Removing litter trays in the summer months for outdoor cats?

[Snowwhite83]

Hi, two very cheeky siamese boys,

They are outdoor cats but dont like to go outside in the cold weather so will pee in the house instead which is why I relented and got a Littertray last winter. But I feel now its warmer they should do their business outside again? Not to mention I hate the mess involved.
Was thinking of putting the litter tray outside before removing it completely as I did when they were kittens. (But may bring it back in winter again).
Does anyone else do this?
Boys pictures below

Do you have an outside litter tray, or do you mean they just go and crap in neighbours gardens?
If you have a cat you should have a litter tray somewhere and be prepared to clean up after it.

No. Our cats are always in overnight so we always have litter trays. It’s part of having cats.

No.

All cats should have access to a litter tray - that's inside, safe and clean for them to use at all times.

I'm a really strong believer in this. If they end up not using it then it won't smell, so it makes no difference if it's just sat there, surely?

No, never considered taking their trays away they use them all year round. I'd rather deal with their mess cleanly in the trays than have it in my garden and I know my neighbour gets upset if cats shit in hers.

Dcat has a litter tray all year round. She doesn't use it unless the weather outside of inclement

Outdoor cat here and we don't have a litter tray at all, he never used it even in cold and wet weather. Even when he was kept in overnight.

Our cat never uses the tray but we have three just in case. In the snow it’s a pain as we end up having to clear a “princess patch” where she likes to toilet and carry her out! She’s always in overnight unless it is mid summer and she flat out refuses to come in, in which case we move her bed to the utility and lock the kitchen door - there’s even a tray in there tucked under the sink.

We got rid of ours because our cat never used it.

No. I think if you take the litter tray away now you may be unpleasantly surprised by them peeing in protest where it should be!

I have a litter tray for my cat, he mainly goes outdoors but I keep him in at night, so there are times he needs to use it!

Ours stopped using the litter trays by choice a few months ago. Our garden borders a field and woods and the two gardens that meet ours have scary alpha male cats so I'm sure they wouldn't dare shit in those gardens 😂mine are softies.

We've put them away for now, and will probably bring them back out towards winter.

No. I think if you take the litter tray away now you may be unpleasantly surprised by them peeing in protest where it should be!

Yep - that's the risk and once they start peeing on soft furnishings, it's really tough to get them to stop - especially if the smell soaks through to the underlay or through the floorboards.

I honestly don't see the big deal in keeping a clean litter tray tucked away in a corner somewhere. If they don't use it, it won't smell but at least it gives them the option of a clean, safe area to toilet.

I think it's basic pet ownership tbh.

Harry always had a litter tray and would often come in from the garden to use it and then go back out. He wasn't allowed out at night until we cat proofed the garden but even then we kept the tray

Our cat has never had one except as a younger kitten, and neither has my previous cats. They just go out though the flap.

If their preference is to use a litter tray inside then it seems unkind to not give them that option. We have one litter try’s that none of our cats use once they have worked out the cat flat but it’s there just in case.