Advice on kittens please?

[bambikate]

Hi everyone, we have a 4 month old kitten who was spayed a few weeks ago. The vets said its ok for her to go outside now so we've been letting her out for a hour or so at a time, she stays within the back garden and comes back when we call her, which is fab.

The only thing is... how do we get her to use the great outdoors to erm...do her business?? We've even tried leaving her out for longer then she meeowed to come in (thought it was for food) and it was to do a big stinky poo in her litter tray! lol. Scared of taking the tray away altogether incase she does it somewhere else - or is that what we have to do???

Any advice would be appreciated, really wanna get her meeowing to go outside for the loo like her big brother and sister cats before bumpy arrives!!!!! x x x

 

[JayleighAnn]

My Cat has had two litters, the eldest from the first litter (she was 10months old, but unfortunately got ran over a couple weeks ago) and the youngest from the 2nd litter is 6months, they and their 3yr old mum all still use the litter tray...and outside as well lol

We decided not to take away the litter tray at all so can't be of much help sorry

 

[Serene123]

I'd pop a litter tray outside for a while and see if she starts using that?

 

[v2007]

I put the litter tray outside, Kit uses it, but TBH she just goes in the mud, they will get used to cats adapt very easy.

HTH.

V x x x

 

[reallytinyamy]

She will prob just start to do it, although 2 of mine always come in to poop and then go out again

 

[Luhweez]

I would leave the tray inside but maybe get another one for outside soshe can see its there and learn.

My cat has recently taken to leaving big poos/peeing in the house, wherever he pleases, its disgusting! especially annoying when your alone as pregnant women arent supposed to clean that stuff up!

 

[bambikate]

thanks girls i will try the tray outside thingy this weekend - wish she could understand english - lol x x

 

[ccombes77]

You could also spread some sand around in an area outside- most cats take a little while to get used to going in grass etc, but sand feels more like litter and won't take as long.

 

[brownhairedmom]

My cat is 14 years old and STILL won't go outside. He still comes in to use his litter box.

 

[Luhweez]

My cat is 14 years old and STILL won't go outside. He still comes in to use his litter box.

i think thats really cute..it's like when as a kid and you were out playing you used to come inside to go to the toilet and then go back out! 14 years old though, atleats he's still using the tray and not just going all around the house..incontinence!

 

[Vickie]

I've never tried this, but heard that it works from others. You slowly move the litter box towards the door (move it a bit every few days) and eventually out the door. Supposed to work well, but like I said never tried it myself.

 

[BeckyBoo]

My kitten Fifi, who's about the same age cries an cries to come back in and goes straight to the loo. So I've been leaving her outside all day lol. I've done it with all my cats and they've always been fine. She'll get used to the fact there is no other option.

Fifi also likes her litter tray to have clean litter everytime she uses it...

 

[nataliecn]

i've heard that you can train a cat to use a TOILET... haven't put the theory to the test, but from what I was told, you just have to keep moving the litter box a little bit at a time, until it's where you want them to do it.
so i agree with some of the other girls, don't put the one and only litter box outside, because that could be asking for some accidents, but maybe have one outside for when she's outside, and she might be willing to use it.

 

[bambikate]

Thanks girls, will try some of your ideas out!!!! Thanks again, wish me luck! lol x x

 

[mrsholmes]

I think it depends on the cat, mine just started going outside after 6 months or so, or u could try putting a pile outside and taking the cat to it. xx

 

[princess_bump]

yep i agree with toria pop it outside and see how she goes. but i would always leave a litter tray out indoors at night (if there in) for them, im sure a vet told me that once. im sure eventually she'll work out where to go

 

[bambikate]

thanks girls, well she loves being outside thats for sure, been using her tray outside and meeowing to go out to lose the loo when inside, just gonna move the tray towards this earthy bit of garden during the week and maybe try and get her to use that instead of tray like the other two! x x

 

[Dream.A.Dream]

Glad it seems to be working. I have two cats, eldest is 6 and he still comes inside to use his litter tray. He's a really good boy though, my sis once accidentally shut him in the living room when everyone left in the morning at about 8am and he held it in all day until we got home at 6pm. Then he absolutely ran to the litter tray. Poor thing

 

[kiwimama]

I've never tried this, but heard that it works from others. You slowly move the litter box towards the door (move it a bit every few days) and eventually out the door. Supposed to work well, but like I said never tried it myself.

I have read that that's the way to do it - apparently that's how you can teach cats to use the human toilet!! I think most cats end up preferring to go outside rather than in a litter box anyway - at least ours do. They only go in the litter box if we are not paying enough attention to them to let them out! She is still rather young so might feel a bit overwelmed to "relieve" herself outside in that big wide world just yet!