Would a cat use an outdoor litter tray?

[MrsDorrit]

Not my cat, but lots of cats in the neighbourhood. We've been here 5 years (renting, not allowed indoor pets) and never had a problem with cat poo in our garden, which is all gravel/astroturf so I'd have thought not ideal for pooing on anyway. However, a cat or some cats have started to poo a lot in one area over the past month. Cats are cats and I get that I can't stop them, but wondered if I put out some kind of litter box whether they would use that instead? I've got no idea what I'd need to use - just want to make it easier to clean up! Ideas?

You're a better person than me if you are going to provide an ongoing facility for them. I blocked the cats preferred route in to my garden and it started using its own garden much to its owners annoyance.

Don't waste your money on all those cat deterrent things either.

There's an 8ft fence/wall all round which they climb over, so I'm not sure I can stop them getting in the garden! There's no other way in - we have guinea-pigs which have free run of the garden in the summer, and they can't get out.

I thought about a cat deterrent but the gardens are so small the poor thing would probably end up 'deterred' from its own garden even if it did work!

I very, very much doubt you'd have any success - but I love that you want to try

You could try an area with woodchip litter if you wanted? That way if they don't use it, it still looks like a nice part of the garden? You can get a huge bag for a couple of quid from Pets at Home.

My cat has made herself an outdoor litter tray, I just found it the other day. I wondered why there was nothing in her two trays, she goes in a pile of shingle at the end of the garden, it's quite a poo mountain!! I've cleared it and put some new shingle down for her.
She's 19 and has suddenly decided she doesn't want to use the indoor litter trays anymore after years of refusing to go outside.

I've had other cats messing in my garden in previous years and find a sand pit does the job, they love it.

How big would a tray need to be, @Shehasadiamondinthesky ? I was thinking it would be easier to have something I could pick up and just tip into the bin - a whole sand pit would be a bit big for that!

I have a spare seed tray, and possibly some play sand. I'll give it a go..

Don't encourage them. They aren't your cats.... some bleach on the area where they have been will put them off. Think about your guinea pigs in the summer....do they want to share their home with cat poo?

(Yes I like cats but they can all poo at home.....including mine).