Cat toileting help please

[CatMumBat]

My ginger cat, approx 8 months old, will not use the garden for his toileting. I took away the litter tray when he was old enough to go outside but we had several accidents of both varieties in the house. I put the litter tray back but in the garden and he will only use this. He can get in and out of the cat flap but doesn't really like the outside. Any suggestions as to how I can teach him to not use the litter tray anymore? Thanks!

Litter tray in the garden sounds like the ideal solution- no smell on your house and no skat on your and your neighbours gardens.

Well it's not unfortunately because all the neighbourhood cats see it as a free for all so it gets filled up pretty quickly...

You can't force him, if he prefers a tray then you have to provide a tray. He'll need a tray for overnight anyway assuming he's kept in at night, as well as for bad weather.

I'm not keeping him in at night, he just doesn't really enjoy being outside much. He goes out for few minutes and then charges back in again. He has got a tray outside which he will use but I was after some suggestions as to how I could teach him not to use it. The tray is preferable to him going inside though and he's not gone inside since I put the tray in the garden.

I think you're very selfish to take the tray away from indoors when that's where he prefers to do the toilet. I never got rid of our indoor tray until my 2 boys stopped using it completely so we had it for a few years.

Keeping it indoors is not really an option

I don't think you should have taken the tray away.

Put it back inside and start introducing soil with the litter.

This is the best way to transition

To have a litter tray outside is inviting other cats who may well fight with your own, it is a bad idea.

So put soil in the tray instead of litter? And put it back inside? OK that could be worth a try.

I have another female cat and she loves being outside.. I didn't have this problem with her, she just figured everything out naturally.

They have their preferences - one of mine will hold it until the very last second if there's even the slightest chance of getting to go outside and have fun in the dirt, the other one hasn't performed a single bodily function outside in 22 years and has absolutely no intention of starting now. She goes out to take in some fresh air, trim a few blades of grass and contemplate the world - and then comes back in to use her tray. She's definitely too special and delicate in her mind to risk a draught (or she just feels too vulnerable where there are sparrows waiting in the bushes to laugh at her).

Life's too short to be arguing with them over this. As long as it isn't on a floor, they get to choose.

Yep, add soil, mix it with litter inside. I know it's difficult but it worked one of my cats years ago. Total mess but we love them ❤️

I will go dig up some soil tomorrow then and give that a try. Thanks for the constructive advice.
My two cats really are like chalk and cheese, they are siblings from a different litter but you'd never be able to tell that. My female cat is very independent and likes her own space near me but separate. The ginger boy is happiest cuddled up in my jumper, has no concept of space...