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The litter tray

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How to get cat to use litter tray?

8 replies

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 22/11/2022 22:05

Our cat is eight, and we adopted her when she was three. She is litter trained, but as soon as we started letting her out she took to toileting outside in our garden (she doesn’t roam) although we kept two trays in the house which she has barely ever used since.

For the last two years we have pretty much been WFH, so she has always had people on hand to let her in and out. Now there are a couple of days a week when she’s on her own all day which she was fine with before, but has now taken to occasionally doing a wee in the bath. I put the tray in there today before work, and could tell she had been in it but she still did a wee in the bath.

Obviously this isn’t the end of the world, but I would rather she used the tray! She always goes out straight after breakfast. We don’t have a cat flap, and she is only out if someone is home (unless eg nice summer day and just popping out for an hour).

Cat flap is not an option - we rent plus there is a utility between kitchen and back door, so we would really need two or to keep the middle door permanently open. I’ve redone both trays with fresh litter in case they were dusty (?) but if anyone has any tips…? She has been a bit skittish since fireworks night (which went on for about a fortnight) so maybe is a bit spooked, although she goes out happily.

OP posts:
RustySprings · 24/11/2022 14:18

@Judystilldreamsofhorses Just a thought - is, or can, the tray be placed somewhere private or hidden in some way? Mine's in the bathroom and she only likes to use it when there's no one about. Or it could be something simple like she doesn't like the smell of the litter - worth trying a different one?

thelobsterquadrille · 24/11/2022 17:20

If she's previously used the litter tray and is now choosing the bath instead, I would be concerned about a UTI.

I think she needs a vet check.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 24/11/2022 20:20

@thelobsterquadrille sorry my post wasn’t clear - she used the litter tray when we got her when she was three, five years ago. Since then has always toileted in the garden! Even in bad weather she will go outside. I think she has gotten used to us being around to let her in and out when she likes, whereas pre pandemic she always went straight for a wee after breakfast before we left for work.

@RustySprings if we go away we have MIL come in twice a day to feed and fuss her and she will generally go in the bath then too. I had forgotten about this until DP reminded me. We have one tray in the kitchen and one in a corner in the hall, but there isn’t really space in the bathroom. I might try different litter.

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Judystilldreamsofhorses · 24/11/2022 20:23

Here she is, the little pisser.

How to get cat to use litter tray?
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RustySprings · 24/11/2022 21:19

She's lovely :-) 😺

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 24/11/2022 23:22

She is, and 100% hale and hearty - mortified people think she needs a vet and we’re not bringing her. She is what my mother would describe as “strong willed” and for no reason just hates the tray. During the “beast from the east” we had so much snow she didn’t want to go out, but wouldn’t use the tray, and I thought she was going to burst. DP ended up having to clear a patch, dig her a hole, carry her out, wait, and carry her in - god forbid she got snow on her tiny feets!

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thelobsterquadrille · 25/11/2022 00:22

No, I understood your post, but one of the most common symptoms of a UTI is inappropriate urination, especially in places like the bath.

If she hasn't been checked by a vet recently she really needs to be examined soon. Every single time any of my cats have wee'd outside of their trays it's been for a medical reason.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 25/11/2022 08:17

I will keep an eye on her, she had the vet at the start of October. As she’s used the bath previously over the years I think she just hates the tray and is adjusting to there not being someone here all day every day. (One of us has been WFH every day bar Tuesday and all fine.)

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