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

[SpeedofaSloth]

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?

They won't go outside if it's monsoon weather like we've had today.

Why are you so keen to avoid having a tray?

got rid of my litter tray last month after months of them not using it ..

Yes, we have a litter tray just in case but she never uses it, not even during the night and she's locked in after 9pm into 6.30am.

Mine does. Any storm or snow has been fine.

So you just allow your cat to crap wherever it wants. Train it to use a litter tray in your house and stop letting them crap everywhere. It's absolutely foul and can be dangerous. Ugh this thread is awful.

I’ve had success with an outdoor (covered) tray. Best of both worlds. Keeps the mess and smells outside plus cat does not dig up the garden/neighbours.

I agree and think it’s unfair to the cat. These are domesticated animals, and having a safe, clean litter box is a basic need. If you are not willing to provide that, don’t get a cat.

Vets strongly advise against covered litter boxes. Not healthy for the cat and can cause health issues.

Health issues how?
If she is changing it daily and air is blowing through because its outside, what could happen?

I have 2 cats and don't have litter trays inside. I did for the first 2 weeks when the old cat moved in and when we got the younger cat as a kitten. As soon as they could go outside the litter trays were removed but I showed them an area of garden they can use to do there business and they go there.

A cat needs a safe place to go if it gets sick or older. If you can’t provide that now, then don’t bother getting a cat.

Totally. I had three cats, for approx twelve years, in various homes that had either only wrap around balcony, small courtyard or one no outside access at all and so they all happily used litter trays. I then moved to my current home and they spent the next six/seven years exclusively using the cat flap to go outside with no litter tray indoors - I started off with litter trays but they never used them from very early on so I got rid.

You can google this if you are interested. Will provide better info than I can write.

I know in UK a larger % of people have indoor/outdoor cats. I understand why but it would be impossible where I live. I’m sure they are much happier living that way, but it doesn’t negate the need to provide them with the basic necessities and a litter box is one.

We had cats when I was a child and had two cats when married. None of them had a litter tray beyond the first few weeks when they were too young to go out. The only cat who would have accidents had issues that caused that particular problem. I always assumed most outdoor cats didn't use litter trays.

We never had litter trays for cats, yuck. They had a catflap and a big garden.

My cat only uses litter in an emergency or bad weather.

A cat needs a safe place to go if it gets sick or older

This is very true. Towards the end of their lives they all, very elderly, stayed in out of necessity, so you have to have the alternative available should they need it.

I've been googling but can't find anything that says using a hooded litter box outside is a problem. It's literally just to keep the rain off.

I found this research though that shows that cats don't really show a preference between hooded and unhooded. www.pethealthnetwork.com/cat-health/cat-behavior/covered-or-uncovered-litter-boxes-do-cats-really-care

Same. It hardly ever gets used. Guaranteed one will shit on the floor if I try and remove it though 🤣

Wow how horrible. Why should next door have to clean up your cats shit every day. Talk about selfish.

My cat has needed a litter tray since becoming a teen. We didn’t realise at first so she just went in the corner. She will still go outside if it is nice weather but won’t once it rains. You can’t get a cat if you are not prepared to have a tray as they may need one once older. This has been going on for two years now and she shows no other signs of age.

I have an electronic cat flap and my cat goes out whenever he likes.. we don't have a litter tray at all although we did till he was 6 months old.

Many cats will choose to toilet outdoors but if you home a cat you do need to to prepared to make space for tray in the event of: deep snow, cat's preference, overnight curfew, illness, old age.

You have to be prepared to have one, even though you may be able to get away without having one. You may well find that the cat is happy to just go out through the flap. However very many cats don't like to go out if it's raining, or the ground is frozen, or there's a particularly scary fox outside or whatever. Also, many cats that are happy to use a the flap when they are young are no longer happy to go outside to toilet as they age. So I would say that if it's a deal breaker then you can't have a cat.

As for 'outdoorsy' cats. Many rescues have semi feral cats that are happy living entirely outside, with food and shelter, and they will set this up for you (as the cat has to be contained somehow for the initial month or so). However these cats won't be friendly, and you won't be able to stroke them, so they may not offer what it is you want from a cat.

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

Except people don't really take kindly to cats pooing in their garden and will actually harm them.

Unless you can guarantee the cat only goes in your garden or in the woods or something I don't think it's a good idea - unless the neighbours don't mind.