maine coon crossed with tabby - litter tray or not?

[silencecunningexile]

We're getting a maine coon cross breed and I really don't want a litter tray long term. We already have a 4 year old tabby cat. Does anyone have any experience of training/allowing maine coon cross breeds to go outside? Thank you!

What do you think would be different with a Maine coon cross going out, they don't need any special training, they do need to have their bottoms kept clean, a vet nurse can offer a hygiene trim . Does your existing cat go outside, are you going to have a litter tray for overnight and the cold weather, people usually recommend a separate tray for each cat plus a spare.

I thought most people start with a litter tray and then if the cat goes out a lot, they naturally stop using the tray anyway unless they have to.

Maine Coon owner here.
Litter tray in the house but it's never ever used if they have the option to go outside.
NB
Never had an issue with them keeping their bottoms clean though (and I've had 3).

Cats should be in all night. If you don’t want a litter tray then don’t get a cat.

I have a Maine Coon cross, who looks and acts exactly like a full breed.
I have four cats so do have trays and he cleans himself fine.
However he is totally stupid and has no road sense at all, or any other sense really!
Mine are all indoor now after a few accidents and my neighbours kids treating them badly.

You'll have to keep the new cat in for several weeks at first to settle with you. You'll need a litter tray for that period. Ours has a tray for overnight use (and for when she feels the weather is a bit too wet or chilly) but she goes outside during the day.

My MC lives indoors. She’s rather daft and far too trusting of humans to roam free. She’ll occasionally potter around the garden but she’s a massive ‘fraidy cat and runs back inside at the first sign of one of the other neighbourhood cats. We have litter trays.
Is this an adult cat or a kitten that you are getting? Either way they’ll need to stay inside for a minimum of a month or so. If it’s a kitten it will need to stay in for a fair bit longer.
If you are buying a MC cross kitten I would gently suggest that you reconsider. My cat ended up in a rescue at the age of 2, having already been used to breed very saleable Maine Coon X kittens. She had clearly not been well cared for but as a very beautiful cat I’m sure her kittens made the owners a good bit of money.

Thanks everyone. Of course I understand I'll need a litter tray while he's a kitten but I was hoping he'd be able to go outside later along with my other cat. Great to hear this might be possible.

So you have a cat but not a litter tray.