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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

Is it possible to have a cat with no litter tray indoors?

96 replies

SpeedofaSloth · 05/06/2022 14:09

That's all, really.

I haven't had a cat for some years now, mainly due to not having a good place in this house to pop a litter tray.

Is catflap-only even possible? Slightly wondering if rescues might have an outdoorsy kind of cat we might be able to give a home to, maybe. We live in a quiet cul de sac which backs into woods so would be good territory for a mouser.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
ofwarren · 05/06/2022 14:12

Yes, some cats only ever go outside.
I have 5 and 3 don't use the litter tray. That said, in bad weather they will use it.

Shouldbedoing · 05/06/2022 14:13

You'll need a litter tray while the cat settles in with you.

DuchessOfSausage · 05/06/2022 14:14

Yes, of course, but if caught short might poo in a corner.

I have a litter tray but DCat hardly ever uses it, next door's garden is much better

SantaMonicaPier · 05/06/2022 14:14

My cats were outdoor ones and we only ever used a litter tray for a couple of weeks when we moved house, or when they became very elderly

Holmgang · 05/06/2022 14:14

We don’t have a litter tray for our cat, only had it for them when they were kittens.

Expecting to have to reintroduce one at some point as she gets more elderly

UrsulaPandress · 05/06/2022 14:15

We had no litter tray for many years. Until the cat got old really. We didn’t have a cat flap, we left the downstairs toilet window open.

Original poster
SpeedofaSloth · 05/06/2022 14:15

So I might be able to get away with only having one on a short term basis, perhaps 🤔

OP posts:
BiscoffSundae · 05/06/2022 14:15

Everyone I know that has a cat doesn’t have a litter tray...

Furryfeet · 05/06/2022 14:15

This is entirely possible. We've had many cats over the years and never had a litter tray after the were toilet trained. Our current cat refuses to go in a tray under any circumstances. During the Beast from the East she didn't go to the toilet for about 3 days until I had to literally carry her outside to favourite tree/toilet spot

PleaseGoDontGoAgain · 05/06/2022 14:16

I have 2, one is anaemic and prone to bouts of serious lethargy so he uses the litter tray in 'emergencies' the other cat wouldn't be seen dead near the litter tray and I sometimes think she seems disgusted by the other doing his business inside. She was litter trained as a kitten but as soon as she realised she could do her business away from the house she did.

titchy · 05/06/2022 14:16

We only had a litter tray for the first few weeks while they were settling in. Cat flap and garden are fine for our two.

ofwarren · 05/06/2022 14:17

SpeedofaSloth · 05/06/2022 14:15

So I might be able to get away with only having one on a short term basis, perhaps 🤔

I'd say so
Maybe try and keep a sheltered area outside for them to go if the weather is bad. Its the only time mine use the litter tray.

WibblyWobblyJane · 05/06/2022 14:18

Please don’t do this.

PleaseGoDontGoAgain · 05/06/2022 14:18

I'm not sure a rescue centre would know if a cat was outdoorsy or not, it's a bit of a lucky dip tbh.

PleaseGoDontGoAgain · 05/06/2022 14:20

WibblyWobblyJane · 05/06/2022 14:18

Please don’t do this.

Why on earth not? It's not the natural inclination of a lot of cats to soil inside the house. It's hardly cruel to let a cat go to the toilet where it wants

Unexpecteddrivinginstructor · 05/06/2022 14:27

Ours use their litter tray and will come indoors specifically to use it even though they have free access to the outside so don't assume that they will definitely want to go outside.

MsOllie · 05/06/2022 14:28

Unexpecteddrivinginstructor · 05/06/2022 14:27

Ours use their litter tray and will come indoors specifically to use it even though they have free access to the outside so don't assume that they will definitely want to go outside.

That ^^
Mine won't even wee outside

SpindleForTheWorld · 05/06/2022 14:30

It's fine if you create a nice soil or gravel bed within your property for your cat to defecate in. Keeps them local; stops them killing excessive wildlife; keeps them safe from dogs being walked off lead and foxes.

Not so nice if it's knowingly in someone else's garden. I've had to cat-proof my garden to keep all the newly grown-up lock-down cats out. My neighbour-at-the-back had the nerve to complain that his cat didn't have anywhere to shit any more because he only has a patio, no flower beds or pots, and no litter tray. Not my problem, mate. Get a tray.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 05/06/2022 14:31

Per PP during really bad weather we have cleared snow/dug soil as our cat would rather burst than use a tray. That said we do have two in the house as she is always kept in overnight. We adopted her directly from a family where she had been an indoor cat and had always used a tray - she doesn’t roam beyond our immediate neighbours but as soon as we started leaving the back door open for her she started toileting outside immediately.

SecondBestBed · 05/06/2022 14:31

Yes, of course. We don’t have a litter tray. We never have with either of our cats -only as a short-term introductory thing for a few weeks, that is to say.

Clymene · 05/06/2022 14:31

Mine refuses to use my litter tray. He goes in the garden instead (along with next door's 3 cats Angry )

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 05/06/2022 14:32

I don't know anyone who owns a cat that doesn't have a litter tray. Ours don't really use ours. I have 3 cats, but in the winter or bad weather they do for wees at least.

Basilbrushgotfat · 05/06/2022 14:33

Not only is it possible, it's preferable.

Does depend a bit on personal preferences of each individual cat though.

Have had one who refused to go outside, many who refused to go inside, a couple who only wanted to use a litter tray when the weather was bad 🙄you get the idea!

Ohmych · 05/06/2022 14:35

As soon as mine started going out as a kitten he stopped using the litter tray completely so I got rid of it.

Shinyandnew1 · 05/06/2022 14:36

We have only ever had a litter tray when we had kittens or elderly/unwell cats. Cat flaps all the way!

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