DCat using the stairs as a litter tray

[Igmum]

I would welcome advice from the collective wisdom of the litter tray. I’ve been a cat owner for many years and our current pair (brother and sister) will be 5 in March. We’ve had them since they were kittens and, up to about six weeks ago, they have been very clean - always using the cat flap to go outside. No problems at all. Then DGirlCat did a #2 on the sofa. It turned out she was blocked (unusual in cats, but it happens), the vet expressed her, all fine.

Then DBoyCat thought that the sofa would make an excellent cat toilet and he too did a #2 there. No physical issues. No diarrhoea. I’ve cleaned that thoroughly and now keep the door to that room closed. So, without the sofa option he uses the top of the stairs by our toilet 🤦‍♀️.

It isn’t every day, and it isn’t urine - he still goes out for that. I now take them both outside to the garden personally. I’ve cleaned the stairs with everything from natural remedies to eco friendly stuff to surgical spirit (I think Amazon think I’m running a small operating theatre). I’ve been hoping to avoid setting up a litter tray for them then gradually moving it into the garden but will do that if you recommend it. I’m at my wit’s end. What can I do to persuade him that the cat toilet is outside.

And this is the handsome young man himself

A litter tray is a better option than them crapping everywhere. Maybe there is a new cat in the neighbourhood that is making him not want to do the toilet outside.

Your cat is very beautiful! Definitely get a litter tray - our last cat toileted almost exclusively outside but we still had two trays in the house in case she didn’t want to go out for whatever reason. Animals are at their most exposed and vulnerable to predators when they are toileting so it makes sense to give them a “safe space” indoors should they choose, even if it’s not very nice to clean up.

We have a little boy cat now after our girl sadly had to be pts last year and he comes in specifically to use the tray. He shouts loudly to tell us he’s done, waits until it’s been tidied, including supervising the floor being swept, then goes back out. (I deep clean the tray on a Friday which is my wfh day, and he will usually watch that process then immediately do a big poo to say thanks for my maid service.)

Poor cats must feel vulnerable outside after that blockage scare. Definitely add a litter tray upstairs near where it's happening, with plain non-clumping litter to start. That often stops the inappropriate spots quickly while you figure out if something's scaring them from the garden. Vet check for ongoing issues wouldn't hurt either.

Thanks all, litter tray installed yesterday. I should stress that this isn’t the cat who had the blockage, she’s happily using the garden and going out, it’s her brother. He goes out to wee but stays in to poo 🤦‍♀️

All cats should (imo) have a litter tray that they have access go 24/7.

my vet told me that there should be one litter tray per cat and an extra one.

so two cats = 3 litter trays.

that way if one is being used or access denied thete is an alternative and a spare.

personally i think one each is fine though.

I think the replies have covered the issue. We had a similar one and quite simply, without a litter tray where on earth did we expect the cat to go to the toilet? Being naturally very clean animals, I expect it must have been stressful trying to find somewhere indoors when there wasn't a tray. Since getting a couple of trays, the problem has gone away entirely.