No cat flap

[GreenNeedles]

Our kittens are now old enough to go outside for a roam, but we can’t install a cat flap in our house. We live abroad where we are in a quiet village, I guess you’d call it semi-rural, and it seems there are lots of badgers, ferrets and foxes at night. On top of that, we get snow and minus temps in winter so I’d want the cats in at night.

Happy to let them in and out during the day as there’s usually someone around to do so. Or there’s places they can shelter if they to have to be out for a little while.

I would LOVE to get rid of the litter trays. But I can’t see that this is practical given our circumstances.... what do you think?

Is it even possible to get the cats “trained” to only go to the loo outside?

When I had cats as a kid, we had a part of the kitchen like a utility room where they could get in and out safely all night. Plus the weather wasn’t as cold in winter as it is here and we were more urban so less other wildlife.

It wouldn't be fair to keep them in at night and not have a litter tray for them to go the toilet in

Yes I agree, but I’m sure I read on here that someone lets their cat out for the toilet in the evening then calls them back in for the night, then let’s them out again in the morning.

Though maybe that’s the exception rather than the norm!

I lock my cat in every night and he manages just fine without a litter tray till I get up in the morning. In fact if it's raining he'll wait until it stops! Cats can hold their bladders for ages.

You can train them only to go outside as long as the catflap is open 24/7. If it's shut at night then you need to provide a litter tray or you will find "presents" in random places in the house. trust me I know, I'm on my 8th cat now.
You can train a cat to use the toilet if you start young, see youtube.

We keep our cat in a night too. We have a littertray but he never uses it and just holds on until morning

@miccoops

We keep our cat in a night too. We have a littertray but he never uses it and just holds on until morning

My elderly cat does at least three or four wees in her tray when shut in the kitchen at night (gradual kidney failure for which she has been on meds for last 4 years). Your luck without a litter tray won't last forever (and actually could cause bladder infections if cat needs to go but doesn't feel able to).

One of mine will go out in the pissing rain to go to the toilet, he never goes inside anymore. The other will go out, stretch her legs, then come back in to use the litter tray, although has been seen going outside too.

And sometimes they can't hold it. I hate stepping on cat poo when I get out of bed

You can get cat flaps that only open for your cat. They either respond to your cat’s microchip or to a magnet in their collar so that would solve the problem of wildlife coming in through the flap. Cat flaps can also be locked at night. Our cat comes and goes as she pleases in the daytime but we lock the flap at night. She has a litter tray but rarely uses it.

We have a cat flap.

And a litter tray. Because sometimes it's too rainy or too windy or there's a nasty cat outside or it's too dark or something It's a covered one that goes behind a door and I only know it's used because of the litter on the floor outside of it. Someone was in there last night.

Hi GreenNeedles.
I can totally understand how you feel.I've had 6 cats over 40 years and none of them have used a litter tray after the initial few months before they were neutered and couldn't go out.I had a litter tray down in winter for them but they never used it, so eventually i packed it away.I do bring it out on bonfire night and new year but he won't use it.

You might be surprised by the cats wnating to 'go' outside

The last two kittens I have had have immediatley started going outside once they werte let out. Clin is 6 months and still will poo inside but does ask to go out

Ernie was the dimmest cat ever but form the moment he went out he commandeered a poo area and had his own toilet

I always kept a tray indoors though

We do have a littertray that he has access to at night.. he just never seems to use it but it’s always there for him in case...I wouldn’t ever leave him without one

@QueenieButcher

Not sure your reply was meant for me? As I said we do have a littertray that he has access to at night.. he just never seems to use it but it’s always there for him in case...I wouldn’t ever leave him without one

(I don't know if I misread your post @miccoops or meant to quote someone else. Apologies)

I don't think it's kind to leave a cat with no access to somewhere to toilet; they're clean animals and having to toilet in an unsuitable place is stressful for them.

Of course you have to provide a litter tray if there's no cat flap (and it's good practice to provide one even if there is a flap). Cats can't just hold it and it would be extremely stressful and uncomfortable for them to try.

Why can't you have a flap? They can be fitted in walls, windows, double glazed patio doors - you name it. You could lock it at night.

My lovely cats come in to use their litter tray so not having a litter tray would be an issue for me !

We have a litter tray but our cat now declines to use it! He just goes out. I work and he seems to be perfectly capable of waiting until we get home to go out. He often goes out overnight especially in summer. In winter he will nip out and then back 5 mins later if it is too cold. I was surprised but he seems to much prefer to do his business outside. I keep the tray just in case he needs it but it hasn't needed to be used in months.

Thank you all. We’ll keep the litter trays going then and see what kind of new habits they develop. I hate the thought of them being stressed (or leaving gifts for us) so it’s no biggie to keep them. Would be great if they go outside only, but guess it’s good to have it as a backup.

We rent, with triple glazed doors all around the ground floor, and have a tricky landlord who doesn’t speak much English so it’s definitely a no-go for a cat-flap.