Please help me get cat to use litter tray again

[ShinyNewNameTime]

We got our cat in January as a kitten and he picked up using the litter tray straight away. In the year we’ve had him he’s had two accidents - once just after he was castrated and another when I accidentally shut him in a room without a litter tray.

Until a couple of weeks ago when my 3yo decided to start drumming on the lid of the litter tray when cat was in there. Cat bolted out while still peeing and since then has refused to go near it. I’ve tried taking the lid off, moving it somewhere else and letting him out/ showing him the litter tray whenever he starts showing signs of looking for somewhere to go but he’s now just peeing everywhere and my house absolutely stinks.

I have to give cat some credit though as he is exclusively weeing on my 3yo’s things 😂, so he knows who to blame.

Any suggestions?

I know it's not really funny but that last sentence did make me chuckle.

I don't think you will like my suggestion but it does seem to work. You will need:

A large dog crate (Pets at Home sell them)
Assorted uncovered litter trays of various sizes, including small ones
A disgruntled cat
A strong resolve

Method:
Make a small area in the dog crate for a bed and food and water bowls. Cover the rest of the entire floor area inside the crate with litter trays (this is why you need varying sizes - it will be like a jigsaw puzzle). Put your cat inside the crate and don't let him out for at least a few days. He will have no option but to use the trays and it should get him into the habit again.

I know it seems a bit of an expense to buy a big dog crate just for this but they can be very useful - if he ever needs cage rest in the future for example, or if you have building work done and you want to keep him safe.

I bet eBay would have a crate.

I could put him in a bathroom that we don’t use, it seems a bit cruel though.

Put the 3yo in another crate in the same room to even it up.

Ha ha Fluffy.

OP it wouldn't be for long (hopefully). You would have to completely cover the bathroom floor with trays (also in the bath and in the shower). You can't go on the way you are forever can you? And this is something that really does work most of the time.

Errrm, it might be stating the obvious but can't he just go outside?

My cats had litter trays as kittens but from six months on never used them and just took themselves off out through the cat flap.

Hope you find a solution that works, anyway.

fluffy I would happily lock ds in a bathroom for a few hours but I’m not sure social services would approve.

thecatneuterer I have got 5 litter trays which I’ve put around the bathroom prison but there are gaps on the floor for his food mat, water bowl and his bed. Will that be ok? I’ve put the iPad in there with him playing Blue Planet so he doesn’t get bored.

drama He goes in and out during the day but I have him in from when it gets dark (he’s an idiot who gets lost when it’s dark, then sits crying in a bush 5m from my house, someone finds him looking abandoned and pretending to be half starved, posts it on local FB page and I feel like the world’s worst owner). As it’s dark for so long atm he’s in from 4pm to 8am is Hal can’t hold it that long. I’ve tried putting him on the front doorstep when he’s looking like he might need to go but he just looks at me in disgust, walks back in and pisses on something else of ds’s.

Oh bless him (cat). I used puppy training pads (environmentally friendly ones) for my cats when they got old. They took to them very quickly and easily, I didn't know they would until I tried.

I only have one cat now aged about 12 and he goes out, they all went out until they were old or unwell. Cat litter is very messy. I have a supply of it and trays in the garage and would be happy to give away because can't see me needing them again.

Have you tried plugging in a Feliway adaptor? It sounds like the experience with your DS banging on the tray has stressed your cat out, so Feliway might help him get back to normal (in conjunction with the method you're trying).

Yes that sounds fine. Hopefully a few days should do it. He just needs to get used to using a tray again. You can always spend some time in there with him keeping him company.

Different location nutracalm deli way and a large under bed storage box. Deep litter ( cats like to dig and move around before selecting the correct spot) and potentially change if concerned and