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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.

Original poster

Outdoor cats & holidays

26 replies

MotherOfMonkeys0 · 26/06/2020 20:20

Hi, we got our cat last autumn. For the first couple of months he was an indoor cat and dutifully used his litter tray. Then we started letting him out. We went away a couple of times over winter, for 1/2 nights' and just kept him inside, with friends visiting to feed him and deal with the litter tray. He is now very much an outdoor cat. Goes out very early in the morning, in and out during the day and comes in mid evening for bed. During the transition from indoor to outdoor he got worse and worse with the litter tray and just peed and sometimes pooped anywhere inside! Seems to do all of this outside now. We don't have a cat flap and don't have capacity for one, we just let him in and out ourselves.

We're going away for 5 days soon and just don't know what to do with him. If we leave him indoors with people visiting to feed, he will pee/poop everywhere, and likely go stir crazy. But we can't leave him out. There is a shed he can go in to sleep, eat but he doesn't. I don't like the idea of a cattery, they look like prisons.

Anyone else have a similar set up and any suggestions?

Thanks.

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 26/06/2020 20:21

We use a cattery. Our cats are safe and well cared for there.

Original poster
MotherOfMonkeys0 · 26/06/2020 20:28

Thanks Wolfie, maybe I need to look around more. The couple near us didn't look too homely from their websites. I do like the idea of someone looking after him 24/7 though.

OP posts:
NoMoreFlowers · 26/06/2020 20:31

I’d go for a cattery every time

Bargebill19 · 26/06/2020 20:35

A nice cattery will have pens that have both in and outdoor space in the one pen with a cat flap between the two areas. But be prepaid to spend more on the cats holiday than your own. The pens will be individual not shared.

BlackCrow · 26/06/2020 20:36

You have to either confine him to (one room of- ?) your home or put him in a cattery. It's not fair to lock him outside. What if it rains for five days straight - how miserable would that be for him? Or what if some kind of predator, a fox or another cat stakes out the garden and he has nowhere safe to escape?
As a sometime cat feeder, I can tell you that cats are happiest with the least possible disruption to their routine and I would personally refuse to take on a job where the cat was locked out in all weathers / locked in against its will.
May I ask the reason why you can't have a cat flat installed? Perhaps the collective wisdom of The Litter Tray can think of a way around it. It really is the only sensible option if you want to be able to holiday freely in future.

notmycar · 26/06/2020 20:38

We've used a cattery every year for up to 3 weeks a time, care has always been fantastic. They're like nurseries I think, some you wouldn't use but you'll find one that you're comfortable with. Much better option than having him locked out his home.

steppemum · 26/06/2020 20:42

is there anyone who would house sit for you?

That is another option

When we go away this summer my friend is moving in to get her building work done

Gremlinpoop · 26/06/2020 20:43

Cattery that way he is safe. They sulk for a bit but get over it and at least you can relax knowing he is fed and cared for and no chance of going missing or being injured with nobody to help him etc. Just find a good one.

Toddlerteaplease · 26/06/2020 20:46

Cattery. Find a good one and they will be fine!

Toddlerteaplease · 26/06/2020 20:47

Mine adore their cattery and the staff adore them.

redsky75 · 26/06/2020 20:56

Can you get someone to come and feed him first thing then they would put him out until they come back later in the day and then they put him back in for the night? Would he be able to wait over night before going out for the toilet though?

Wolfiefan · 26/06/2020 21:06

The place our girls go to is lovely. Out in quiet countryside. Snuggly beds and a pen outside. The owner often cooks fish as a treat and gives regular cuddles! Our old girl used to go and they gave her her daily medication too.

steppemum · 26/06/2020 21:09

To be fair, my very outdoor cat would be furious in a cattery, but he would get over it, and be happy to be home afterwards. I just pity the cattery trying to prevent him form escaping out of the door!

Original poster
MotherOfMonkeys0 · 26/06/2020 21:28

Thanks all. I think my fear of the cattery is maybe just the unknown. I feel like it would be traumatic.
My ideal would be as you described Redsky, but it's an awful lot to ask a friend/s to do. I have found a service where a vetted local person visits twice a day around your routine. They could feed/ let him out in the morning, and feed/let in at night. I think this might be my best bet.

We don't have a suitable door/window to put a cat flap in. Double door at front/conservation area and full height glass at back. Plus the house is quite open plan and he's a keen hunter!

OP posts:
violetbunny · 27/06/2020 05:58

Anything more than 3-4 nights we use a cattery.

I always worry about them getting injured while we are away, one had a scrap with neighbour's beast of a cat recently, she got bitten and it went nasty very quickly. Less than 24 hours later she could barely walk. Even though they hate being stuck inside, at least they'll be safe.

cosmo30 · 27/06/2020 06:20

Another one for a cattery. The one we use they have a huge individual pen with an upstairs and an open downstairs. Litter tray, heater and you can take your own bed etc. Food can be included or you can take your own.
All vaccinations must be upto date and take the vaccination card with you.
As others have said it doesn't seem fair locking him out the whole time, he will be much happier in a cattery, he might sulk but will be happy to see you when you're back!

fufulina · 27/06/2020 06:23

We use trustedhousesitters.co.uk - I don’t want to disrupt the cat’s routine. She is very self sufficient, but she’s not like being alone for anything more than a couple of nights.

Logoplanter · 27/06/2020 06:24

The scenario you are now proposing is what we do for my brother's two cats. The issue we find is that quite often when we turn up on an evening they aren't there, we spend ages calling them and often they don't turn up so end up staying out all night. This tends to happen in the summer most. They've got somewhere to shelter so it isn't a terrible but it's not ideal, particularly for us as we worry about them!

steppemum · 27/06/2020 10:14

They could feed/ let him out in the morning, and feed/let in at night. I think this might be my best bet.

trouble is, would he come in for a starnager? I can usually call me cat to me if 1. he is within earshot, not way across the fields 2. he is in the mood to come, which on a nice summer evening, he isn't.

But he doesn't even come for another member of the family, let alone a stranger.

I think you would be better off with a cattery

steppemum · 27/06/2020 11:31

and we have a cat flap, and my parents have a cat flap. We both have people come in eveyr day to feed the cat. We both find that the cat is often invisible to the feeder!

TheWitchwithNoName · 27/06/2020 11:44

If you have one near you Longcroft cat hotels are great

googledontknow · 27/06/2020 13:20

Safest and best for the cat =
Cattery or full time house sitter.

Original poster
MotherOfMonkeys0 · 28/06/2020 12:21

Thanks everyone. After some fretting we've booked him in to a recommended local cattery. Will be good to know we have that option for longer holidays too. I had worried about the timings issue like a few mentioned. If he's caught up chasing a mouse he can be hours!

OP posts:
Baaaahhhhh · 28/06/2020 12:28

DD volunteers for the local cattery. She loves it, and so do the cats Grin. The are exceptionally clean, DD does a lot of cleaning, trays emptied daily, fed well, loved and petted, videoed and photographed for twitter updates, and as far as I know, no-one has ever escaped. All the pens are completely disinfected inbetween cats. They generally have multiple doors, so even if they get out of their pen, there is another inside bit, with a door, and then an outer vestibule bit with another door!

JorisBonson · 28/06/2020 12:32

We use Cat in a Flat and have found a fantastic sitter through it. She'll do twice daily visits for short trips and sends us picture updates each time. She was booked in to stay here for 5 days soon but covid ruined that trip.