Training cat to go to the toilet outside...

annieee

We just moved house and have been trying to get our cat to go to the toilet outside. She goes out for a while then uses the litter tray as soon as she comes back in. She always went to the toilet outside in our last house. I have tried moving the litter tray outside but she just went on the floor where the litter tray used to be. She is a nervous cat and our new garden is quite big and bare. Should I make a litter area outside for her with sand? Anybody any tips?

Arcadian

Perhaps there are other cats in the area and she doesn't want to draw attention to herself by toileting outside. If you must remove the indoor litter tray i'd provide her with one outside, you can get rainproof ones or a small dog kennel with a tray inside. I wouldn't encourage her to stop using a tray altogether though as this is a sure way to piss off neighbours if she starts using their gardens instead of yours and you may end up with a poisoned cat

FlutterinBantam

You said your cat was nervous and I would say that is the problem.

The reason cats cover where they drop a load is they do not want other cats to know of their presence.... So.. the confident cat will whizz away and take minimum action,whereas the nervous cat will cover up to the hilt and in fact may not like dunking outside at all.

As you moved recently..your cat is probably unsure of the territory.

I would let it thump away in the litter till it gets it bearings as it were...

morgana

It can take a while for your cat to become sure enough outside to do her business there. Also, cats feel quite exposed and vulnerable when dumping maybe screening off a nice patch of ground with some pot plants or similar may give her the privacy she needs?
One of our cats took a few months before he went to the toilet outside. He always came back in to use the litter tray. Now he uses it just in dire emergencies, i.e. when its pelting down rain :rolleyes:

tallus

Bury some of your cats excrement outside I hear that works.