

My cat sounds similar to yours. She only goes out for 10-15mins, some days not at all. She has her litter tray in the house.