Removing the litter Tray?

[Lenore]

Hi There.

My cat Newt is 11 months old and w have finally managed to teach him to use the cat flap, much to his obvious enjoyment (and our other cat tiggers annoyance - he feels the need to check every time it 'flaps' which at the mo is 20 times in the space of an hour, in out in out etc). So now I want to get rid of the litter tray, I suspect he's started going outside a bit lately anyway. I tried to straight out remove it last weekend but he spent a lot of time pacing around where it has been looking desparate and 'posturing' for want of a better word against the wall, at which point I would calmly place him outside in case he needed to go. I made sure I had cleaned the floor with a specially designed disenfectant spray from the petshop to try and remove any scent the tray may have left behind.

He just seemed so confused that in the end I brought it back (this may have been his plan - it is cold out ) I just wondered if anyone had any advice for removing the litter tray whilst avoiding any accidents - he has been very good in all fairness we have never had an accident at all and he had a very sensitive tummy as a small kitten, or unnessary confusion for Newt - he's not the brightest cat, though he may be the softest

[Mags]

Cassie has access to outside during the day but I lock her in at night. I still keep a litter tray indoors for her though .......

[alexgirl73]

TBH Lenore, I would just leave it. If he's going outside he'll use it less and less and then you can decide whether to take it away completely.

[Lenore]

Originally Posted by alexgirl73

TBH Lenore, I would just leave it. If he's going outside he'll use it less and less and then you can decide whether to take it away completely.

That was my plan initially, however as Newt has got older my other cat Tigger who is 7 has become very interested in the litter tray (we got Tig when he was 5 and he has never had a litter Tray - the old owners of our house left him behind, long story) and I am alittle concerned that

a) Tig will intimidate Newt into using other parts of the house as a toilet, as i said he is v interested in the littertray and sits as if on guard, plus they are ver much in the stages of asserting who is the 'boss' cat, Tigger is huge but V soft, Newt is a bit cocky for someone so small!

b) Tigger will try to use the tray and regress so he needs one too, I am unsure what his interest signifies, both cats are male and have been neutered, so he isn't spraying or marking territory, I am worried he likes this warm indoor loo thingy

[Shadowdh]

As I am a newbie to all this my advice may not be so sound but... perhaps if you move the litter tray (if possible) closer and closer to the cat flap till its eventually outside then he might get the idea... it may work... (its how we got the kids used to the toilet from the potty... lol)...

[Fran]

Even before I had indoor cats only, I still had litter trays in the house as I like my moggies in at night anyhow. But if I was going to attempt to get rid of my trays then I would try what Shadowh has suggested and slowly move the tray nearer to the cat flap until it was outside and where you want him to do his biz. I'd also try putting some of his soiled litter in the appropriate place in your garden that you want him to use so the smell is familiar to him and encourage him to use it.

Good luck!

[Sweet]

I have litter trays, all mine go in and out - I have no cat flap, I leave the door open mostly x

[dinahsmum]

All sounds good advice.
Maybe leave it till the weather improves though? ... remove all potential obstacles to success?

[smudgley]

If the idea is for him to go outside to the toilet, you could start using soil in his tray.

[Kim]

It is very cold outside and the soil very wet and often icy, so he may well prefer his nice litter tray! Why not wait until the weather improves if you really don't want a tray in the house? My cats have access to outside via a catflap, but I have a tray inside. This time of year most of them use it rather than go outside, but in the summer, days can go by without it being used at all! I personally prefer to let them have a choice.